Proposal of a Low-Cost Didactic Dynamic Mechanical Load Emulator for Electric Machines Lab's Course

Replicating authentic mechanical loads for experimental purposes can present difficulties for laboratory classes. This paper explores the development of a Dynamic Load Emulator (DLE) specifically designed to address this challenge, focusing on effectively replicating constant torque and power profiles within the designated operational range. The emulator employs a synchronous generator as its core component and implements dynamic voltage control in the field winding through the utilization of torque and speed sensors, an Arduino UNO microcontroller, and a Buck converter. The entire system is simulated using the Typhoon HIL software platform. By undertaking this project, our aim is to contribute to the advancement of teaching and learning methodologies in the fields of power electronics, closed-loop dynamic control, electrical machines, and embedded systems. The experimental findings illustrate that the system effectively follows the torque or power reference, exhibiting a maximum deviation of 4.1%. In the case of constant torque control, this deviation is further minimized to 3.3%. The collected data underscores the achievement of a successful Dynamic Load Emulation (DLE) methodology designed for educational objectives.