Qing-Chang Zhong

  • Max McGraw Endowed Chair Professor of Energy and Power Engineering and Management

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Dr. Qing-Chang Zhong is the Max McGraw Endowed Chair Professor in Energy and Power Engineering at the Illinois Institute of Technology and the Founder and CEO of Syndem, LLC. Before joining Illinois Institute of Technology, he was the Chair Professor in Control and Systems Engineering at The University of Sheffield, UK, where he built up a $5M+ research lab dedicated to the control of energy and power systems and attracted the support of Rolls-Royce, National Instruments, Texas Instruments, Siemens, ALSTOM, Turbo Power Systems, Chroma, Yokogawa, OPAL RT etc. 

Dr. Zhong is a visionary researcher, educator, inventor, and entrepreneur whose transformative contributions across systems science, control theory, power electronics, and power systems have redefined how modern power grids operate. With four research monographs, over 250 peer-reviewed publications, and 18 patents, he has profoundly impacted both academia and industry, advancing autonomous, sustainable, and democratized power systems. He was an Associate Editor of four IEEE Transactions (Automatic Control, Control Systems Technology, Power Electronics and Industrial Electronics) and a Distinguished Lecture of three IEEE societies (Control Systems, Power Electronics, and Power and Energy). He has delivered 200+ invited talks in over 20 countries, including a plenary lecture at the 2017 World Congress of the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC), the world’s largest systems and control conference with over 3500 participants. He is a Fellow of both IEEE (2017) and IET (2010). 

         

Education

Ph.D. in Control and Power Engineering, Imperial College London, UK, 2004
Ph.D. in Control Theory and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University, China, 2000
M.Sc in Control Theory and Engineering, Hunan University, China, 1997
Diploma in Electrical Engineering, Xiangtan Institute of Mechanical and Electrical Technologies (now Hunan Institute of Engineering), China, 1990

Research Interests

Dr. Zhong’s most transformative contribution is the invention of the SYNDEM (Synchronized-and-Democratized) Architecture, a paradigm-shifting framework that merges synchronization principles in natural sciences and democracy concepts in social sciences. It circumvents the limitations of democratized structures outlined in Nobel Laureate Kenneth Arrow’s Impossibility Theorem, ensuring a synchronized consensus for stability as he has recently proven mathematically using the port-Hamiltonian theory. This novel approach makes it possible to continue adopting the deep-rooted synchronization mechanism, which has underpinned the power system operation for over a century, to govern future power systems dominated by distributed energy players. By addressing the fundamental compatibility and scalability challenges, the SYNDEM architecture enables autonomous, sustainable, decentralized power systems while ensuring stability and reliability and advancing energy equity, contributing to solving one of the most critical global challenges of the 21st century.

In addition to theoretical advancements, Dr. Zhong has invented the synchronverter technology to operate power electronic converters as Virtual Synchronous Machines (VSM), redefining how inverter-based energy players interact with the grid. His 2011 seminal paper on synchronverters, cited over 3,400 times, ranks among the Top 3 Most-Cited Non-Survey Papers in the 43-year history of IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, making it one of the most influential contributions in the field. This technology is essential for integrating distributed energy players while maintaining grid stability, fundamentally shaping the concept of grid-forming inverters. His self-synchronization synchronverter paper (cited over 1,200 times) achieved synchronization without using any phase-locked loop (PLL), setting a new industry norm. Moreover, his robust droop control paper (cited over 1,000 times) identified and corrected three fundamental flaws in conventional droop control when applied to power converters, providing a universal solution for proportional power sharing with tight voltage and frequency regulation, regardless of component mismatches. He also revealed the structural resemblance among droop-controlled converters, VSM and PLL, laying a solid mathematical foundation to achieve inherent self-synchronization without using any PLL, and to qualify the robust (universal) droop-controlled converters as the second-generation VSM. His 2016 cover story on VSM in IEEE Power Electronics Magazine is the Most Popular Technical Article and a Highly-Cited Paper in the magazine’s history. 

Policy Impact and Global Influence

Dr. Zhong’s research has shaped energy policy and regulatory frameworks worldwide. His SYNDEM and VSM technologies were cited in the 2018 U.S. Congress Hearing on “The Electric Grid of the Future,”&˛Ô˛ú˛ő±č;recognizing their potential to enhance grid resilience and energy independence. In addition, Michael Pesin, Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), invited Dr. Zhong to discuss his work at the DOE headquarters and commented, “Sooner or later, this will be deployed worldwide,” acknowledging the inevitability of these groundbreaking technologies in shaping the future of global power systems. DOE also invited Dr. Zhong to deliver a talk on next-generation smart grids, which was well attended and well received by DOE policy makers and influential leaders, including Dr. C.D. (Dan) Mote Jr., former President of the National Academy of Engineering. Dr. Zhong’s pioneering work foresees and directly aligns with major DOE initiatives introduced several years later, including the $25M UNIFI Consortium (2021) for unifying inverter-based energy resources and the $30M GRADIENTS Program (2025) on Grid Reliability with Automatic Damping and Inertia.

On a global scale, Dr. Zhong has led the development of IEEE Standard 2988-2024, the first international standard for Virtual Synchronous Machines, involving key manufacturers, such as GE, Siemens, Hitachi, Toshiba-Mitsubishi, ABB, Eaton, Schneider Electric, S&C Electric, SEL, and major utilities, such as North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), ERCOT, Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), Southern California Edison, and National Grid. His contributions to the UK National Grid Energy System Operator’s VSM Expert Group (2018) have shaped the UK Grid Code Change GC0137 (2021), formally establishing regulatory specifications for grid-forming (formerly VSM) capability.

Broader Recognition and Public Engagement

Beyond academia and policy, Dr. Zhong’s work has gained broad media attention. His work has been featured in IEEE Spectrum, Canary Media, and SmartGridNews.com. New York Times veteran correspondent Keith Schneider described Dr. Zhong’s inventions as “the sort of breakthrough — like the touch screen in smart phones — that helps to push an industry from one era to the next.” Schneider further hailed Dr. Zhong’s work as “a game changer for grid,” offering “a technical solution to implement the lateral power envisioned by futurist Jeremy Rifkin that underpins the Third Industrial Revolution.”&˛Ô˛ú˛ő±č;

Dr. Zhong has actively communicated his work to the broader public. He has authored articles in American City & County, participated in radio interviews, organized NSF workshops, contributed to IEEE Smart Grid initiatives, and shared insights on LinkedIn (with one post received 27,000+ views), to foster public understanding of energy systems and sustainability. Dr. Zhong also pitched his work to a large public crowd and a group of investors at the $1M 76West Clean Energy Competition, where he was recognized as a semi-finalist. 

Scientific Education and Mentorship Excellence

Dr. Zhong is also an exceptional educator and mentor. Some of his Ph.D. students have received prestigious awards, such as the IET Control and Automation Doctoral Dissertation Award and the Chinese National Award for Outstanding Students Abroad including one Grand Prize (only 10 around the world each year). He developed Smart Grid Research and Educational Kit, now used in 10+ countries, to prepare future energy leaders with the practical skills necessary to address global energy challenges. He organized IEEE International Future Energy Challenge, widening participation of international students. Dr. Zhong has delivered 200+ plenary/keynote/invited talks in 20+ countries, influencing the direction of global research and education in power and energy. 

Dr. Zhong founded and led the Network for New Â鶹APP in Control Engineering (New-ACE) with support from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), UK, from 2007 to 2011, attracting 200+ members. This initiative played a pivotal role with a lasting impact in shaping the future of the UK control community, fostering collaboration, and supporting early-career researchers. Many former members are now leading figures in academia and industry, both in the UK and worldwide. His leadership and mentorship in New-ACE laid the groundwork for today’s UK Automatic Control Engineering (ACE) Network funded in 2024 by EPSRC. 

Interdisciplinary Vision and Entrepreneurial Leadership

A key driver behind Dr. Zhong’s impact is his strategic interdisciplinary vision. Over the years, he has strategically and successfully advanced his career across multiple domains—starting with hardware engineering, integrating software development, advancing control theory, pioneering power electronics, and ultimately shaping power system architectures. He published monographs in different areas, on Robust Control of Time-Delay Systems, Control of Power Inverters in Renewable Energy and Smart Grid Integration, and Power-Electronics-Enabled Autonomous Power Systems. Recognizing the systemic challenges in power systems, he merged fundamental principles of natural and social sciences to form the SYNDEM architecture, a framework that enables global energy sustainability with inherent compatibility and scalability. 

Dr. Zhong has not only advanced scientific theory but has also successfully commercialized his inventions. He licensed the synchronverter (the 1st-generation VSM) patent to an Israeli company and founded Syndem LLC in Greater Â鶹APP, USA, to manufacture the 2nd-generation VSM. Syndem LLC has secured and completed four federal grants, field-tested the VSM technologies, developed commercial VSM products, and sold VSM domestically and internationally, driving the widespread adoption of his groundbreaking technologies. 

Plenary and Keynote Talks

  1. Keynote talk, Power-Electronics-Enabled Autonomous Power Systems: Next-Generation Smart Grids, at the Workshop on Powering the Future: Mastering Grid-Forming Inverters in Renewable Energy Systems, Doha, Qatar, December 4-5, 2024.
  2. Keynote talk, Power-Electronics-Enabled Autonomous Power Systems: Next-Generation Smart Grids, at the IEEE Workshop on Smart Converters for Sustainable Energy Systems, Stockholm, Sweden, December 2, 2024.
  3. Plenary talk, Power-Electronics-Enabled Autonomous Power Systems: Next-Generation Smart Grids, at the 2023 Panda Forum on Power and Energy, Chengdu, China, April 27-30, 2023.
  4. Keynote talk, Power Electronics-Enabled Autonomous Power Systems: Next Generation Smart Grids, IEEE Int. Conf. on Electrical Engineering & Sustainable Technologies, Lahore, Pakistan, Dec. 2022.
  5. Keynote talk, Power Electronics-Enabled Autonomous Power Systems: Next Generation Smart Grids, at the 46th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society (IECON 2020), Singapore, October 18-21, 2020.
  6. Keynote talk, Synchronized-and-Democratized Smart Grids - Next Generation Smart Grids, the 24th International Conference on Electrical Engineering (ICEE 2018), Seoul, South Korea, June, 2018
  7. Semi-plenary talk, Autonomous Distributed Control of Next-Generation Smart Grids, at The 2017 Asian Control Conference, Gold Coast, Australia, December 2017.
  8. Keynote talk, Next-Generation Smart Grids: Architecture and Technical Route, at The 2017 Southern Power Electronics Conference, Puerto Varas, Chile, December 2017.
  9. Plenary talk, Autonomous Distributed Control of The Next-Generation Smart Grid, at The XIII National Conference - Control in Power Electronics and Electric Drives, Lodz, Poland, November 2017.
  10. Semi-plenary talk, Synchronized-and-Democratized Smart Grids (SYNDEM), at The 20th World Congress of the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC), Toulouse, France, July 2017.
  11. Opening Keynote, Next-Generation Smart Grids: Power Eletronis-enabled Autonomous Power Systems, the Digital Energy Summit at NIWeek 2017, Austin, Texas, May 22-25, 2017.
  12. Keynote talk, Next-Generation Smart Grids: Power Eletronis-enabled Autonomous Power Systems, at the First IEEE Workshop on Smart Grids - UFSM, The Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Brazil, September 26, 2016.
  13. Keynote talk, The Democratization of Power Systems: Architecture and Technical Route, at the Digital Utilities Europe 2016 Conference, London, UK, May 2016.
  14. Keynote talk, Next-Generation Smart Grids: Architecture and Technical Routes, at Global Energy Interconnection Forum, Â鶹APP IL, Nov. 2015.
  15. Keynote talk, Next-Generation Smart Grids: Architecture and Technical Routes, the 5th International Conference on Power Engineering, Energy and Electrical Drives, Riga, Latvia, May 11-13, 2015.
  16. Plenary talk, Distributed Control of Next-Generation Smart Grids with Many Players, at the 1st Indian Systems and Controls Conference, Chennai, India, Jan. 5-7, 2015.
  17. Keynote talk, Next-Generation Smart Grids: Completely Autonomous Power Systems (CAPS), 20th Int. Conference on Automation and Computing (ICAC2014), Cranfield, UK, Sept. 12-13, 2014.
  18. Keynote talk, Next-Generation Smart Grids: Completely Autonomous Power Systems (CAPS), at Real-Time 2014 Conference, Montreal, Canada, June 9-12, 2014.
  19. Distinguished Lecture, Next-Generation Smart Grids: Completely Autonomous Power Systems (CAPS), 26th Chinese Control and Decision Conference (CCDC), Changsha, China, May 31, 2014.
  20. Plenary talk, Next-Generation Smart Grids: Completely Autonomous Power Systems (CAPS), at Delta Power Electronics Forum, Suzhou, China, May 30, 2014.
  21. Keynote talk, Next-Generation Smart Grids: Completely Autonomous Power Systems (CAPS), at 2014 IEEE International Energy Conference, Croatia, May 13-16, 2014.
  22. Plenary talk, Next-Generation Smart Grids: Completely Autonomous Power Systems (CAPS), the 8th Symposium on Power Electronics and Electrical Drives (SPEED), Wuhan, China, April 11-13, 2014.
  23. Plenary talk, Next-Generation Smart Grids: Completely Autonomous Power Systems (CAPS), at the 6th IEEE Annual Green Technologies Conference in Corpus Christi, Texas, April 3-4, 2014.
  24. Plenary talk, Next-Generation Smart Grids: Completely Autonomous Power Systems (CAPS), at the 3rd Int. Conference on Advances in Control and Optimization of Dynamical Systems (ACODS), IIT Kanpur, India, March 13-15, 2014.
  25. Plenary talk, Next-Generation Smart Grids: Completely Autonomous Power Systems (CAPS), at the 29th Annual Conference of Chinese Universities on Electric Power Systems and Automation, Yichang, China, Nov. 7-10, 2013.
  26. Plenary talk, Next-Generation Smart Grids: Completely Autonomous Power Systems (CAPS), at the 4th IEEE Conference on Power Electronics for Distributed Generation Systems (PEDG) in Rogers, Arkansas, July 8 – 11, 2013. The first plenary talk. 

Awards

  • IEEE Fellow (2017 Class), IET Fellow (2010 Class).
  • The Synchronized-and-Democratized (SYNDEM) architecture and the Virtual Synchronous Machines (VSM) technologies he invented for power systems were cited in the .
  • “Q.-C. Zhong and G. Weiss, Synchronverters: Inverters That Mimic Synchronous Generators” published in IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics in April 2011, Google citations: 3400+, is a Top 3 Most-cited Non-survey Paper in the journal’s 43-year history out of all 19,790 papers published by the journal, according to the data on March 12, 2025.
  • “Q.-C. Zhong, Virtual Synchronous Machines: A unified interface for grid integration” published in IEEE Power Electronics Magazine in December 2016 as a cover story is recognized as the Most Popular Technical Article and a Highly-Cited Paper in the Magazine’s 10-year history by this market-leading professional Magazine, Feb. 2025.
  • , the world’s largest conference in systems & control engineering with 3500+ attendees. Click  to watch the recorded video.
  • Research featured by , by â€ť, by â€ť, and included by IEEE PES Task Force report as , reached city, county and state officials via  and policy-makers & utilities via  and .
  • Distinguished Lecturer of three IEEE societies: Control Systems Society (CSS, 2015-2018), Power Electronics Society (PELS, 2014-2017), Power and Energy Society (PES, 2016-2020).
  • Associate Editor of four IEEE Transactions: IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control; IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology; IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics; IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics.
  • One PhD student received the Control and Automation Doctoral Dissertation Award, Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET), UK and two PhD students received the Chinese National Award for Outstanding Students Abroad including one Grand Prize (only 10 around the world each year).
  • Delivered 20+ plenary/keynote talks and 200+ invited lectures in 20+ countries.
  • Working Group Chair, IEEE Standard 2988-2024 , 2021 - 2024.

Publications

  1. K. Norman, B. Ren and Q.-C. Zhong, Learning-by-Doing: Design and Implementation of a Solar Array Simulator With a SYNDEM Smart Grid Research and Educational Kit, IEEE Power Electronics Magazine, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 47-54, March 2024.
  2. Q.-C. Zhong and M. Stefanello, Generic Modeling and Control Framework for Power Systems Dominated by Power Converters Connected Through a Passive Transmission and Distribution Grid, CSEE Journal of Power and Energy Systems, vol. 10, no. 1, pp. 292-301, Jan. 2024.
  3. C. Qi, K. Wang, Q.-C. Zhong, J. Xu, and G. Li, Transient Angle Stability of Inverters Equipped with Robust Droop Control, CSEE Journal of Power and Energy Systems, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 659-670, March 2023.
  4. Y. Dong, B. Ren and Q. -C. Zhong, Bounded Universal Droop Control to Enable the Operation of Power Inverters Under Some Abnormal Conditions and Maintain Voltage and Frequency Within Predetermined Ranges, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol. 69, no. 11, pp. 11633-11643, Nov. 2022.
  5. Q.-C. Zhong, and M. Stefanello, A Port-Hamiltonian Control Framework to Render a Power Electronic System Passive, IEEE Trans. on Automatic Control, vol. 67, no.4, 1960 - 1965, 2022.
  6. Z. Tian, Q.-C. Zhong, B. Ren, J. Yuan, UDE-based Robust Control for Systems with Mismatched Uncertainties via Feedback Compensation, Int. Journal of Control, vol. 94, no. 7, pp. 1723-1733, 2021.
  7. C. Wang, Q.-C. Zhong, N. Zhu, S. Chen, and X. Yang, Space Vector Modulation in the 45° Coordinates α'β'  for Multilevel Converters, IEEE Trans. on Power Electronics, vol. 36, no. 6, pp. 6525-6536, 2021.
  8. Y. Wang, B. Ren, Q.-C. Zhong, and J. Dai, Bounded Integral Controller with Limited Control Power for Nonlinear Multiple-Input and Multiple-Output Systems, IEEE Trans. on Control Systems Technology, vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 1348-1355, 2021.
  9. Y. Wang, B. Ren, and Q.-C. Zhong, Bounded UDE-based Controller for Input Constrained Systems with Uncertainties and Disturbances, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.68, no.2, pp. 1560-1570, 2021.
  10. Q.-C. Zhong, Y. Wang, Y. Dong, B. Ren and M. Amin, Go Real: Power Electronics From Simulations to Experiments in Hours, IEEE Power Electronics Magazine, vol. 7, no. 3, pp. 52-61, 2020
  11. M. Amin, Q.-C. Zhong, and Z. Lyu, An Anti-islanding Protection for VSM Inverters in Distributed Generation, IEEE Open Journal of Power Electronics, vol.1, no.1, pp. 378-382, 2020.
  12. B. Ren, J. Dai, and Q.-C. Zhong, UDE-based Robust Output Feedback Control with Applications to a Piezoelectric Stage, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.67, no.9, pp. 7819-7828, 2020.
  13. M. Amin and Q.-C. Zhong, Resynchronization of Distributed Generation based on the Universal Droop Controller for Seamless Transfer Between Operation Modes, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.67, no.9, pp. 7574-7582, 2020.
  14. Q.-C. Zhong, Yeqin Wang, and Beibei Ren, Connecting the Home Grid to the Public Grid: Field Demonstration of Virtual Synchronous Machines, IEEE Power Electronics Magazine, vol. 6., No. 4, pp. 41-49, Dec. 2019.
  15. S.Y. Gadelovits, D. Insepov, V. Kadirkamanathan, Q.-C. Zhong, and A. Kuperman, UDE-Based Controller Equipped with a Multiple-Time-Delayed Filter to Improve the Voltage Quality of Inverters, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.66, no.11, pp. 8947-8957, 2019.
  16. Z. Tian, Q.-C. Zhong, B. Ren, J. Yuan, Stabilisability analysis and design of UDE-based robust control, IET Control Theory & Applications, Vol. 13, No. 10, pp. 1445-1453, 2019.
  17. Q.-C. Zhong and Z. Lyu, Droop-Controlled Rectifiers that Continuously Take Part in Grid Regulation, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol. 66, no. 8, pp. 6516-6526, 2019.
  18. X. Zhang, Q.-C. Zhong, V. Kadirkamanathan, J. He, and J. Huang, Source-side Series-virtual-impedance Control to Improve the Cascaded System Stability and the Dynamic Performance of Its Source Converter, IEEE Trans. on Power Electronics, vol.34, no.6, pp. 5854-5866, 2019.
  19. Q.-C. Zhong and X. Zhang, Impedance-Sum Stability Criterion for Power Electronic Systems with Two Converters/Sources, IEEE Access, vol. 7, pp. 21254-21265, 2019.
  20. G. Konstantopoulos and Q.-C. Zhong, Current-limiting DC/DC Power Converters, IEEE Trans. on Control Systems Technology, vol.27, no. 2, 855-863, 2019.
  21. S. Gadelovits, Q.-C. Zhong, V. Kadirkamanathan and A. Kuperman, UDE-Based Controller Equipped with a Time-Delayed Filter to Improve the Voltage Quality of Inverters, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.66, no.1, pp. 459-469, 2019.
  22. J. Dai, B. Ren and Q.-C. Zhong, Uncertainty and Disturbance Estimator-Based Backstepping Control for Nonlinear Systems With Mismatched Uncertainties and Disturbances, ASME J. Dyn. Syst., Meas., Control, vol.140, no.12, pp.121005,2018.
  23. X. Cao, Q.-C. Zhong, Y.-C. Qiao, and Z.-Q. Deng, Multilayer Modular Balancing Strategy for Individual Cells in a Battery Pack, IEEE Trans. on Energy Conversion, vol.33, no. 2, pp. 526-536, 2018.
  24. Q. Lu, B. Ren, S. Parameswaran, and Q.-C. Zhong, UDE-based Robust Trajectory Tracking Control for a Quadrotor in a GPS-denied Environment, ASME J. Dyn. Syst., Meas., Control, vol. 140, no. 3, 031001, 2018.
  25. Q.-C. Zhong, G.C. Konstantopoulos, B. Ren and M. Krstic, Improved Synchronverters with Bounded Frequency and Voltage for Smart Grid Integration, IEEE Trans. on Smart Grid, vol. 9, no.2, 786-796, 2018.
  26. Q.-C. Zhong and G. Konstantopoulos, Current-limiting Three-phase Rectifiers, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.65, no.2, pp. 957-967, 2018.
  27. Q.-C. Zhong and W.-L. Ming, Reducing the Inductors of Rectifiers having Two Outputs to Improve Power Density, IEEE Trans. on Power Electronics, vol. 32, no. 10, 8150 - 8162, 2017.
  28. R. Sanz-Diaz, P.J. Garcia Gil, P. Albertos and Q.-C. Zhong, Robust Controller Design for Input-Delayed Systems using Predictive Feedback and an Uncertainty Estimator，Int. Journal of Robust and Nonlinear Control, vol. 27, no. 10, pp. 1826–1840, 2017.
  29. S. Gadelovits, Q.-C. Zhong, V. Kadirkamanathan and A. Kuperman, UDE-based Controller Equipped with a Multi-Band-Stop Filter to Improve the Voltage Quality of Inverters, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.64, no.9, pp. 7433-7443, 2017.
  30. Q.-C. Zhong, Y. Wang, and B. Ren, UDE-Based Robust Droop Control of Inverters in Parallel Operation, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.64, no.9, pp. 7552-7562, 2017.
  31. Q.-C. Zhong, The Ghost Operator and its Applications to Reveal the Physical Meaning of Reactive Power for Electrical and Mechanical Systems and Others, IEEE Access, vol. 5, pp. 13038-13045, 2017.
  32. Q.-C. Zhong and G. Konstantopoulos, Current-limiting Droop Control of Grid-connected Inverters, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.64, no.7, pp. 5693-5973, 2017.
  33. Q.-C. Zhong, Power Electronics-enabled Autonomous Power Systems: Architecture and Technical Routes, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.64, no.7, pp. 5907-5918, 2017.
  34. B. Ren, Q.-C. Zhong and J. Dai, Asymptotic Reference Tracking and Disturbance Rejection of UDE-Based Robust Control, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.64, 3166-3176, 2017.
  35. Z.-H. Liu, H.-L. Wei, Q.-C. Zhong, and K. Liu, Parameter Estimation for VSI-Fed PMSM based on a Dynamic PSO with Learning Strategies, IEEE Trans. on Power Electronics, vol. 32, no. 4, pp. 3154-3165, 2017.
  36. W.-L. Ming and Q.-C. Zhong, Current-stress Reduction for the Neutral Inductor of θ-Converters, IEEE Trans. on Power Electronics, vol. 32, no. 4, pp. 2794-2807, 2017.
  37. B. Ren, Y. Wang, and Q.-C. Zhong, UDE-based Control of Variable-speed Wind Turbine Systems, Int. Journal of Control, vol. 90, no. 1, pp. 137-152, 2017.
  38. R. Sanz-Diaz, P.J. Garcia Gil, Q.-C. Zhong and P. Albertos, Predictor-based Control of a Class of Time-Delay Systems and its Application to Quadrotors, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.64, no.1, pp. 459-469, 2017.
  39. Q.-C. Zhong, W.-L. Ming, W. Sheng and Y. Zhao, Beijing Converters: Bridge Converters with a Capacitor added to Reduce Leakage Currents, DC-bus Voltage Ripples and Total Capacitance Required, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.64, no.1, pp. 325-335, 2017.
  40. Q.-C. Zhong, Virtual Synchronous Machines – A unified interface for smart grid integration, IEEE Power Electronics Magazine, vol. 3., No. 4, pp. 18-27, Dec. 2016. Cover Story. The Most Popular Technical Article and a Highly-Cited Paper among all technical papers published by the Magazine in the journal’s 10-year history.
  41. G.C. Konstantopoulos, Q.-C. Zhong, B. Ren and M. Krstic, Bounded Integral Control of Input-to-State Practically Stable Non-linear Systems to Guarantee Closed-loop Stability, IEEE Trans. on Automatic Control, vol. 61, no.12, 4196-4202, 2016.
  42. Q.-C. Zhong and W.-L. Ming, A theta-Converter that Reduces Common Mode Currents, Output Voltage Ripples and Total Capacitance Required, IEEE Trans. on Power Electronics, vol. 31, no. 12, pp. 8435-8447, 2016.
  43. X. Zhang and Q.-C. Zhong, Improved Adaptive-Series-Virtual-Impedance Control Incorporating Minimum Ripple Point Tracking for Load Converters in DC Systems, IEEE Trans. on Power Electronics, vol. 31, no. 12, pp. 8088-8095, 2016.
  44. X. Zhang, Q.-C. Zhong, and W.-L. Ming, A Virtual RLC Damper to Stabilize DC/DC Converters Having an LC Input Filter while Improving the Filter Performance, IEEE Trans. on Power Electronics, vol. 31, no. 12, pp. 8017-8023, 2016.
  45. Q.-C. Zhong, W.-L. Ming and Y. Zeng, Self-Synchronized Universal Droop Controller, IEEE Access, vol. 4, pp. 7145-7153, 2016.
  46. L. Sun, D. Li, Q.-C. Zhong, and K.-Y. Lee, Control of a Class of Industrial Processes with Time Delay based on a Modified Uncertainty and Disturbance Estimator, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.63, no.11, pp. 7018-7028, 2016.
  47. Y. Wang, B. Ren, and Q.-C. Zhong, Robust Power Flow Control of Grid-connected Inverters, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.63, no.11, pp. 6887-6897, 2016.
  48. Q.-C. Zhong and D. Boroyevich, Structural Resemblance Between Droop Controllers and Phase-Locked Loops, IEEE Access, vol. 4, pp. 5733-5741, 2016.
  49. J. Chen, B. Ren, and Q.-C. Zhong, UDE-based Trajectory Tracking Control of Piezoelectric Stages, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.63, no.10, pp. 6450-6459, 2016.
  50. G. Konstantopoulos, Q.-C. Zhong, and W.-L. Ming, PLL-less Nonlinear Current-limiting Controller for Single-phase Grid-tied Inverters: Design, Stability Analysis and Operation Under Grid Faults, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.63, no. 9, pp. 5582-5591, 2016.
  51. X. Zhang, Q.-C. Zhong, and W.-L. Ming, Stabilization of Cascaded DC/DC Converters via Adaptive Series-Virtual-Impedance Control of the Load Converter, IEEE Trans. on Power Electronics, vol. 31, no. 9, pp. 6057-6063, 2016.
  52. G. Konstantopoulos, and Q.-C. Zhong, Nonlinear Control of Single-Phase PWM Rectifiers with Inherent Current-Limiting Capability, IEEE Access, vol. 4, pp. 3578-3590, 2016.
  53. R. Sanz-Diaz, P.J. Garcia Gil, Q.-C. Zhong and P. Albertos, Robust Control of Quadrotors Based on an Uncertainty and Disturbance Estimator, ASME J. Dyn. Syst., Meas., Control, vol. 138, no. 7, 071006, 2016.
  54. Q.-C. Zhong, W.-L. Ming, X. Cao and M. Krstic, Control of Ripple Eliminators to Improve the Power Quality of DC Systems and Reduce the Usage of Electrolytic Capacitors, IEEE Access, vol. 4, pp. 2177-2187, 2016.
  55. H. Wu, X. Ruan, D. Yang, X. Chen, Q.-C. Zhong and Z. Lv, Small-Signal Modelling and Parameters Design for Virtual Synchronous Generators, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.63, no. 7, pp. 4292-4303, 2016.
  56. Q.-C. Zhong and Y. Zeng, Universal Droop Control of Inverters with Different Types of Output Impedance, IEEE Access, vol. 4, pp. 702-712, 2016.
  57. X. Zhang, Q.-C. Zhong and W.-L. Ming, Stabilization of a Cascaded DC Converter System via Adding a Virtual Adaptive Parallel Impedance to the Input of the Load Converter, IEEE Trans. on Power Electronics, vol. 31, no. 3, pp. 1826-1832, 2016.
  58. W.-L. Ming and Q.-C. Zhong, A Single-phase Four-Switch Rectifier with Significantly Reduced Capacitance, IEEE Trans. on Power Electronics, vol. 31, no. 2, pp. 1618-1632, 2016.
  59. X. Zhang, X.-B. Ruan and Q.-C. Zhong, Improving the Stability of Cascaded DC/DC Converter Systems via Shaping the Input Impedance of the Load Converter with a Parallel or Series Virtual Impedance, IEEE Trans. on Ind. Electronics. vol. 62, no. 12, pp. 7499-7512, 2015.
  60. B. Ren, Q.-C. Zhong and J. Chen, Robust Control of Non-affine Nonlinear Systems with an Uncertainty and Disturbance Estimator (UDE), IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.62, no.9, pp. 5881-5888, 2015.
  61. G.C. Konstantopoulos, Q.-C. Zhong, B. Ren and M. Krstic, Stability and fail-safe operation of Inverters Operated in Parallel, Int. Journal of Control, vol. 88, no. 7, pp. 1410-1421, 2015.
  62. A. Kuperman and Q.-C. Zhong, UDE-based linear robust control for a class of nonlinear systems with application to wing rock motion stabilization, Nonlinear Dynamics, 2015.
  63. W.-L. Ming and Q.-C. Zhong, A single-phase rectifier having two independent voltage outputs with reduced fundamental frequency voltage ripples, IEEE Trans. on Power Electronics, vol. 30, no. 7, pp. 3662-3673, 2015.
  64. X. Cao, Q.-C. Zhong and W.-L. Ming, Ripple eliminator to smooth DC-Bus voltage and reduce the total capacitance required, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.62, no. 4, pp. 2224-2235, 2015.
  65. A.T. Alexandridis, G.C. Konstantopoulos, and Q.-C. Zhong, Advanced Integrated Modeling and Analysis for Adjustable Speed Drives of Induction Motors Operating with Minimum Losses, IEEE Trans. on Energy Conversion, vol.30, no.3, pp. 1237-1246, 2015.
  66. G.C. Konstantopoulos, Q.-C. Zhong, B. Ren, and M. Krstic, Bounded Droop Controller for Parallel Operation of Inverters, Automatica, Vol. 53, no. 3, pp. 320-328, 2015.
  67. Q.-C. Zhong, Z. Ma, W.-L. Ming and G.C. Konstantopoulos, Grid-friendly wind power systems based on the synchronverter technology, Energy Conversion and Management, vol. 89, pp. 719-726, 2015.
  68. Q.-C. Zhong and Y. Zeng, Control of inverters via a virtual capacitor to achieve capacitive output impedance, IEEE Trans. on Power Electronics, vol. 29, no. 10, pp. 5568-5578, 2014.
  69. Q.-C. Zhong, P.-L. Nguyen, Z. Ma and W. Sheng, Self-synchronised synchronverters: Inverters without a dedicated synchronisation unit, IEEE Trans. on Power Electronics, vol. 29, no. 2, pp. 617–630, Feb., 2014.
  70. Q.-C. Zhong, AC Ward Leonard drive systems: Revisiting the four-quadrant operation of AC machines, European Journal of Control, vol. 19, No. 5, 426–436, 2013.
  71. S.M. Disney, R.D. H. Warburton and Q.-C. Zhong, Net present value analysis of the economic production quantity, IMA Jounal of Management Mathematics, vol. 24, No. 4, 423–435, 2013.
  72. T. Hornik and Q.-C. Zhong, Parallel PI voltage–H-infinity current controller for the neutral point of a three-phase inverter, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.60, no.4, 1335-1343, 2013.
  73. Q.-C. Zhong and T. Hornik, Cascaded current-voltage control to improve the power quality for a grid-connected inverter with a local load, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.60, no.4, 1344-1355, 2013.
  74. Q.-C. Zhong, Robust droop controller for accurate proportional load sharing among inverters operated in parallel, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.60, no.4, 1281-1290, 2013.
  75. Q.-C. Zhong, Harmonic droop controller to reduce the voltage harmonics of inverters, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.60, no.3, 936-945, 2013.
  76. X.-L. Wang, Q.-C. Zhong, Z.-Q. Deng and S.-Z. Yue, Current-controlled multi-phase slice permanent magnetic bearingless motors with open-circuited phases: Fault-Tolerant Controllability and its Verification, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol. 59, no. 5, 2059-2072, 2012.
  77. Q.-C. Zhong, A. Kuperman and R.K. Stobart, Design of UDE-based controllers from their two-degree-of-freedom nature, Int. Journal of Robust and Nonlinear Control, vol. 21, 1994–2008, 2011.
  78. T. Hornik and Q.-C. Zhong, A current control strategy for voltage-source inverters in microgrids based on H-infinity and repetitive control, IEEE Trans. on Power Electronics, vol. 26, no. 3, 943-952, 2011.
  79. Q.-C. Zhong and G. Weiss, Synchronverters: Inverters that mimic synchronous generators, IEEE Trans. on Industrial Electronics, vol.58, no.4, 1259-1267, 2011. Top 3 Most-cited Non-survey Paper in the journal’s 43-year history out of all 19,790 papers published by the journal. The technology received the IET Innovation Award in 2009.
  80. R.K. Stobart, A. Kuperman and Q.-C. Zhong, Uncertainty and disturbance estimator (UDE)-based control for uncertain LTI-SISO systems with state delays, ASME J. Dyn. Syst., Meas., Control, vol. 133, 024502, 1-6, 2011.
  81. A. Kuperman and Q.-C. Zhong, Robust control of uncertain nonlinear systems with state delays based on an uncertainty and disturbance estimator, Int. Journal of Robust and Nonlinear Control, vol.21, no.1, 79-92, 2011.
  82. T. Hornik and Q.-C. Zhong, H-infinity repetitive voltage control of grid-connected inverters with a frequency adaptive mechanism, IET Power Electronics, vol.3, no.6, 925-935, 2010.
  83. S. Shen, J. Zhang, X. Chen, Q.-C. Zhong and R. Thornton, ISG hybrid powertrain: A rule-based driver model incorporating look-ahead information, Vehicle System Dynamics, vol. 48, no.3, 301-337, 2010.
  84. S. Hadd and Q.-C. Zhong, On feedback stabilizability of linear systems with state and input delays in Banach spaces, IEEE Trans. on Automatic Control, vol. 54, no.3, 438-451, 2009.
  85. Q.-C. Zhong, A. K. Nandi and M. F. Aburdene, Efficient implementation of the discrete Pascal transform using difference operators, IET Electronics Letters, vol. 43, no. 24, 1348-1350, 2007.
  86. J. Sun, Q.-G. Wang and Q.-C. Zhong, A less conservative stability test for second-order linear time-varying vector differential equations, Int. Journal of Control, vol. 80, no. 4, 523–526, 2007.
  87. Q.-C. Zhong, J. Liang, G. Weiss, C.-M. Feng and T. Green. H-infinity control of the neutral point in 4-wire 3-phase DC-AC converters. IEEE Trans. Industrial Electronics, vol. 53, no.5, 1594-1602, 2006.
  88. B. Wang, D. Rees and Q.-C. Zhong. Control of Integral Processes with Dead Time. Part IV: Various Issues about PI controllers. IEE Proc. Control Theory & Appl., vol. 153, no. 3, 302-306, 2006.
  89. R. Majumder, B. Chauduri, B. Pal and Q.-C. Zhong. A unified Smith predictor approach for power system damping control using remote signals. IEEE Trans. on Control Systems Technology, vol. 13, no.6, 1063-1068, 2005.
  90. Q.-C. Zhong, L. Hobson, M.G. Jayne. Classical control of the neutral point in 4-wire 3-phase DC-AC converters. Electrical Power Quality and Utilisation, vol. 11, no.2, 111-119, 2005.
  91. Q.-C. Zhong. J-spectral factorization of regular para-Hermitian transfer matrices.  Automatica, vol.41, no.7, 1289-1293, 2005.
  92. Q.-C. Zhong. On distributed delay in linear control laws. Part II: Rational implementations inspired from the -operator. IEEE Trans. on Automatic Control, vol. 50, no.5, 729-734, 2005.
  93. Q.-C. Zhong and D. Rees. Control of uncertain LTI systems based on an uncertainty and disturbance estimator. ASME J. Dyn. Syst., Meas., Control, vol.126, no.4, 905-910, 2004.
  94. Q.-C. Zhong and G. Weiss. A unified Smith predictor based on the spectral decomposition of the plant. Int. J. of Control, vol. 77, no.15, pp.1362-1371, 2004.
  95. Q.-C. Zhong. On distributed delay in linear control laws. Part I: Discrete-delay implementations. IEEE Trans. Automatic Control, vol. 49, no.11, pp.2074-2080, 2004.
  96. Q.-C. Zhong and C.-C. Hang. Control of processes with dead time and input constraints using control signal shaping. IEE Proc. Control Theory & Appl., vol. 151, no. 4, 473-480, 2004.
  97. G. Weiss, Q.-C. Zhong, T. Green and J. Liang. H-infinity repetitive control of DC-AC converters in micro-grids. IEEE Trans. on Power Electronics, vol. 19, pp.219-230, 2004.
  98. L. Mirkin and Q.-C. Zhong. 2DOF Controller parametrization for systems with a single I/O delay. IEEE Trans. Automatic Control, vol. 48, no.11, pp. 1999-2004, 2003.
  99. Q.-C. Zhong. Robust stability analysis of simple systems controlled over communication networks. Automatica, vol.39, no.7, pp. 1309-1312, 2003.
  100. Q.-C. Zhong. On standard H-infinity control of processes with a single delay. IEEE Trans. Automatic Control, vol.48, no.6, pp. 1097-1103, 2003.
  101. Q.-C. Zhong. Frequency domain solution to the delay-type Nehari problem. Automatica, vol. 39, no. 3, pp. 499-508, 2003.
  102. Q.-C. Zhong. H-infinity control of dead-time systems based on a transformation. Automatica, vol. 39, no. 2, pp. 361-366, 2003.
  103. Q.-C. Zhong. Control of integral processes with dead time. Part 3: Dead-beat disturbance response. IEEE Trans. Automatic Control, vol. 48, no. 1, pp. 153-159, 2003.
  104. G. Meinsma, L. Mirkin and Q.-C. Zhong. Control of systems with I/O delay via reduction to a one-block problem. IEEE Trans. Automatic Control, vol. 47, no.11, pp.1890-1895, 2002.
  105. Q.-C. Zhong and L. Mirkin. Control of integral processes with dead time. Part 2: Quantitative analysis. IEE Proc. Control Theory & Applications, vol. 149, no. 4, pp. 291-296, 2002.
  106. Q.-C. Zhong, J.E. Normey-Rico. Control of integral processes with dead time. Part 1: Disturbance-observer based 2DOF control scheme. IEE Proc. Control Theory Applications, vol. 149, no. 4, pp. 285-290, 2002.
  107. Q.-C. Zhong and H.-X. Li. Two-degree-of-freedom PID-type controller with Smith principle for processes with dead-time. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, vol. 41, no.10, pp. 2448-2454, 2002.
  108. Q.-C. Zhong, J.Y. Xie and Q. Jia. Time-delay-filter-based dead-beat control of process with dead time. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, vol.39, no.6, pp. 2024-2028, 2000.
  109. Q.-C. Zhong and J.Y. Xie. Robust Smith predictive controller for processes with inverse response. Journal of Shanghai Jiaotong University, vol. E-4, no.2, pp. 10-16, 1999.

Books

  1. Q.-C. Zhong, Power Electronics-Enabled Autonomous Power Systems: Next Generation Smart Grids, Wiley-IEEE Press, 2020. A Top 3 Best Power Systems Book for Beginners by BookAuthority.org, the world's leading site for book recommendations.
  2. Q.-C. Zhong and T. Hornik, Control of Power Inverters in Renewable Energy and Smart Grid Integration, Wiley-IEEE Press, 2013. It once made No. 7 of Best Sellers in Power Generation and Distribution on amazon.co.uk and the global rights in Chinese were licensed out within three months of its publication.
  3. A. Visioli and Q.-C. Zhong, Control of Integral Processes with Dead Time, Springer-Verlag Limited, London, 2010.
  4. Q.-C. Zhong, Robust Control of Time-delay Systems. ISBN: 1-84628-264-0. Springer-Verlag Limited, London, 2006.

Patents

  1. Q.-C. Zhong, Power Electronic Converter with a Ground Fault Detection Unit that Shares a Common Ground with both DC Ports and AC Ports, UK patent GB2586343 (GB2010378.4 filed on July 7, 2020).
  2. Q.-C. Zhong, Rackless Thermal-Efficient Modular Power Electronic System, UK patent GB2586094 (GB2009448.8 filed on June 22, 2020), US patent 11,277,945 (17112950 filed on Dec 4, 2020).
  3. Q.-C. Zhong, Passive Virtual Synchronous Machine with Bounded Frequency and Virtual Flux, UK patent GB2574645 (GB1809724.6 filed on June 13, 2018). US Patent 10,651,771 (16236483 filed on 12/29/2018).
  4. Q.-C. Zhong, SYNDEM Converter, UK patent GB2573318 (GB1807264.5 filed on May 3, 2018). US Patent 10,554,143 (16236485 filed on 12/29/2018).
  5. Q.-C. Zhong, Reconfiguration of Inertia, Damping and Fault Ride-Through for a Virtual Synchronous Machine, UK patent GB2570151 (GB1800572.8 filed on Jan 14, 2018). US Patent 10,615,716 (16236515 filed on 12/30/2018).
  6. Q.-C. Zhong, Power Electronic Converters that Take Part in the Grid Regulation without Affecting the DC-port Operation, UK patent GB2567840 (GB1717573.8 filed in Oct 2017). US patent 10,797,616 (16147867 filed on 09/30/2018).
  7. Q.-C. Zhong, Cyber Synchronous Machine (Cybersync Machine), UK Patent GB2563086 (GB1708886.5 filed in June, 2017). US Patent 10,509,373 (15727600 filed in Oct 2017, 2018-0348712 A1 published 12/6/2018).
  8. Q.-C. Zhong, Operating Doubly-Fed Induction Generators as Virtual Synchronous Generators, UK Patent GB2554954 (GB1617589.5 filed in Oct. 2016).
  9. B. Ren, Y. Wang, and Q.-C. Zhong, UDE-Based Robust Droop Control for Parallel Inverter Operation, US Patent 10,651,656 (15/698,956, filed on September 08, 2017).
  10. Q.-C. Zhong, Self-synchronized robust droop controller, UK Patent GB1601730.3, filed in January 2016, GB2546804 granted on April 9 2019.
  11. Q.-C. Zhong, Theta converter, UK Patent GB1516168.0, filed in Sept. 2015, GB2542194 granted on Oct 2, 2018.
  12. Q.-C. Zhong and T. Hornik, Cascaded Current-Voltage Repetitive Controllers to Improve the Quality of Output Voltage and Current Simultaneously for Grid-Connected Inverters, UK Patent GB2483910, filed in September 2010, granted on 19/02/2013.
  13. Q.-C. Zhong, Robust droop controller for inverters to achieve exact proportional load sharing when connected in parallel, UK Patent GB2483879, filed in September 2010, granted on 11/06/2013.
  14. Q.-C. Zhong, AC Ward Leonard Drive Systems, UK Patent GB2473853, filed in September 2009, granted on 20/03/2012.
  15. Q.-C. Zhong, A system and a method for converting the kinetic energy stored in landing aircraft into electricity, UK Patent GB2460132, filed in Dec. 2008, granted on 29/01/2013.
  16. Q.-C. Zhong and G. Weiss, Static synchronous generators (Inverters that Mimic Synchronous Generators), EU/US/China Patent granted, EP2377238, US 8,880,236, CN102257720A, WO2010055322A3, filed in Nov. 2008.
  17. H.-X. Li and Q.-C. Zhong, Delay PID controller, China Patent CN2724064Y granted, 2005.
  18. Q.-C. Zhong, Multifunctional Lighting Lamp Controller, China Patent CN2119743U granted, 1992.

Professional Activities

  • Cover story by IEEE Power Electronics Magazine on Virtual Synchronous Machines -- , December 2016.
  • Semi-plenary talk at , Toulouse, France, July 2017.
  • Panel Discussion on Synchronous Control of Power Converters for Renewable Applications and Beyond at the 2017 IEEE PES General Meeting, Â鶹APP, IL, July 2017.
  • Semi-plenary talk at The 2017 Asian Control Conference, Gold Coast, Australia, December 2017.
  • LinkedIn Group on 
  • , IEEE Smart Grid, June 2017.
  • , Steering Committee member representing IEEE Power Electronics Society, May 2017
  • , IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, July 2017.
  • Expected to be Game Changer for the Grid, Featured by Midwest Energy News.

Expertise

Zhong’s current research focuses on advanced control theory and power electronics, together with the seamless integration of both to address fundamental challenges in electrical engineering (renewable energy, distributed generation, microgrids, power systems, smart grids, electric drives, traction power systems for high-speed trains, marine power systems, aircraft power systems etc.), automotive engineering (engine control, hybrid electric vehicles, energy management etc.), chemical engineering (processes with dead time, continuous stirred tank reactors etc.), and mechanical engineering (mechatronics, UAVs, servo systems etc.).

Qing Chang Zhong

Contact Information

312.567.5785 10 West 35th St, Michael Paul Galvin Tower 16C6-2