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The Monash Inverter The challenge of Topic (B) of the 2005 Future Energy Challenge is to achieve dramatic reductions in the cost of utility interactive inverters for small distributed generation applications, with a view to improving the availability of alternative energy systems in developing worlds. The Monash University team have developed a leading edge power conversion solution to this challenge using a digitally controlled Current Fed Push Pull DC/DC converter followed by a H-bridge output stage to connect to the AC grid. Both converter stages switch at high frequencies to minimise size and weight, and improve efficiency. They are controlled by low cost DSP's, which interact through a digital communications link to eliminate isolated analogue measurement circuitry. This structure also allows sophisticated control strategies to be implemented to actively manage energy flow through the converter, thereby achieving further reduction in size and weight of many passive components. The Monash concept has been fully designed and modelled, and experimentally verified with respect to its efficiency and power handling capability. While the prototype converter has not yet successfully connected to the grid because interference in the electronic measurement circuits prevented these tests being completed before the end of the competition, all parts of the converter that have been tested performed to expectations. Hence the team is confident that their design would meet all the competition specifications with only a little more electronic measurement circuit development and software finalisation. The Future Energy Challenge competition has offered the team members an exciting opportunity to participate in the development of a challenging product from beginning to end. The learning curve of the team has been enormous, and the experience of applying theoretical classroom knowledge to real world applications has been invaluable. The competition has been most beneficial in the development of new skills and ways of achieving outcomes that simply cannot be taught in a conventional classroom environment. 
MONASH TEAM PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY 
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