Design Methodology, Optimization models, Electrical machines, Power conversion, Additive Manufacturing

Electrical drives and power electronics are core components of the decarbonization of both energy production and transportation, from renewable energy harvesting in wind turbines to propulsion in electric vehicles. Advancements in additive manufacturing now enable complex electromagnetic, thermal, and power-electronic components to be built, driving the need for novel design methods that capitalize on this newfound geometric freedom across all sub-components of the electric drive, including electrical machines, power converters, and their cooling systems. Over the past decade, the application and development of structural optimization techniques, including shape, topology, and data-driven approaches, to the design of electrical machines and power electronics has allowed more intricate, tailored geometries to emerge. These designs are especially relevant for highly constrained environments, such as those with high temperatures or strict weight and volume limitations, where achieving robust, fault-resistant designs is paramount. In power electronics, the growing power density further calls for advanced thermal management, such as optimized heat sinks and liquid-cooled cold plates.

This special session invites original research on novel design techniques, methodologies, and optimization criteria for electrical machines and power electronics. Contributions addressing robust architectures, manufacturing-aware design, multi-physics criteria (electromagnetic, thermal, and mechanical), multi-material integration, system-level or mixed-variable optimization, drive-cycle integration, and control co-design are highly encouraged. This special session aims to bring together researchers from both theoretical and applied backgrounds, alongside industry experts, to share the latest findings and breakthroughs in the design of electrical drives and power electronics.

• Advanced computational design methods for electrical drives
• Machine learning and data-driven design approaches
• Multi-physics topology optimization of electrical machines and power electronics
• Thermal modeling and simulation for power electronics and electrical drives
• Shape optimization techniques of electrical drives
• Multi-material design strategies and integration
• Advanced cooling technologies for power electronics
• Topology optimization and design for additive manufacturing of drives
• Novel inverse-design methodologies
• Robust designs considering uncertainties