Clearing 2025

Our clearing vacancies will be live from the evening of Wednesday, 13 August. In the meantime, you can read our clearing guide on the clearing pages.

Master of Engineering (MEng)

MEng Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Industrial Experience

*This course is now closed for applications for 2025 entry.

  • Duration: 5 years
  • Year of entry: 2025
  • UCAS course code: H601 / Institution code: M20
  • Key features:
  • Industrial experience
  • Scholarships available
  • Accredited course

Full entry requirementsHow to apply

Course unit details:
Electrical Drive Systems

Course unit fact file
Unit code EEEN30262
Credit rating 10
Unit level Level 3
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

Brief Description

This unit will build on the material covered in the level 2 programme unit 'Machines, Drives and Power Electronics' to cover the selection, configuration and control of electrical machines and their associated power converters for a range of applications. Energy recovery from the load to the power network will also be included.

The unit will cover the following:

  • Reasons for using an electrical drive system, with examples across a range of applications. Drive system design for torque or speed control or control of other mechanical or electrical system variables.
  • Drive specification and selection, based on the torque-speed characteristic of the load and the torque-speed envelope of the motor, including field weakening. Driving and braking torque requirements of accelerating and decelerating loads.
  • Induction machines: comparison of energy use with direct-on-line operation, variable voltage control, scalar voltage/frequency control and variable resistance control; machine and drive system analysis; effect of terminal harmonics.
  • Synchronous machines: steady-state analysis of wound field and permanent magnet brushless machines, two-axis theory (d-q) to introduce closed-loop vector control and advanced control philosophies.
  • Elements of a typical electrical drive system and their configuration including: the power electronic interface; current and voltage control methods; 4-quadrant operation; energy recovery; dump resistor sizing; sensing; protection; switchgear and the controller platform.

Pre/co-requisites

Unit title Unit code Requirement type Description
Machines, Drives & Power Electronics EEEN20212 Pre-Requisite Compulsory

Aims

The course unit aims to: Introduce the key components of electric drive systems; Show how to select an electrical drive based on the torque speed requirements of the driven load for a range of applications; Show how modern power electronics can be used for machine speed and torque control; Identify control strategies for improving the energy efficiency and controllability of driven systems and enabling kinetic or potential energy recovery.

Learning outcomes

ILO 1 - Perform calculations on electrical drive systems based on different load requirements.

ILO 2 - Evaluate different types of electrical drive systems for a given application addressing the effective through-life use of resources for a sustainable society.

ILO 3 - Apply engineering principles to analyse the operation of electrical drive systems.

ILO 4 - Identify energy-efficient operating strategies including energy recovery.

ILO 5 - Perform tests, and take measurements on electrical drive systems.

ILO 6 - Describe the principle of operation for different electrical drive system layouts and control techniques.

Teaching and learning methods

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

Assessment methods

Method Weight
Other 20%
Written exam 80%

Two laboratory sessions

Lab 1: Short report (7%)

Lab 2: Assessed in-lab (3%) and by Blackboard quiz (4%)

Blackboard mid-semester Quiz

A computer-based (Blackboard) quiz, including multiple choice and simple calculations, answer all questions

Calculators are permitted

The quiz forms 6% of the overall unit assessment

Feedback methods

.

Recommended reading

  1. Modern power electronics and AC drives by Bose, Bimal K. Prentice Hall PTR, 2002. ISBN: 0130167436
  2. Electric drives and electromechanical systems by Crowder, Richard M. Butterworth-Heinemann, 2006. ISBN: 9780080492643
  3. Electric motors and drives: fundamentals, types and applications by Hughes, Austin. author. Elsevier, 2013
  4. Power electronic control of AC motors by Murphy, J. M. D. (John M. D.). Pergamon, 1988. ISBN: 0080226833
  5. Electrical machines and drive systems by Hindmarsh, John. Butterworth-Heinemann, 1996. ISBN: 0750627247
  6. Power electronics : converters, applications, and design by Mohan, Ned. Wiley, 2003. ISBN: 0471226939
  7. Electrical control for machines by Giuliani, Peter R. Delmar, 2003. ISBN: 0766861988
  8. Electrical machines, drives, and power systems by Wildi, Théodore. Prentice Hall, 2006. ISBN: 0131969188
  9. Power electronics and motor drives: advances and trends by Bose, Bimal K. Academic, 2006. ISBN: 0120884054

Study hours

Scheduled activity hours
Lectures 24
Practical classes & workshops 6
Independent study hours
Independent study 70

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Judith Apsley Unit coordinator
Sinisa Durovic Unit coordinator

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