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New Strategy for Remote Practical Works in Power Electronics for Embedded
Systems: Application in EOLES European Project

Conference Paper · January 2018

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-60834-1_16

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 New strategy for remote Practical Works in Power
Electronics for Embedded Systems: Application in
EOLES European Project

Abdessamad MALAOUI1, Monji KHERALLAH2, Lila GHOMRI3, Guillaume

ANDRIEU4, Denis BARATAU4
1
Sultan Moulay Slimane University Beni Mellal, Morocco
2
University of Sfax, REGIM-Lab, Sfax, Tunisia
3
Abdelhamid Ibn badis University, Mostaganem, Algeria
4
University of Limoges, France

Abstract. This work presents the design, implementation and validation of a

remote lab. Practical manipulations performed in this laboratory concern the
practical works of power electronics for embedded systems. The work is in the
scope of an international project between several universities in the Maghreb
and Europe. Among the objectives of this project, the creation of a practical ba-
chelor remotely in the field of Electronic and Optic E-Learning for Embedded
Systems, EOLES. In this paper, we present the overall topology, and local ar-
chitectures associated to laboratories in each partner university. It also presents
the IT and hardware platforms developed using embedded systems. The mea-
surements results of some practical works, carried out by students of L3, are
presented and discussed, to show the validity and the position of this new edu-
cational structure in the university practice teaching system.

Keywords: Remote lab; Practical work; e-Learning; Embedded Systems; Pow-

er Electronics; EOLES

1 Introduction

Practical works (PW) are essential in training and specialized courses that target the
industrial field, research and employment. These courses require the availability of
equipments for most of the subjects taught, as if in technical or vocational training. In
parallel, it appears a growing global demand in these disciplines, especially in coun-
tries with an open access to the education system [1]. Consequently, equipping con-
ventional laboratories for practical works requires a significant investment in hard-
ware side, infrastructure and human skills. To participate in the resolution of these
challenges, a new strategy was born, in the last years [2]. This strategy is based on
distance education and the use of New Information Technologies (NIT) and the re-
markable development of embedded electronic systems [3]. The first problem in this
type of education is the development of Practical Works, which really requires a se-

adfa, p. 1, 2011.
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011
rious thought to integrate this new educational approach and the adaptation of embed-
ded systems in the lab remotely controlled.
In this work, we present the actual implementation of an educational laboratory of
remote practical work in the power electronics field for embedded systems. This in-
novative experience is mounted by an international project between several European
and the Maghreb countries [4]. This experience is validated by qualified international
training bringing together dozens of students from these countries in a professional
Bachelor (Electronics and Optics e-Learning for Embedded Systems, EOLES) [5].
EOLES members skills were trained through this project to make and install the
hardware and tools for practical works remotely, as well as coaching and teaching
these PW either synchronously or/and through developed and registered courses in a
virtual platform. This paper deals, in particular, the overall architecture of the Remote
Laboratory and the mounting of 3 PW in power electronics field. An analysis of this
practical teaching system is discussed at the end of this work based on the results of
measurements of electrical quantities performed by students of the training and the
trainers perspective and responsible for the project.

2 Project framework

The EOLES project is a European project (Tempus) who aims support the develop-
ment of e-learning (distance learning) in Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia through the
creation of a third year bachelor in electronics and optics, taught entirely in English.
This 3rd year of license will be open to all students regardless of their place of resi-
dence [6]. The first two years of the project will be devoted to the development of
equipment education (courses, practical work, etc.) and the development of laboratory
distance perspective as the concrete implementation of the License in the last project
year.
The most innovative point of this project is the creation of a practical laboratory
work fully achievable distance. the official start of EOLES, an original distance edu-
cation project coordinated by the University of Limoges, which has received funding
from the European Union to 1.28 million Euros in its first filing under the Tempus
program. This project aims to create third electronic license year optics for embedded
systems, taught in English and remotely. The most point’s innovation of this project is
the creation of a practical laboratory work fully achievable distance. The diploma will
be issued jointly by several consortium partners. EOLES the project, a period of 3
years, brings together 15 partner universities from 7 countries with a strong dominant
around the Mediterranean (Algeria, Belgium, France, Morocco, Portugal, Romania
and Tunisia). Validation and implementation of the project EOLES constitute recog-
nition of University of Limoges at the international level both in its ability to coordi-
nate projects of importance and international scale in its ability to implement innova-
tive proposals both in the scientific and pedagogical:

 Establishment of a training accessible entirely online including allowing the reali-

zation of practical work online,
 Training modules also offered to teachers and staff involved,
 Use of social networks to enable exchange and mutual assistance between students,
etc.

3 Architectures of implemented system

The overall architecture of server connections requires equipping a laboratory in each

Southern Mediterranean countries (Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco). The three appli-
cation server relays the contact with the principal remote lab in France (Limoges)
with e-Learning Open Source platform "Moodle" to manage the communications and
content (courses, practical works), according the architecture illustrated in the follow-
ing figure 1.

Fig. 1. Overall architecture of server connections

The architecture in the interior of each laboratory has a main server connected to a
relay matrix system that controls manipulations using an embedded system "Arduino"
or "PCduino" and measuring and power devices (oscilloscope, GBF, ...). The web
interface design using HTML (CSS) and JavaScript [7,8]. The PW is graphically
represented in web pages. Figure 2 illustrates the general architecture of the hardware
connection and the practical works.
 Fig. 2. Architecture in the interior of each laboratory

4 Feasibility of practical works

To ensure the feasibility and functioning of practical work, the project EOLES has
reserved funding for the necessary equipment and appropriate software.

4.1 Local hardware architecture of Remote Lab

Local architecture in our laboratory is centered on a main server [9]. This server is
connected to:

 A printed circuit board containing the different components and relays controlled
with Arduino or PCduino.
 An oscilloscope DSOX3014 or MSOX2004A.
 A 33220A waveform generator oscilloscope DSOX3014 or MSOX2004A.
Those devices can be monitored from the "win-phys" application server. This ar-
chitecture has a several advantages as:

 It is flexible to control a large number of instruments developed to be operating

locally.
 It is transparent to the user, which exactly the case when several instruments are
used locally.
 User will not need to know the nature of interface used on each instrument remote-
ly controlled.
 Possibility to remotely control instruments, relays and others manipulations.

In Figure 3, we present the electronic circuit of a practical work "rectifier". The pas-
sive elements of this circuit are controlled by relays and Agilent generator. The circuit
represents the matrix of different resistances values, capacities and inductances.
 Fig. 3. Electronic schematic and realized board

This experimental setup contains:

 2 switches 1 toward 3 remotely controlled by the student,

 MSO-X 2004 A supplies the circuit and allows measuring VR for each circuit con-
figuration.

4.2 Software interface connecting

The Learning Environment and Remote Laboratories of EOLES contain the following
components:

 Virtual Classrooms at each institute of the partner countries, connected to the in-
ternet (Camera, Microphone …).
 1 server for Big Blue Button or Adob-connect to record and keep the content (text,
audio, video, …) of the lectures and (tutoring materials for) the practical works.
 1 Moodle learning platform: server to connect the student, lecturers and tutors to
Big Blue Button
 3 Remote lab servers: 1 at each remote lab (DZ, TN and MO)
 Several Laboratory set-ups (none, one or more per Technical Unit): measuring
equipment, DUT’s, connections between equipment, measurement probes, soft-
ware…
 Several PC’s (and Arduino) “serving” the Laboratory set-ups
Different steps are necessary to make a practical work:

 Thinking (By Teacher) about the electronic circuit: its scheme and all different
possible configurations allowed for the students,
 Conceiving the circuit, soldering the components, assembling the case,
 Programming the web page and all the possible configurations,
 (Technical staff in each University) plugging all the instruments to the case.
For a student, a practical work is composed of several links:

 One to each instrument’s interface.

 One to the practical work’s schematic.
 One to the IP-webcam.
 One to the practical work’s text, written by the teacher.

4.3 Practical Works

In power electronics technical unit we have prepared two basic actions, namely rec-
tifiers and back converter. The objective of this first practical work “WP1” is to ma-
nipulate an uncontrolled single-phase half-wave rectifier connected to different loads.
The estimated manipulation time is 1h30min. WP2 is devoted to full-wave rectifier.
The last practical work WP3 consists of buck-converter study.

PW1, PW2: Uncontrolled single-phase half and full wave rectifier studies.
This task is based on measurement of current and voltage characteristics
 Measurement of <Vs> = f (α) with a mean current Ie
 Measurement of <Vs> = f (<Is >) with a constant duty cycle.
 Trace Is=f(t) and measurement of Vs and a for the discontinuity condition of the
current.

Configuration of the waveform generator.

The generator has to be configured under the following configuration:

 Waveform : sinusoidal and frequency about 10 kHz

 Magnitude : 10 V peak-peak
 Internal impedance : 50 Ω

Role of the resistance r=10Ω.

Explain how is it possible to know the current iR(t) through the load with the resis-
tance r.

First case: a resistive load, Z= R.

 Connect the load R at the output of the diode (green switch on open, red switch on
short).
 Measure <VR>, VRMS, the form factor F and the ripple rate τ. Is it possible to meas-
ure the threshold voltage of the diode (voltage between the anode and the cathode
of a diode when the diode is "ON")?
 Justify and give your results.
Second case: R in parallel with a capacitance C, Z=R//C.

 Connect successively capacitances C1 and C2 in parallel with the load R.

 After observing the rectified voltage VR obtained for each capacitance, what is the
best capacitance between C1 and C2? Justify.
 Then, measure <VR>, VRMS, the factor form F and the ripple rate τ for the optimal
capacitance. Compare with the results obtained with the load R. For this optimal
capacitance, what is the ratio between the time when the diode is ON in compari-
son to the period T of the signal. Thus, indicate if the current through the load iR(t)
and the rectified voltage VR(t) are in phase.

Third case : R in series with an inductance L.

 Connect successively inductances L1 and L2 in series with the load R.

 Indicate if the current through the load iR(t) and the rectified voltage VR(t) are in
phase. Justify! Indicate also what is the problem concerning the rectified voltage
signal VR(t)?

Fourth case: R in series with an inductance, the RL load being in parallel with a
diode.

 Connect successively inductances L1 and L2 in serie with the load R.

 Connect also the fly back diode Df in parallel to the RL load.
 What is the role of this diode Df ? Is it playing correctly its role? Justify.

In the following figures (Fig.4, Fig.5), we present the electronic schematics that cor-
respond to the first and second practical works, WP1 and WP2:

Fig. 4. Schema and interface of PW1 Fig. 5. Schema and interface of PW2
PW3: Study of a buck-converter connected on various loads.

The connection of these PW with the equipment remotely connected is presented

in the figures 6 and 7. The screen of the oscilloscope and generator of functions are
also remotely controlled.

Fig. 6. Schema and interface of PW3 Fig. 7. PW equipments remotely connected

5 Results and discussions

In three practical works, students measure electrical quantities with two different
methods using the remote oscilloscope. The first method uses the real electronic com-
ponents, while the second method performs measurements by taking the ideal case of
these electronic components. A comparison is made for the values of both methods.
Case #1 : Resistive load: R
The values of <VR>, VRMS, the form factor F and the ripple rate τ are measured by
two methods; Factbook are in the following figures. The results show the difference
justified by remote measurement. Also, the voltage value of the threshold voltage of
the diode (voltage between the anode and the cathode of a diode when the diode is
"ON") is measured using two methods. These results are compared and shown in the
following figure. The results show the difference justified by measurement.
Case #2 : Load R in parallel with a capacitance C
Students measure electrical values of <VR>, VRMS, the form factor F and the ripple
rate for τ capacitance C1. The results are presented in the figure below, they show a
difference between actual measurement and measurement assuming the theoretical
ideal models.
Fig.8. PW mesearements in case #1 Fig.9. PW mesearements in case #2

Case #3 : Load R in serie with an inductance L, the RL load being in parallel

with a diode.

Indicate if the current through the load iR(t) and the rectified voltage VR(t) are in
phase. Justify. What is the problem concerning the rectified voltage VR(t)?
The current IR(t) and voltage VR(t) are no longer in phase. The problem concerns
the fact that VR(t) is sometimes <0. The value of VR(t) is not a rectified voltage. What
is the role of this diode Df? Is it playing correctly its role? Justify.

Fig. 10. PW measurements in case #3

The current IR(t) and voltage VR(t) are no longer in phase as it is shown in figure 10,
but the fly-back diode plays correctly its role: The VR(t) is now never <0.

6 Conclusion

This Remote laboratory is currently operational in its second year. It may have a
complementary alternative to current learning systems to solve several problems [10].
 Architectures developed, can be improved and adapted to other disciplines and areas
of technical education. The practical results and the analysis of questionnaires (stu-
dents and teachers), show that practical works realized remotely, are very similar to
those in classic PW at electrical measurement and compensation. This promising first
experience has proven that it is capable of competing with conventional practice edu-
cation systems. Several other sides remain to be studied by scientific research in order
to know the impact of these laboratories, namely the economic side, social, health,
psychology, educative and others.

7 Acknowledgment

The EOLES project referenced by “530466-TEMPUS-1-2012-1-FRTEMPUS-JPCR”

is funded by the European Commission. Authors of this work, thank all the adminis-
trative, technical and pedagogical staffs are working on this project which have con-
tributed to its success.

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