Lixuan Lu, PhD
Professor
Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
Dr. Lu’s research focus includes probabilistic safety assessment and artificial intelligence.
Areas of expertise
Courses
- ELEE 2450UDigital SystemsBoolean algebra and truth tables; combinational logics: AND, OR, NOT, XOR gates; sequential circuits: flip-flops, counters, memory circuits; logic circuit analysis, synthesis, and optimization; A/D and D/A interfaces; ROM and RAM; Programmable Logic Arrays (PLA), Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC).
- ELEE 2790UElectric CircuitsBasic concepts of electricity, magnetism and electric circuits; DC and AC driven circuits; series and parallel circuits; Ohm Law, Kirchhoff Laws, Thevenin Theorem, Norton Theorem, operation of electrical equipment such as instruments, motors, generators; response to step functions; response to sinusoids, steady state AC, resonance, parallel resonance, AC power, power factor, power factor correction; introduction to magnetic circuits: coils, solenoids, transformers; single and three phase circuits, basic operation of electrical measuring equipment; basics of electronics: diodes, transistors, operational amplifiers.
- ELEE 3140UComputer ArchitectureComputer systems generation: main-frame, mid-range, microcomputers; peripherals and interfaces; bus design; input/output systems and technologies; central processing units: arithmetic logic and control units; semiconductor memory (RAM and ROM), magnetic disks and tapes, optical disks; assembly and high-level programming language; integer and floating point arithmetic, pipelining and parallelism; CISC vs. RISC.
- NUCL/ESNS 3740UScientific InstrumentationThis course is designed to instruct students how to set, use and analyze the appropriate sensor technology (transducers) for measurements related to nuclear technology. In the course the student will learn how to perform experimental data analysis, how various components of sensing devices inter-relate (for example, relationships between amplifiers, transformers, filters, etc.), the operating principles of transducers for physical measurements, including, but not limited to: ionizing radiation, displacement and area, pressure, flow, temperature, force, torque, strain, motion, vibration, and air pollution. The student will learn both analog and digital techniques for data analysis, including multiplexing, data conversion and error detection and correction. The laboratory exercises will give the student hands-on experience designing measurement systems. Proper data reporting techniques will also be emphasized.
- ESNS/ENGR 4660URisk Analysis MethodsStudents will apply probability theory to discrete and continuous events. Topics include: random variables; decision theory, including Bayes’ Theorem, the likelihood principle, prior posterior and predictive distributions and survival models. Students will also study chemical, physical, biological hazards; recognition, evaluation, prevention and control of hazards; industrial hygiene and occupational health; analysis, assessment, characterization and communication of risks.
- ENGR 4730UReactor ControlThe time and frequency domain performance characterizations of control loops are introduced with consideration of actuator and sensor limitations. Different controller design and tuning methods and instrumentation calibration procedures are discussed. Advanced control technologies, such as distributed control systems are introduced in view of their potential applications in the existing and newly constructed CANDU power plants. Students gain familiarity with the use of indicators and alarms; the role of the operator, man-machine interface design; the use of computers in reactor control; in-core and out-of-core measurement of neutron flux, spatial flux control, start-up instrumentation, failed fuel detection and location; reactivity control methods, mechanisms and algorithms; reactor shutdown methods, mechanisms and systems; loss of reactor control; heat transport system pressure and inventory control.
- NUCL 5050GApplied Risk AnalysisThis course presents principles and methods for assessing and managing technological risks. The following subjects are covered: probability theory; failure rates; availability; reliability; test frequencies; dormant and active systems; initiating events; fault trees and event trees; dual failures; defence in depth; principle of control, cool, contain; accident prevention, mitigation and accommodation; separation and independence; redundancy; common mode events; safety culture; safety analysis techniques; inherent safety features; plant safety systems; probability evaluation for simple systems; quantitative and probabilistic safety assessment; calculation of frequency and consequences of power plant accidents; risk-based decision making; and risk-based regulation. Applications include aerospace, energy and nuclear systems safety analysis.
Education
- 2005PhD in Electrical and Computer EngineeringUniversity of Western Ontario, London, Ontario
- 2001MES in Automatic ControlBeijing Institute of Technology, China
- 1998BES in Automatic ControlBeijing Institute of Technology, China