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| Electric Power Engineering
Chair
Vacant Please note: the Department of Electric Power Engineering is now part of the Department of Electrical, Computer and Systems Engineering. Department Home Page http://www.ecse.rpi.edu/ECSE/index.htm The vital role that energy plays in our lives has become increasingly evident in recent years. Society as we know it cannot function without an abundant supply of energy. It turns the wheels of industry and agriculture; it provides our transportation; it supplies many of our domestic and recreational needs. There is continuing controversy over the primary source of the energy, but there is widespread agreement that electrical energy, because of its ease of transformation to and from other energy forms and its ease of transmission, distribution, and utilization, is vital. It is expected that electrical energy will constitute an increasing portion of the total energy used. To keep pace with expanding needs through the development of ever more sophisticated systems requires the technical talent, scientific knowledge, mature judgment, and visionary innovation of the best engineering minds of this generation. The electric power engineering program at Rensselaer is dedicated to meeting this need in generation, delivery, and utilization in an increasingly competitive environment. Electric energy is a mature technology in the sense that some problems and solutions have existed for many years. On the other hand, modern environmental constraints and the perennial demands for growth, increased reliability, and competitive costs require new solutions to old problems and introduce entirely new problems, as typified by emerging power quality issues. New technologies and ideas continue to emerge; many fueled by sophisticated computer-based analysis and control. Rensselaer’s Department of Electric Power Engineering is dedicated to the education of engineers for this strategic industry. They may ultimately work in operational, engineering, or planning functions in the supply side of the industry—that is, in power generation or power delivery. Alternatively, they may find employment with the manufacturers of power equipment, the companies that design and build turbines, generators, transformers, power circuit breakers, etc. Some elect to join the architect constructors who build power stations, refineries, and industrial plants. Still others, who are more interested in energy utilization, work with power electronics applied to drives and power conditioning. Furthermore, the restructuring of the U.S. electric utility industry has created new opportunities at the intersection of electric power, economics, and management. The insatiable demand for electric power engineers in 2001 is expected to continue for many years. The traditional place for electric power studies in a university is in the Electrical Engineering Department, where the “power option” is offered as one of several curricula. This has not been the case at Rensselaer for many years. At Rensselaer, Electric Power is a separate entity with its own program and its own faculty. It maintains close ties with Electrical Engineering, as it does with the departments teaching other allied subjects, but functions independently as the Department of Electric Power Engineering. Study at Rensselaer is supported by the power industry, which the program serves. In particular, the Department operates a Grainger Scholar program under the auspices of the Grainger Foundation for well qualified U.S. students. Areas of Advanced Research and Study Current research and work done in the recent past is concentrated in five principal areas: electric and magnetic field computation; electrical transients and switching technology; dielectrics and insulation systems; power system analysis and optimization; semiconductor power electronics. Electric and Magnetic Field Computation The design of equipment to minimize losses, achieve compaction, or better utilize material, frequently requires a sound knowledge of the electric and magnetic field configurations involved. Several projects in the recent past have adapted finite element methods to the solution of current problems in large machines. A new approach to digital field computations is being devised, based on techniques used in the solution of large network problems. The objective is to develop a more efficient, computationally conservative method. In today’s energy scarce world, there is a great emphasis on building more efficient electrical equipment. Projects are under way in the magnetic fields area to better understand the mechanism of electrical losses in rotating machinery and power transformers, with the ultimate goal of reducing these losses. Electrical Transients Of current interest are those transients initiated by the switching of power plant auxiliaries and capacitor banks, especially by vacuum switching devices. The modeling of transients in transformer structures is also a focus as it provides insight into the problems of both design and operation. The techniques being developed are also finding application in new areas such as Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) and fault current limiting devices. This area of endeavor also includes the fundamental processes of switching large currents and the attendant system interactions. Electrical Insulation and Discharge Physics An electrical insulation system, be it solid, liquid, or gaseous, or a combination of these, is an essential part of every piece of power equipment. Current research is directed to obtaining a better understanding of the fundamental behavior of insulation under a variety of operating conditions and to the development diagnostic instrumentation. This involves experimental work and computer modeling in the areas of discharge physics, electrostatic phenomena, and high-voltage technology. Power System Analysis Optimization theory is used in the design of electric power systems to obtain highest efficiency at minimum cost particularly for systems which involve distributed generation. This has been extended to include the development of intelligent protective relaying using the department’s system simulator and Electromagnetic Transient Program (EMTP) studies. Power Electronic and Motion Control Systems With the development of innovative energy sources such as advanced electric machines, fuel cells, and solar photovoltaics, power electronic systems are playing an ever-increasing role at both the source and the load. Issues of power quality and electromagnetic interference (EMI) need to be addressed through careful circuit design, circuit board layout, and EMI resistant communications. Rensselaer has identified this growing area of interest and is currently investigating future solutions to these challenging problems. With the power semiconductor devices that have been continually improved over the last thirty years, it is now possible to efficiently and accurately convert electrical energy from one form to another electronically. Work in this multidisciplinary field requires an understanding of semiconductor devices, circuit theory, signal analysis, analog and digital control, magnetics, and heat transfer. At Rensselaer, we apply these fields to electronic energy conversion and motion control for the electric power and industrial automation industries. Current interests include propulsion systems for electric vehicles, generation systems suitable for wind turbines, the use of artificial intelligence (fuzzy logic, genetic algorithms, and neural networks) in the design and control of electric power conversion and electric machines, and the adaptive control of electric machines. Faculty Professors Chow, J.H. P.E., Ph.D. (University of Illinois); large scale system modeling, multivariable control systems. Associate Professor Torrey, D.A. P.E., Ph.D. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology); semiconductor power electronics, electric machinery. Emeritus Professor Greenwood, A.N. Ph.D. (University of Leeds); electrical transients, interrupting devices. Adjunct Faculty Berry, G.T. P.E., M.E. (Harvard University); power system operation. |
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Undergraduate Curriculum and Professional Programs The student has two options—the baccalaureate or the professional program. In either event he or she will pursue a core engineering program. The baccalaureate program, terminating with the Bachelor of Science degree, is intended for students with a salient interest in the operational aspects of the industry, or electric power, in enduse power applications, or in a technical background for marketing or manufacturing. The student in the professional program will follow a two-year sequence after completing core engineering. This route is suggested for students who are interested in advanced design and development, system planning, or research. On completing 30 credits beyond the bachelor level, the student will qualify for a Master of Engineering degree. Baccalaureate Program In lieu of the general core engineering program presented earlier, students who reach early decisions on electric power engineering as their choice of discipline may follow the baccalaureate program shown below, which includes core engineering subjects.
Minimum Credit Hours This curriculum requires a minimum 128 of credit hours. Professional Program The fourth year follows closely the outline for the last year of the baccalaureate program. However, in choosing electives the student should bear in mind that the following courses must be taken at some time prior to or during the professional program:
The following 4000-level courses (or their equivalents) can be used to satisfy the degree’s mathematics course requirement:
A student wishing to qualify for a B.S. degree by the end of the first year of professional school studies must complete the humanities and social sciences core requirement during the first year of the professional program. *This course will be fulfilled from a published list at the start of each semester. The electric power engineering program, because of the wide choice of electives, offers great flexibility. The student is encouraged to choose electives that provide the best preparation for his or her career goal. Concentration in Power Electronics Systems The concentration in Power Electronics Systems is open to all students in Electric Power Engineering. Fulfillment of the concentration will be recognized by the department and consists of both the following courses:
Minor in Electric Power Engineering The minor in electric power engineering is open to undergraduates in engineering who are not majoring in electric power engineering. The minor consists of ECSE-2010 Electric Circuits, ECSE-2050 Analog Electronics or ENGR-4300 Electronic Instrumentation, ECSE-2100 Fields and Waves, EPOW-4020 Electromechanics, and either of EPOW-4010 Power Engineering Fundamentals or EPOW-4080 Semiconductor Power Electronics. Additionally, ENGR-4050 Modeling and Control of Dynamic Systems must be taken as a prerequisite to ECSE-2010. Detailed information about the program is available in the department curriculum office. All minors must be approved by the curriculum chairman. Graduate Programs The program is designed to provide students with a broad knowledge of the skills, techniques, and problems of modern power technology. Those who are interested in design and development activities on an advanced level are free to develop their own programs with the advice of graduate faculty advisers. Advanced study and applied research are conducted as part of the electric power engineering program. Such study can lead to the Doctor of Engineering or Doctor of Philosophy degree. A two-part candidacy examination is required for all doctoral candidates. Graduate Degree Requirements Master of Engineering This is a structured program of advanced professional study for the student holding an accredited bachelor’s degree in the field or its equivalent in electrical engineering. Such students usually can complete the program in one year. The 30 course credits necessary to meet the requirements may include a project. Course listings do not represent requirements except where indicated (see fifth year course requirements listed earlier); they are intended only to guide the student, who is encouraged to develop an individual program in consultation with his or her graduate adviser. Doctor of Engineering A student pursuing advanced study and research in the doctoral program will develop a highly individualized course of study in consultation with a graduate committee. Forty-two to 60 formal course credits beyond the B.S. degree normally are required in addition to the residency and thesis requirements (i.e. 90 credits in total). Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy Most study and research in the electric power engineering program is of an applied nature; this is recognized in the award of the degrees of Master of Engineering and Doctor of Engineering. However, courses and research directed more toward basic understanding of physical phenomena, such as the fundamental processes of electrical breakdown in dielectrics, can be pursued. These would lead to the degrees of Master of Science or Doctor of Philosophy. This avenue also allows students who have accredited degrees—not in engineering, but perhaps in science—to obtain advanced degrees in the electric power area. Courses Courses directly related to the electric power engineering curriculum are described in this catalog under the department designation EPOW. |
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