International Islamic University Islamabad

Faculty of Engineering & Technology

Department of Electrical Engineering

POWER ELECTRONICS LAB (EE421L)

Experiment No. 14: Application of Semiconductor Devices in Power Converters

Name of Student: ……………………………………

Registration No.: ……………………………………..

Date of Experiment: …………………………………

Submitted To: ………………………………………,..

Experiment No. 14: Application of Semiconductor Devices in Power Converters Page 1

Objectives:
 The objective of this open-ended lab is to utilize different semiconductor devices in the
construction of different power converters.
Theory:
Introduction to Open-Ended Lab:
In an open-ended lab, students are given the freedom to develop their own
experiments, instead of merely following the already set guidelines from a lab manual or
elsewhere. Making labs open-ended pushes students to think for themselves and think harder.
The students here have to devise their own strategies and back them with explanations, theory
and logical justification. This not only encourages students to come up with their
experiments, but also requires them to defend themselves and their experiment, if questioned.
The intent is to develop analytical, logical, reasoning and research skills of the students.
There are three general areas, which can be made open-ended:
Concept:
In order to make this stage open-ended, the teacher may give the students a project
with a purpose and not the procedure. The students would then have to come up with their
own experiments to back the theory or fulfill the purpose. For example, the teacher may ask
the students to build an inverter (product) for domestic household applications. The students
would then have to decide which products they want to experiment on and what testing
experiment they want to conduct. The teacher here plays a supportive sort and is available to
address any student queries and aid students on their project concept, while giving students
space to tap into their creativity. This boosts up the confidence in students, as they can
proudly say that they did the experiment on their own.
Design:
Once the experiment’s concept is in place, whether developed by the students or
teacher, it is time to design the experiment in accordance with the concept. The teacher may
choose to let the students study the different experiments that the teacher may have chalked
down on a list and then chose one for themselves. The teacher may, in this case, drop hints
and guide the students, without actually choosing something for them. This would indirectly
encourage the students to learn more about all the experiments on the list, irrespective of
which one they are doing. In order to choose the experiment that they want to do for their
project, the students would need to know about all the experiments.

Experiment No. 14: Application of Semiconductor Devices in Power Converters Page 2

 Analysis and Reporting:
Most lab experiments in the classroom end with the teacher giving specific
information on analysis and reporting, making it easier for the teacher while reducing the
learning for the students. Leaving this step open-ended would help instill confidence in the
students. The teacher may explain the different report formats to the students. The students
may be asked to write an initial draft of their report and then discuss their analysis with the
teacher, before finalizing their report. The teacher may make suggestions and guide the
students who need direction.
Debriefing:
It may be useful for teachers to have a debriefing session with the students after an
open-ended experiment. The teacher may drop pointers for the students and perhaps talk
about the difficulties that the students faced while doing the experiment. This may be in the
form of a lecture or a discussion and could emphasize the essential learning points. The
specifications of open-ended lab and its rubrics for the Power Electronics Lab are briefly
provided in Table 14.1 and 14.2 respectively.

Table 14.1: Specifications of Open-Ended Lab for Power Electronics Lab

Sr. Course
Course Title Activities Attributes
No. Code
Design, analysis & testing of power
Depth of
converters using different power
EE- Power Electronics Analysis,
1 semiconductor devices & switching
421L Lab Depth of
techniques in both software and hardware
Knowledge
environment.

Experiment No. 14: Application of Semiconductor Devices in Power Converters Page 3

 Table 14.2: Rubrics for the Evaluation of Open-Ended Lab

Nature of
Sr. Course Course Open-
Activities Rubrics for Assessment
No. Code Title Ended
Lab

A. Design and Simulation:

Excellent (100 %):
 Design parameters are accurate.
 Circuit design is correct.
Good (80%):
 Design parameters are not optimum.
 Circuit design is correct.
Average (60%):
 Design parameters are not optimum.

Power Design &  Circuit design has issues.

Power Converters Implementation Poor (40%):
1 EE421L Electronics (Software of different
 Design parameters are wrong.
Lab and Power
Hardware) Converters  Circuit has short circuit path.
B. Hardware Implementation:
Excellent (100%):
 Circuit is fully working efficiently.
Good (80%):
 Circuit is fully working.
Average (60%):
 Circuit is not properly working.
Poor (40%):
 Circuit is not working at all.

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