Incorporating Electronic Motor Drives Into The Existing Undergraduate Electric Energy Conversion Curriculum

Adjustable speed drives offer an opportunity to increase student interest and extend educational opportunities in undergraduate electromechanical energy conversion instruction. Industry is adopting drive systems for energy conservation, but there is a need for better understanding of drive behavior. In an electromechanical conversion course, opportunities to incorporate drive systems exist in the introductory portion, as individual machines are introduced, in the laboratory, and in the course closure. Capstone design is a feasible place for realistic machine-drive projects. Methods of incorporating topics are presented and tradeoffs are discussed.