Universiti Putra Malaysia was first established as the School of Agriculture in 1931. The school was located on a 22-acre piece of land in Serdang and offered two programmes - a three-year diploma programme and a one-year certificate course in Agriculture. In 1947, the school was declared the College of Agriculture Malaya by Sir Edward Gent, the then Governor of the Malayan Union. The establishment of Universiti Pertanian Malaysia came about when the College of Agriculture in Serdang merged with the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Malaya. Dr. Mohd. Rashdan bin Haji Baba, the then principal of the College of Agriculture Malaya, was appointed as the first Vice-Chancellor by virtue of the provisions of Section 18 of the Universities and University Colleges Act, 1971. With the first intake of 1,559 students, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia had its first academic session in July 1973 in the three central faculties and one basic division: the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Forestry, Faculty of Agriculture, and a Division of Foundation Studies. In the early 80s, UPM extended its area of studies to include the field of Science and Technology (S&T). In 1997, the name Universiti Pertanian Malaysia was changed to Universiti Putra Malaysia by former Prime Minister, Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammad, as a strategic gesture to portray the status of UPM as a centre of higher education capable of providing various fields of studies, especially in agriculture, science and information technology, which facilitate national development in the new millennium.
Transformer Research Team
The transformer research team at Universiti Putra Malaysia is part of the research center known as Advanced Lightning, Power and Energy Research Centre (ALPER). The aim of the ALPER is to strengthen the governance and research visibility of Universiti Putra Malaysia. The transformer research team is currently headed up by Associate Professor Ir Dr Norhafiz Azis. The team consists of Professor Ir Dr Mohd Zainal Abidin Ab Kadir, Associate Professor Dr Jasronita Jasni and Prof Ir Dr Robiah Yunus. In total, 12 PhD Students, 1 research officer and 1 post-doctoral research associate actively perform researches on different topics of transformers. The operation of the team is also supported by 2 assistant engineers.
The transformer research group has delivered in excess of 50 journal publications and 20 conference proceedings as well as participated in several national standard-working groups related to transformers and high voltage testing by Department of Standards Malaysia. Members of the team have also received 4 awards for the best papers and presentations at various IEEE national/international conferences.
Transformer Research Scopes
Transformer Research Facilities
Transformer research facilities at Universiti Putra Malaysia include high voltage and dielectric laboratories. The following instrumentations are available in Universiti Putra Malaysia for sample preparations and various types of electric testing.
Dielectric laboratory
- Vacuum oven
- Air circulating oven
- AC breakdown test set
- Oil processing system
High voltage laboratory
- 420 kV (rated DC charging voltage) impulse test set
- 100 kV AC test set
- 130 kV DC test set
- High-speed imaging camera
- Partial discharge detector
In addition, transformer research activities in Universiti Putra Malaysia are supported by various industries, which provide testing facilities for research purposes.
- Particle counter test set
- Karl fisher titration test set
- Potentiometric titration test set
- Kinematic viscometer test set
- Dielectric constant, tan delta and resistivity test set
- Frequency response test set
- Winding resistance, excitation current and turn ratio test set