MEng Electronic Engineering / Course details

Fundamentals of power conversion

• System Architectures: Review of power conversion system architectures typically used in AC-grid connected, and transport applications. Identification of the function of the different power conversion systems.
• Mechanics and Thermal Principles: Linear and angular speeds and accelerations, force, and torque. Heat sources and mechanisms, thermal networks, temperature rise and thermal management.
• Electrical Machines: DC machines are analysed. Other motor types are introduced.
• Energy: Conservation of energy, power and energy. Different forms of energy. Introduction to the main energy storage technologies for AC-grid connected power storage, and transport.

Fundamentals of power systems

• Demand and Generation: In which the mechanism of generation are covered, and the nature of power demand.
• AC Circuit Analysis: Building directly on the first-year circuit course, Resonance is taught to introduce ideas about energy in circuits. Phasors are reviewed and power factor correction discussed.
• Three-Phase systems: Three-phase circuits are covered, including star and delta connections and three-phase sources.
• Transmission of Electrical Energy: The requirement of balancing Demand and Generation are discussed. Techniques for calculations of power flows and voltages in networks are introduced along with what limits transmission capacity through a line. Finally the emergence of DC transmission as a technology is reviewed.

The course unit aims to:

Provide an introduction to the production, storage, transmission and use of electrical energy, in both land-based, and transport applications.

On the successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

ILO 1 - Describe the basic principles of mechanics and thermal networks, DC machines, AC circuit theory and energy storage technologies, and perform basic calculations on these systems. [Developed] [Assessed]

ILO 2 - Describe the process of conventional and renewable electricity generation, and the matching of generation and demand. [Developed] [Assessed]

ILO 3 - Evaluate simple mechanical, thermal and electrical systems. [Developed] [Assessed]

ILO 4 - Describe the relationship between political, commercial, social and technical pressures in engineering design. [Developed] [Assessed]

ILO 5 - Perform calculations on mechanical, thermal, DC machine and energy storage systems, and AC circuits involving phasors, three phase systems as well as real and reactive power. [Developed] [Assessed]

ILO 6 - Assimilate and communicate a technical understanding of modern power systems including renewable sources of energy, and electrified forms of transport. [Developed] [Assessed]

  Lectures with slides and lots of worked examples; two computer lab exercises; revision surgery.

Lab 1

Weighting: 10%

Lab 2

Weighting: 10%

Marked weekly tutorials

Weighting: 10%

.

[1] Edward Hughes, Electrical & Electronic Technology. Pearson, 2016.
[2] J. A. Harrison, An introduction to electric power systems . London (etc.): Longman, 1980.
[3] G. M. Masters, Renewable and efficient electric power systems . Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2004.
[4] P. C. (Paresh C. Sen, Principles of electric machines and power electronics, 2nd ed. New York;: Wiley, 1997.
[5] R. A. Serway, Physics for scientists and engineers /, Tenth edition. Australia: Cengage,, 2018.
[6] M. Sterner and I. Stadler, Eds., Handbook of energy storage demand, technologies, integration . Berlin: Springer, 2019.
[7] O. S. Burheim, Engineering energy storage . London, England: Academic Press, 2017.
[8] J. A. Melkebeek, Electrical machines and drive: fundamentals and advanced modelling . Cham, Switzerland: Springer, 2018.
[9] N. Mohan, Power electronics: converters, applications, and design , 3rd ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2003.
[10] J. A. Harrison, An introduction to electric power systems . London (etc.): Longman, 1980.
[11] G. M. Masters, Renewable and efficient electric power systems, 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc., 2013.
[12] E. Hughes, Electrical and Electronic Technology: UEL., 11th ed. Harlow: Pearson Education UK, 2012.