Proc.

XI National Conference with International Participation "Electronica 2020", July 23 - 24, 2020, Sofia, Bulgaria

Distance Learning and Remote Laboratory

Exercises on Power Supply Systems
Dimitar D. Arnaudov1 and Ekaterina Otsetova - Dudin2
1
Department of Power Electronics, Faculty of Electronic Engineering and Technologies
Technical University of Sofia, 8 Kliment Ohridski blvd., 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria, [email protected]
2 University of telecommunications and posts - Sofia

8 Akad, St. Mladenov Str., 1700 Sofia, Bulgaria, [email protected]

In order of using such software from designers without

Abstract – The article presents the results of training with
remote laboratory exercises on power supply systems. having powerful PCs, web-based software has been created
Problems with the assimilation of the study material and the [2]. These web-based systems are also suitable for training
operation of the devices during remote laboratory exercises [3]. For increasing the efficiency of these systems, their
are discussed. It gave us specific points from a methodological natural development is online training laboratories with a
point of view that should be taken into account in this type of teacher [4]. Some of the topics allow online laboratory
training. experiments, like online programming of embedded
Keywords – remote laboratory, power supplies, systems and monitoring the result of the program distantly
methodological, COVID-19 [5].
In universities educational programs laboratory
I. INTRODUCTION equipment is also available for presence education. This is
due to the fact that the laboratory stand includes hardware
Modern education systems in secondary schools and programing with specific software [6]. The training
universities include e-learning. Quickly developing systems of many universities are built in such a concept for
industrial fields like electronics and information presence education. The situation with COVID-19 put lots
technologies require constant acquisition of new of limitations of the possibility of using this traditional
knowledge and skills every year. In order to create the method of education. At the same time, in the last years a
necessary competencies, continuous training and further lot of money has been invested in laboratory facilities and
development is needed. That is why the concept of specific equipment. One of the training disciplines in the
prosperity of European Union includes the strategy for field of electronics is Power supply systems. The paper
lifelong learning. For acquisition of knowledge and skills shows several approaches for acquisition knowledge and
in the field of technical sciences, e-learning is part of skills in the area of power electronics by using e-learning.
educational process in universities. Due to the specific of
the engineering professions, training is very difficult to be II. TRAINING THROUGH SOFTWARE
completely online. SIMULATORS
E-learning is easier to be applied in software science and
system engineering in the field of computer and Learning about different types of power converters and
communication systems. In the field of electronics, the their working principles, software simulations are used.
training is also related to acquisition of skills for working One of these simulators is LTSpice.
with equipment for testing, measuring, observing etc. In the
field of power electronics, except knowledge of using the
equipment, skills for working with higher voltages and
currents are required. The engineering activities related to
design of electronic equipment require using of various
CAD and CAD/CAM systems. For achieving knowledge
and skills about using CAD systems, different demo
examples and short video explanations are available for
use. The leading circuit simulation programs in the field of
electronics are SPICE based products.
The method of Self-learning uses different approaches like
combination of SPICE based software and JAVA Fig. 1. А synchronous DC-DC converter.
animations or FLASH video modules [1]. Using an
In Fig. 1, a simulation model of a synchronous boost
interactive multimedia in a virtual training environment is
converter is shown. From a methodological point of view,
applicable in this case. The computing power of modern
the important here is observing and comment the voltage
design software offers 2D and 3D visualization with
drops across the transistors in the synchronous converter.
combination of support of big amount of libraries. These Fig. 2 shows the current Id (Q2) and the voltage V (N003,
features require specific and often powerful hardware OUT) for transistor Q2, which replaces the diode from the
equipment. classical boost converter.
978-1-7281-7531-7/20/$31.00 ©2020 IEEE

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 Fig. 4. Laboratory experimental stand for DC-DC converter.

Fig. 2. Visualization a low drop voltage for synchronous The working principle of a DC-DC converter can be
converter. easily explained by using only a simulation software for
creating a simulation model as it is shown in Fig. 1. Of
Fig. 3 shows the current Id (Q1) and the voltage V course, additional experiments on laboratory stand will
(N003) for transistor Q1. Again, like in Fig. 2, here the improve the knowledge. The working principle of some
emphasis is on the voltage drop across the transistor. The other types of power supplies, such as UPSs, cannot be
third time diagram in Fig. 3 shows the voltage drop across explained by using only simulation software. For this, the
the transistor. second approach through laboratory models is suitable for
them.
Fig. 5 shows a block diagram of a laboratory stand for
testing and configuration an Uninterruptible Power Supply
(UPS) [9]. An autotransformer is connected between the
main grid and the input of the studied UPS. It simulates
change in the supplying voltage at the input of the UPS. A
load (incandescent lamp) and an oscilloscope are connected
to the UPS output. The oscilloscope is connected to the
mains with an isolating transformer (not shown in the block
diagram). A PC connected via USB interface realizes the
control and monitoring of the parameters of the UPS.
Studied UPS has software for management and monitoring
Fig. 3. Visualization a low voltage drop for synchronous by connecting via USB interface or network LAN
converter.
interface.
With these simulation researches knowledge is formed in
the students. For achieving practical skills in real
laboratory environment, experimental stands are used. In
some software environments as LabView, by using
educational examples, distant laboratory exercises can be
carried out [7, 8]. This solution requires the complete
construction of a new laboratory base.

III. E-LEARNING THROUGH LABORATORY

STENDS Fig. 5. Laboratory stand with UPS.

For realization of online laboratory exercises, based on An application for on-line meetings is installed on the
an existing laboratory stands, extending the standard PC. A camera is also connected to it. In that way, all the
experimental stand with power supply unit (PSU) is information from the camera and from the PC screen is
proposed. This PSU allows to be controlled remotely by online visualized in real time to the students. Fig. 6 shows a
web interface. The block diagram of the experimental setup screen of system operation.
is shown in Fig. 4. The power supply is configured as part
of the local network and is accessible via IP address. At the
output of the studied DC-DC converter is connected a
measuring device with Bluetooth interface. The received
information is displayed on a PC monitor. This information
can be shared with the students by using any available
platform for online communication like Zoom, Google
meet, MS Teams etc. In this way, a standard laboratory
stand designed for presence education, can become a stand
for online exercise on power supply systems.

Fig. 6. Visualization of the system.

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 Fig. 7 shows a screen with the software when the
power supply at the input of the UPS is available and in
range. The indicated parameters are: input voltage, output
voltage, battery parameters, output load factor and input
voltage frequency. After analyzing the values of the input
and output voltage of the UPS, the operating mode of the
Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) is determined. In this
way students can gain knowledge about the operation of
one of the blocks of UPS type line-interactive - AVR
Fig. 9. Visualization of parameters through colour
information.

Fig. 10 shows a software screen allowing the UPS to

be turned on and off remotely.

Fig. 7. Visualisation the working principle of an AVR .

Fig. 10. UPS remote control.

The shown experimental setup allows two concepts

of conducting the exercise. In the first concept, only the
instructor is in the lab. As the manipulation of the
equipment is not automatic, the students in a dialog mode
guide the instructor on what has to be done. In the second
concept, only one of all the students is in the laboratory.
The other students online guide their colleague what to do
in order to complete the exercise. A similar way of
conducting research has been implemented for studying
energy storage elements. A power supply with the
possibility of control via Internet is used (Fig. 11) [12].
The manufacturer of this device has available video in
Fig. 8. Principle of operation at fail main power. YouTube, for demonstration how to work with the device.
Fig. 8 shows a screen visualizing the operation of
the UPS in the event of a mains voltage failure. When
analyzing the operation of the UPS in this mode, it is
necessary to focus on the shape of the output voltage.
Observing the shape and the amplitude of the output
voltage of the UPS is done witn an oscilloscope
connected to its output. Students need to simulate a
change in the UPS supplying voltage and observe the Fig. 11. Menu for visualization of conditions.
shape and amplitude of the output voltage.
The studied UPS has software for online This experimental equipment is used for gaining
monitoring and configuration via Internet connection knowledge and skills about rechargeable batteries.
[10]. Different colours of the bar diagrams are used in
the visualization of the parameters. 9. Green colour is II. CONCLUSION
used to indicate that all parameters are in norm, yellow
colour indicates that the parameters are close to critical The proposed method for e-learning by using
operation and red colour indicates emergency modes. software for online communication and available
From a methodological point of view, visualization laboratory facilities is a quick way for solving the issue
through different colours helps to acquire knowledge with the limited number of people who can attend indoors
about the allowable values of UPS parameters. due to the COVID-19 situation.
Advantages of the proposed approach:
- Relatively fast realization of an experimental stand
suitable for online laboratory exercises.

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- Low cost for additional equipment and software that [4] M. Perales, L. Pedraza, P. Moreno-Ger, "Work-In-Progress:
have to be added to existing experimental stands. Improving Online Higher Education with Virtual and
- Quick modification of laboratory manuals. Remote Labs," 2019 IEEE Global Engineering Education
- Keeping the concept of traditional education in Conference (EDUCON), Dubai, United Arab Emirates,
2019, pp. 1136-1139, doi:
universities with the presence of an instructor who 10.1109/EDUCON.2019.8725272.
support the acquisition of knowledge and skills. In a [5] M. R. Daros, J. P. C. de Lima, W. Rochadel, J. Bento Silva
dialogue mode, the teacher sees the difficulties of the and J. S. Simão, "Remote experimentation in basic
students, guides them in order for overcoming the education using an architecture with Raspberry Pi," 2015
difficulties, and help them for faster assimilation of 3rd Experiment International Conference (exp.at'15), Ponta
the material. Delgada, 2015, pp. 75-78, doi:
- The acquisition of knowledge and skills is more 10.1109/EXPAT.2015.7463218.
effective through the visual expectations of the work [6] D. Shehova, S. Lyubomirov, K. Asparuhova, "Hardware
of real devices. In addition, students must build an and Software for Learning Analog-toDigital Converters in
Engineering Education," 2019 X National Conference with
instinct to apply parameters to devices with acceptable International Participation (ELECTRONICA), Sofia,
values to prevent emergencies. Bulgaria, 2019, pp. 1-4, doi:
10.1109/ELECTRONICA.2019.8825619.
Disadvantages: [7] Teaching Bundle for Power Electronics,
- Synchronous education with such an approach does https://www.ni.com/en-
not allow students to work in small groups. The us/shop/hardware/products/teaching-bundle-for-power-
training is carried out in bigger groups due to the electronics.html.
limited time resources and the need of having a person [8] TI Power Electronics Board for NI ELVIS III,
in the laboratory. If the exercise is asynchronous, https://www.ni.com/en-rs/support/model.ti-power-
electronics-board-for-ni-elvis-iii.html
students can also do it at night. The solution to this [9] D. Arnaudov, G. Gigov, S. Denchev, "Manual for
problem is through systems for completely online laboratory exercises on power supplies", TU-Sofia, 2014.
education, without an instructor in real time. These (in Bulgarian)
systems require a large investment in equipment. [10] Line Interactive UPS,
- Assembling an experimental setup as shown above is https://www.informups.com/category.php?details=19
not completely protected from equipment overloads. [12] Digital Control Switch Adjustable Power Supply DC
Only one person - the operator (student or instructor) Stabilized Power Adapter Buck Module Monitoring Power
may notice the presence of overload on indirect Supply - RD6006-W, http://www.ruidengkeji.com/.
indicators - heat, noise, odor, etc.
- Combining several software in a single system by a
teacher without in-depth knowledge of information
technology can reduce the online security and can be
vulnerable to mean actions by students.
- The laboratory stand created and described above is
difficult to modify and introduce machine learning.
- To determine on what it has to be emphasized in the
training, it is necessary to investigate what are the
results in the next disciplines, which require the
knowledge and skills from this online education in
Power supply systems are needed.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This research is carried out within the framework of the
project “Optimal design and management of electrical
energy storage systems”, КП-06-H37/25/18.12.2019,
Bulgarian National Scientific Fund.
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