A Virtual PV Systems Lab for Engineering Undergraduate Curriculum

Abstract

Design and utilization of a Virtual Photovoltaic Systems Laboratory for undergraduate curriculum are introduced in this paper. The laboratory introduced in this study is developed to teach students the basics and design steps of photovoltaic solar energy systems in a virtual environment before entering the field. The users of the proposed virtual lab will be able to determine the sizing by selecting related parameters of the photovoltaic system to meet DC and AC loading conditions. Besides, the user will be able to analyze the effect of changing solar irradiation and temperature levels on the operating characteristics of the photovoltaic systems. Common DC bus concept and AC loading conditions are also included in the system by utilizing a permanent magnet DC motor and an RLC load as DC and AC loading examples, respectively. The proposed Virtual Photovoltaic Systems Laboratory is developed in Matlab/Simulink GUI environment. The proposed virtual lab has been used in Power Systems Lab in the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Karadeniz Technical University as a part of undergraduate curriculum. A survey on the students who took the lab has been carried out and responses are included in this paper.

A virtual laboratory for system simulation and control with undergraduate curriculum

“…Canesin [11] designed a Java-based object-oriented simulator to be used for one and three phase ideal rectifier simulation in power electronic courses. [13]. The virtual laboratory for solar PV systems was also developed and applied in undergraduate curricula as given in Ref.…”

“…The virtual laboratory for solar PV systems was also developed and applied in undergraduate curricula as given in Ref. [13].…”

“…To solve this problem, course-based educational software tools whose details are given in Educational Computer-Aided Software Section have been developed [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. To solve this problem, course-based educational software tools whose details are given in Educational Computer-Aided Software Section have been developed [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13].…”

“…replace the main course. To solve this problem, course-based educational software tools whose details are given in Educational Computer-Aided Software Section have been developed [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13].…”

Virtualizing Hands-On Mechanical Engineering Laboratories - A Paradox or Oxymoron

“…There has been a great deal of research on inclusion of serious educational games and virtual laboratories (VLs) in e.g., spatial learning (Martin-Gutierrez, Saorin, Martin-Dorta, & Contero, 2009), physics (Adams, Pilegard, & Mayer, 2016), computer science (Ye, Liu, Polack-Wahl, & Ieee, 2007), general engineering (K. Cook-Chennault, Alarcon, & Jacob, 2022;Kimberly Cook-Chennault et al, 2021;Philpot, Hall, Hubing, & Flori, 2005), software and electrical engineering (Callaghan, McCusker, Losada, Harkin, & Wilson, 2013;Graham & Roberts, 2007;Jimenez-Hernandez et al, 2016;Long, Young, & Asee, 2011;Mitre-Hernandez, Lara-Alvarez, Gonzalez-Salazar, & Martin, 2016;Morsi, Mull, & Ieee, 2015;Murphy-Hill, Zimmermann, & Nagappan, 2014;Musil, Schweda, Winkler, & Biffl, 2010;Ozcelik, Cagiltay, & Ozcelik, 2013;Pantoja, 2017;Smith & Chan, 2017;Sutherland, 2000;Whitehead, Lewis, & Ieee, 2011;Ye et al, 2007), mechanical engineering (ME) (Chang et al, 2016;Choudhury & Rodriguez, 2017;Coller & Ieee, 2010Coller & Scott, 2009;Coller & Shernoff, 2009;Joiner et al, 2011;Panagiotopoulos & Manolis, 2016;Pejic, Krasic, Krstic, Dragovic, & Akbiyik, 2017), chemical engineering (Granjo & Rasteiro, 2018;Ramos, Pimentel, Marietto, Botelho, & Ieee, 2016), computer aided design (Kosmadoudi et al, 2013), power engineering (Ozkop, 2016;…”