Academic management

The Master’s degree:

The main goal of the Master’s Degree in “Electrical Energy Conversion and Power Systems” (EECPS Master) is the training of qualified staff in areas related to electrical energy management, emphasizing in power systems for renewable energies. The Master presents a double approach: scientific and professional. In the scientific thread, training focuses on the design of two main applications: Electrical Power Systems and Electrical and Hybrid Traction Systems. On the other hand, in the professional thread, training is focused on the management of electrical energy. Thus, the subjects of this thread have been designed attending to two main issues, such as the management of energy in large consumers and the generation and transmission of electrical energy in a liberalized market. Three main lines have been considered as keystones in the Master:

·         Electrical Power Systems

·         Electrical and Hybrid Vehicles

·         Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies

The first semester:

The first semester is intended to provide a uniform level of knowledge among students with different basic training. This equalization term offers a set of optional courses designed to promote the homogenization among students' knowledge. The teaching committee will study every application form independently, selecting 27 ECTS credits for every student among the optional courses. The additional 3 ECTS are dedicated to a compulsory introductory subject, called “introduction to power systems, renewable energies, electrical traction and energy efficiency”.

The subject:

This course provides a comprehensive study of how advanced digital systems can be implemented in industrial processes, with a special emphasis in power systems. The course will be focused in microcontrollers, as the core of a powerful and versatile control system In addition, the course refers to the main characteristics, functional blocks, main design tools and programming skills of such microcontrollers.

No special requirements are necessary to take this subject. It is advisable a basic knowledge of digital electronics, program languajes (assembler, C), but it is not mandatory

Ahead are the competences and learning results of the subjkect (with the reference numbers included in the Verification Report):

Basic Competences:

CB6        Be original in the development and application of ideas, within a research environment.

CB7        Solution of problem in new and unfamiliar multidisciplinary environments, related to its knowledge area.

CB8        Integration of knowledge, facing the complexity of issuing judgments and sentences parting from some information that includes ethic and social liability constraints.

CB9        Ability of communicating justified decisions and conclusions, to specialized and unspecialized listeners.

CB10      Ability of autonomous learning.

Generic Competences:

CG5       Critical analysis of the information coming from the sensing and instrumentation subsystems.

CG7       Practical and experimental verification of monitoring and controlling electrical energy conversion systems, including safety operation of electric systems

CG9       Skills related to teamwork, recognizing different roles within a group and different ways of organizing research teams.

CG10     Ability to manage information: search, analysis and synthesis of the specific technical information.

CG11     Ability to assimilate and communicate information in English concerning technical documents.

CG12     Ability to plan and organize work

CG13     Skills for critical reasoning, making decisions and making judgments based on information that include reflecting on social and ethical responsibilities of professional activity

CG14     Concern for quality and achievement motivation

Specific Competences:

CE1        Understanding of the importance and the area of utilization of electrical power systems for generation, transmission and distribution of electrical energy

CE2        Characterization and modelling of the main energy sources and electric power loads

CE3        Ability to understand the basics of the dynamic modelling of electrical power systems.

CE5        Characterization, operation and design of electronic topologies and control methods for electric energy conversion

Learning Outcomes:

RA25: Selection of the digital system best suited for the characteristics of power system

control.

RA26: To use and program the various peripherals in a digital system for use in power system

control.

RA27: Designing control programs according to a pattern that allows the reuse of code.

RA28: Understanding the limitations of the designed solution and be able to propose

alternatives to analyze the increase in cost.

Theme 1: Introduction to Microcontrollers:

·        Applications, characteristics, manufacturers, features, etc.

·        Interpretation of data sheets.

·        Programming environments and debugging tools for microcontrollers.

Theme 2: Programming Basics

Theme 3: Organization of the internal memory of a microcontroller

Theme 4: Interruptions.

Theme 5: Timers.

Theme 6: I/O Ports, voltage-current characteristics.

Theme 7: Peripherals (A / D converter, Specific control modules, PWM, input capture, etc.).

Theme 8: Software implementation and programming examples.

As it can be observed in the next table, the numbers of hours assigned to this course are divided in “In-class work” and “homework”. Among the “in-class work” hours are divided in lectures, seminars, laboratory, group tutoring and evaluation sessions. Professor will use to expound the theoretical basis of the subject. However, active learning methods such as “class discussions”, “think-pare-share”, “short written exercises“ or ”student debates” will be applied in order to keep an active attitude. Concepts stated in lectures must be applied to solve different types of problems or developing computer projects in seminars or computer lab respectively. The group tutoring sessions will be used to discuss about the theoretical concepts explained in lectures or their application seminars or computer lab.

 Just in case, if the sanitary conditions require it, on-line activities will be included, in such a way that not they will not require students attendance. The students will be warned and reported about the modifications

The final student’s qualification will be obtained as follows.

·        The 40% of the student’s mark comes from the assessment of the proposed works / projects (30%) and simulated task performance tests (10%). It is a mandatory test, and a minimum qualification of 40% for this system is required.

·        A 20% will come from oral tests on the topics developed by the students at these projects / simulations. It is a mandatory test.

·        Another 30% comes from two individual written tests (one for basic programming topic and the other for specific microcontroller programming). They are mandatory tests, and a minimum qualification of 40% for this system is required.

·        Finally, the 10% left comes from the attendance to the presential hours (a minimum of 80% is required).

Just in case, if the sanitary conditions require it, on-line evaluation activities will be included, in such a way that not they will not require  students attendance. The students will be warned and reported about the  modifications.

[1] http://www.ti.com/

[2] Subject contents in Virtual Campus