"Automation in Energy Systems" course belongs to the Specific Training module ( Formación específica – FE ) of the Degree in Renewable Energy Engineering. It is a compulsory subject that is taught in the second term of the third year.



This course applies some knowledge acquired in the subjects of 1st year "Computer Science" (algorithmic abstractions and programming environments), 2nd year "Electrical Circuits" (fundamental equations of electricity) and "Electronics" (electronic devices) so it is convenient have ease with the contents of the mentioned courses.



The work developed in "Automation in Energy Systems", provides the necessary knowledge to automate renewable energy installations, so students will be able to adapt what they have been learnt to virtually any of the subjects that deal with the mentioned installations such as "Wind Energy", "Geothermal Energy", “Solar Thermal", " Hydraulic Energy " and "Solar Photovoltaic Energy" (3rd year), "Marine Energy” and "Solar Thermal Energy" (Optatives in 4th year). Obviously, students would get a good base to develop their “Final Degree Work" (4th year).



This subject provides RCO4 and RCO1 knowledge or content, RC4 competence, and HT1, HE1 and HE3 skills.

The following Knowledge or Content is obtained:

RCO4: The graduate will be able to describe the fundamentals of modelling, simulation and control of systems, instrumentation, monitoring and communication technologies, as well as equipment and systems for automating renewable energy installations.

RCO1: The graduate will be able to identify the concepts and techniques of basic and specific subjects, so that he can learn new modern engineering methods, theories and tools, providing the necessary adaptability to adapt to new situations in the exercise of his profession.

Further, the subject gives the following Aptitude:

RC4: The graduate will be able to apply the strategies of the scientific methodology: to analyse the problematic situation qualitatively and quantitatively, and to formulate hypotheses and solutions using the engineering models of renewable energies.



Learning results

-Student:

1) Analyze the specifications of automated renewable energy installations.

2) Choose the appropriate equipment and materials.

3) Design and implement automation projects. Design the necessary code for the system to work in compliance with the given specifications.

4) Perform tests and start ups.

5) Integrates security in the project and verifies compliance with regulations.

6) Integrate the maintenance in the project.

All the learning results are observable and controllable, both in written form by solving paper exercises (exercises, exams) and also by solving computer exercises using the programming procedure learnt with the software for the Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) or downloading the code to the PLC with its corresponding hardware implementation.

The score on each section of each proposed exercise, in the different tests, will show the acquired knowledge and learning results of the students, thus serving as a correction tool or feed-back in case of obtaining unsatisfactory results. For this, all the resolutions of the exercises proposed in the laboratory classes (PL), controls (CO), exams (EX) and laboratory test (EN), will be published later in the eGela platform.

In addition, the following Skills are obtained:

HT1: The Graduate may interpret the specifications, regulations and mandatory rules of the profession of Renewable Energy Engineer.

HE1: The graduate will be able to solve problems with initiative, decision-making, creativity and critical reasoning.

HE3: The graduate will be able to interpret relevant data, to express opinions, taking into account reflection on social, scientific or ethical issues, to carry out measurements, calculations, assessments, assessments, experts, studies, reports, work plans, etc.

The evaluation of these skills will be carried out in all the activities of the subject.

Unit 1: General concepts of Automation. Definitions. Goals. Operative part and command part. Automation Components in Renewable Energy systems. Description of varied technological solutions in automation.

Unit 2: Sensors: Choice, use and maintenance. Actuators: Choice, use and maintenance.

Unit 3: Programmable Logic Controller ( PLC ). Structure and operation. Programming languages: Contact scheme, Grafcet. Digital inputs and digital outputs, counters, timers, functions, analog inputs and analog outputs. Specific programs. Solar tracking algorithms and others.

Unit 4: Digital communications: General concepts. Communication networks in renewable energy facilities: Modbus, Profibus, CANopen, Industrial Ethernet, Zigbee.

Unit 5: Custom systems. Characteristics, structure and operation. PC compatible industrial computers. Applications of industrial PCs

Unit 6: Installation and maintenance of automatisms. Startup. Preventive Maintenance.

Unit 7: Standardization and equipment protection levels. Regulations. Protection and security elements.

The teaching methodology of the new Degrees in Engineering is based on the philosophy of the popular Bologna agreement, which includes, in addition to the hours taught in class (face-to-face teaching), the hours worked by the students outside of class (non-attendance teaching) ). All these hours of work are accounted for in ECTS credits, where 1 ECTS credit is composed of 10 contact hours plus 15 non-contact hours.

On-site teaching is composed of master classes (M), seminars (S) and laboratory practices (PL). Problem-based learning strategies and simulations are used.

In Lectures, theoretical concepts will be explained above all, and some exercises will be carried out and will be considered so that the students can do it on their own, individually.

In the Seminars there are questions related to the topics taught in the lectures (syllabus). The teacher will explain how to deal with situations, but above all it is the students who will do the exercises individually and also in groups, with the support of the simulation software, the automata and other equipment if necessary.

The Laboratory Practices will be carried out using the Simatic Siemens PLC programming software. The working process with the software will be explained through examples, proposing and performing exercises of increasing difficulty. The exercises can be done individually or in groups and if there is no enough time to solve them completely in the time of the practices, it will be necessary to use the corresponding non-contact teaching time.

There will be a Lab Notebook that includes all the theory explained, as well as the exercises proposed and solved throughout the course, in theory and in practice.

The tutoring hours serve the students so that the teacher, in his office, solves the doubts and questions that have not been clear to them either in the face-to-face classes or in the non-contact work hours. In no case is it about private classes for people who do not attend classes regularly.

In the case that sanitary conditions do not allow a classroom–based teaching or evaluation, it will be activated a non-face-to-face modality of which students will be promptly informed.

• Final Assessment System
• Tools and qualification percentages:
  • Written test to be taken (%): 60
  • Realization of Practical Work (exercises, cases or problems) (%): 40

The evaluation will be made according to these two possible cases, which take into account the student's desire to do a continuous (1) or final (2) assessment, and regular attendance at theory and practical classes (minimum 85). % of each one):

1) Final exam (EX, 30% of the final grade), control (CO, 30% of the final grade), laboratory work and delivery of notebooks and/or reports (PL, 20% of the final grade) and deliverable exercises (EN, 20% of the final grade). The transversal competences (CT, 5%) will be evaluated within the laboratory notebook. The final grade for this case will be calculated according to the following formula:

Final score = 0.3 * CO + 0.2 * PL + 0.2 * EN + 0.3 * EX

The individual control (CO) will be carried out at mid-semester and will evaluate the chapters taught in the first weeks, where if at least 50% of the grade is obtained, it will be possible to choose to examine only the second half (rest of the topics) in the final exam (EX), where it will be necessary at least 50% of the grade. Otherwise, the final exam will consist of the entire syllabus of the subject, where if this is the case the percentage assigned to the control will be assigned to the final exam, so the final formula to obtain the final grade will be:

Final score = 0.2 * PL + 0.2 * EN + 0.6 * EX

However, due to the continuous nature of the subject, examining the second half does not imply that the concepts acquired in the first part do not have to be remembered and/or used in the cases or sections in which it is necessary to do so. The deliverable exercises (EN) will consist of problems presented to small groups of students to make them and deliver them to the teacher, and there will be two in total, and it will be necessary to pass both of them (minimal of 50% ), in order to get approved this part. If a student fails one of these two exercises, the student will have to sit for the final practical exam. To be able to pass the subject, it is required to have a minimum of 50% exceeded in each of the parts that make up the final grade. Even if the grade (Final Grade) is 5 or higher, if in any of the parts the student has not achieved 50%, the grade will appear in the proceedings will be 4.5 Failed. Both the control (CO) and the examination (EX) will basically consist of exercises to be solved, in addition to some theoretical question. final examination consists of two parts, the theoretical part (EX) and the practical part.

Students who do not meet any of the following requirements will not be evaluated according to case 1) and will automatically be evaluated according to case 2):

• Does not regularly attend to practices (a minimum of 90%)

• Failure to take all the tests that make up the final grade during the semester

Students who voluntarily do not wish to be evaluated according to the case 1) and want to be evaluated themselves according to case 2), are entitled to it as long as they send a written enquire to the professor responsible for the course, in the first 9 weeks since the beginning of the semester ( article 8, point 1. of the Regulation for the Evaluation of students in the official Bachelor's degrees, 02/19/2020).

Students who hinder or obstruct the normal development of the classes (for not being silent, for being late repeatedly, etc.), after two notices, will not be able to attend anymore to class and will go directly to be evaluated according to the case 2).

2) Final exam, which will consist of a theoretical part (EX, 70% of the final grade) and a practical part (EP, 30% of the final grade). This case will be applied to people who do not attend class (enrolled by free), to those who have not reached 90% attendance, and also to those who have requested it in due form. The final grade will be calculated using the following formula:

Final Note = 0.7 * EX + 0.3 * EP

Even if the grade (Final Grade) is 5 or higher, if in any of the parts the student has not achieved 50%, the grade will appear in the proceedings will be 4.5 Failed.

Students declining to sit in the exam call for evaluation, in the case of continuous assessment, case 1), will send a written enquire to the professor responsible for the course within a period of at least one month before the end date of the teaching period, will be assessed as "No grade reported". For the case of final evaluation, case 2), failure to submit to the final official examination will automatically waive the corresponding call, appearing "No grade reported", ( Article 12, points 2 and 3., respectively, of the Regulation for the Evaluation of students in the official Bachelor's degrees, 02/19/2020).

For the extraordinary exam call, final evaluation will be used 2), that is, a theory exam (EX) and a practical exam (EP).

Final score = 0.7 * EX + 0.3 * EP

The practical exam (EP) is not compulsory if both parts (PL) and (EN) were approved individually in the ordinary call, in which case the grade obtained in the ordinary call would be used in the computation of the final grade (PL + EN = EP). In order to pass, it is required to have a minimum of the corresponding 50% passed in each of these two parts (EX) and (EP) that make up the final grade for the course.

Even if the grade (Final Grade) is 5 or higher, if in any of the parts the student has not achieved 50%, the grade will appear in the proceedings will be 4.5 Failed.

From one year to the next one, there is no any records saved.

SIEMENS S-7, Manuales de usuario

Basic bibliography

BALCELLS, J. Autómatas programables. Marcombo, Barcelona, 1997.

PIEDRAFITA, R. Ingeniería de automatización industrial. RAMA, Madrid, 1999.

In-depth bibliography

FRIEDRICH FRÖHR, Introducción al control electrónico, Marcombo.
CEMBRANOS, F. Sistemas de control secuencial, Paraninfo, 1998.

Journals

Automática e Instrumentación, http://www.biblioteka.ehu.es/

Web addresses

Website of Siemens and other equipment manufacturers.