Session 1232

Teaching Engineering to Non-Electrical Engineering Majors

K.A. Korzeniowski, D.M. Mechtel

United States Naval Academy

Abstract

It has long been recognized in the engineering education community that is useful to convey
some core knowledge of underlying physical system components by requiring courses outside of a
specific engineering major. The Electrical Engineering Department at the United States Naval
Academy meets this challenge by teaching a core competency course in electrical engineering to all
Academy students, including non-engineering majors. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how
such a course in introductory electrical engineering may translate to an overview of electrical
engineering for introductory engineering students deciding on a major course of study or to an
accessible, informative science track elective for liberal arts majors. This paper illustrates how
students with limited mathematical and analytical problem solving skills can be exposed to a wide
variety of electrical engineering topics.

I. Introduction

One of the challenges that the Electrical Engineering Department at the United States Naval
Academy (USNA) meets every year is teaching electrical engineering to all Academy students
including non-engineering majors. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how this core
Introductory Electrical Engineering course may translate to an overview of electrical engineering for
introductory engineering students deciding on a major course of study or to an accessible,
informative science track elective for liberal arts majors.

It has long been recognized in the engineering education community that is useful to convey
some core knowledge of underlying physical system components. For instance, mechanical engineers
may study electric circuits and electrical engineers may study thermodynamics. The idea of a core
competency also exists at the USNA where it includes not only non-electrical engineering but also
liberal arts majors. As advances in electronic technology persist, this continues to translate to more
electronic automation being incorporated into everyday life. The underlying purpose of this core
course is to instruct all students, regardless of the major course of study in some of the basics of
electronic circuits, machinery, instrumentation and communication systems. This result is achieved,
along with perhaps the more profound effect of conveying to the student analytical problem solving
skills.

This paper discusses how the foundation established in the first semester course is employed
to cover the broad range of topics presented in the second semester. Students leave the second
semester course, with its introduction to a wide variety of electrical engineering topics, with a clearer
picture of the electrical engineering curriculum. The depth and breadth of some of the topics is
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illustrated by presenting associated laboratory exercises.

 II. Course Content

This paper reports on the implementation of a two semester core Electrical Engineering
course. Students are expected to have a background in Algebra to the extent that they are capable of
solving multidimensional equations. The first semester course concentrates on building basic circuit
analysis tools including, but not limited to, Kirchhoff's Laws (KVL and KCL), Thevenin Circuit
analysis, Alternating Current (AC) analysis using phasors, transient analysis, three phase power and
transformers. The second semester covers applications including motors and generators, diodes,
filters, operational amplifiers, AM/FM communications systems and digital logic. Textbooks used
in the course are listed in the References section 1, 2, 3, 4.

III. First Semester Preparation

The majority of topics covered in the first semester are similar to those presented in an
introductory circuits course for electrical engineering majors. Topics are presented in a simplified
format, with some concepts eliminated entirely. The goal of the first semester of the class is to give
students the tools to comprehend the wide variety of topics presented in the second semester while
acknowledging that problem solving skills may be weak. The first semester improves student
analytical problem solving skills in preparation for second semester topics.

The first part of the course covers electrical engineering basics such as the concepts of
current, voltage, power and Kirchhoff’s voltage and current laws. Basic circuit analysis tools are
presented such as the concepts of parallel and series circuit elements, nodal analysis, superposition
and source transformations. Mesh analysis is not covered and dependent sources are mentioned but
are not used in circuit analysis problems. Thevenin and Norton equivalent circuits are presented but
since dependent sources are not used, the topic is simplified to understanding the concept and
solving more elementary problems. The topic of maximum power transfer is presented. The i-v
characteristics of resistors, capacitors and inductors are shown as well as an introduction to the
mathematics of sinusoidal functions, RMS and average values of functions. The energy storage of
capacitors and inductors is presented.

Since the mathematical background of the students rarely includes complex numbers, this
topic is presented before the introduction of the concepts of phasors and impedance. AC steady state
circuit analysis is presented using the frequency domain and relying on the skills learned during the
DC circuit analysis presentation. The majority of problems presented are nodal analysis and
Thevenin and Norton equivalent circuit analysis problems. AC power, both instantaneous and
average, the power triangle and power factor and three phase power are also presented.

The first semester concludes with transient analysis for first order circuits. The governing
differential equations are presented using KVL and KCL and the i-v characteristics of capacitors and
inductors. The solution to the ordinary differential equations is presented. The problems assigned
focus on the students’ ability to apply Thevenin and Norton equivalent circuits and then use the
general solutions for the first order circuits.
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 A weekly laboratory supports the comprehension of topics presented in class. The labs
typically last one to two hours depending on the facility of the individual students. The first labs
introduce simple circuits with one voltage source with resistors. Students learn how to use a
voltmeter and an ammeter reinforcing the concepts of series and parallel resistor current and voltage
and KVL and KCL. Thevenin equivalent circuits are shown by having the students predict and
measure a circuit to find the Thevenin circuit. They build the predicted circuit, check the current and
voltage for the load and test for maximum power transfer. Students learn how to use an oscilloscope
and verify KVL and KCL in the frequency domain with simple circuits of one capacitor or inductor
and a resistor. Students also verify AC nodal analysis and the transient behavior of a RC circuit.

The topics covered, albeit in a simplified form, are sufficient to prepare students for the wide
range of electrical engineering areas presented during the second half of the course.

IV. Second Semester Applications

The Accredidation Board for Engineering Technology (ABET) requires that design be
incorporated throughout the engineering curriculum. The purpose of design problems in the core
courses is to broaden the students’ perception of engineering beyond textbook homework problems.
This section continues with a short discussion of each major second semester topic.

A. Power Engineering - Motors and Generators

This unit of study is the only one that requires more specialized equipment, namely a
motor/generator experimental setup and high voltage power supply. It may be considered “optional”
if the equipment is not readily available but this material gives the instructor an opportunity to
discuss power electronics and safety.

B. Diodes

The theory of diode operation is briefly explained from a semiconductor physics point of
view covering the definition of a semiconductor, holes and electrons, donors and acceptors, and the
pn junction. As an ideal circuit element, the diode is explained as a one way valve that is either on
(short circuit) or off (open circuit). Problems are solved by “guessing” the state of the diode and
either supporting or disproving the assumption. Using this simple technique, clipper/limiter circuits
are solved and an RC/ideal diode peak detector is presented.

C. Passive Filter Circuits - Bass and Treble Circuit Design

Once AC circuit analysis and complex numbers have been introduced, the students have the
necessary tools to investigate filter circuits. The transfer function determination is presented as a
voltage divider problem and the frequency response is illustrated by plotting the magnitude of the
transfer function versus frequency . The concept of cutoff frequency is introduced. More complex
problems with only one energy storage element are solved by using a Thevenin equivalent circuit
that reduces the problem to an RC or RL filter.
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 Through the transfer function, students can see how these circuits provide a frequency
selective gain to an applied signal. The simple RC and RL circuits may be used to illustrate the
design of passive low and high pass filters. By appropriately combining the transfer function of these
high and low pass filters, a bandpass filter may be introduced mathematically and graphically by
plotting the magnitude of the transfer function versus frequency. An RLC circuit is then shown with
the upper and lower cutoff frequency stated but not derived.

D. Operational Amplifiers - Instrumentation Design

The device model for the operational amplifier is introduced and circuits are designed first
without feedback, i.e. comparators. With the addition of negative feedback, the device becomes an
inverting amplifier with the gain determined by the ratio of the feedback resistor and the feedforward
resistor. The operational amplifier is at the heart of signal conditioning and instrumentation circuit
design. There are a number of other possibilities that one may investigate with the operational
amplifier. The instructor may continue to introduce sensing devices and talk about signal
conditioning. In one exercise, the student designs a temperature sensing circuit that will activate a
relay to a circulator if there is a change in the current temperature.

E. Communication Systems - AM/FM

The topics covered in the first semester along with some of the topic area presentations
during the second semester prepare students to do a lab demonstrating AM communication. This
lab exemplifies the wide variety of topics covered since it requires a knowledge of diode and filter
operation and at least an elementary understanding of the frequency domain.

AM communication is introduced by having students calculate the size of an antenna needed

to receive a 5KHz signal. Amplitude modulation is introduced using a sinusoid as the modulating
signal. The concepts of carrier frequency, modulating signal frequency, modulation index and what
the signals “look like” in the time and frequency domain are presented. Demodulation using an
envelope detector is explained aided by the original presentation of this circuit when diodes were
introduced earlier in the semester.

F. Oscillators and the Superheterodyne Receiver

Oscillators are introduced using the Wein-Bridge oscillator and the Barkhausen criterion is
presented without derivation. Students use their knowledge of operational amplifiers and circuit
analysis skills to solve for the oscillation frequency. With an elementary understanding of
oscillators, filters and the frequency domain in place, the superheterodyne AM receiver is discussed.
The concept of signal mixing is presented by relating it to the changes that are reflected in the
frequency domain.

G. Digital Design
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Approximately three weeks are spent on the digital electronics section. Students often have
no prior experience with digital electronics. First the binary number system is introduced, then
boolean algebra. These skills are enhanced by the introduction to sum of products reduction through
Karnaugh maps. In the laboratory, students are exposed first to gates that implement boolean logic,
then to the clocked devices, flip-flops. At the end of this section, students design a general multistate
controller.
V. Second Semester Laboratory Examples

Laboratory examples that illustrate theoretical concepts are taken from real-world devices.
The general equipment requirements for the laboratory exercises are a dual power supply, an
oscilloscope, a signal generator and a digital multimeter.

A. Bass and Treble Passive Filter Design

The frequency response or transfer function of a circuit is presented using low and high pass
RC and RL circuits. In the laboratory, the basic low pass and high pass filter can be used to illustrate
the concept of frequency selection. A block diagram is illustrated in Figure 1. In this laboratory
exercise, students design bass and treble filter circuits. Tests are made with a radio signal containing
both voice and music.

For each filter circuit, a cutoff frequency is chosen, usually within the range of 300 to 3000
Hz, the mid-range of frequencies in the radio signal. Choosing the cutoff frequency for the filter
involves choosing R and C values. The circuit is designed for a standard value of C available in the
laboratory. A variable resistor is used for R. Students must check power requirements for their
voltage divider circuit. Next, they are instructed to calculate the gain of the circuit at ten percent of
the cutoff frequency, at cutoff frequency and finally at ten times cutoff frequency. The filter is tested
by simulating a sinusoidal input with the signal generator. Once these circuits are tested with the
signal generator, the source may be changed to a more complicated signal, specifically the radio
signal. It is natural to listen to the filtering effect at the output with a speaker and this works well,
but do not neglect looking at the output with the oscilloscope. One may clearly see the smoothing
effect of the low pass filter and the sharpening effect of the high pass filter. If desired, this exercise
may be enhanced by repeating it with active filters. In that case it is instructive to discuss the ability
to tune frequency while at the same time affecting the signal gain.

B. The AM Modulator and Receiver

The student has sufficient knowledge at this point to do a lab that allows demonstration of
an audio modulating signal that is recovered and used to drive a speaker. The block diagram for this
exercise is shown in Figure 2. The student is required to do a pre-laboratory exercise that introduces
a BJT common emitter amplitude modulator. The circuit diagram is given, but from the students
viewpoint, the modulator is treated like a black box with the modulating and carrier signals as inputs
and the AM signal as the output. The pre-laboratory exercise reviews modulation index and asks
students to sketch sinusoidal, square and triangular modulating signals and the resultant AM signal
when the modulation index is 50%. Students fill in a table of RC values and decide which
combination would be the best for an envelope detector. They also determine the cutoff frequency
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for the high pass filter used to eliminate the DC component of the recovered signal.
 For the laboratory exercise, students are given a mounted transistor with the base, collector
and emitter marked. Students build the amplitude modulation circuit introduced in the prelaboratory
exercise. They are given a carrier signal and told to establish an AM signal using a Hewlett Packard
HP3312A function generator. The input carrier and modulating signals and output AM signal are
viewed and sketched using a Textronix 2225 Oscilloscope as the modulation index is varied from
0 to 100%. Students verify the RC values chosen in the pre-laboratory exercise by building a peak
detector and viewing the output on the oscilloscope for several RC choices. The high pass filter is
added and the students sketch the input to the peak detector, the output of the peak detector and the
output of the high pass filter. Then the sketches of the carrier signal, modulating audio signal, AM
signal, peak detector output and high pass filter output are repeated using an audio signal from a
local radio station. A speaker is added so that students can listen to the recovered signal at the output
of the high pass filter.

C. Combinational Logic - Traffic Light Controller

The first objective of this laboratory exercise is to understand and use the digital design
techniques discussed in the classroom in order to design a digital logic circuit which can control a
traffic light signal. Figure 3 illustrates the traffic light problem. The second objective is to develop
digital construction and testing procedures. The instructor stresses the importance of a bottom up
design.

The exercise begins with a four bit ripple counter implemented using J-K flip-flops. This is
the first laboratory experience with clocked devices. The problem specifications are as follows:
a. The green light duration must be at least twice as long as the yellow light duration.
b. The yellow light duration will be one or two units of time. One unit of time is one period
of the clock.
c. Before turning green for either road, the lights for both roads must be read for at least one
unit of time.
d. The conditions of both roads having a yellow light or both having a green light must never
occur.
This problem may be solved using a counter with sixteen different states. For example the
initial state of the counter C3(MSB) = 0, C2 = 0, C1 = 0 and C0(LSB) = 0, may be both lights red.
Students are given a truth table with inputs from the counter and six outputs from the traffic lights,
ARED, AYELLOW, AGREEN, BRED, BYELLOW, and B GREEN. They are instructed to use Karnaugh maps to
reduce the logic and find the sum of products expression for the six outputs. The next step is to build
the circuit using logic gates to implement the sum of products expressions. Students are advised to
observe the good practice of making sure that every stage of the circuit works as it is built.

Due to the nature of these design problems, students observe that there are many solutions,
some easier to build than others. This tradeoff in the design process is an important learning
experience in itself.

VI. Conclusions
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This course illustrates how students with limited mathematical and analytical problem
solving skills can be exposed to a wide variety of electrical engineering topics. Students gain
confidence in and improve their ability to solve technical problems along with increasing their
understanding of physical systems. This course is accessible to both liberal arts students interested
in a knowledge of some of the major electrical systems that support a technology based society and
to introductory engineering students choosing an engineering major.

VII. Bibliography

1. Rizzoni, G., Principles and Applications of Electrical Engineering, Irwin Publishers, 1993.

2. USNA Department of Electrical Engineering, Notes on Communication Systems.

3. USNA Department of Electrical Engineering, Notes on Oscillators.

4. Kay, W. and Fowler, C. Rotating Machines and Magnetic Devices, Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 1993.

VIII. Biographical Information

K.A. KORZENIOWSKI completed requirements for the Ph.D. at Brown University in 1993.
Dr. Korzeniowski is currently an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering at the United States
Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD. Current research work focuses on developing control, sensor
fusion and motion planning algorithms for robotic systems.

D.M. MECHTEL completed requirements for the Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins University in
1994. Dr. Mechtel is currently an Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering at the United States
Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD. Current research work focuses on electro-optics, high speed circuit
testing and advanced packaging development.

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 R

+ +
Low Pass Filter

'Bass'
Vin C Vout

- -
+
Radio Signal -

+ +
C
High Pass Filter
Vin R Vout
'Treble'
- -

Figure 1: Bass and Treble Filters

Carrier Signal

AM Signal Audio Signal

BJT Based High Pass
Peak Detector Speaker
Modulator Filter

Modulating Signal

Figure 2: AM Communication Laboratory Setup

Traffic Light

Road A
Road B
Red A
Red B

Yellow A
Yellow B

Road A Green A
Green B
Road B

Figure 3: Traffic Light Problem

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