Abstract:

The development of modelling and simulation competences is key in the engineering disciplines. Among other applications, these skills allow to study and understand physical phenomena, as well as analyze the response and the limits of real systems when they operate in different working conditions and are subjected to different external inputs.

Traditionally, in engineering degrees these competences are acquired in separated subjects without apparent connection. For instance, in the electrical circuits course, the equations that relate the voltage and the current are studied; meanwhile the relationships between acceleration, torques and forces are learned in mechanics-related subjects. However, it is well known that the integration of knowledge fields, as claimed by STEM approaches, facilitate learning, improves understanding, and refines knowledge more quickly. For this reason, it is important to propose methodological approaches that allow to work these engineering disciplines simultaneously. In this line, wind turbines are systems where electrical and mechanical approaches among others, are closely related and facilitate the integration of different knowledge fields.

In this work, a didactic practical proposal to combine the study of electronics, mechanics and mathematics in engineering is presented. Interdisciplinary and team work are required. The key learning objective is to establish a relationship among those domains. To do so, students are challenged to model and simulate a small 7kW wind turbine. Mechanical and electrical knowledge is explained and they should be able to represent it, following the principles and laws that govern the behavior. Once they have completed this task, they must scale this model to generate a 5MW one. To face this new task, they must analyze, understand, and interiorize the electromechanical equations they have used and propose alternatives to enlarge it, analysing the main parameters that may change the capacity of these devices.

The proposal is organized based on learning objectives, key materials, key skills, a time schedule, and an evaluation system to optimize its impact.

Keywords:

Didactic proposal, STEM, engineering, wind turbine.