Chapter 1-7 Energy and Engineering Concepts (Vocabulary)
Energy, Power, and Electrical Engineering Education: Comprehensive Notes π‘
Context and scope- Lecture covers EE with a focus on energy and power, computer hardware basics, and how energy relates to engineering impact. π
References to the University of North Dakota document on computer science vs computer engineering; emphasis on the EE/EC program and hardware topics. π»
Administrative notes: book chapter 1, upcoming lab zero, and Friday lab pickup logistics for analog discovery and heart scan equipment. ππ¬
Fundamental definitions: voltage, current, power, and energy β‘
Voltage (V)- Definition: potential difference between two points; the force that causes electrons to move. β‘οΈ
Units: volts (V).
Interpretation: 1 volt corresponds to 1 joule of energy per coulomb of charge moved, i.e. \frac{1\text{ J}}{1\text{ C}}
Relationship: a higher voltage provides greater potential energy difference driving charge flow. π
Current (I)- Definition: the flow of electric charges (electrons) through a conductor. β‘
Units: amperes (A).
Interpretation: 1 A means 1 coulomb of charge flows per second. β±
Power (P)- Definition: rate of energy transfer by electrical means. π
Formula: \ P = V I
Interpretation: the faster the energy flows, the more power is delivered. π¨
Energy (E)- Definition: the amount of work done or energy transferred over time. πͺ
Relationship to power: energy is the flow of power over time.
Formula: \ E = P \, t = V I \, t
Units: joules (J) in SI; commonly kilowatt-hours (kWh) in everyday energy billing. π§Ύ
Time factor: if power is constant, E = P t in joules when t is in seconds; in practical terms, energy is often quoted as E{kWh} = P{kW} \times t{h} where P{kW} = P/1000 and t_{h} is time in hours. β³
Energy vs Power (conceptual)- Power is the rate of energy transfer; energy is the cumulative amount transferred over a period. π‘ vs. π
Real-world view: when you buy electricity youβre paying for energy usage (kWh), not instantaneous power (kW). π²
Ohmβs Law (preview for next section)- Relationship among voltage, current, and resistance: β
\ V = I R \text{ or } \ I = \frac{V}{R}
Additional key concepts and analogies π
Flow analogies- Electricity as water in a pipe: voltage is pressure (potential to push water), current is flow rate, and power is the rate of energy transfer (water work per time). π§ ΡΡΡΠ±ΠΎΠΏΡΠΎΠ²ΠΎΠ΄
A flow gauge analogy: current (C/s) is like gallons per second; voltage is the driving pressure; power is pressure times flow rate. π
Units and practical measurements- Power measured in watts (W); 1 W = 1 J/s. π
Energy measured in joules or in kilowatt-hours (kWh). β‘
Common household power levels: incandescent bulbs ~60 W π‘, modern LEDs ~13β20 W π‘, some lights around 20β13 W; water heaters can be ~5000 W π₯; monitors around 100 W π»; phones ~a few watts during operation π±; refrigerators ~200 W π§.
Typical comparison: LED lighting is much more energy-efficient than incandescent lighting due to lower heat loss and higher luminous efficacy. β
Energy efficiency and global impact- Energy efficiency improvement concept: reducing energy use for the same service. πβ»
A stated example: a 1% global energy efficiency improvement could translate into substantial energy savings (the lecture cites ~160 TWh as a representative figure). π°
Energy sources and world energy consumption (high-level overview)- Global primary energy consumption (2019 figure cited): ~23,000 TWh per year. ππ
Composition by source includes biomass, coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear, solar, etc.; solar currently a smaller share but growing. βπ±ββ½
Population growth and energy demand: projection cited of ~1.5 billion more people by 2025 (~25% population increase) with an anticipated ~50% higher energy demand over the next 20 years relative to a base year. ππ¨βπ©βπ§βπ¦
Historical energy trends: growth in energy demand accompanies population growth and rising standards of living, raising concerns about COβ and environmental impact. ππ³
Solar energy and practical examples- Solar energy converts solar input to electrical current which can charge batteries for later use. βπ
Examples: solar panels on parking structures (e.g., Perry Street) can drive auxiliary systems π Ώ; solar tracking sensors using Arduino illustrate distributed energy monitoring. π€
Solar panel efficiency of a typical panel is around ~15% (for common commercial panels). π
Energy awareness in daily life- Noting that energy is used in many everyday devices; even small improvements in efficiency accumulate over time. ΠΎΡΠΎΠ·Π½Π°Π²Π°Π΅ΠΌΠΎΡΡΡ
The role of engineers: energy-aware design improves quality of life, extends battery life, reduces environmental footprint. π·ββπ±
Energy in the real world: scale, efficiency, and sustainability π
Global energy scale and efficiency impact- Global energy consumption is enormous; efficiency improvements compound across all devices and systems. πβ»
The goal in engineering: design electronics that use less energy, extend battery life, and reduce the need for new power plants. π―π
Power/energy and time units, with practical conversions- Battery and device energy use is often expressed in watt-hours (Wh) or kilowatt-hours (kWh): π°
1\ \text{kWh} = 1000\ \text{W} \times 3600\ \text{s} = 3.6\times 10^6\ \text{J}
For example, a 60 W light on for 1 hour consumes 0.06 kWh. π‘
Renewable energy and storage considerations- Solar energy is attractive because it directly converts light to electricity with minimal heat generation as a useful energy source. ββ‘β‘
Energy storage (batteries) enables usage when sun isnβt shining, enabling better reliability and grid stability. ππ
Prefixes and scale literacy- The speaker mentions prefixes (kilo, tera, giga, milli) to discuss large energy scales; standard prefixes include: π’
\text{kilo} = 10^3,\ \text{mega} = 10^6,\ \text{giga} = 10^9,\ \text{tera} = 10^{12}
And small scales: \text{milli} = 10^{-3},\ \text{micro} = 10^{-6},\ \text{nano} = 10^{-9}
Clear note: the lecture uses some informal phrasing; students should rely on standard SI prefixes for coursework. β
Engineering education pathway in Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) π
Program structure overview- Foundational track: six base courses; initial sequence includes a software component. π
Example course naming: 1-004 (base course) and a software sequence that culminates in a capstone-like integrated design project, e.g. 28-04 (Integrated Design Project). π»π
Sophomore year culminates in an integrated design exposure; junior/senior years shift to deeper specialization. π
Integrated Design Projects and co-ops- Sophomore year: first software/design project to build practical experience. π
Senior year: two-course senior design sequence; about half of senior projects are sponsored by external companies (funded, real-world problems). π’π‘
Even when not sponsored, senior design projects align with university research groups or industry needs. π€
Majors and pathways- After completing sophomore-year requirements, students select a major focus (pathway) within Electrical Engineering (EE) or Computer Engineering (CE). πΊ
General majors exist for both EE and CE, with the ability to tailor via a secondary focus (three-course sequence) that can lead to a minor. π
Secondary focus options can guide toward minors in areas like networking, cyber security, machine learning, language studies, or business-related paths (e.g., MBA track). π§ ππΌ
Example major pathways described in the lecture- ππ Networking & Cyber Security
π‘ Photonics and optical communications (fiber optics, reduced electrical losses, etc.)
π Applied Electromagnetics (space research, antenna design, etc.)
π° Space Research (small satellites, space weather studies)
π€ Embedded Systems for Critical Applications (hardware+software integration, reliability)
π Machine Learning (optimization, data-driven approaches, power grid optimization)
β Controls, Robotics, and Autonomy
Real-world cross-disciplinary opportunities- Some graduates pursue non-traditional roles such as technical leadership in real estate tech (example: Zillow-style data systems and DB design managed by engineers). π π
Itβs common to combine technical degrees with business, law, medicine, or policy interests to broaden career options. π€
Concept of βprint-on-bookβ major labeling- The program emphasizes printed-on-major-labels (e.g., Networking Cyber Security) to clearly communicate specialization on transcripts and resumes. π·
Career-oriented outcomes- Many engineers eventually lead teams, manage projects, or pursue advanced degrees (e.g., MBA) to move into management or cross-disciplinary roles. β¬πΌ
Research and industry collaboration themes- π‘ Machine learning for power grid optimization (historical note: ML/AI concepts emerged from neural nets; now a broad ML field).
π’ Building automation and embedded sensing (e.g., single-chip radar for sensing and control).
π€ Center-level research groups and industry partnerships drive sponsored capstone projects and internships.
Centers, labs, and research themes mentioned π’π¬
Center for Power Electronics Systems (CPEC)- Location: basement-level facilities; high annual research funding (roughly $10β$15 million/year in research activity). π°π
Focus: power electronics, energy efficiency, and related systems. β»
National Security Institute (affiliated with EC program)- Focus: cybersecurity research; IT security lab; adaptive designs to resist probing and scanning. π‘π
Center for Embedded Systems for Critical Applications- Focus: embedded hardware-software systems for critical applications. π€π»
Networking, Cyber Security, and IT infrastructure labs- Emphasis on wireless, cellular, and modern communications technologies (including discussions of 5G). ππ±
Space and RF/EM fields research- Space weather studies; remote sensing; RF propagation and electromagnetic spectrum considerations. π°π‘
Machine learning and data-driven optimization labs- Applied ML to optimize power systems, control, and automation tasks. π§ π
Semiconductor history, scaling, and fabrication overview βπ¬
Milestones (high level timeline)- π 1958: First integrated circuits (ICs) and early MOSFETs
π 1960: First MOSFETs (dynamic changes in transistor design)
π 1968: First DRAM invented
π 1968β1970s: Transition to very large scale integration (VLSI) and more complex chips
Moving toward nanoelectronics with continued scaling, now into 3 nm process nodes π¬
Photolithography basics (how modern chips are made)- Steps summarized from the talk: πΈ
Coat silicon wafer with photoresist
Align with photomask and expose light to pattern
Develop/etch to create patterns; implant dopants to form transistor gates
State of the art and future direction- Current cutting-edge processes described as around the 3 nanometer (nm) node, used in modern high-end devices (e.g., Apple iPhones). π±π
Ongoing research in new materials and lithography to continue device scaling and performance gains. β¨
Practical takeaway on device manufacturing- Photolithography and materials science are core to building the tiny, energy-efficient devices used in modern computing and communications. ππ»
A note on language and units in the talk- The speaker refers to βnanoβ and βnanoelectronicsβ as part of the scaling story; standard terms include nm (nanometer) to denote feature sizes. π
Examples, applications, and real-world relevance from the talk ππ‘
Israel Africa example: electricity access gap- A student from Africa highlighted that some towns have 24-hour electricity while neighboring towns have only 6 hours; solar panels could help bridge this gap. πβ
This illustrates energy access disparities and the potential impact of solar energy deployment on quality of life. π€
Arduino-powered solar-tracking sensor- Simple project used to demonstrate how solar energy can be harvested and tracked to optimize output. π€β
Solar panels on parking structures- Example of distributed generation enabling energy capture in urban environments. π Ώβ
Building automation and sensors- Embedded systems enable automated control of HVAC, lighting, security, and other building systems, illustrating practical applications of controls and embedded engineering. π’π‘
Chip-scale hardware and testing- Clean room facilities for chip design and fabrication allow hands-on experience with VLSI/CMOS processes and hardware-software integration. π¬π»
Real-world career paths- Alumni stories include diverse outcomes (e.g., roles in tech, real estate tech, medical devices, and more) highlighting the versatility of ECE training. π§βπβ‘πΌ
Quick synthesis: why this matters for your exam and future work ππ
Core takeaway on energy and power- Energy and power are tightly linked through the relationships P = VI and E = Pt = VI t; understanding these helps analyze any electrical system, from a light bulb to a power grid. π‘β‘
The engineering perspective- Engineers seek to improve energy efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and enable advanced technologies (phones, data centers, sensors, IoT, renewables). π·ββπ±π±
Education structure you should remember- Foundational base courses, a software design track, sophomore projects, and a senior-year design sequence with industry-sponsored options. ππ
Major selection after the sophomore year, with opportunities for a secondary focus or minor, and cross-disciplinary possibilities. πΊπ€
Real-world context and ethical implications- Energy growth drives environmental concerns (CO2, climate impact); equitable energy access remains a societal challenge. πβ
Engineers play a critical role in creating solutions that are efficient, affordable, and accessible. β π°
Quick reference formulas and facts (for your cheat sheet) β
Power: \ P = V I
Energy: \ E = P t = V I t
Energy in conventional units: E{kWh} = P{kW} \times t{h} with P{kW} = P/1000
Energy in joules: E = P \cdot t\; (J) when t is in seconds and P in watts
Ohmβs Law (preview): \ V = I R, \quad I = \frac{V}{R}
1 kWh equivalence: 1\ \text{kWh} = 3.6 \times 10^6\ \text{J}
Common device ranges (illustrative):- Light bulb (incandescent) ~60 W π‘; LED ~13β20 W π‘; LED efficiency relative to incandescent reduces heat loss
Refrigerator ~200 W π§; Microwave/monitor ~100 W π»; Water heater ~5000 W π₯
Energy prefixes (standard SI; note the lectureβs informal usage)- Large-scale: kilo (10^3), mega (10^6), giga (10^9), tera (10^{12})
Small-scale: milli (10^{-3}), micro (10^{-6}), nano (10^{-9})
Suggested study prompts based on this notes set βπ§
Explain the difference between energy and power with examples from everyday devices. π‘β‘
Derive the energy consumption for a 60 W light bulb left on for 3 hours in kWh. π§ͺ
What are the major components of the EE/EC program structure described, and how do sophomore projects feed into senior design? ππ
Summarize the global energy challenges mentioned and discuss how engineering design can address them through efficiency and renewables. πβ»
List three research centers at the university and their focus areas. π’π¬