Newcastle University

Background

Joined university academic post in 1987 after 17 years in electronics industry. Previous employers: NEI Electronics Ltd; British Gas Corporation; Tolag Products Ltd.
Previous industrial experience: analogue and digital circuit design; microprocessor system design; ultrasonic signal processing system design; electronic control system design.

Roles and Responsibilities

Stage 1 Teaching Laboratory Head

Qualifications

BSc, PhD, C.Eng, MIEE

Previous Positions

Degree Programme Director
Stage 1 Tutor

Memberships

EPSRC Peer Review College

Research Interests

control of power electronic systems; electric drives; power converters for energy conversion systems;

Other Expertise

power electronic circuit design; general electronic circuit design; real-time digital control systems design;

Current Work

virtual power systems; doubly-fed induction generators; induction and brushless DC drives;

Future Research

multi-level converter control; converters for wave power applications; converters for solar power;

Projects

• AC/DC/AC Technology and Controls for Renewable Energy
• Active Magnetic Bearings for Military and Aerospace Applications (PhD of Brian Green)
• Advancing Silicon Carbide Electronics Technology (ASCENT)
  Project Leader(s): Prof. Nick Wright, Prof. Anthony O'Neill
• ANN Drives
  Project Leader(s): Dr Dave Atkinson
• CASE Wind Turbine Generators
  Project Leader(s): Dr Dave Atkinson
• Cost-effective Improvements in DFIG Performance under Fault Conditions for Offshore Applications
• Doubly-Fed Induction Machine (DFIM) as an Electrical Generator for Large Wind Power System, Engineering Doctorate - Graham Pannell
  Project Leader(s): Dr Dave Atkinson, Prof. Alan Jack
• ELGEAR
  Project Leader(s): Dr Dave Atkinson
• ELGEAR Phase 2
  Project Leader(s): Dr Dave Atkinson
• Embedded Control
  Project Leader(s): Dr Dave Atkinson
• Eng Doc support - Andrew Smith
• Eng Doc Support - Robert Argile
• Eng Doc Support - Warren Blenitt
• Engineering Doctorate
  Project Leader(s): Prof. Paul Acarnley, Prof. Alan Jack
• High Efficiency Electrical Energy Conversion (Platform Grant)
• HPVPS Stage 2 (phases 1-3)
  Project Leader(s): Dr Dave Atkinson
• IGBT Thermal Management
• Improvements to Grid Connected Converters for Photovoltaic Systems
  Project Leader(s): Dr D.J. Atkinson
• Improving the Contribution of Wind Turbine Generators to System Stability
• Inverter Feasibility Study
  Project Leader(s): Dr Dave Atkinson
• Low Power Virtual Power Systems
  Project Leader(s): Dr Dave Atkinson
• New Control Methods for Power Inverters in Embedded Generation Schemes, Engineering Doctorate - Robert Bolam
  Project Leader(s): Dr Dave Atkinson
• Offshore Network Feasibility Study
  Project Leader(s): Dr Dave Atkinson
• Performance Comparison or Traditional and Emerging Doubly-Fed Generator Topologies for Grid Connection
  Project Leader(s): Dr Dave Atkinson
• Permanent Magnet Drives in the More-Electric Aircraft
  Project Leader(s): Dr D.J. Atkinson
• PLATFORM: Low Cost Machines & Drives for Mass Production
  Project Leader(s): Prof. Barrie Mecrow
• Power Management System in Electric and Hybrid Vehicles
  Project Leader(s): Dr V Pickert, Dr D Atkinson
• Precise Speed Holding in Industrial Electric Drives for Manufacturing Processes
  Project Leader(s): Prof. P.P. Acarnley
• Sensorless Drives for Aerospace Applications, Engineering Doctorate - Stephen Borman
  Project Leader(s): Dr Dave Atkinson, Prof. Alan Jack
• Test Facility for High Speed, High Power Drives
  Project Leader(s): Prof. B.C. Mecrow
• Virtual Power Systems
  Project Leader(s): Dr Dave Atkinson

Undergraduate Teaching

Electrical Systems and Machines (Stage 2)
Electric Drives (Stage 3/4)
Electrical Engineering (Stage 1 Service Course)
Projects (Stage 1)

Postgraduate Teaching

Electric Drives

• Elgendy MA, Zahawi B, Atkinson DJ. Assessment of Perturb and Observe MPPT Algorithm Implementation Techniques for PV Pumping Applications. IEEE Transactions on Sustainable Energy 2012, 3(1), 21-33.
• Cao W, Mecrow BC, Atkinson GJ, Bennett JW, Atkinson DJ. Overview of Electric Motor Technologies Used for More Electric Aircraft (MEA). 2011. In Press.
• Bennett J, Mecrow BC, Atkinson DJ, Atkinson GJ. Safety-Critical Design of Electromechanical Actuation Systems in Commercial Aircraft. IET Electric Power Applications 2011, 5(1), 37-47.
• Pickert V, Cheng H, Pritchard L, Atkinson D. An experimental and computational study of water cooled heatsinks for HEV's. In: 5th IET International Conference on Power Electronics, Machines and Drives (PEMD). 2010, Brighton, UK: IEEE.
• Bennett J, Mecrow B, Atkinson D, Atkinson G. Failure mechanisms and design considerations for fault tolerant aerospace drives. In: 19th International Conference on Electrical Machines (ICEM). 2010, Rome, Italy: IEEE.
• Armstrong M, Atkinson DJ, Johnson CM, Abeyasekera TD. Auto-calibrating dc link current sensing technique for transformerless, grid connected, H-bridge inverter systems. IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics 2006, 21(5), 1385-1393.
• Bennett JW, Mecrow BC, Atkinson DJ, Sheldon S, Cooper B, Mason G, Sewell C, Cudley D. A Prototype Electrical Actuator for Aircraft Flaps and Slats. In: IEEE IEMDC Conference.2005,San Antonio, Texas, USA
• Turner S, Atkinson DJ, Jack AG, Armstrong M. Development of a high bandwidth multi-phase multilevel power supply for electricity supply network emulation. In: 2005 European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications.2005,Dresden, Germany:EPE Association
• Armstrong M, Atkinson DJ, Johnson CM, Abeyasekera TD. Low order harmonic cancellation in a grid connected multiple inverter system via current control parameter randomization. IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics 2005, 20(4), 885-892.
• Armstrong M, Atkinson DJ, Jack AG, Turner S. Power system emulation using a real time, 145kW, virtual power system. In: Eleventh European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications.2005,Dresden, Germany:IEEE
• Abeyasekera TD, Johnson CM, Atkinson DJ, Armstrong M. Suppression of line voltage related distortion in current controlled grid connected inverters. IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics 2005, 20(6), 1393-1401.
• Wilson A, Armstrong M, Atkinson D, Jack A, Turner S. Unique virtual power system technology used in a low power network to provide solution testing for distributed generation. In: 18th International Conference and Exhibition on Electricity Distribution (CIRED 2005).2005,Turin, Italy:IEEE
• Bennett JW, Mecrow BC, Jack AG, Atkinson DJ, Sewell C, Mason G, Sheldon S, Cooper B. Choice of drive topologies for electrical actuation of aircraft flaps and slats. In: Second IEE International Conference on Power Electronics, Machines and Drives. 2004, Edinburgh, UK: IEE.
• Mecrow BC, Jack AG, Atkinson DJ, Green SR, Atkinson GJ, King A, Green B. Design and testing of a four-phase fault-tolerant permanent-magnet machine for an engine fuel pump. IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion 2004, 19(4), 671-678.
• Bennett JW, Jack AG, Mecrow BC, Atkinson DJ, Sewell C, Mason G. Fault-tolerant control architecture for an electrical actuator. In: 35th Annual Power Electronics Specialists Conference. 2004, Aachen, Germany: IEEE.
• Bennett JW, Jack AG, Mecrow BC, Atkinson DJ, Sewell C, Mason G. Fault-tolerant control architecture for an electrical actuator. In: 35th Annual Power Electronics Specialists Conference (PESC 04). 2004, Aachen, Germany: IEEE.
• Day M, Atkinson DJ. Large-scale transitional procurement change in the aerospace industry. Journal of Purchasing & Supply Management 2004, 10(6), 257-268.
• Atkinson GJ, Mecrow BC, Jack AG, Atkinson DJ, Green B. The influence of stator design on the performance of fault tolerant machines. In: 16th International Conference on Electrical Machines. 2004, Krakow, Poland: Institute of Mechatronics and Information Systems.
• Mecrow BC, Jack AG, Atkinson DJ, Green S, Atkinson GJ, King A, Green B. Design and testing of a 4 phase fault tolerant permanent magnet machine for an engine fuel pump. In: International Conference Electric Machines and Drives. 2003, Madison, Wisconsin, USA: IEEE.
• Abeyasekera T, Johnson CM, Atkinson DJ, Armstrong M. Elimination of Subharmonics in Direct Look-Up Table (DLT) Sine Wave Reference Generators for Low-Cost Microprocessor-Controlled Inverters. IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics 2003, 18(6), 1315-1321.
• Armstrong M, Atkinson DJ, Johnson CM, Abeyasekera TD. Low order harmonic cancellation scheme for multiple PV grid-connected inverters. In: 10th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications (EPE). 2003, Toulouse, France.
• Bumby J, Atkinson D, French C, Jack A, Mueller M. Electrical Power Test Facilities for the New and Renewable Energy Centre. In: MAREC 2002. 2002, Newcastle University: IMarEST.
• Mecrow BC, Jack AG, Atkinson DJ, Dickinson PG, Swaddle S. High torque machines for power hand tool applications. In: International Conference on Power Electronics, Machines and Drives. 2002, Bath: IEEE.
• Hopfensperger B, Atkinson DJ, Lakin RA. Steady state of the cascaded doubly-fed induction machine. European Transactions on Electrical Power 2002, 12(6), 427-437.
• Scott NC, Atkinson DJ, Morrell J. Use of Load Control to Regulate Voltage on Distribution Networks with Embedded Generation. IEEE Power Engineering Review 2002, 22(4), 78-78.
• B. Hopfensperger,D. J. Atkinson,R. A. Lakin. Combined magnetising flux oriented control of the cascaded doubly-fed induction machine. IEE Proceedings - Electric Power Applications 2001, 148(4), 354-362.
• B. Hopfensperger,D. J. Atkinson. Doubly-fed a.c. machines: classification and comparison. 9th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications. EPE 2001. EPE Assoc. 2001 2001, 17 pp.
• E. Makin,P. Acarnley,D. Atkinson. Speed controllers for a polymer film casting drum drive facility. 9th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications. EPE 2001. EPE Assoc. 2001 2001, 9 pp.
• Hopfensperger B, Atkinson DJ, Lakin RA. Application of field oriented control to a cascaded doubly-fed induction machine. Power Electronics and Variable Speed Drives, 18-19 September 2000, IEE Conference Publication 2000, (475), 262-267.
• Shorrock S, Yannopoulos A, Dlay SS, Atkinson DJ. Biometric verification of computer users with probabilistic and cascade forward neural networks. In: Advances in Physics, Electronics and Signal Processing Applications. World Scientific and Engineering Society Press, 2000, pp.267-272.
• Hopfensperger B, Atkinson DJ, Lakin RA. Stator-flux-oriented control of a doubly-fed induction machine with and without position encoder. IEE Proceedings: Electric Power Applications 2000, 147(4), 241-250.
• D.J. Atkinson,J.A. Haylock,B.C. Mecrow,A.G. Jack. Enhanced current control of high-speed PM machine drives through the use of flux controllers. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Applications, 35, No5, 1030-1038 1999.
• D.J. Atkinson,J.A. Haylock,B.C. Mecrow,A.G. Jack. Operation of fault tolerant machines with winding failures. IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, 14, No 4, 1490-1495 1999.
• Hopfensperger B, Atkinson DJ, Lakin RA. Stator flux oriented control of a cascaded doubly-fed induction machine. IEE Proceedings: Electric Power Applications 1999,146 6 597-605.
• J.W. Finch,D.J. Atkinson,P.P. Acarnley. Full order estimator for induction motor states and parameters. IEE Proceedings. Electrical Power Applications, 145, No 3, 169-179 1998.
• D.J. Atkinson,A.G. Jack,H.J. Slater. Real-time emulation for power equipment development. Part 1: Real-time simulation. IEE Proceedings. Electric Power Applications, 145, No 2, 92-97 1998.
• Slater HJ, Atkinson DJ, Jack AG. Real-time emulation for power equipment development. Part 2: The virtual machine. IEE Proceedings: Electric Power Applications 1998,145 3 153-158.