Announcements and Updates
- ECEE Expo competition: April 30, 2009, 9 am - noon. (updated 4/21/09)
- Promotional poster
- You will be provided with a 500 ohm 50 W resistor; your inverter must drive this resistor with at least 120 Vrms at 60 Hz. You should measure the resistor voltage with an ac voltmeter.
- You should also measure the dc current flowing into the banana jack battery terminals on your cart.
- You will be provided a wooden easel to place next to your PV cart in the Herbst Plaza; you should display a small poster illustrating your system and its measured perfromance.
- Grading is described on the vitals page
- If you are having problems with the IAR Kickstart software, it is suggested that you disable the CU antivirus software.
- This week in lab: Experiment 5, part 2.
- Experiment 5
- Experiment 5 final report is due in Prof. Erickson's office by 5 pm on Friday May 1.
- Contents of parts kit, with links to datasheets
Update 4/28/09 RWE
This course is an introduction to analysis, modeling, design, and testing of electrical energy processing systems, in a practical laboratory setting. Included are power electronics converters for efficient utilization of available energy sources, and energy sources including solar panels and the utility. A final design project involves design, fabrication, and testing of a solar power system.
The laboratory includes portable photovoltaic systems associated with every lab station, including 85 W PV panels, 56 A-hour batteries, 300 W inverters, and other supporting infrastructure. Associated with these systems, students design and build power conversion electronics, with analog and digital control circuitry.
The course begins with basic experiments in:
- Photovoltaic power systems and components
- Power conversion and control electronics
The course will then culminate in a design project involving photovoltaics and power electronics.
ECEN 5517 involves additional work in power converters requiring deeper knowledge and understanding of power electronics.
This course is offered every spring semester. The instructor for Spring 2009 is Prof. Bob Erickson.
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