Utkal Ranjan Muduli (Senior Member, IEEE) received the B.Tech. degree in electrical and electronics engineering from the Biju Patnaik University of Technology, Rourkela, India, in 2011, the M.Tech. degree in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, India, in 2014, and the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Patna, Patna, India, in 2022. He was a Visiting Scholar and a Research Associate at the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Khalifa University, Abu Dhabi, UAE, in 2019 and 2021, respectively, where he is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow. His research interests include modulation strategies for multiphase motor drives, matrix converters and its control, battery power management, and wireless power transfer. Dr. Muduli was the recipient of 2022 IEEE Outstanding Paper Award for IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics and listed in top 2% scientists published by Stanford University.
Collaboration and Industry Partnerships:
His industrial collaboration with DEWA's R&D division has yielded significant contributions, including journal papers and technical reports. One of his papers, titled "Impedance Modeling with Stability Boundaries for Constant Power Load During Line Failure," has been published in IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications. Additionally, he has submitted a technical report that focuses on standardizing and enhancing the power quality analysis process in DEWA's distribution network, particularly concerning the integration of renewable energy.
Ongoing Research Projects:
His REMS tool is designed to simulate the performance of various renewable energy scenarios, considering daily forecasts. The system is intended for use by major utilities such as EWEC, TRANSCO, and DEWA and has substantial commercial potential. His research team at KU is committed to continuously adding advanced modules to the REMS tool, aimed at enhancing the integration of Renewable Energy Systems (RES) and Energy Storage Systems (ESS). The tool is anticipated to reach a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 3 by 2023 for its new functionalities.
He is also heavily invested in creating sophisticated modeling techniques essential for the effective monitoring and control of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in power grids. His focus is on designing Battery Management Systems (BMS) that incorporate advanced, physics-based models for lithium-ion and vanadium redox-flow batteries. The ultimate goal is to enhance the reliability of these storage systems, integrating machine learning and AI techniques for predictive maintenance.
Awards and Recognition:
He has garnered multiple accolades for his work, including becoming a Chartered Engineer (C. Eng) in India and an AMIE member in 2021. In 2022, he was recognized as a Senior member of IEEE and received the Outstanding Paper Award for IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics. He holds the distinction of being the first Indian academic to receive this award since its inception in 1997. In 2023, his publications achieved top rankings in IEEE journals such as TIA, TIE, and TPWRD, and he was also listed in the top 2% of scientists by Stanford University.
