The commercial and educational benefits of variable-speed drive testing facilities

The paper describes a test bed for small drives (10 hp) which has been operated with considerable success for seven years as a service to industry, power utilities, and government agencies. The interaction between the operation of a test facility within the university and the functions of an instructional environment has been especially beneficial in promoting student interest in motors and drives. Adaptation of the techniques of the test bed have been incorporated into contemporary teaching equipment thus expanding power engineering education at a time when many electrical engineering schools in North America have virtually abandoned energy related aspects of their programs. Currently, the need to promote efficient energy usage is recognized by the US Department of Energy and most major power utilities who are to fund the development of larger test facilities to evaluate the qualification of newer technologies for rebate programs. Details of plans for test beds for motors and drives up to 300 hp are given and intended applications are described