34663 - Electrical Systems M

Learning outcomes

As the course is delivered in Italian, the reader is encouraged to refer to the corresponding box written in Italian. For convenience, however, the relevant translation in English is provided below. Fundamentals for the analysis of the performance and functionalities of an electrical installation. Transmission lines theory, line parameters appraisal and choice of the main characteristics/features of overhead lines and cables. Electric arc and short circuit current interruption. Manoeuvre and protection devices and apparatuses. Electrical safety. Main criteria for the design of MV and LV users electrical installations.

Course contents

As the course is delivered in Italian, the reader is encouraged to refer also to the corresponding box written in Italian. For convenience, however, the relevant translation in English is provided below.

he course is divided into two modules: Module 1, worth 6 ECTS credits, taught by Professor Carlo Alberto Nucci, and Module 2, worth 3 ECTS credits, taught by Professor Fabio Napolitano.

Module 1 consists of 60 hours and covers the structure and operating principles of electrical power systems, together with the theoretical foundations for their design and operation, the connection of renewable energy generators, and compliance with electrical safety requirements. The module also provides an introduction to smart grids, climate-neutral smart cities, energy communities, lighting engineering, and the protection of electrical lines and structures against lightning.

Module 2 consists of 30 hours and addresses the design and sizing criteria for medium- and low-voltage electrical installations, complemented by numerical exercises.

More specifically, the syllabus of Module 1 is as follows:

• Historical overview
• National electricity demand and the structure of transmission and distribution networks
• Transmission-line theory: primary and secondary constants, wave equations, and equivalent circuits
• Review of transformers and synchronous generators
• Symmetrical-component method for the analysis of unbalanced three-phase systems
• Calculation of short-circuit currents under unbalanced conditions
• Electrodynamic effects of short-circuit currents
• Electric arc theory
• Medium- and low-voltage switching and protection equipment
• Safety in electrical installations: voltage and current hazard curves, earthing systems, and protection against direct and indirect electric contact
• Neutral-point treatment
• Generating sets and uninterruptible power supply systems
• Introduction to power-flow analysis and basic calculation methods
• Technical rules for connection to distribution networks
  Energy communities: Citizen Energy Communities and Renewable Energy Communities
• Smart grids and climate-neutral smart cities
• Fundamentals of lighting engineering

The syllabus of Module 2 is as follows:

• Thermal behaviour of cables and the Joule integral
• Calculation of voltage drops in short three-phase and single-phase lines
• Coordination between the sizing of electrical conductors and overcurrent protection devices
• Selection of the electrical installation layout
• Conceptual design of secondary substations
• Conceptual design of earthing systems for medium- and low-voltage installations

Readings/Bibliography

As the course is delivered in Italian, the reader is encouraged to refer also to the corresponding box written in Italian. For convenience, however, the relevant translation in English is provided below.

• Copies of the slides illustrated during the course are provided to students before each relevant lecture; written notes prepared by the docents of the Electric Power Systems laboratory of the University of Bologna are provided to students too.

Teaching methods

As the course is delivered in Italian, the reader is encouraged to refer also to the corresponding box written in Italian. For convenience, however, the relevant translation in English is provided below.

• Traditional frontal lectures with the help of ppt slides and blackboard.
• Exercises on the blackboard.
• Laboratory exercises with the aid of the computer for the calculation and sizing of electrical systems.
• Laboratory sessions on MV and LV equipment.

Assessment methods

As the course is delivered in Italian, the reader is encouraged to refer also to the corresponding box written in Italian. For convenience, however, the relevant translation in English is provided below.

For 6 CFU Module an oral test is required to be successfully accomplished. To this aim, students must demonstrate solid preparation concerning the main concepts discussed in the lectures and in particular in relation to the theoretical basis, the methods of calculation and assessment of the equipment and the operating principles used. A higher score will be awarded to students who demonstrate that they understand and are able to apply all the methodological content by exposing them with mastery. The test is failed when the insufficient knowledge of the main concepts of matter and of the technical language are evident from their oral exposition.

For Module 3 CFU it is necessary to pass a written test regarding the design and sizing of an electrical system of MV/LV in which the presence of generation from renewable sources is expected to be included.

Teaching tools

As the course is delivered in Italian, the reader is encouraged to refer also to the corresponding box written in Italian. For convenience, however, the relevant translation in English is provided below.

• PPT Slides.
• Lecture notes by the faculty members of the Power Systems Laboratory of the University of Bologna.
• Multimedia didactical material, MOOCS
• Technical visit to a local Distribution System Operator station and/or one Station of the Italian System Operator
• Seminars by experts from professional associations and major electric players.

Office hours

See the website of Carlo Alberto Nucci

See the website of