Professor Guang-Jin Li
PhD, MSc, BEng
School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Professor in Electrical Machines
Electrical Machines and Drives Research Group
Full contact details
School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Sir Frederick Mappin Building
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
- Profile
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I graduated from Wuhan University (China) with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and Automation in July 2007.
Then I received my Master degree in Electric Power Systems from the Université de Paris XI, Supélec and École Normale Supérieure de Cachan (ENS Cachan), France, in July 2008.
I was subsequently awarded a PhD degree from ENS Cachan, France, in July 2011. After almost a further year working as a post-doctoral researcher in SATIE laboratory, ENS Cachan, France, I joined the EMD group at the University of Sheffield as a research associate, in June 2012.
I was appointed as a Lecturer in Electrical Machines and Drives in September 2013, and promoted to Senior Lecturer in January 2018 and Professor in January 2022, all at The University of Sheffield.
My main research interests focus on the design aspect of electrical machines. I am particularly interested in renewable energy and EV/HEV applications.
I work closely with Siemens-Gamesa designing novel permanent magnet machines and high temperature superconducting machines for offshore wind power direct drive (DD) generators.
I also explore thermal management and fault diagnostics of various PM machines such as the switched flux and also hybrid excited switched flux PM machines.
These are important areas of research for safety-critical applications such as more electrical aircraft. The fault I am particularly interested is the inter-turn short-circuit, which could cause local overheating and also magnet irreversible demagnetization.
I am also interested in developing magnet free machines, e.g. synchronous reluctance and switched reluctance machines, for applications such as EV/HEV and low cost domestic appliances.
These machines can be supplied with both square wave and sinewave currents. The latter can lead to reduced converter cost.
Moreover, their torque/power density can be significantly increased while the torque ripple can be reduced, so do the vibrations and acoustic noise levels.
- Research interests
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- Novel permanent magnet machines including single and hybrid excited switched flux permanent magnet machines
- Design of novel switched reluctance machines and their drives including direct torque control and hybrid current control
- Fault tolerance, fault modelling and diagnostics (inter-turn and phase short-circuit) of permanent magnet machines
- Thermal management (forced air cooling, liquid cooling and ferrofluid cooling) of electrical machines
- Renewable energy and low emission transportation including wind power, electrical/hybrid vehicles, more electrical aircraft
- Publications
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Journal articles
- An Image-to-Image Translation Model for Ultra-fast Performance Prediction of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines. IET Electric Power Applications.
- Forced air-cooling of modular flux switching PM machines using flux gaps as cooling channels. IET Electric Power Applications, 19(1). View this article in WRRO
- Comparative Study of Stator-mounted PM Machine with Forced Liquid Cooling. IEEE Access.
- Innovative blade-structured rotor design for enhanced self-cooling in permanent magnet machines. IET Electric Power Applications, 19(1). View this article in WRRO
- Comparative analysis of hybrid dual permanent magnet machines with different asymmetric stator-pole topologies. Journal of Electrical Engineering & Technology. View this article in WRRO
- Direct-drive Vernier machine with innovative stator design for enhanced demagnetization withstand capability. IET Electric Power Applications, 19(1). View this article in WRRO
- An investigation into the saliency ratio of fractional-slot concentrated-winding generators for offshore wind power. Energies, 18(8). View this article in WRRO
- Design and Analysis of a Novel Asymmetric-Stator-Pole Dual-PM Vernier Machine. IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, 40(3), 2307-2318.
- Model-based Luenberger state observer for detecting interturn short-circuits in PM machines. IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrification, 11(2), 5302-5311. View this article in WRRO
- Fractional-slot concentrated windings for offshore wind turbine generators: opportunities and challenges. IEEE Access, 12, 158766-158787. View this article in WRRO
- Comparison of direct-drive vernier wind generators for potential use at ≥10MW power level. IET Electric Power Applications, 18(10), 1279-1292. View this article in WRRO
- Stator shifting in dual m-phase SPM machines with single-layer windings for space harmonic cancellation. IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, 60(5), 6867-6876. View this article in WRRO
- General design rules for space harmonic cancellation in multiphase machines with multiple converters and star-polygonal windings. IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion. View this article in WRRO
- Analysis of MW-level offshore wind turbine generators with dual star–delta fractional-slot windings. Energies, 17(12). View this article in WRRO
- DQ analysis of fractional-slot machines with star-delta concentrated winding. IEEE Access, 12, 84680-84690. View this article in WRRO
- New ventilation cooling for modular PM machines utilizing flux gaps and rotor ducts. IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, 39(4), 2718-2727. View this article in WRRO
- Semi-flooded cooling for high torque density modular permanent magnet machines. IET Electric Power Applications, 18(7), 756-765. View this article in WRRO
- Novel generic fault model considering fundamental and PWM current components of PM machines with inter-turn short-circuit. IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, 39(7), 8709-8720. View this article in WRRO
- Comparative study of ferrofluid cooling for permanent magnet machines with different winding structures. IEEE Access, 12, 18041-18050. View this article in WRRO
- Space harmonic cancellation in a dual three-phase SPM machine with star-delta windings. IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, 39(1), 457-468. View this article in WRRO
- Analysis and Comparison of Even-Order Back EMF Harmonics of Fractional-Slot Concentrated-Winding Consequent Pole Permanent Magnet Vernier Machines. IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrification, 10(1), 1969-1981.
- Investigation of ferrofluid cooling in modular permanent magnet machines. IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 59(11). View this article in WRRO
- Modelling and analysis of inter-turn short-circuit faults for large-power SPM wind generators. Energies, 16(12). View this article in WRRO
- Investigation of inter-turn short-circuit fault of PM machines using PWM voltage-based modeling. IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrification.
- In-depth investigation of inter-turn short-circuit faults of surface-mounted permanent magnet machines with series-parallel coil connections. IET Electric Power Applications.
Conference proceedings
- 10 MW Direct-Drive Superconducting Vernier Machines for Offshore Wind Power Application. 2025 IEEE International Electric Machines & Drives Conference (IEMDC) (pp 1222-1227), 18 May 2025 - 21 May 2025.
- RETHINKING ASSESSMENT: LARGE-SCALE THRESHOLD AND GRADING ASSESSMENT IN ENGINEERING. Sefi 2025 53rd Annual Conference of the European Society for Engineering Education Engineering and Society Proceedings (pp 823-831)
- Stator Shifting in Dual m-phase SPM Machines With Single-Layer Windings for Space Harmonic Cancellation. 2023 26th International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems (ICEMS) (pp 296-301), 5 November 2023 - 8 November 2023.
- Comparative Study of Axial-Flux Switched Reluctance Machine with Different Core Materials. IEEE
- Comparative Study of Stator-mounted PM Machines Focusing on Thermal Performance. IEEE
- Investigation of Ferrofluid Cooling in Modular Permanent Magnet Machines. IEEE INTERMAG
- Investigation on Axial-Flux Switched Reluctance Machine with Different Winding Configurations. IEEE
- A Novel High Frequency Voltage Injection Method for Inter-Turn Short-Circuit Fault Detection and Location in Electrical Machines. IEEE
Patents
- Multi-winding set fractional slot synchronous machine. Appl. 18 Oct 2023. View this article in WRRO
Presentations
- Recent Development of Modular Machines. AMRC – Knowledge Transfer Centre Advanced Manufacturing Park, Brunel Way, Catcliffe, Rotherham S6.
- Ferrofluid Cooling for High Power Dense PM Machines. UK MagSoc seminar on "Electromagnetic Systems – A Multiphysics Problem" at ZF Automotive UK Limited .
Other
- Thermomagnetic cooling for high power / torque density electrical machines. MagNews, 2024(1), 26-28. View this article in WRRO
- An Image-to-Image Translation Model for Ultra-fast Performance Prediction of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines. IET Electric Power Applications.
- Grants
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- Advanced Thermomagnetic Cooling for Ultrahigh Power Density Electrical Machines, EPSRC, September 2020 - August 2022, PI
- Powertrain Research Hub, Offshore Renewable Catapult, January 2019 - December 2023, Co-I
- EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Offshore Wind Energy and the Environment (AURA CDT), EPSRC, April 2019 - September 2027, EEE Lead
- Inverter-integrated machine for low-carbon vehicles, Innovate UK, July 2017 to June 2019, Co-I
- Development of novel power tool motors - KTP, Innovate UK, July 2017 - June 2019, PI
- Siemens Wind Power: Prosperity Partnerships, EPSRC, October 2017 - September 2022, Co-I
- KTP - Cobham CTS Ltd, Innovate UK, October 2014 - October 2016, Co-I
- Investigation of HTS generator for 10-20 MW wind turbines and PhD funding, Siemens-Gamesa, December 2015 - February 2016, Co-I
- CRRC Research Centre (Phase III), CSR Zhuzhou Institute Co Ltd, September 2016 - August 2017, Co-I
- Teaching activities
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- Module Leader of EEE 305: Machine Design
- Module Leader of EEE6204:Permanent Magnet Machines and Actuators
- Professional activities and memberships
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- AMPERE MSc Administrator
- Departmental Exam Officer