ECE 345 Project Ideas
These are just a few of many dozens of ideas, provided courtesy of the Power Area. All of these are of interest and have excellent long-term potential. A few have been attempted in the past but have ample room for improvement. In nearly every case, there is an actual device needed, and a design effort that results in a fully functional unit would be a big bonus! Several categories are provided, in no particular order.
1. Fuel cell simulation circuit
This is a hardware circuit that acts like a fuel cell
to support testing needs. Fuel cells are similar to batteries but with two
major differences: (a) they tend to have higher series impedance than
batteries, so the voltage source is "softer," and (b) they do not
respond instantly when the external circuit demands more power. The
circuit should be able to simulate a variety of fuel cell connections and power
levels, either through programming or easy-to-swap hardware equivalents.
Both static and dynamic behavior should be included. One specific
example: a hardware circuit that acts like a proton-exchange-membrane
fuel cell, and has a nominal output voltage of 48 V and current of up to 10
A. The circuit would produce the same static V-I curve as an actual fuel
cell stack, and would also show similar time delays during power increases.
2. Human power harvesting
This involves a knee-mount, backpack-mount, or other small magnetic
generator to produce electric energy during typical walking. Energy would
be converted and stored in a rechargeable battery to smooth out the energy flow
rate. The team should study basic design requirements and attempt to
extract energy at the rate of 1 W during walking.
3. Water-driven micro generator
Design an electromechanical device to produce 120 V ac 60 Hz at power levels up
to 100 W for emergency home use. This device is driven by water flow from
a household faucet. The intent is short-term backup power when
electricity is out.
4. Red Sea/Dead Sea hydro and water project
The level of the Dead Sea in
www.ezekielproject.org
(not affiliated with this work) for some interesting perspectives and
discussion.
5. Demonstration circuit for blackout mitigation
This project involves building a "local
controller" for a small demonstration power grid to show how severe
conditions that lead to blackout can be avoided in part. The project uses
several different commercial dc power supplies connected to various loads, and
adds an intelligent voltage-sensitive switching system to each. Under
high-stress conditions on the power system (which would be simulated in this
case with hardware), supplies drop out at various steps to gradually reduce
load and allow the system to recover.
6. Atmospheric power scavenger
This device uses ambient radio waves, or the natural
atmospheric dc electric field, to produce low energy levels for remote sensor
applications. The objective is to converter RF energy (such as from the
AM radio band) into a usable 5 V source. Power levels up to 1 uW are desired, but the team
should compute what is feasible in a typical urban environment.
7. Electroplating power supply
This is a power supply intended to support controlled
operation of a plating system. The system is of general use for anodization and other batch electrochemical
processes. The supply should draw power from a standard 120 V/208 V
three-phase 60 Hz wall plug, and should produce controlled (and isolated) dc
output power. The output power should be adjustable between 0.5 and 50 V
dc. The load should have an adjustable current limit up to 100 A.
8. High-performance backup ac power.
This project is intended to design a high performance "off line"
backup power unit suitable for maintaining power for a small motor. The
unit monitors the power line. If line power is lost, it switches to a
battery-powered inverter within less than 0.1 s. The inverter output must
be fully synchronized to the line so that there is limited inrush current when
the switching takes place. When line power is restored, the unit should
wait at least 10 s, re-synchronize, then switch back
over to line power. The battery recharge process is managed as well.
9. Microcontroller-based power converter
This project involves the use of new mixed-signal
controllers (such as a PIC device) for operation and control of dc-dc
converters. A complete high-performance closed-loop switching dc-dc converter,
with tight (adjustable) output voltage regulation and pulse-by-pulse current
limiting is to be implemented in this fashion. The team can select to design a
lab power supply substitute with this technique (for output ranges of 0-50 V,
0-20 A, 0-500 W) or can select another voltage/current/power range with a
specific application in mind. The microcontroller should be used for the active
closed-loop control, and should support tuning of loops to allow performance to
be adjusted.
10. Isolated variable-rate data logger
This project is to design a combined hardware and
software approach that would use a PC to record circuit data. All
channels must be fully isolated, from ground and from each other. Each
channel should allow sensing of a voltage from -30 V to + 30 V, with isolation
levels of at least 500 V and accuracy of +/- 10 mV. The system should
record up to 32 separate channels, at a rate that can be adjusted from 1 kHz to
once per hour. Data should be recorded and logged in a form suitable for
spreadsheet analysis.
11. Building power quality monitor
This project monitors the voltage at an ac
outlet in a building, and records the time and nature of any disturbances or
failures. It should record actual waveform data for at least 20 ms before
and after a disturbance. It should respond to voltage changes larger than
5%, to power failures, or to the presence of unusually high harmonic
content. The device should be able to monitor and record, unattended,
over an interval of at least 30 days, with data to be downloaded via the web
for additional processing. Under blackout conditions, it should be able
to retain data indefinitely, although operation is allowed to cease after a
blackout occurs.
12. High-quality low-loss low-cost dc motor speed control
This would use a buck converter, in combination with
an encoder or tachometer, and feedback control, to produce a motor system that
runs at an adjustable speed for an electric golf bag cart application.
This is a 12 V application that draws currents from 0 to 50 A. The controller
must be at least 90% efficient for motor loads in the range of 50 to 150
W. It must be able to deliver 150 W continuously, 250 W for at least one
minute, and should deliver up to 50 A at 10 V or more for at least 5 seconds
without damage. If it is overloaded for a longer period, it should shut
off automatically and require a reset by the user. Speed regulation
allows a speed decrease of up to 10% for a load change of 0 to 150 W.
Total parts cost (based on high production quantities) not to exceed $12 (includes
all electronics and boards but not the motor itself).
13. Wireless remote motor controller
This would be a buck converter with an adjustable
speed range of 0 to 100%, with a simple wireless remote based on infrared or RF
technology. The controller must be simple: start, stop, accelerate,
decelerate, and must be convenient to use and easy to learn. Ideally, it
sends a single that can be used in conjunction with the immediately preceding
motor control project. An alternative would control a pair of motors, to
support steering. This would be the basis for a very efficient robot or
wireless car.
14. Quick-charge temporary cell phone energy source
This is an energy backup that provides enough power
for a 5-minute cell phone call, but can be recharged in a few moments just
before use. This might involve a small hand-crank generator and an
ultracapacitor. It would need to deliver 3.3 V and 3 W for up to 5
minutes, with less than 1 minute of cranking effort.
15. Computer load enhancer.
In many primary and secondary schools, small businesses, and rural areas,
electrical service is limited in its ability to handle extensive
low-power-factor loads such as personal computers. In a typical
situation, only two computers can be supplied from a single 15 A circuit.
In older buildings, it can be prohibitively expensive to upgrade the electrical
service for expansion of computer labs, library computers, or even office
support equipment. The objective of this project is to design and build a
low-cost "power factor improvement interface" that would allow a
school or other user to expand computer usage without electrical service
upgrades. The interface reduces the current required to operate a
computer. With such an interface, as many as four high-end PCs can be supplied
from one 15 A circuit. Specifications: provide a 120 V ac output
to supply a computer and monitor, with power up to 400 W and complex power up
to 800 VA. The efficiency should be at least 90%, and the power factor
seen at the input should be at least 90%, for loads between 100 W and 400 W.
(This project has been attempted previously, but most aspects are still
available.)
16. Automobile manual transmission gear indicator
The objective is to build a sensor and processor that provides both a display
indication of gear setting for a car with manual transmission and extra
diagnostics for purposes of control. A dashboard LED display should show
the gear setting, including neutral and reverse, for a conventional 5-speed
gearbox. The internal digital signals should read out not only the gear
position, but also additional positions that anticipate the next gear setting.
17. Multi-output regulated power supply with wide input range.
The objective here is to make a small, lightweight "project supply"
that would be suitable for use in ECE345, ECE 110, or other general-purpose lab
courses. The input could be any ac voltage from 100 V to 240 V ac. Outputs
would be provided at +5V, +12 V, -5 V, -12V, and perhaps one other voltage.
Each would be independently adjustable (over a range of 3 V to 6 V for the 5 V
outputs, and a range of 10 V to 16 V for the 12 V outputs), and each would be
isolated both from the others and from the input. Minimum supply level
would be at least 2 A from each output, with short-circuit protection. A
desired extra feature is an adjustable current limit for each output.
18. Low-cost automotive interface for laptop computer
This project aims to develop a dc-dc power converter
with the following capability: Input range is 10 V to 20 V dc. No
damage if the input is negative (connected backwards) or if short voltage
spikes up to 75 V are imposed. Output is 16 V dc +/- 2%. Load power
range is 0 to 50 W. Electrical isolation is required between input and
output. Miniaturization is important. The total parts cost should
not exceed $10.
19. Power interface for 42 V automotive electrical systems with
external network control.
Some automobiles are transitioning to a 42 V electrical system, but many
12 V parts will still be used. The objective is to design and build an
efficient but very inexpensive power electronic converter for 42 V to 12 V, to
serve older parts of the system. Cost is the biggest issue, followed by
size. Specifications: Input range is +30V to +60V dc. Output
should be +12 V minimum and +14 V maximum, with good control capability, and
maximum output power up to 100 W. Isolation is not required. Total volume not to exceed 150 cm^3. Total parts cost
(based on high-volume production) not to exceed $10. The converter
should be capable of remote control through a shared RS-232 or other standard
serial port and protocol. The converter should respond to commands only
when it receives an identifying string, then turn on
or off as requested. It must be demonstrated with a 12 V headlight or
other power-consuming vehicle component.
20. Intelligent battery charger
This is an adjustable circuit that can be set to
charge any of several types of batteries with high quality and high
reliability. The charger must provide both output current and voltage
limits that are set for specific battery types. The voltage limits must
compensate for measured temperature, according to published battery
characteristics. The charger must display status, shut off automatically when
finished, and intelligently charge old or otherwise damaged batteries.
Example mode: normal car battery charging -- current limit of 10 A,
voltage limit of 14.7 V, shuts off when current goes below 0.1 A. Example
mode: 8-cell nicad
charger -- current limit of 3 A, voltage limit of 12.8 V, shuts off when output
voltage begins to fall and temperature begins to increase.
21. Intelligent computer supply dc backup.
Most computer power supplies use forward converter or flyback converter
designs. The ac input is rectified into a dc bus at perhaps 300-400V. In this
project, we make use of this for the design of backup power. A standard 12 V
battery and a boost (or flyback) converter are used to produce about 300 V
(isolated). This is connected through a diode directly to the PC supply dc bus.
If ac power is lost, the battery backup picks up instantly. A software
signal would also be sent to a serial or USB port to initiate orderly
shutdown. The unit must also provide power suitable for a monitor, so that
a computer operated with this backup system can work without interruption
during brief power outages. (This project has been attempted in the past, but
with only a portion of the features addressed.)
22. Low-voltage power.
Design and demonstrate a converter with 1 V, 70 A output
from a single +12 V or +5 V input. This is intended to provide clean power for
future microcomputers. The output ripple, noise, and variation should not
exceed +/- 2% peak-to-peak.
23. Network power for automobiles
Automobiles contain complicated wire harnesses. In place of this
complexity, manufacturers are trying to move to a "one power one
communication" arrangement in which all control and conversion is
local. This project involves the design of a multiple-output power supply
that can handle an input range of about +8V to +60 V, and produce regulated +12
V for local loads in a car. In addition, the supply would have an isolated
serial "control" input, so that a central network can turn each
output on or off independently over a single pair of network wires. The
project should demonstrate a supply with a single power input and a single
control input that could operate up to 5 separate 12 V loads. An example
would be a "left-front lighting" controller for a car's left headlights,
high-beams, turn signals, running lights, and other forward external
lights. The design requires two outputs of up to 50 W each and the rest
able to supply up to 20 W. The control should use a standard CAN-bus
protocol.
24. Comparative motor design
The objective is to begin with a small commercial ac
induction motor (1/3 HP to 2/3 HP) and design two improved rotor configurations
that support comparative analysis in the lab. One rotor would be based on
the commercial product, but would increase the amount of aluminum in the
conductor bars to improve efficiency. The second would use copper in
place of aluminum. The student team should develop analyze the designs,
arrange for rotor fabrication, and then test all three rotors for dynamic and
steady-state performance.
25. 30 V ac motor
The objective is to design, build, and test a small motor that could be used to
replace small dc motors in a range of applications. The motor should
provide shaft output power of up to 60 W continuously. Motors of this
type will become common in automotive applications. They would run from
an inverter that generates three-phase power from a 48 V dc source (producing
about 30 V rms). The motor rated operating
frequency is not specified, and can be selected by the team as any value
between 50 Hz and 400 Hz.
26. Alternative energy demonstration tools
The purpose of this project is to create power converters and energy sources to
illustrate a variety of functions, to help show the principles of power
electronics and alternative energy to beginning electrical engineering
students. An appropriate converter might draw power from a nominal 18 V
solar panel or from a generator on a small windmill, and deliver isolated power
at 4.5 V (for a CD player), 5 V (for logic circuits), 12 V (for various
portable devices), and perhaps at 120 V ac to illustrate power flow from these
sources. Educational displays and user interfaces are expected.
27. Micro fuel cell converter
The latest miniature fuel cells can deliver up to 60 mW at about 0.5 to 0.7 V. The project objective is to
build a power converter that takes this input and delivers 3 V dc to provide a
battery substitute for a PDA or similar device. The converter must be at
least 70% efficient with 0.6 V input at 60 mW.
28. Advanced electric vehicle traction design
In this project, an electric motor is to be repackaged for mounting in place of
the engine in a small car. The project includes both electrical and
mechanical elements. Mechanically, a case and mounting arrangement must be
designed to allow the engine to be removed and the motor to be mounted in its
place, coupled directly to the clutch and the transmission. Electrically,
a three-phase industrial motor drive must be redesigned to support bidirectional
power, interface with driver controls, and connect to the motor. This is a
substantial challenge suitable for up to three teams (two in electrical and one
in mechanical).
29. PC-based or embedded controller-based multi-phase function
generator
This project should use an analog output card in a
computer with analog amplification or an appropriate microcontroller to produce
up to three separate controlled waveforms. The available outputs should
be dc, sine waves, triangle waves, or square waves with adjustment for
magnitude, frequency, symmetry (i.e. duty ratio), and relative phase for each
output. The output range should be -10 V to +10 V at a minimum, and the
frequency range should be at least 0 to 100 kHz. A user interface should
provide full control of the output arrangement--a Windows program for the
PC-based version, potentiometers and switches for the embedded controller
version. Each output should be able to maintain operation with loads of
10 ohms or more.
30. Low power extended range dc motor controller
This project takes power from a single 12 V lead-acid
battery and controls the output to a dc motor. The output must be
adjustable to permit speed control. Input range: 9 V to 15 V dc.
Output range: 0 to 15 V dc. The output range must be maintained for all
allowed input voltages. The output power is up to 250 W continuous and
500 W for up to one minute.
31. Medium power dc motor controller
This project involves the design of a dc motor
controller that takes input from batteries in the range of 24 V to 48 V and
delivers power to a dc machine at variable voltage. A speed range of
0-100% should be supported. The motor shaft output power is rated at 750
W continuous and up to 2500 W for 30 seconds. The motor efficiency is
expected to be about 70%. The controller should be more than 90%
efficient for motor output ranges of 250 W to 750 W.
32. Efficient low-power supply
This project takes power from a single or pair of
batteries, at a voltage from 1.1 V up to 3.5 V, and delivers regulated 3 V
output at power levels between 10 mW and 100 mW for a sensor application. The efficiency with a
100 mW load should be greater than 95%, and for a 10 mW load should be greater than 75%. The supply should
also have a "sleep" mode in which it draws less than 0.1 mW. Sleep mode is set when a control pin is connected
to a high impedance, and the supply recovers to normal
operation when the control pin is connected to ground through a low impedance.
33. Anodizing power supply
The input source is 208 Vac three-phase power. The output must be controllable dc current up to 120 A at dc voltages up to 40 V. Current is more important than voltage: the supply must achieve 120 A, and the voltage should be as high as possible up to 40 V. The output must be ground-referenced and isolated from the input. The ultimate goal is to have a complete, packaged power supply for use in the anodizing shop in Everitt Lab. Some possible solutions include using a 60 Hz transformer followed by a rectifier and buck converter, or to rectify first and use a full-bridge forward converter with a high-frequency transformer. It may be necessary to use several converters in parallel to achieve the desired current. The power supply must track a current command coming from a knob that the user can adjust, and should include a start/stop switch pair. Current ripple should be small, to provide the user with clean dc current.
34. Power Monitor
Buildings more than a few decades old are generally poorly equipped to deal with the electrical demands of a modern office: computers, printers, copiers, etc. Also, in a building like Everitt Lab, rooms that were previously office space are converted to laboratories and vice versa, shifting the electrical load. Facility managers generally do not have enough information to address electrical system shortcomings. Ideally, they would have access to inexpensive, simple power monitors that could be placed either on individual circuits at the breaker panel or at individual loads (various pieces of large equipment). Each power monitor should measure RMS current and voltage and determine real power at some reasonable sampling rate, such as once or twice per second. Most circuits are single-phase, but three-phase capability should be considered. Each monitor should have either local memory (some sort of flash card) or wireless communication back to a central host. Safety and non-invasiveness are important concerns.
35. Everitt Electrical System Study
Everitt Lab's electrical system was constructed under very different conditions than are currently relevant. Labs have replaced offices and vice versa; office equipment has expanded from a few electric typewriters on secretaries' desks to one or more computers in every room. This project entails researching the current status of the electrical distribution system (what it is capable of delivering) and the current status of the loads (what the burden is on the system). Ideally, data would be taken by power monitors that would be put in place for several weeks or months. Alternatively, loading conditions could be sampled under "typical" operating conditions, which would then be extrapolated to a yearly cycle by interviewing equipment users.
36. Advanced Digitally Controlled Power Converter
Recent advances in digital integrated circuits facilitate control schemes that are difficult or impossible with analog circuitry. For example, gain scheduling is a well-known technique to accommodate widely-varying conditions. This project consists of a SEPIC converter with closed-loop control. The SEPIC converter must operate over at least a 5:1 range of input voltage, output voltage set point, and load current. The controller should leverage an IC designed particularly for control of switching power converters. Dynamic performance (response to changing input voltage, load current, or set point) should be as good as a converter designed for a more limited set of operating conditions.
37. Electrical sensing interfaces for an
automobile
In this project, the objective is to provide digital signals that yield the
following information: Relative pedal positions (brake, accelerator, clutch if
present), 0 to maximum; steering wheel position (maximum clockwise to maximum
counter-clockwise, 0 at center); key position (lock, off, on, acc, start); gear
shift status and position (automatic or manual). The data must be
failsafe, defaulting to an acceptable safe value if a wire is broken or other
minor problem occurs. Data must be updated at least 20 times per second.
Identify and use an accepted automotive industry data format and protocol.
38. Current-fed power converter demonstration
circuit and test
Design and build a dc-dc converter that uses the "current-fed buck" circuit
topology. The desired ratings are: Input voltage range 10 V to 18 V;
output voltage adjustable to 3.3 V and 5.0 V; output power 0 to 50 W; input
current ripple less than +/- 2% at full power; efficiency at least 90% at 5 V
and 50 W output; closed-loop control responds to disturbances in less than 1 ms.