Electrical Engineering Masters (MSc)

Duration: 1 year full-time

Course Content

The modular structure of the MSc Electrical Engineering offers you a great deal of flexibility, allowing you to choose the modules that most reflect your interests and feed into your research project.

During the autumn and spring semesters, you will complete 120-credits’ worth of taught modules from a choice as specified in the programme specification.

After completing the taught components of the course, you will undertake a major piece of advanced independent research over the summer under the supervision of a specialist in your chosen area.

We will provide you with advice and guidance while you select and refine your area of study, and offer close supervision and support as you complete your research and your MSc.

Course Structure

The MSc Electrical Engineering is taught on a full-time basis over 12 months.

This course is operated on a modular basis and consists of two semesters during which you will follow a series of taught modules (worth 120 credits), followed by a 60-credit research project undertaken during the summer period.

Each 10-credit module requires approximately 100 hours of study and at least 150 credits must be taken from Level 4 (‘Masters Level’) modules.

You will be taught using the latest advances in teaching methods and electronic resources, as well as small-group and individual tuition. Teaching is a mix of lectures, workshops, lab work, tutorials and projects, with assessment usually performed via a formal examination and lab report.

Tutors provide feedback on assignments. Our objective is to help you develop the confidence to work as a professional academic, at ease with the conventions of the discipline, and ready to tackle any area of research in Electrical Engineering.

In the early stages of your project dissertation, your supervisor will read through and comment on your draft work. The project dissertation itself comprises a significant piece of your own research.

Modules

MSc Project
In this module a student will be assigned to an individual supervisor who will be a staff member in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. The student will carry out a practical or theoretical project chosen from the current interests of the staff member concerned. The student will be expected to conduct a literature survey, undertake practical or theoretical work and write a dissertation on this work.
Power Networks
This module provides students with an understanding of power system apparatus and their behaviour under normal and fault conditions. This module covers:
  • concept and analysis of load flow
  • voltage/current symmetrical components
  • computation of fault currents
  • economic optimisation
  • power-system control and stability
  • power system protection
  • Power Quality
Power Networks with Laboratory
This module provides students with an understanding of power system apparatus and their behaviour under normal and fault conditions. It also provides an opportunity to apply CAD techniques to power system problems. This module covers:
  • concept and analysis of load flow
  • voltage/current symmetrical components
  • computation of fault currents
  • economic optimisation
  • power-system control and stability
  • power system protection.
  • Power Quality
Electrical Machines
This module provides students with an understanding of the operational characteristics of common electrical machines (dc, ac induction, ac synchronous and stepping). Both theoretical and practical characteristics are covered. These include:
  • Electromagnetic theory applied to electrical machines
  • Principles and structure of dc machines - commutation effects
  • Principles and structure of induction machines
  • Principles and structure of synchronous machines
  • Parameterisation for performance prediction
  • Machine testing and evaluation
Control Systems Design
This module enables students to design both analogue and digital controllers for linear single-input single-output systems. Students have access to CAD control design packages for evaluating control design. This module covers:
  • design of analogue controllers using Root Locus Method
  • closed loop performance and frequency response
  • microprocessor implementation
  • practical problems in digital control
  • design of digital controllers using z-plane techniques
  • practice with CAD package.
Control Systems Design with Project
This module enables students to design both analogue and digital controllers for linear single-input single-output systems. Students have access to CAD control design packages for evaluating control design. This module covers:
  • design of analogue controllers using Root Locus Method
  • closed loop performance and frequency response
  • practical problems in digital control
  • design of digital controllers using z-plane techniques
  • extensive practice of control design using a CAD package
  • development of an industrial oriented simulation project specializing in control design of power electronics systems.
Energy Conversion for Motor and Generator Drives
This module provides an understanding of how electrical machines and controlled power converters combine to form variable-speed drive systems meeting the need of motive power applications. This module includes:
  • review of ac and dc machines
  • power electronic control of machines
  • control techniques and system performance
  • drive comparison and applications
  • performance and cost.
  • analysis of typical load systems and specifications
Power Electronic Design
This module provides students with 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
  • thermal management of power devices including transient thermal effects.
  • simulation of Power converters using a suitable CAD package
Advanced AC Drives
This covers the control of AC drives. The first part of the covers vector controlled induction motor drives and the second part covers permanent magnet motor drives. A review of induction machine operation and basic open-loop induction motor drives is given. Vector control is covered in depth covering the concept of space vectors, dq representation of 3-phase machines, dynamic equation structure and the concepts of direct and indirect flux orientation. Implementation of Indirect Vector Control, including current flux and speed control is covered in some detail and includes the effect of incorrect parameters.
The second part introduces both AC and Brushless DC permanent magnet motor drives. The vector control concepts learned in the first part of the module are applied to AC PM machines. The concept of salient and non-salient AC PM machines are covered leading to the vector control using maximum torque per amp control strategies. Finally the field weakening control of both non-salient and salient PM machines are considered.
Advanced AC Drives with Project
This module addresses the control of AC drives and consists of a lecture component (10 credits) and a design and assessment project (10 credits)
The lecture component covers vector controlled induction motor drives and permanent magnet motor drives. Vector control is covered in depth covering the concept of space vectors, dq representation of 3-phase machines, dynamic equation structure and the concepts of direct and indirect flux orientation. Implementation of Indirect Vector Control, including current flux and speed control is covered in some detail and includes the effect of incorrect parameters.
Both AC and Brushless DC permanent magnet motor drives are introduced. The vector control concepts learned for induction machines are applied to AC PM machines. The concept of salient and non-salient AC PM machines are covered leading to the vector control using maximum torque per amp control strategies. Finally the field weakening control of both non-salient and salient PM machines are considered.
The project component is a design and simulation exercise using MATLAB/Simulink. The student is required to design an indirect vector controlled induction motor drive, implement the design in Simulink, and undertake evaluative tests covering current and speed loop performance, including field weakening for high speed. The exercise covers investigating the effects of parameter variation and designing engineered solutions to reducing the sensitivity.
Advanced Control System Design with Project
This module introduces the state-space representation of physical systems and the control design of multi-input multi-output systems using multi-variable control techniques for both continuous and discrete implementation. The module then covers both full and reduced observer design for those cases when state variables are not measurable. The module finishes with an overview of optimal control design. A more detailed design experience using advanced CAD will be acquired by means of a specialized coursework.
Power Electronic Design
This module provides students with 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
  • power converter topologies for high power (multilevel)
Technologies for Wind Generation
This module provides students with an understanding of the technologies used in wind power systems. It investigates the operation of wind generators and of wind farms and the current developments in electrical engineering for wind power. The module covers:
  • overall design of wind turbines
  • analysis of doubly-fed induction generators
  • analysis of grid connection systems for wind turbines
  • vector control of generators
  • operation and control of wind farms
  • economic evaluation of wind generators within a power system
  • AC-DC transmission links for offshore wind farms
FACTS and Distributed Generation
This module provides students with an understanding of power systems which include renewable energy generators. It investigates the operation of renewable energy generators at a systems level, including analysis of distributed generation systems. The module covers:
  • analysis of load flow in distributed generation systems
  • operation and control of microgrids
  • economic optimisation of renewable generators within a power system
  • distributed power system control and stability
  • Use of STATCOM devices
  • Flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS)
  • HVDC
Power Systems for Aerospace, Marine and Automotive Applications
This module considers the design and operation of Power Systems in a range or transport related applications
Advanced Power Conversion
The course will concentrate on modelling and control of power converters covering the following aspects and will incorporate the most recent technical developments where appropriate:
  • Review of basic DC-DC converters
  • Averaging techniques for modelling switching power converters
  • Control techniques for the basic DC-DC converters (buck/ flyback) – voltage mode control/current mode control/effect of discontinuous inductor current
  • Resonant DC-DC power conversion techniques - load resonant converters
  • Modelling and analysis of load resonant converters - fundamental approximation approach.
Power Systems for Aerospace, Marine and Automotive Applications
This module considers the design and operation of Power Systems in a range or transport related applications
Advanced Electrical Machines
This module will build on the material covered in “Electrical Machines” by introducing advanced concepts and applications in the area of more electric transport, renewable generation and industrial automation. Both theoretical and practical characteristics are covered. The module will cover :
  • Machine sizing considering power electronic, thermal and mechanical issues.
  • Magnetic materials including soft and hard materials and winding design.
  • FEA analysis of electrical machines, design tools and integration with power electronic and drive system modelling.
  • Operating Principle and basic design principles of different machine types and topologies including surface and buried permanent magnet radial machines, axial flux, reluctance, and induction machines.
  • High performance and be-spoke machines including high-speed motors and high-pole number direct drive motors.
  • Example designs of machines for More-Electric vehicles including traction and turbo-charging, More-Electric aircraft actuation, More-Electric ship propulsion, Servo Drives and Renewable Generators for wind turbines.
Instrumentation and Measurement
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.
  • Ultrasonic sensors.
Instrumentation and Measurement with Project
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 (correlation, acoustic, electromagnetic, mechanical).
  • Ultrasonic sensors.
    The coursework will be in the form of a design or case study in a business context.
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    Engineering and Science Learning Centre (ESLC)The University of Nottingham
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