Description:
Traditionally, the research and educational activities at the division are directed mainly in solving the problems associated with the interaction of atmospheric electrical discharges, with an emphasis on lightning discharges, with power, telecommunication and electronic systems (see historical background).
The research work at the division contributes towards the development of efficient protection technologies against electrical transients caused both by natural as well as man made activities.
In addition to this conventional research area, a new education and research area related to the energy conversion or storage of electromagnetic, electrostatic or electrical power is being created at the department. Basically, the new education is based on the utilisation of Maxwell's electromagnetic equations in industrial applications. Students who follow this line of education gain the knowledge in the conventional as well as alternative energy generation and transmission techniques. Moreover, this line of education generates engineers with the knowledge necessary in coping up with the needs of the modern society which demands environmental friendly energy at a low cost. The research work in this area is concentrated on the creation of environmental friendly electrical energy production.
Also, research and education in the area of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is performed at the division.
The licentiate and doctoral level of work done in the last years include study of lightning electromagnetic fields, soil ionisation under lightning impulse, propagation effects on lightning electromagnetic fields, water drop initiated discharges in air, response of low voltage power installation networks to lightning fields, lightning induced voltages on electric power and telecom grids and protection of electrical networks from transients.
Beside the scientific capabilities and experimental facilities, the division has close co-operation with other research groups and scientific organisations around the world. The division, in its capacity as the Nordic Center of Lightning Research (NCLR), is collaborating with many international organisations such as URSI (Union Radio-Scientifique Internationale, International Radio Scientific Union) and CIGRE (Conference Internationale des Grands Réseaux Electriques á Haute Tension, International Conference on Large High Tension Electric Systems), the Technical University of Denmark, the Technical University of Trondheim, Norway, University of Florida, USA, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka and University of Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.
The Division for Electricity and Lightning Research is located at Polacksbacken about 2 km south downtown Uppsala, see map and about 75 km north of Stockholm.
Research and post graduate education
Current research areas
The research activity at the division can be broadly divided into the following areas
Electrical energy generation
Electromagnetic energy conversion and storage
Lightning research
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)
Physics of electrical discharges
Pulsed power
The active research projects at the present time are
Electricity generation with wind power
Electromagnetic energy conversion of underwater currents
Trace gas generation in lightning flashes and other electrical discharges
Lightning protection of buildings and railway signalling systems
Lightning and power quality
Electrical discharges in the presence of dielectric surfaces
Transient protection devices
Electromagnetic shielding
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