Experiment

Laboratory Familiarization 1
Objective
1) Safety and understanding possible hazards in the Laboratory
2) Familiarizing the student with the laboratory (the safety equipment, the power supplies, measuring
equipment, and the electrical machines).
3) Studying single-phase circuits with resistive, inductive, and capacitive static loads.

Discussion
Effects of the Electrical Current* on the Body (Anon, Winter 2007)
Table (1-1) demonstrates the impact of electrical current on the body. One must be causcious when
working with electrical equipment
Current Reaction
1 mA Faint tingle
5 mA Slight shock felt. Disturbing, but not painful. Most people can “let go”. However,
strong involuantary movements can cause injuries.
6-25 mA (women)΅ Painful shock. Muscular control is lost. This is the range where “freezing
currents” start. It may not be possible to “let go”.
9-30 mA (men)
50-150 mA Extremely painful shock, respiratory arrest (breathing stops), severe muscle
contractions. Flezor muscles may caurst holding on; extensor muscles may
cause intense pushing away. Death is possible.
1,000-4,300 mA (1-4.3A) Ventricular fibrillation (heart pumping action not rhythmic). Muscles contract;
nerve damage occurs. Death is likey.
10,000mA (10A) Cardiac arrest and severe burns occur. Death is probable.
15,000 mA (15A) Lowest over current at which a typical fuse or circuit breaker opens in air.
*Effects are for voltages less than about 600V. Higher volatges also cause severe burns.
΅Differences in muscles and fat content affect the severity of shock.

Table (1-1), Effects of Electrical Current* on the Body

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EE345 – Energy Conversion Laboratory
Electrical Energy Conversion Laboratory Equipment

I) Electrical Energy:

Power Supply (AC/DC, fixed/variable): All electric equipment operates on direct current (dc) or
alternating current (ac) electrical power.

1-phase/3-phase Power: On the other hand power can be delivered as single or three-phase. Today
almost all power generation and transmission is in the form of 3-phase
power

 Single-phase electric power distribution is used when loads are

mostly lighting and heating, with few large electric motors.
 Three-phase electric power “is a common method of alternating-
current electric power transmission.” (wikipedia n.d.) A three-
phase system is generally more economical because the power
delivered to a 3-phase load is constant at all times, instead of
pulsing as it does in 1-phase systems. In addition, it is possible
to get more power per kilogram of metal from a 3-phase machine.
3-phase systems easier by allowing them to start without special
auxiliary windings.

Figure (1-1) Power transmission

Figure (1-2) Laboratory work bench

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EE345 – Energy Conversion Laboratory
The main power supply on the energy conversion laboratory workbench consists of

1) Alternating current output: Variable 3-phase voltage (0 – 430V/5A)

Variable 3-phase voltage (0 – 240V/8A)
Fixed 3-phase main voltage (415V/16A)
Fixed 3-phase voltage (220V/8A)

2) Direct current output: Variable rectified from double 3-phase bridge (0 – 240/10A)
Variable rectified from double 3-phase bridge (0 – 255/1A)
Fixed rectified from double 3-phase bridge (240/10A)

3) Mains 3-phase output (Ministry of Electricity and Water)

II) Transformers: “A transformer is a device that changes ac electric power at one voltage level to ac
electric power at another voltage level through the action of a magnetic field” (Chapman, 2005).

Figure (1-3) Laboratory transformer

III) Electric Machines:

 Generator: converts mechanical energy to electrical energy at its output (Synchronous generator,
Dc-generator).
 Motor: converts electrical energy to mechanical energy at its output (Induction motor, Dc-motor).

IV) Electric Loads:

 Static Loads (resistance, inductance, capacitance).

 Dynamic Loads (Electromagnetic brake, Eddy Current Load).

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EE345 – Energy Conversion Laboratory
V) Measuring Devices:

 Multimeter (Ammeter, Voltmeter, Ohmeter)

 Power meter (P, Q, S, pf)
 Torque meter (mechanical torque)
 RPM meter (measures speed in revolutions per minute)

IV) Protection Devices

 Fuse: A fuse is an overcurrent protection device. It is composed of a metal

wire or strip that melts when too much current flows through it. This breaks
the circuit in which it is connected, thus protecting the circuit's other
components from damage due to excessive current. Fuses (and other
overcurrent devices) are an essential part of a power distribution system to
prevent fire or damage. “Fuses are selected to allow passage of normal
currents, but to quickly interrupt a short circuit or overload condition”
(wikipedia)

Figure (1-4) Fuse

 Circuit breaker : “A circuit breaker is an automatically-operated electrical switch

designed to protect an electrical circuit from damage caused by overload or
short circuit. Unlike a fuse, which operates once and then has to be replaced, a
circuit breaker can be reset (either manually or automatically) to resume normal
operation.” (wikipedia)

Figure (1-5) Circuit Breaker

 Earth leakage circuit breaker (ELCB): a safety device used in electrical installations to prevent
shock. "If a person touches something, typically a metal part on faulty electrical equipment, which is
at a significant voltage relative to the earth, electrical current will flow through him/her to the earth.
The current that flows is too small to trip an electrical fuse which could disconnect the electricity
supply, but can be enough to kill. An ELCB detects even a small current to earth (Earth Leakage)
and disconnects the equipment (Circuit Breaker).” (wikipedia)

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EE345 – Energy Conversion Laboratory
Fluke Power meter

As previously mentioned the EE345 lab contains a number of

different measuring devices. The one most commonly used is
the FLUKE Power Meter. “It incorporates multi-meter and
oscilloscope functions” (M.Rayan, 2000). Refer to Appendix A
for operating instructions.

Figure (1-6), The Fluke Power Meter

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EE345 – Energy Conversion Laboratory
Experiment

Measurement of 1-phase quantities

Figure (1-7), Single-phase schematic.

1) Connect the circuit as shown in the schematic of Figure (1-7). Only two lines of the three-phase
source are connected to the load to create a single-phase system.
2) Energize the circuit (make sure that the output voltage is set to zero before doing so)
3) Turn the voltage knob to achieve a supply voltage of 220V (Vsupply = 220V)
4) Record the voltage, current, power and power factor of the circuit in Table (1-2).

Vsupply = 220V

Load Switch V (V) I (A) P (W) Q (Var) S (VA) pf

Position (lag/lead)
3
R
5

3-4
R-L
3-5

3-4
R-C
3-5

Table (1-2), Measured data (Part II).

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EE345 – Energy Conversion Laboratory
Questions
1) List the advantages of the 3-phase system
2) Compare between the fuse and the circuit breaker (in terms of construction and operation).
3) What is the function of the earth leakage relay?
4) For the R-L load (at setting 3-4) given V, I and the pf (from Table (1-2)), calculate
i) P, S and Q.
ii) Compare the calculated values with the measured values (calculate % error).

References
1) Anon, “ME 269 Laboratory Manual”, University of Waterloo. Winter 2007.
2) Chapman, S.J., “Electric Machinery Fundamentals”, Third Edition, McGraw Hill, 1998.
3) Chapman, S.J., “Electric Machinery Fundamentals”, McGraw Hill, 2005.
4) Rayan, M., Al-Shaher, M., “Electric Machines Laboratory Manual”, Kuwait University, Summer
2000.
5) http://wikipedia.org/

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EE345 – Energy Conversion Laboratory