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

System Modelling and losses: Modelling and understanding the mechanical model of the machine and load.
Understand that energy flow is bi-directional and Create Free Body Diagram (FBD) of a machine and load with losses and inertias.
Create an ordinary differential equation representing the system (and simulate using Matlab)
Understand the influence of mechanical parameters on transient and steady state performance
Understand how to model different types of loads
Interpret more complex loads in a mathematical model and find steady state characteristics
Understand the sources and characteristics of various losses and the thermal implications of loss.
Understand loss measurement methods and interpret experimental data to ascertain loss
Understand and analyse first order thermal characteristics and factors affecting thermal time constant behaviour
DC Machines: Modelling and understanding the DC machine leading onto an understanding of the brushless DC machine.
Understand brushed DC machine topologies and equivalent circuit
Derive from equivalent circuit the transient and steady state characteristic equations and
Torque-speed characteristics
Brushless DC machine topology
BLDC position sensing, Drive, operating modes, voltage and current control modes.
Synchronous machines: Modelling and understanding Highly efficient synchronous machines used for generation and propulsion.
Synchronous machine topologies: rotor and stator
Operating principles
Load and current angle effect on torque production
Equivalent circuit and phasor representation
Operating conditions
D and Q axis representation
Saliency and maximum power condition
The concept of field weakening
Asynchronous machines: Modelling and understanding the induction machine and its load.
Revision on the IM Topology, Characteristics, Operating principle and Equivalent circuit
Deriving the Induction Machine parameters from a series of standard tests
Modelling the IM performance and interaction with loads.

Interspersed throughout the course, research into automotive and aerospace applications of electrical machines and modern manufacturing methods and materials in electrical machines. To include industrial guest lecturers.

Basic drive configurations and load characteristics:
two and four quadrant operation
dynamic braking and regeneration
constant torque and field weakening strategies
high bandwidth torque control
control basics applied to drives – performance metrics

DC drives
dc motor modelling: 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
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

Case Study: Study of a 24V digitally controlled drive system. Electronics design and control software issues.

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.

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.