QUT - Academic profiles - Professor Mahinda Vilathgamuwa

Biography

Area of research: Power Electronics, Energy Storage, Electromobility, Wireless Power, Electrical Drives, Renewable Energy; I am most interested in how electric power can be generated, converted, and utilized efficiently. My main focus is on the development of efficient energy conversion processes using new power semiconductor devices along with novel converter topologies and electrochemical systems. With the electrification and automation of many aspects of our lives, it is of paramount importance that energy is converted efficiently and economically. Presently, the evolving paradigm shifts within the energy sector revolutionizes the way energy is generated via modern energy sources, the way energy is converted to different forms, and the way energy is stored using novel storage devices. Exploring new avenues in this revolutionary research domain is a challenging yet fascinating task for many contemporary power engineering professionals in today's world. Academic Qualifications:

BSc(Engineering) – (Hons), 1984, Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka

Ph.D. (Electrical Engineering) – 1993, Cambridge University, Cambridge, United Kingdom

Summary of Working Experience

Jun 1985 - Oct 1988 : Assistant Lecturer, University of Moratuwa
May 1993 - Dec 1993 : Senior Lecturer, University of Moratuwa
Dec 1993- Dec 1998: Lecturer, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Jan 1999 - Dec 2000: Asst. Professor, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Jan 2001 – Feb 2014 : Associate Professor, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Professional Qualifications

Fellow – Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Service to professional bodies

Secretary - IEEE Singapore Section, 2003
Secretary - IEEE Singapore Section, 2004
Committee member -IEEE Singapore Section, 2005
Committee member -IEEE Singapore Section, 2006
Deputy Chairman -IEEE Singapore Section, 2007
Treasurer -IEEE Singapore Section, 2008
Deputy Chairman -IEEE Singapore Section, 2009
Deputy Chairman -IEEE Singapore Section, 2010
Chairman -IEEE Singapore Section, 2011
Chairman -IEEE Singapore Section, 2012

General co-chairman - IEEE Power Electronics and Drives Systems Conference, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 2005
General co-chairman - IEEE Power Electronics and Drives Systems Conference, Bangkok, Thailand, 2007
General co-chairman - IEEE International conference on sustainable energy technologies, Sri Lanka, 2010
General co-chairman - IEEE International conference on sustainable energy technologies, Nepal, 2012
Technical co-chairman – International power and energy conference, Ho Chi Ming City, Vietnam, 2012
General co-chairman - IEEE Power Electronics and Drives Systems Conference, Sydney, Australia, 2015
Associate Editor – IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics

Selected List of Grants

The Analysis, Design, and Implementation of Solid-State PWM Power Flow Controllers (AcRF RG50/95), Funding Source: Ministry of Education, Singapore, Principal Investigator, 1995 – 1998
The Stability Of Low Voltage Direct Current Marine Systems, Funding Source: Rolls Royce, Principal Investigator, 2010-2014
Development of Efficient Inverters for Renewable and Modern Energy Sources, Principal Investigator, Funding Source: Panasonic, 2011-2012
Novel Energy Efficient Electric Machines For Electric Ships Using Magneto-Caloric Systems, Principal Investigator, Funding Source: Maritime and Ports Authority, Singapore, 2010-2013
Electro-Mechanical Interactions With Power Inverters In Electric Starter\Generator Application, Principal Investigator, Funding Source: Rolls Royce, 2012-2013
Electromobility in megacities (TUM CREATE), Funding Source: National Research Foundation, Singapore, 2011-2016
Optimization and New Designs of Permanent Magnet Generators for Tidal Energy Conversion, Co-Principal Investigator, Funding Source: Atlantis Resources Corporation, 2009-2012
Development of Photovoltaic (PV) Power Conditioners, Principal Investigator, Funding Source: Panasonic, 2010-2011
Electro-Mechanical Interactions With Power Inverters, Principal Investigator, Funding Source: Rolls Royce, 2010-2011
Efficient wireless power transfer system for ventricular assist devices, Principal Investigator, Funding Source: The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation, 2016
Degradation conscious, electrochemistry based, grid-scale battery energy management system, Principal Investigator, Funding Source: Australian Research Council, 2016-2018

QUT Ph.D. Scholarships available to outstanding candidates: submit your application by searching ‘scholarships’ on the QUT homepage.
You may also like to visit my home page.

+61 7 3138 2459

mahinda.vilathgamuwa@qut.edu.au

View location details(QUT staff and student access only)

Personal details

Positions

Professor in Power Engineering
Faculty of Engineering,
School of Electrical Engineering & Robotics

Qualifications

Ph D (Electrical Engineering) (University of Cambridge)

Professional memberships and associations

Fellow, IEEE.

Teaching

ENB250 - Electrical Circuits; ENB344 - Industrial Electronics; EGH448 - Power Electronis

Publications

Zhang, S., Tseng, K., Vilathgamuwa, D., Nguyen, T. & Xiao Yu, W. (2011). Design of a robust grid interface system for PMSG-based wind turbine generators. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, 58(1), 316–328. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/72493
Loh, P., Vilathgamuwa, D., Gajanayake, C., Lim, Y. & Teo, C. (2007). Transient Modeling and Analysis of Pulse-Width Modulated Z-Source Inverter. IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, 22(2), 498–507. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/104200
Wang, X., Vilathgamuwa, D. & Choi, S. (2008). Determination of battery storage capacity in energy buffer for wind farm. IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, 23(3), 868–878. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/74233
Yun, W., Vilathgamuwa, D., Blaabjerg, F. & Loh, P. (2007). A Robust Control Scheme for Medium-Voltage-Level DVR Implementation. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, 54(4), 2249–2261. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/104207
Foo, G., Zhang, X. & Vilathgamuwa, D. (2013). A sensor fault detection and isolation method in interior permanent-magnet synchronous motor drives based on an extended Kalman filter. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, 60(8), 3485–3495. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/72266
Gajanayake, C., Vilathgamuwa, D., Loh, P., Teodorescu, R. & Blaabjerg, F. (2009). Z-source-inverter-based flexible distributed generation system solution for grid power quality improvement. IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, 24(3), 695–704. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/72528
Jayasinghe, S., Vilathgamuwa, D. & Madawala, U. (2011). Diode-clamped three-level inverter-based battery/supercapacitor direct integration scheme for renewable energy systems. IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, 26(12), 3720–3729. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/72490
Gao, F., Loh, P., Blaabjerg, F. & Vilathgamuwa, D. (2007). Dual Z-source inverter with three-level reduced common-mode switching. IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, 43(6), 1597–1608. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/74243
Madawala, U., Geyer, T., Bradshaw, J. & Vilathgamuwa, D. (2012). Modeling and analysis of a novel variable-speed cage induction generator. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, 59(2), 1020–1028. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/72291
Li, Y., Vilathgamuwa, D. & Loh, P. (2007). Robust control scheme for a microgrid with PFC capacitor connected. IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, 43(5), 1172–1182. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/74244

QUT ePrints

For more publications by Mahinda, explore their research in QUT ePrints (our digital repository).

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Filter publications:

2024

Qie, T., Zhang, X., Zhu, J., Vilathgamuwa, M., Iu, H. H. C. & Fernando, T. (2024). A Novel Data-Driven Linear Quadratic Regulator for an Interleaved DC/DC Boost Converter. IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, 39(5), 5400–5410. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/248799
Welmilla, D., Vilathgamuwa, M. & Mishra, Y. (2024). Optimization of Inertia and Damping Coefficients in Virtual Synchronous Machine Based Grid Forming Inverters: From Selection to Implementation. Proceedings of the 2024 IEEE 19th Conference on Industrial Electronics and Applications (ICIEA), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/252896
Welmilla, D., Vilathgamuwa, M. & Mishra, Y. (2024). Robustness Analysis of Grid-Forming Inverter with Linear Quadratic Integral Controller. Proceedings of the 2024 IEEE PES Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Europe (ISGT EUROPE), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/256516
Algarny, K. S., Sheir, A., Vilathgamuwa, M. & Sera, D. (2024). Estimation of Stability Boundaries of Grid Connected Virtual Synchronous Generator Using Vector Perturbation Method. Proceedings of the 2024 IEEE 9th Southern Power Electronics Conference (SPEC), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc..
Welmilla, D., Vilathgamuwa, M. & Mishra, Y. (2024). Sensitivity Enhancement of Virtual Synchronous Machine-Based Grid Forming Inverters in Degraded Condition. Proceedings of the 2024 IEEE 9th Southern Power Electronics Conference (SPEC), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc..

2023

Hakemi, A., Jovanovic, D., Vilathgamuwa, M. & Walker, G. R. (2023). Robust Maximum Efficiency Tracking Control of Wirelessly Powered Directly Supplied Heart Pumps. Energies, Article 1517, 16(3). https://eprints.qut.edu.au/238118
Taghvaie, A., Warnakulasuriya, T., Kumar, D., Zare, F., Sharma, R. & Vilathgamuwa, M. (2023). A Comprehensive Review of Harmonic Issues and Estimation Techniques in Power System Networks Based on Traditional and Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning. IEEE Access, 11, 31417–31442. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/239220
Karunathilake, D., Vilathgamuwa, M., Mishra, Y., Corry, P., Farrell, T. & Choi, S. S. (2023). Degradation-Conscious Multiobjective Optimal Control of Reconfigurable Li-Ion Battery Energy Storage Systems. Batteries, Article 217, 9(4). https://eprints.qut.edu.au/239630
Feng, W., Xuebing, C., Cao, S., Beng, S. C., Zhiqiang, C., Jet, T. K. & Vilathgamuwa, D. M. (2023). MPC Based Dynamic Voltage Regulation Using Grid-Side BESPS With the Consideration of Communication Delay. IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, 38(2), 838–848. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/241347
Li, Y., Vilathgamuwa, D. M., Quevedo, D. E., Lee, C. F. & Zou, C. (2023). Ensemble Nonlinear Model Predictive Control for Residential Solar Battery Energy Management. IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology, 31(5), 2188–2200. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/242070
Zhu, B., Yang, Y., Wang, K., Liu, J. & Vilathgamuwa, D. M. (2023). High Transformer Utilization Ratio and High Voltage Conversion Gain Flyback Converter for Photovoltaic Application. IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, 60(2), 2840–2851. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/243679
Vitharanage, G. D., Vilathgamuwa, M., Mishra, Y. & Corry, P. (2023). Optimal Scheduling of Electric Vehicles in Vehicle-to-Grid System with Battery Energy Storage for Cost-Efficient Integration of Distributed Photovoltaics. Proceedings of the 2023 IEEE 8th Southern Power Electronics Conference and 17th Brazilian Power Electronics Conference (SPEC/COBEP), 1–8. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/247263
Vitharanage, G. D., Mahinda Vilathgamuwa, D., Mishra, Y. & Corry, P. (2023). Aggregator-Driven Novel Battery Scheduling: Orchestrating Demand in a Grid Dominated by Distributed Photovoltaics and Electric Vehicles. Proceedings of the 2023 IEEE International Conference on Energy Technologies for Future Grids (ETFG), 1–6. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/247264
Li, Y., Wei, Z., Xie, C. & Vilathgamuwa, D. M. (2023). Physics-Based Model Predictive Control for Power Capability Estimation of Lithium-Ion Batteries. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics, 19(11), 10763–10774. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/248790

2022

Li, Y., Wei, Z., Xiong, B. & Vilathgamuwa, D. M. (2022). Adaptive Ensemble-Based Electrochemical-Thermal-Degradation State Estimation of Lithium-Ion Batteries. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, 69(7), 6984 - 6996. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/212825

A complete list of publications is available at: https://www.qut.edu.au/about/our-people/academic-profiles/mahinda.vilathgamuwa

Professor Mahinda Vilathgamuwa