Electric Traction and Vehicles

Máquinas Elétricas
Eletrónica de Potência

The teaching methodology consists of:
Classroom lectures with projection of slides (Powerpoint and similar) and videos about the topics covered, with
extensive visits to relevant web pages.
Laboratory classes, with completion of the group work assessment on various themes of the course. In these
classes, it is also carried a visit to the Electrical Machines Lab. and to the Electromechanical Drives Lab. to contact
with the DEE-ISEC electric vehicle project (www.dee.isec.pt /veil), VEIL, which the teacher coordinates, as well as
with research projects funded by FCT (in which the teacher is the principal investigator).
EVALUATION:
Final formal written exam (is worth 8 points over 20, which is the total grade; minimum score: 3.4 points over 8);
Work/Project assessment with final report and oral presentation (is worth 12 points over 20; minimum score: 5
points over 12).

The main aims of this curricular unit are to lead the students to:
– Be aware of transports importance and issues;
– Learn the advantages of electric traction; understand the need for new mobility concepts;
– Learn the technologies used in electric vehicles (EV) and hybrid (HEV) for road,
railway and water transportation; recognize the main technical issues related to the
electric traction (specially for road EV);
– Acquire technical knowledge and competences to embrace a career in this expanding
area;
– To learn how to seek information on this area.
At the end of this course unit the learner is expected to be able to:
– present the importance and main problems of transportation and defend sustainable mobility solutions;
– Know the technologies used in EV and HEV for road, railway and water transportation;
– Size and simulate simplified traction systems for EVs;
– Continue to follow and study the subject on its own after the end of the course.

PART 1 – TRANSPORTS AND MOBILITY IMPORTANCE AND MAIN PROBLEMS. Sustainable mobility solutions.
PART 2 – ELECTRIC ROAD VEHICLES
1- Battery EV (BEV) and HEVs: types and components; history;
2- Dynamic model;
3- Batteries: working principles; types, parameters and characteristics; charge/discharge; chargers; available
commercial models;
4- Fuel cells: working principles; fuel cell system; parameters; types; fuel cells and
hydrogen issues.
5- Supercapacitors and flywheels;
6- HEVs types and levels; strategies for efficiency increase; some models;
7- Main DC and AC motors and drives.
PART 3 – RAILWAY ELECTRIC TRACTION
1- Short history; technological evolution;
2- Traction in Portugal;
3- Electric traction characteristics: voltages worldwide; electric schematics, DC urban line case study; locomotives
and trains classification;
4- Dynamic model of a train;
5- Motors and drives for trains;
6- High speed trains.
PART 4 – INTRODUCTION TO ELECTRIC BOATS

NAO