Role And Place Of Interactive Learning Materials In An Undergraduate Introductory Ece Class For Non Majors
- Conference
- Location
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Louisville, Kentucky
- Publication Date
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June 20, 2010
- Start Date
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June 20, 2010
- End Date
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June 23, 2010
- ISSN
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2153-5965
- Conference Session
- Tagged Division
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Electrical and Computer
- Page Count
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14
- Page Numbers
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15.1048.1 - 15.1048.14
- DOI
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10.18260/1-2--15796
- Permanent URL
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https://peer.asee.org/15796
- Download Count
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403
Paper Authors
Sergey Makarov Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Sergey N. Makarov (M’98–SM’06) earned his B.S./M.S./Ph.D./Dr. Sci. degrees at the St. Petersburg (Leningrad) State University, Russian Federation – Department of Mathematics and Mechanics where he became a professor in 1996 – the youngest full professor of the Faculty. In 2000 he joined the Faculty in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, MA where he became a professor and director of the Center for Electromagnetic Modeling and Design at WPI in 2008. His current areas of interest include electromagnetics, semiconductor device theory, and educational aspects of basic circuit theory.
Reinhold Ludwig Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Reinhold N. Ludwig is a Professor with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA. He received his MSEE degree from the University of Wuppertal, Germany, in 1983 and his Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from Colorado State University, Ft. Collins, CO, in 1986. Dr. Ludwig is a member of various professional societies, notably ISMRM, IEEE, Eta Kappa Nu, Sigma Xi, and ASNT. His research interests include RF circuit design, medical imaging, and nondestructive evaluation. His teaching interests include basic electromagnetic classes.
Stephen Bitar Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Stephen J. Bitar is currently an Adjunct Instructor with the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Worcester, MA. He received both his B.S. and M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from WPI in 1981 and 1994 respectively. He has worked as an analog design engineer for several large companies including GE, Raytheon and Toshiba, as well as spending a decade working with automotive electronics and emission control systems. He has also worked as an electronic consultant in the area of power electronics. He is a member of IEEE and ASEE. His current areas of interest include analog electronics, pulse-width modulation applications and engineering education.
Abstract
NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract
The thermal diffusion of holes (positive carriers) creates the electric current directed down in Fig. 3-right. But the diffusion of electrons creates the electric current directed up in Fig. 3-left since the current direction is opposite to the direction of electron motion. Hence, the net current forms a closed loop through the thermoelectric engine as shown in Fig. 3. A load may be inserted in that current loop anywhere along the lower metal plate. To do so, we must break this plate, indeed. Thermoelectric engines currently are going down in price; they might perhaps become competitors to the solar cells in certain applications. Even though this subject may not be covered in a separate lecture, it is a viable subtopic of an inexpensive ($15 per bench) laboratory subproject.
Fig. 3. Concept of the thermoelectric engine or an inverse Peltier device. Electric current due to thermal diffusion of opposite charge carriers forms a closed loop.
The sketch of the corresponding laboratory project (solar cell + Peltier device) is given below: Introduction Part I Equivalent circuit of the solar cell 1. A very primitive photovoltaic source (a LED) 2. Equivalent circuit of the solar cell (measure LEDs in series/parallel with the DMM) Part II Single solar cell versus solar panel 1. Measuring solar cell geometry parameters - a 1-3W c-Si solar panel (~$25 per bench) 2. Solar cell performance at the laboratory bench a. Preparation of solar panel contacts b. Measuring open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current c. How much power do we really have? d. Using an electric energy storage element (capacitor) with the solar cell Part III Solar panel and its efficiency (using an artificial light source) 1. Load matching (maximum power output) 2. Motor load 3. Efficiency of your module and to date efficiency of a c-Si solar module Part IV Thermoelectric engine 1. Concept 2. Use 3. Effect of a higher temperature gradient
5. Laboratory materials
Class laboratory should be simple and practical. Under practical we imply that a laboratory project should have a clear, immediate relevance, at least by the end of the laboratory period.
Makarov, S., & Ludwig, R., & Bitar, S. (2010, June), Role And Place Of Interactive Learning Materials In An Undergraduate Introductory Ece Class For Non Majors Paper presented at 2010 Annual Conference & Exposition, Louisville, Kentucky. 10.18260/1-2--15796
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