SBIR Phase II: High-speed, precision wire plotting for electromechanical sensors and actuators

The broader impacts of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project enables a cost-effective expansion of generation and storage of renewable electricity. Electricity demand is expected to grow by 80% or more by 2050, and smart grid technologies have a compound annual growth rate of 20% with a market estimated at $35 B. One important element of the grid is the transformer, a critical enabler of large scale vehicle-to-grid technology necessary for greater electric vehicle adoption.

This project advances a new transformer manufacturing technology that will lower hardware costs of grid infrastructure and decrease construction and permitting costs, which can account for as much as 85% of total costs.

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project uses precision additive manufacturing to enable solid state transformers for the next-generation electric grid. By operating at higher frequencies, solid state transformers provide power conversion and grid services with high power density and lower hardware and project costs. Currently, solid state transformers are hampered by their wirewound electromagnetic components that perform poorly at high frequencies and are costly to produce.

This project will enable new classes of devices with 10x improvements in performance. This project will produce technology demonstration prototypes of a power conversion product and plan for translation at scale.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.