THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, WEST INDIES

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering
B. Sc. in Electrical & Computer Engineering

ECNG 1006
Laboratory Exercise 1
Modelling of Simple Electrical
Electrical Devices

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, WEST INDIES
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Contents

1.

General Information ................................................................................................................ 3

2.

Lab Learning Outcomes .......................................................................................................... 4

3.

Pre-Lab .................................................................................................................................... 4

4.

In-Lab ...................................................................................................................................... 6

5.

Post-Lab................................................................................................................................... 8

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, WEST INDIES
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

List of Figures
Figure 1: Circuit Diagram of Curve Tracer .................................................................................... 5
Figure 2: Simplified Diagram of the Curve Tracer......................................................................... 6

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, WEST INDIES
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

ECNG1006
Laboratory Project and Design I
http://myelearning.sta.uwi.edu/
Semester II; 2008 / 2009

1. GENERAL INFORMATION
Lab # :
Name of the Lab:

Lab Weighting:

5%

Delivery mode:

Modelling of Simple Electrical Devices

Estimated total hours for
completion of pre, in and post
lab exercises

Lecture:
Yes

Lab:
Yes

6 hours

Venue for the Lab:

Year 1 Laboratory

Lab Dependencies

The theoretical background to this lab is provided in ECNG1006

Theoretical content link:
Pre-Requisites ECNG 1012
Co- Requisites ECNG 1015
To undertake this lab, students should be able to:
Use basic laboratory equipment

Recommended
prior knowledge
and skills:

Course Staff

Position/Role

E-mail

Dr. Ronald De Four

Course Lecturer

Ronald.DeFour@sta.uwi.edu

Juliet Romeo-Joseph

Engineering Practice Coordinator

Juliet.Romeo@sta.uwi.edu

Adelle Joseph

Course Coordinator

Adelle.Joseph@sta.uwi.edu

Jeevan Persad

Lab Demonstrator

Jeevan Persad@sta.uwi.edu

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, WEST INDIES
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

2. LAB LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of the lab assignment, students will be able to:

Cognitive
Level
1. Apply basic laboratory tools and a knowledge of the fundamental Application
principles of electrical and computer engineering to the behavior of energy
storage electronic components under ac excitation.
2. Create mathematical models of electronic components utilizing their
Application
characteristics

3. PRE-LAB
3.1. Required Reading Resources
All electrical devices have special characteristics that are unique to the individual types. For all
devices, voltage is a fluctuation of current i.e. V =f(1). An example of this V-I relationship for a
device can be seen on examining the characteristics of a resistor, where it can be seen that V =kI
where k is the value of the resistor.
If a system is to be modeled, the entire system can be viewed as a black box, the input current
and voltage can therefore be used to develop the mathematical model of the system.
This lab introduces you to the technique of mathematical modeling of electrical devices.
You are given a box that contains an inductor, a capacitor, a resistor, a short circuit, an open
circuit a signal diode and a rectifier diode. The V-I characteristics obtained for each device can
be used to determine the mathematical model of these devices.
To observe the trace generated by each device, the curve tracer shown in Figure 1 is used.

THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES

ST. AUGUSTINE, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, WEST INDIES
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering

Figure 1: Circuit Diagram of Curve Tracer

The current through the device under test (D.U.T) is sensed by the 100 resistor and is fed to the
Y-channel of the oscilloscope, denoted as Y-Amp. In Figure 1, the 100 is R2. The current
flowing through the D.U.T also flows through the resistor R2, therefore the voltage seen by the Y
channel is the current flowing through the D.U.T multiplied by the value of R2.
The voltage across the D.U.T is seen by the X-channel, denoted as X-amp. The first operational
amplifier (op-amp), configured as a differential amplifier, isolates the voltage across the D.U.T
from the current through it for measurement purposes. The inversion of the signal is corrected by
the second op-amp so there will be no phase-shift to the X-channel. The gain of the combined
stages is unity.
Therefore, with the mode of the oscilloscope set at X-Y, and the function generator producing a
sinusoidal input voltage, a trace of the current through the device against the voltage across it can
be viewed on the oscilloscope.

4. IN-LAB
Allotted Completion
Time:
Required Lab
Equipment:

3 hours
1) One oscilloscope with one pair of required test leads.
2) One function generator with one pair of leads not less than 30 cm
long.
3) One power supply with one pair of leads about 30 cm long.
4) One curve tracer with one pair of leads about 30 cm long.
5) One LCR Meter
6) One black box comprising components such as resistors,
capacitors, inductors and diodes.

4.1. In-Lab Procedure

For the purpose of this lab, the curve tracer will be viewed as a black box as illustrated in Figure
2.

Figure 2: Simplified Diagram of the Curve Tracer

Lab # 1: Modelling of Simple Electrical Devices

4.1.1.

Please take note of your box number.

4.1.2.

Energize the curve tracer using the dual power supply of +18/-18 Volts.

4.1.3.

Connect the oscilloscope and set in the X-Y mode. Channel 1 to the X-amp terminal and
channel 2 to the Y-amp terminal.

4.1.4.

Apply a 20Vpp sinusoidal signal with a frequency of 1 kHz to the Curve Tracer.

4.1.5.

Place each component, one at a time, (inductor, capacitor, resistor, diodes, open-circuit
and short circuit) across the D.U.T. terminals in the circuit.

4.1.6.

Draw the curves on graph paper, carefully noting any information that you may require
for the post-lab exercise.

NB:
To ensure accurate measurements, the components whose phase shift is 90 please check
whether its voltage is leading or lagging its current on the time axis, before proceeding to the
LCR meter.

Proceed to post-lab exercise.

Lab # 1: Modelling of Simple Electrical Devices

5. POST-LAB
Due Date:
Submission
Procedure:
Deliverables:

Friday 13th February, 2009 @ 4 PM

Submit to Mr. Lawrence Hutchinson in the Year 1 Lab
 Signed Plagiarism Declaration Form
 Typewritten responses to the assignment questions ONLY, bound
in a folder.

5.1. Assignment:
Using the V-I characteristic of each device:
5.1.1.

Develop mathematical equations to represent each characteristic.

5.1.2.

Supply evidence to justify the name of the device under test.

5.1.3.

Determine the numerical value of the device under test.

5.1.4.

Compare the calculated numerical value of the device under test with the measured
value using standard laboratory equipment and comment on any difference between the
two values.

5.1.5.

Discuss the possibility of using this exercise to design and build an instrument for the
recognition and determination of electronic components.

End of Lab # 1: Modelling of Simple

Electrical Devices