Electronic and Computer Engineering with a Year Abroad (Year 3)

Students indicate their project preferences from a wide range of industrially-relevant topics covering all facets of the degree program, then work under the supervision of an expert member of staff. Students will undertake project management activities and plan their project for the year ahead, engage in independent work consisting of regular effort over the academic year to deliver the project Aims and Objectives. Students will write a Project Plan to deliver their agreed project, conduct the project, and produce a final thesis on their work and present it publicly.

This module covers the control of AC drives, covering drives for a variety of machine types and control strategies, for example, vector control.

This module:

• provides a good understanding of the concepts of field orientation and vector control for induction and non-salient and salient PM AC machines.
• provides information and guidance on the design of control structures and their implementations including parameter dependencies and field weakening
• imparts design skills through the design of a vector controlled drive using manufacturer’s machine and converter data and defined design specifications
• develops critical assessment skills through design evaluation

This module covers the development of advanced engineering software projects, spanning a range of application areas.
 

Generic Topics to be discussed include:

• large-scale software management
• robust design and coding techniques
• accurate and efficient numerical computing for technological simulations
• parallel computing techniques applicable to several classes of parallel computer, e.g. multicore, distributed and graphics processing unit (GPU) based systems, database design and implementation
• distributed network based computing
• hardware interfacing

This module covers a range of advanced control techniques used in a wide range of engineering applications.

Typical topics include:

• multivariable state space modelling
• inear and nonlinear systems
• continuous and discrete domains
• observer theory
  

This module introduces advanced electrical machine concepts and applications in the area of more electric transport, renewable generation and industrial automation.

The module will help you to:

• develop a fundamental understanding of the interaction of the electromagnetic, mechanical and thermal engineering disciplines related to electrical machine design.
• develop analytical skills in modelling and design of electrical machines.
• have a clear understanding of the different types and topologies of modern electrical machines.
• develop skills in designing electrical machines
• develop the ability to analyse and characterise an electric motor through its parameters and performance using FEA approach

This module covers a range of advanced power electronic techniques and implementations for a variety of applications, including the design of power electronic converters for real applications. Both component-level design and the impact of non-idealities on modelling and operation are considered.

Selected topics from the field of artificial intelligence with particular focus on the interface with electronic systems.

This module introduces the principles, major algorithms and implementation possibilities of digital signal processing at an advanced level.

This module covers the operation of modern power systems including:

• deregulated power systems
• distributed generation
• microgrids
• the energy storage
• technologies for producing clean energy
• efficient HVDC power transmission

This module introduces students to the concepts and operating principles of fixed and variable speed electric machine and drive systems.

The module will use a number of system examples to demonstrate how machines and drive systems are specified, designed, controlled and operated.

The module introduces both the syntax and application of HDL for the design of modern electronics. This includes:

• Xilinx
• Mentor Graphics
• combinational and sequential circuits design

You also be introduced to the VHDL syntax and its latest development. The module will use the software tools from both Xilinx and Mentor Graphics to present FPGA based digital system design flow with VHDL.

This module is an introduction to the principles and practice of instrumentation and measurement systems in an engineering context.

The module will cover the generally applicable basic principles and then look at specific classes of instrument and associated electronics and signal processing methods.

Topics covered include:

• Basic principles and instrument characteristics.
• Measurement errors, basic statistics, noise and its control.
• Dynamic characteristics of instruments, time and frequency domain responses.
• System identification using correlation techniques.
• Amplifiers, filters, ADCs and DACs.
• Position, strain, pressure and motion sensors (resistive, capacitive, inductive, optical).
• Flow sensors.    
• Electronic and optical measurement instrumentation

This module introduces the main principles of integrated circuits (IC) design for digital electronic systems. This is based around CMOS technology that is used to fabricate the majority of ICs today. It also explores internal operating mechanisms of semiconductor electronics and opto- electronic devices.

Optics and photonics technology is used widely in modern life, this module starts with the basics of light and how we can manipulate it with optical components, building up to a practical understanding of optical systems. It covers the design of optical systems and the types of sources and detectors that can be used. Applications cover material processing, bio-photonics and optical imaging.

Providing an understanding of the operational principles of power electronic converters and their associated systems, this module covers: 3-phase naturally commutated ac-dc/dc-ac converters, capacitive and inductive smoothing - device ratings, dc-ac PWM inverters and modulation strategies, resonant converters, high power factor utility interface circuits and power converter topologies for high power (multilevel). You’ll have two one-hour lectures per week.

This module aims to develop an understanding of the design and operation of power systems in aerospace, marine and automotive applications.

With the introduction of more electrical technologies in these application areas, the understanding and expected performance of the power system has become a critical platform design issue.

This module introduces typical analytical, computational and experimental tools used in the study of Radio Frequency (RF) and high frequency devices and systems. This module will detail the fundamentals of electromagnetic wave propagation and typical RF devices such as antennas, antenna arrays, amplifiers, mixers and metal wave guides.