The laboratory facilities for performing research within the power systems - power electronics area in the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, do not have the capability of measuring fast transients (in the nanosecond range) or calculating the harmonic spectra of nonsinusoidal waveforms which propagate throughout an electric power system. To this end, the area faculty believe that the above needs may be fulfilled by two research workstations. The Department of Electrical Engineering will use the grant to purchase the following pieces of equipment for each of the above mentioned research workstations: a 500 MHz digital storage oscilloscope, a Fourier spectrum analyzer, a data acquisition and instrument controller system, three current probes and amplifiers, a time-to-voltage, a programmable digital multimeter, and a 3 kV isolator. The listed equipment included with each research workstation will be used for current and pending research projects; namely: (a) Design and Implementation of a Digital Signal Processor-based Indirect Vector-Controlled Induction Motor Drive, (b) A Microprocessor-Based Charge Controller for Nickel-Hydrogen Batteries, (c) Design of a Multipurpose Advanced Static VAr Compensator to Improve the Performance of Distribution Systems, and (d) An Assessment of the Quality of Electric Power at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Campus.
