VPLabÓ - Virtual Power Laboratory

Description ofVPLab^Ó

We believe that laboratory experiences are essential to learning in all areas of engineering.  In our careers in electrical engineering we have seen the benefits of laboratory courses supplementing lecture courses in electric circuits, semi-conductor devices, electro-optics, microwaves, control systems and power conversion.  We have come to believe that most of the benefits of the traditional laboratory course can be captured in a virtual laboratory course.  Moreover, we find that the virtual laboratory course has some educational advantages not available in the traditional laboratory course.

This book was written to offer a virtual laboratory experience to students in the area of power conversion.  Power conversion is a standard course in the electrical engineering curricula of most colleges of engineering.  It deals with the conversion of electrical to mechanical power (motors); mechanical to electrical power (generators); electrical power at one voltage level to electrical power at another voltage level (transformers); ac (alternating current) power to DC (direct current) power (rectifiers); and DC power to ac power (inverters).  A theoretical and practical background in this subject is essential to electrical as well as mechanical engineers.

        A suggested way in which VPLab could be used very effectively is as follows:

1.     An instructor performs a demonstration/lecture using conventional equipment.

2.     Each student performs the corresponding VPLab  experiment during the week.

This has the advantage of showing students what actual equipment looks like and how the equipment is interconnected without the need of owning multiple stations.  It avoids having to purchase a full complement of equipment, instrumentation, power supplies, benches and suitable safety and theft avoidance systems.