Suggest Final Year Project for EE

[I_am_learning]

I am nearing my final year in my EE, and I have started thinking what final year project I would do. What did you do? Please suggest me something, that is interesting to do, a bit challenging, and preferably that sells and can be implemented somewhere in real-world. I have HVDC in mind currently, but not sure how it would be.

 

[Mbert]

You want to build something or just simulate it? If you want, for instance, to simulate HVDC, what is your previous background with simulation?

M.

 

[I_am_learning]

I need to do both. I am a newbie at MATLAB simulations using simulink.

 

[Mbert]

I'm not sure on what you could build for HVDC that wouldn't be expensive (and large). Perhaps you could do something about smart grids, like metering your fridge energy consumption and switching it off remotely (assuming you're looking for a project in power engineering). Or build something with power electronics, like a motor drive.

M.

 

[I_am_learning]

I was imagining, if a scaled down version of HVDC can be demonstrated? Like running off a 2KW motor at 100m distance through a ridiculously thin wire?

 

[Mbert]

What would be the point of using HVDC (which in your case might be scaled down to non-HVDC voltages) over 100m, compared to using AC? You would need to show the advantage of DC transmission over AC transmission, but that wouldn't probably be apparent in the scaled version. Nevertheless, it might be an interesting project if you compare with the real HVDC in simulation and compare the costs of a new AC line with HVDC over long distances and for different levels of power and use the scaled version to verify that the results from simulations are correct.

M.

 

[taylaron]

I would suggest researching and brainstorming topics involving electrostatic precipitation (Ionic filtering). This seems right up your alley.

 

[hisham.i]

I shared my project different times in this forum, but it worth to tell you about it.

My project was prosthetic arm controlled through emg signals, this arm can be used for amputated persons.

The project was common work between electrical and mechanical department in the university, and i did the electrical part of the system.

The robotic arm can make 4 movements of arm movements, and it was controlled through artificial neural network, which is implemented on DSP.

Concerning the mechanical part, my friend designed a robotic arm that can fit some of the requirements of the human arm, concerning the shape, weight, length, but we didn't manufacture it because of financial reasons, so we manufacture another design just a prototype to implement the idea.

It took 4 months to develop this system.

This is a link for a video of the project.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOfSVVdxV60

 

[I_am_learning]

I am <the word for bringing dead thing to alive again> ing this thread. I felt like doing this,
Make a Bench-Top automatic Governor and Synchronizer.
What I will be doing is driving a small Bech-top 3 phase Synchronous Geneerator using a DC motor and synchronize it to the incoming LAB power supply. The synchonization will be done by an electronic governor that controls the power of the DC motor and also adjusts the excitation so as to match with the LAB supply. It will then close the synchonizing Contactor, once everything is fine.

Is this project Doable? How brilliant does it sound?

 

[I_am_learning]

To Word it correctly, Here is the scenario
I have 3-phase 400V supply in our Labs. And I have 3-phase synchronous Generator of 250VA that can generate at 400V. And I have a DC motor of some 300 Watts. What I am planning to do is, to couple the DC motor and The Synchronous Generator (i.e. join their shafts). I will then Drive the DC motor which will drive the Generator. The task of my project is then to design a electronic circuit (Governor) that adjusts the DC motors speed and also adjust the Generators excitation so that the Output voltage and frequency of the Generator Matches that of the Lab Supply. The Circuit will then automatically Close a Contactor once it detects that the Generator and the Lab Supply is in synchronism.

Do you see any great problem I could have in doing this?

 

[hisham.i]

If you want a realistic case of your design work on solar panel inverter, and try to synchronize its output with mains, because no one will synchronize the generator with mains!

 

[Bobbywhy]

I am learning: if you controlled the DC motor-generator (M-G) exactly so that its output was the same voltage and same phase as the Lab Supply, why would you want to connect it to the Lab Supply? You cannot predict the resulting currents. We say, “probably maximum smoke” damaging the generator and tripping mains circuit breakers would result.

Instead of connecting them together, you might demonstrate the synchrony by connecting a lamp between phase A on the M-G and phase A of the mains. When the lamp goes completely off , that is, zero volts, the M-G is synchronous with the mains.

The more demanding design challenge, however, will be the electronics that sense the Lab mains phase and control the DC M-G.