Duration
26h Th, 26h Pr
Number of credits
| Master of Science (MSc) in Electrical Engineering | 5 crédits |
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
English language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
The purpose of any electric or electronic circuit designed theoretically is to fulfil a well-defined function once it is placed in a practical application. This course deals with concepts that need to be mastered and followed in practice to achieve this goal and measure correctly the resulting signals. A particular attention is paid to understanding the parameters that impact directly voltages and currents in a non-ideal environment, as is often encountered in industrial, biomedical or power applications. The students will practice these notions during educational laboratory sessions. Typical measurement configurations studied will include analogue circuits at low and low/medium frequency (up to ~ 1 MHz) and digital circuits. The aim of this unit is to provide the necessary practical background so as to design and construct electrical and electronic circuits following proven design rules, while being aware of potential problems, such as interference, unwanted coupling and other parasitic effects. As such, this unit will form a foundation for the Major project in electrical engineering as well as advanced Master courses in the Electrical Engineering curriculum (e.g. High Frequency Electronics).
Topics covered. Minimizing interconnections and interference problems at low frequency: floating or referenced signals, common-mode voltages, inductive and capacitive coupling. Proper use and limitations of twisted pairs, coaxial cables, triaxial cables. Influence of the measurement device: floating or referenced device, critical considerations for data acquisition of multiple signals, correct use of oscilloscope probes; galvanic isolation. Earth resistance and earthing arrangements in industrial installations. Practical PCB (Printed Circuit Board) design and the use of CAD tools, design rules for PCB layout. Signal integrity. Soldering through-hole and SMD components to a PCB.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
At the end of the course, students will be able to demonstrate:
- a knowledge and understanding of theoretical and practical considerations involved for minimizing parasitic interference in a perturbed environment;
- practical skills as well as the ability to carry out successful measurements of signals in analogue and digital circuits;
- a knowledge and understanding of theoretical and practical considerations involved In the design of electrical and electronic circuits on a PCB.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
Background on electric circuits and electrical measurements (e.g. acquired by following the courses ELEC0053 and ELEC0052)
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
Practical courses involve mandatory laboratory experiments. The laboratory experiments will enable students to investigate step-by-step the ways of reducing the impact of low frequency common mode voltages and parasitic signals created by large voltages and currents, the practical consequences of using circuits involving chopped signals, the characteristics and differences between various connection types (pick-up cable, shielded /unshielded twisted pair, coaxial cable, triaxial cable), the differences between floating or grounded measurement devices, correct use of oscilloscope probes and data acquisition of multiple signals. They will carry out experiments on various PCBs to illustrate the difference between breadboards and PCBs, the influence of parasitic coupling, the difference between a "good" and a "bad" layout, the effect of (not) shielding, and why components behave differently than expected, i.e. compared to calculations, simulations and data sheets. In other words, students will experience first-hand how to reduce the number of iterations by improving their design and debugging skills when designing PCBs.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Additional information:
Face-to-face course
Recommended or required readings
A copy of the slides will be given before each lecture.
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
written exam
Additional information:
Practical part (including written tests during laboratory sessions) Weight 50%
Written exam on both the theoretical aspects and the laboratory sessions. Weight 50%
Work placement(s)
N/A
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
Please note : Each laboratory session is mandatory and should be prepared in advance by reading carefully the material provided before the session. The laboratory sessions cannot be dissociated from the course. The laboratory sessions are organized only once throughout the academic year.
Contacts
Profs. Jean-Michel Redouté and Philippe Vanderbemden
Association of one or more MOOCs
There is no MOOC associated with this course.
Additional information:
N/A