Module Catalogue

EEE3028 : Electrical Machines and Drives

  • Offered for Year: 2025/26
  • Available for Study Abroad and Exchange students, subject to proof of pre-requisite knowledge.
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Glynn Atkinson
  • Lecturer: Dr Shafiq Odhano
  • Owning School: Engineering
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 1 Credit Value: 10
Semester 2 Credit Value: 10
ECTS Credits: 10.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

To provide a thorough basis for electrical machines study at advanced level.
To be able to analyse electrical machines in numerical and 2D finite element simulation systems.
To have an overview of Electrical Machines in the modern world and in the context of the Electrification Revolution.
To understand the fundamentals of electric drives and their applications.
Apply the knowledge gained on electrical machines and drives to novel situations/problems independently.
Analyse and implement the control of a basic electric drive and apply various control concepts.

Outline Of Syllabus

Mechanical Modelling
Understanding the machine and load as a mechanical system and being able to analyse steady state and transient effects.
DC Machines
Understanding their principle of operation as a basis for more complex machines, derive and understand equivalent circuit and torque-speed characteristics for DC and Brushless DC machines. Understand the drive and control arrangements for Brushless DC machines.
Synchronous machines
Derive and understand power and peak torque and speed operating points of synchronous electrical machines.
Asynchronous machines
Understanding torque speed characteristics from the machine parameters, obtained by test.
Efficiency and Drive Cycle
Understand sources of loss and their effect on machine performance within a variable drive cycle.
DC drives
state space models and transfer functions. use of H-bridge for variable supply voltage
armature current and rotor speed control: cascade control structures digital control basics
position measuring devices
tuning methods for proportional-integral controllers for drives additive disturbance rejection and steady-state error
AC drives
three-phase power electronic converter space vector theory
three-phase to two-phase transformation
Permanent magnet synchronous machine dynamic equations reference frame transformation and vector control of permanent magnet synchronous motor dynamic model of an induction motor.
rotor flux-oriented vector control of induction motor drives decoupled flux and torque control: torque control at high dynamics
voltage space vector generation through a three-phase power electronic converter mathematical basis for space vector modulation
centre aligned PWM modulation strategy: phase duty cycle calculations

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture82:0016:00A 2hr lecture per week over 8 weeks
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion110:0010:00Revision for assessment
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture21:002:00GUEST LECTURE (ZOOM). Two synchronous guest lectures from industry
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture61:006:00SEMINAR ROOM. Timetabled seminars covering analytical methods and theory
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion12:302:30Completion of summative individual assessment during normal assessment period
Structured Guided LearningLecture materials240:208:0024 non-synchronous pre-recorded lectures covering course material
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion43:0012:00Revision for final exam
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion110:0010:00Preparation and completion of formative and summative assignments
Structured Guided LearningLecture materials200:155:00Twenty Non-synchronous pre-recorded solutions of worked examples.
Structured Guided LearningLecture materials160:308:00Sixteen Non-synchronous pre-recorded lectures covering course material and worked examples.
Structured Guided LearningStructured research and reading activities112:0022:00Reading activity to supplement knowledge of material taught in each week
Structured Guided LearningStructured research and reading activities41:004:00Reading activity to supplement knowledge of material taught in each unit
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesWorkshops12:002:00COMPUTING LAB. Introduction and 2-hour software training session
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesWorkshops22:004:00In computer lab for modelling and simulation of electric drive systems
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesWorkshops62:0012:00COMPUTING LAB Timetabled computing lab sessions covering simulation methods, analysis and interpretation of results
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesDrop-in/surgery61:006:001hr synchronous online for tutorials and general Q&A, starting from week 3
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesDrop-in/surgery41:004:00zoom. One one-hour zoom surgery session per unit (online)
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study200:3010:00Student led study and completion of set activities.
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study201:3030:00Student study time of non-synchronous pre-recorded material
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study126:3026:30Reviewing lecture notes, tutorial questions, simulation results: General reading.
Total200:00
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures provide core material and guidance for further study with complementary recorded videos provided to expand on the core material (explainers) an allow students to practice simulations and tutorials in their self-study time. Simulation and worked examples will be covered in mix of computing labs and seminar rooms – where worked examples, application simulations, case studies and tutorials can be covered in detail. Additional individual support will be offered in a surgery slot timed toward the end of each unit. Software training and problem solving is introduced and practiced through lectures in computing labs.
C1,C2,C3,C6,C7,C8,C12,C13

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Exams
Description Length Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Written Examination1502A75Closed-book exam via online platform
Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Design/Creative proj1M25Design and simulation project 3000 words - Analytical design and simulation of a brushless DC machine and drive. Task to be set in week 8 – submission of report in assessment period.
Formative Assessments

Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.

Description Semester When Set Comment
Design/Creative proj2MAnalytical design and simulation of a 3-phase AC machine and drive for an automotive application.
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The semester one coursework allows the students to demonstrate an understanding of the semester 1 material covering BLDC machines and drives in a problem-based setting where they will demonstrate their knowledge using analytical skills, simulation methods, the interpretation of results.
The semester two formative assessment allows the students to demonstrate an understanding of the semester 2 material covering AC machines and drives in a problem-based setting where they will demonstrate their knowledge using analytical skills, simulation methods, the interpretation of results.
The final examination provides the opportunity for the students to demonstrate their understanding of the full course material and its application to the real world.
C1,C2,C3,C6,C7,C8,C12,C13

Reading Lists

Timetable