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Technical PresentationFinal Year Project Presentations Electrical Engineering Students
Date: Thursday 18th April 2024
Time: 6.15pm Complimentary refreshments will be served at 5:45pm
Location: The Embassy Hotel, Valletta
Development of a standalone multi-stage thermoelectric module controller - Blundell Gareth
Thermoelectric Cooling (TEC) is extensively used as a solid-state heat-pumping solution. By controlling their power delivery, Thermoelectric Modules (TEMs) can deliver accurate and precise temperature control, making them suitable for applications in various sectors including medical, imaging and telecommunications. Multiple TEMs are commonly stacked to achieve larger temperature gradients. However, this necessitates the need for dynamic and accurate power delivery, which must be monitored to implement closed-loop control. Throughout this dissertation, a standalone, compact and cost-effective Multi-Stage Thermoelectric Module Controller (TEMC) prototype was developed. This TEMC is powered by multiple redundant DC power sources and supports stacks of up to four TEMs. Each stage is supplied by synchronous buck converters which can dynamically alter their power output, for a total of 171W. Concurrently, the junction temperatures are monitored using thin-film platinum resistance temperature detectors, which can achieve accuracy down to ±0.2°C. Configuration of the TEMC may be performed over USB communication, which is also used to provide feedback during operation.
Calibration and beamforming for a UHF geodesic phased array antenna – Casha Curtis
Spurred by recent advances in miniaturization, access to outer space has now broadened, and the industry has shifted from launching large satellites to launching small satellite constellations. Apart from being cheaper, such constellations provide a better coverage of the earth and reduce the risk of mission failure. Keeping these latest trends in mind, the University of Malta has embarked on a project to launch its own satellite constellation, with the aim of improving testing of materials and electronics for space-readiness. Traditionally, satellite communication would be conducted using mechanically steerable antennas. However, such a system would be too slow to communicate with multiple moving satellites simultaneously. As such, the university has also started development of a phased array antenna, which can electronically control the radiation pattern by combining the contributions of multiple fixed antennas. Since the accuracy of controlling the radiation pattern depends on the accuracy of the signals sent to each fixed antenna, an algorithm capable of determining and correcting for offsets present in the array itself is necessary. This project focuses on the development and testing of such a calibration algorithm, as well as the algorithm necessary to form a beam using such an array.
Development of an Automated Blood Perfusion System – Parnis Mario
This research started the development process of an automated blood perfusion system. Initially the requirements to building a perfusion system were identified. Following the requirements, procurement was performed where the procured components were a peristaltic pump, ultrasonic flow sensor, pressure sensor and board. The first stage of development was the interfacing of the sensors with the National Instruments LabView as Virtual Instruments. First the pressure board was interfaced with, then the flow sensor and finally the peristaltic pump. After the interfacing stages, the second stage of development was the process of characterising the sensors. The pressure sensor was characterised through a lab built U Tube Manometer. Next, a set of characterisations on the pump were performed mainly that of the pump display and pump RPM to flow rate by utilising a measuring cylinder and timer. Lastly, the flow sensor characterisation was performed by comparing with the pump display. The last stage of the work involved filtering the input data to cater for the pulsations created by the pump. Through experimentation the optimal moving average window size was selected for the pressure sensor and the flow sensor. Through these three stages, this research laid the groundwork to continue building an automated blood perfusion system.
Creating a simple real time X- Ray measuring device – Quattromani Therese
Since their discovery in 1985, X-Ray beams have become a vital part of our lives. They are used in multiple settings, medical applications making up for 99 % of the total amount of X-radiation the average person is exposed to in their life. There are great benefits to using X-radiation but since this form of radiation is ionizing – meaning it interacts and alters the matter it passes through – it can be quite dangerous. When X radiation is administered in a medical setting it must be ensured that no more than the necessary amount of radiation is administered, which results in the need for a real-time Xradiation measuring device that can be efficient, cost effective and accurate. Overall, this device must be reliable. The device I developed aimed to do just that, using simple electronic components to keep the cost low, and the size small. This also made the device accessible and easily maintained. The device size compared to others in literature which were comfortably implanted in patients to make radiotherapy readings possible. The system was tested with different settings and circumstances to see how it behaves and what is optimal for our purposes.
This is a free event open to the general public.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
The Embassy Valletta Hotel, Carcass - The City Bar, Triq id-Dejqa, Valletta, VLT, Malta,Valletta, Malta