Electrical Machines & Power Electronics (H7090)

15 credits, Level 5

Autumn teaching

On this module you’ll explore AC and DC machines in greater depth, focusing on the role of an application engineer and basic principles, characteristics, modelling, control and applications.

You’ll explore two types of motors:

• induction machines, which account for more than 90 per cent of the motors used in industry
• synchronous machines, which are used in some high-efficiency industrial drives, and for most electrical power generation.

In many applications, the conventional AC and DC machines are combined with electronic power converters to form electrical drive systems.

You’ll also be introduced to basic concepts of power electronics. You’ll the main types of converter used for these applications, and how they are used together with electrical machines as part of electrical drive systems.

These topics have an increasing relevance in high-technology products that have been developed recently with numerous applications, including:

• electric cars
• hybrid cars
• wind power generation
• robotics
• ship propulsion
• micro-grids.

You will benefit from laboratory experiments and electronics design, giving you a hands-on approach to electrical machines and power electronics, as well as a better understanding of their operating principles and control. You’ll also use Matlab and Simulink (Simscape) to model, test, integrate and design electrical power systems. The examples, exercises nand design/integration projects in this module introduce you to practical applications and current uses in industry and research.

Topics covered on this module include:

• DC machines and transformers
• AC machines and rotating magnetic fields
• synchronous machines
• induction machines
• variable­ frequency control of AC motors
• power electronics technology, devices and applications
• DC choppers and switched­-mode regulators
• AC controllers and cyclo­-converters
• DC link DC-AC inverters
• quasi­-square wave and PWM operation
• electronic drive circuits.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 150 hours of work. This breaks down into about 39 hours of contact time and about 111 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2022/23. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum. We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.