12 Dec 2024
On 23 October 2024, at the awarding ceremony hosted by the China Mechanical Industry Association and the Chinese Mechanical Engineering Society, Dr Bowen Xu, an Associate Professor from the Department of Civil Engineering at the Design School of Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, was honored with the First Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress in the Mechanical Industry Science and Technology Award.
His groundbreaking research, “Key Technologies and Applications for Switching High-Voltage Large-Capacity Capacitive/Inductive Loads”, earned him the prestigious recognition.
The Mechanical Industry Science and Technology Award is one of the highest accolades in China’s mechanical engineering industry, recognising individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to scientific and technological research in the field. After years of dedicated work, Dr Xu and his research team achieved a comprehensive breakthrough in high-voltage power systems, from fundamental theory to engineering applications. This award celebrates the widespread recognition of his academic excellence.
Dr Xu says: “This honor belongs not only to me but to the entire team. XJTLU has provided an open and inclusive research environment that enables us to focus on exploring cutting-edge technologies.”
Tackling challenges in high-voltage power systems
The project “Key Technologies and Applications for Switching High-Voltage Capacitive/Inductive Loads” focuses on solving important technical challenges in high-voltage power systems. As society’s demand for electricity continues to grow, the complexity of power system load characteristics has increased, and the issues related to voltage and current surges during load switching have long troubled engineering practice.
Through in-depth research, Dr Xu’s team successfully overcame the technological bottlenecks and developed a solution with independent intellectual property rights. This technology not only significantly improves the operational stability and safety of power equipment but also provides key technological support for renewable energy generation and power transmission and distribution, with broad engineering application value and socio-economic benefits.
Currently, this technology has been successfully applied in multiple large industrial projects, driving the improvement of domestic power equipment technology and setting a benchmark for innovative applications in the industry.
As an international university that integrates the advantages of both Chinese and Western education, XJTLU has made remarkable achievements in scientific research in recent years, particularly in engineering technology and information science.
It has been encouraging researchers to pursue academic excellence, fostering innovation potential through interdisciplinary collaboration and resource sharing. This award not only highlights the global competitiveness of XJTLU in academic research but also demonstrates its important role in serving society and industrial development.
Supporting industrial upgrades
In the era where technology drives industrial development, researchers like Dr Bowen Xu are contributing their wisdom to the transformation and upgrading of China’s manufacturing and machinery industries. With solid foundational research and outstanding engineering practice, they are driving technological progress in the industry and training high-quality talent with an international perspective.
This award marks an important milestone in Dr Xu’s academic career and sets a model for XJTLU to further develop high-level scientific research collaborations.
Dr Xu says that in the future, he will continue to focus on combining academic research with industrial development, making further contributions to China's machinery industry.
“I look forward to continuing to break through with my team and making a stronger ‘Chinese voice’ on the international academic stage,” he says.
Story provided by Dr Bowen Xu
Edited by Yi Qian
Translated by Zhen Ma
12 Dec 2024