ENGS 125 Power Electronics

ENGS 125
Power Electronics and Electromechanical Energy Conversion

Charlie Sullivan, Associate Professor, Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth

Proposed Project Fall 2011 The Electric Bungee

The ultimate power electronics and electromechanical energy efficiency contest. Can you store gravitational potential energy in an ultracapacitor, just as a bungee jumper stores it in a spring?

Course Description

Controlled use of energy is essential in modern society. As advances in power electronics extend the capability for precise and efficient control of electrical energy to more applications, economic and environmental considerations provide compelling reasons to do so. In this class, the principles of power processing using semiconductor switching are introduced through study of pulse-width-modulated dc-dc converters. High-frequency techniques such as soft-switching are analyzed. Magnetic circuit modeling serves as the basis for transformer, inductor, and electric machine design. Electromechanical energy conversion is studied in relation to electrostatic and electromagnetic motor and actuator design. Applications to energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, robotics, and micro-electromechanical systems are discussed. Laboratory exercises lead to a project involving switching converters and/or electric machines.

Course information

Special note: No class Wed. Sept. 21, 2011. First class Friday, Sept. 23, 2011, at 11:15 in C105.
Course Information document: detailed description and logistics.
Preliminary Class Schedule

Course Website

See the blackboard site for resources for students enrolled in the course.

If you experience trouble with the Blackboard site, here's how to get help:

For a problem with the 125 site, or if you need get access to it, email the people who maintain the 125 site: Charlie Sullivan and Kim Cooper.
If there seems to be trouble with the Blackboard system:

Email Barbara Knauff.
Email Mark O'Neil.
If all else fails and it's really urgent (you need access to study materials and a test is coming up shortly, and you are sure that the system is down because you've checked with others in the class and they can't get on either), email or (probably better) call the machine room at 646-2075.

Resources:

Resources page from ENGS 32, Electronics. Design information sources, Thayer electronics parts stocklist, etc.

Animations

A set of 3-D animations of power electronics circuits.

Handouts:

Thayer School home page

Send e-mail to Charles.R.Sullivan@dartmouth.edu