Study-Unit Description

Study-Unit Description


CODE EPC3202

 
TITLE Industrial Systems

 
UM LEVEL 03 - Years 2, 3, 4 in Modular Undergraduate Course

 
ECTS CREDITS 5

 
DEPARTMENT Electrical Engineering

 
DESCRIPTION This study-unit introduces the most common electrical equipment used in industrial systems.

The unit reviews:
- Industrial switchgear (relays,contactors and thyristor controlled solid state relays);
- Various induction motor starting techniques (star delta, auto transformer, starting resistors, thyristor soft starter, inverter drives);
- Motor protection devices (overload relays, thermistor protection and advanced protection systems);
- Variable speed drives in practical applications (selection of motor and drive for given motion profile, drive configuration, application of motor brakes);
- Motion control of drives in industrial plants (trajectory generation, coordination of drive groups in Master/slave drives concept, PLC control);
- Stepper and brushless DC motors and related driving circuits;
- The operation of speed/position encoders and torque transducers;
- Data communication between devices (PLC, drives, HMI) via field bus systems (Modbus, Profibus, CAN bus).

Study-unit Aims:

The main objective of this study-unit is to provide the student with technical knowledge and understanding of the requirements of a typical industrial electrical system.

Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge & Understanding:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
- List and compare technical parameters of switchgear, protection devices, induction motors and drives from technical manuals and datasheets;
- List various industrial switchgear used in combination with electric motors and describe their behavior;
- Explain the operation of starting and protection devices commonly used for induction motors and compare their performance;
- Compare different variable frequency drive configurations in terms of operation capability;
- Analyze the operation of stepper motors and driving circuits;
- Explain the operation of speed/position encoders and torque transducers in sensing motor performance parameters;
- Describe the operation of automation systems and drives for manufacturing and testing applications;
- Describe the operations of field bus communication between industrial devices.

2. Skills:

By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to:
- Select induction motors’ starting and protection devices for specified applications;
- Identify suitable parameters for selecting electrical motors for a particular specified motion control applications;
- Select and commission variable frequency drives to achieve specified objectives;
- Perform calculations for stepper and dc brushless motor operation;
- Design automation systems with capability of multiple axes using electrical drives and PLC for manufacturing and testing applications;
- Set up field bus communication between specified controllers, sensors and actuators.

Main Text/s and any supplementary readings:

- J. Weidauer and R. Messer, 2014. Electrical Drives, Principles, Planning, Applications, Solutions (5th Ed), Wiley VCH.ISBN 978-3895784347.
- T. Wildi, 2013.Electrical Machines and Power Systems (6th Ed), Pearson Press ISBN 978-1292024585.
- S.L. Herman, 2014.Electric Motor Control (10th Ed), Wadsworth Publishing. ISBN 978-1435485744.
- M. Barnes, 2003. Practical Variable Speed Drives and Power Electronics, Newness Press. ISBN 978-0750658089.

 
ADDITIONAL NOTES Pre-requisite Study-unit: EPC1101, EPC2101

 
STUDY-UNIT TYPE Lecture, Laboratory Session and Tutorial

 
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT
Assessment Component/s Assessment Due Sept. Asst Session Weighting
Assignment SEM2 No 15%
Examination (2 Hours) SEM2 Yes 85%

 
LECTURER/S Reiko Raute

 

 
The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints.
Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice.
It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2023/4. It may be subject to change in subsequent years.

https://www.um.edu.mt/course/studyunit