The Energy Systems Group at the University of Puerto Rico in Mayaguez (UPRM) proposes the acquisition of instrumentation to upgrade energy research infrastructure to 15 kVA. Proposed instrumentation includes power electronics converters, dynamometers, transformers and motors for testing, a surge generator, power quality analyzers, computers and data acquisition cards, and measuring devices. The Group is requesting these instruments to improve existing computational and experimental facilities at the Electric Energy Processing Systems Laboratory (EEPSL). Improving this research facility is vital in order to carry out research projects and meaningful industry collaborations in energy systems, especially in power electronics and power quality. The requested instruments will also be used to develop design projects and laboratory experiments that will improve research training activities (graduate and undergraduate levels). These tools will bring research to the classroom through undergraduate research projects, seminars, special topics courses and demonstrations.
The proposed instrumentation will provide resources needed to expand the scope of research and education in power systems, power electronics applications, alternate energy sources, and power quality. EEPSL will be better equipped to integrate UPRM work to mainstream research of the Center for Power Electronics Systems (CPES). UPRM is a core academic partner in CPES, an NSF ERC led by Virginia Tech. Current capabilities at EEPSL only allow testing of models and equipment below 500 Watts. The equipment will provide tools for the validation of models using scaled-versions of a power system at higher power levels. The laboratory will also serve as a testing facility for devices such as motors, drives and other industrial-size loads. A facility such as EEPSL, its personnel and improved resources, does not exist in the Caribbean.
