Dr. Marek Pástor is currently an Associate Professor with the Department of Electrical Engineering and Mechatronics at the Technical University of Košice (TUKE), Slovakia. He received his Master’s degree (Ing.) in Electrical Systems ('10) and his Ph.D. ('14) from the Technical University of Košice, where he also completed his Habilitation in Power Electronics in 2021. During his doctoral studies, he spent a research period at the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), Netherlands.
Assoc. Prof. Pástor has authored and co-authored over 100 scientific publications, including more than 40 indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus. He serves as the Principal Investigator for major national research grants funded by the Slovak Research and Development Agency (APVV) and the Scientific Grant Agency (VEGA), and actively participates in EU NextGenerationEU and Horizon Europe research frameworks. He was involved in the organization of international engineering conferences, including EDPE 2019 and EDPE 2023.
His primary research interests center on high-frequency power electronics, specifically isolated phase-shifted DC/DC converters (PSFB), bidirectional Dual Active Bridge (DAB) and Modular Multi-Active Bridge (MMAB) converters, wide-bandgap (GaN/SiC) semiconductor integration, zero-voltage/zero-current soft-switching (ZVZCS) topologies, and advanced digital decoupling algorithms for multi-port DC microgrids and autonomous platforms.
Presentation Title: Advanced Phase-Shifted DC/DC Converters as Core Enablers of Power Conversion and Management in Autonomous Systems
Presentation Abstract: The rapid transition toward fully autonomous systems, automated guided vehicles (AGVs), electric mobility, and advanced industrial robotics demands a fundamental shift in power electronics architectures. High power density, rapid transient response, galvanic isolation, and dynamic bidirectional power routing have become critical requirements for onboard energy management and automated fast-charging infrastructure. Meeting these strict performance criteria requires both topological evolution at the component level and advanced algorithmic control at the multi-port system level.
This keynote presents a two-fold advancement in phase-shifted isolated DC/DC converter technology. First, we examine the fundamental transition from traditional lossy RCD or complex active clamp snubbers to high-frequency low-voltage Gallium Nitride (GaN) devices in the secondary synchronous rectification stage of Phase-Shifted Full-Bridge (PSFB) converters operating up to 500 kHz. By capitalizing on the superior Figure of Merit (FOM) and minimal output charge (Q_oss) of low-voltage GaN HEMTs, secondary overvoltage ringing is managed while maintaining soft-switching (ZVS) and drastically reducing switching and driving losses across wide load ranges without auxiliary snubber networks.
Second, extending phase-shift modulation to multi-node power networks, we address the challenge of non-linear inter-port cross-coupling in Multiport Modular Active Bridge (MMAB) topologies. A generalized, matrix-based decoupling algorithm solved via an online Newton-Raphson iterative framework is introduced. By systematically resolving Jacobian matrix singularities and identifying parasitic AC-bus inductances using numerical least-squares optimization, the proposed approach isolates dynamic step-load transients across independent ports in real time. Experimental validations on high-frequency GaN PSFB prototypes and multi-core DSP-controlled 5-port MMAB systems demonstrate strict transient voltage stability (<0.51% deviation, <5" ms" recovery) and validate the proposed hardware and algorithmic frameworks for next-generation autonomous microgrids and mobile platforms.