A Distance Learning Power Electronics Laboratory

This paper describes the proposed power electronics laboratory offered in conjunction with power electronics course, ENGR 455, to senior or high junior Electrical Engineering students in the School of Engineering, San Francisco State University. The focus of this laboratory is to enhance students’ understanding of power electronics circuits by conducting a series of laboratory exercises, design exercises, and computer simulation exercises using PSPICE or SABER©. In order to finish all assigned lab projects, students must be able to use various measuring equipment such as Curve Tracer, Spectrum Analyzer, Digital Storage Oscilloscope, Voltage and Current Transducers, etc. Familiarity with PSPICE, SABER©, LABVIEW and MATLAB are also required in order for students to carry out all assignments. One laboratory exercise, DC Motor Speed and Torque Control using Single Phase Controlled Rectifier Circuit , is designed for distance learning such that students can conduct this experiment through Internet using a browser like Netscape Communicator. The necessary hardware and software for this distance learning laboratory is discussed. Introduction A four-unit power electronics course, ENGR 455 is one of the four power courses offered in the School of Engineering, San Francisco State University. Three units are for the lecture and one unit is for the laboratory. The objective of the lab session is to help students understand the theory of power electronics circuits. A NSF-ILI grant provides the major instrumentation upgrade for this power electronics laboratory. It also enable us to integrate the design, simulation, and prototype building of power electronics circuits together for students so they can maximize their learning on this important enabling technology: Power Electronics. With the explosion of Internet Access and the need to have more students to access the university facilities, distance learning becomes very effective teaching tool for some engineering subjects. One of the difficulties of conducting distance learning of engineering courses is how students can conduct experiments remotely in an effective way. With new Internet Development Software and LabView program from National Instrument, the distance learning laboratory becomes a reality. We will discuss the requirements on both hardware and software for distance learning laboratory course. We will also use one project, DC Motor Speed and Torque Control using Single Phase Controlled Rectifier Circuit , to demonstrate that students can conduct the experiment through Internet using commonly available browser like Netscape Communicator. Not only they can control the speed and output torque of the DC motor, they can also observe relevant waveforms such as armature voltage an current, speed and torque of dynamometer online over the internet. Actual numerical data can also be downloaded to local computer so students can incorporate those in laboratory report they have to turn in later.