Lecture 01

INTRODUCTION TO
POWER ELECTRONICS
 What is power electronics?
 Definition

 Conversion of electric power

 The interdisciplinary nature

 Position and significance in the human society

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 What is power electronics?
 Power Electronics:
– is the electronics applied to conversion and control of electric power.

 Range of power scale :

 milliwatts(mW) megawatts(MW) gigawatts(GW)

 A more exact explanation:

 The primary task of power electronics is to process and control
the flow of electric energy by supplying voltages and currents
in a form that is optimally suited for user loads.

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 Conversion of electric power

Electric  Other names for electric

Power Power Power power converter:
input output
Converter -Power converter
-Converter
Control -Switching converter
input -Power electronic circuit
-Power electronic converter

Changeable properties in
Two types of electric power
conversion

DC(Direct Current) Magnitude

Frequency, magnitude,
AC (Alternating Current)
number of phases

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 Classification of power converters

Power
output
Power DC AC
input
AC to AC converter
AC AC to DC converter ( Fixed frequency : AC controller
(Rectifier) Variable frequency: Cycloconverter
or frequency converter)

DC DC to DC converter DC to AC converter
(Chopper) (Inverter)

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 Power electronic system
Generic structure of a power electronic system

Power Power Power

input output
Converter

Control input
Feedforward/Feedback Feedback/Feedforward
Controller
( measurements of input signals ) ( measurements of output signals )
Reference
(commanding)

 Control is invariably required.

 Power converter along with its controller including the
corresponding measurement and interface circuits, is
also called power electronic system.

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Typical power sources and loads for a power electronic system

Power input Power Power output

Source Load
Vi ii Converter io Vo

-Electric utility -Electric Motor

Feedback/
-battery -light
-other electric energy Feed forward
source -heating
Controller -power converter
-power converter Reference -other electric or
electronic equipment

 The task of power electronics has been recently extended to

also ensuring the currents and power consumed by power
converters and loads to meet the requirement of electric
energy sources.

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 The interdisciplinary nature
William E. Newell’s description

Power electronics is the interface between

electronics, power and control.
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 Relation with multiple disciplines

Systems & Signal

Control theory processing
Circuit
Simulation &
theory
computing

Electric Power
Electronics
machines electronics

Power Solid
systems state
Electromagnetics physics

 Power electronics is currently the most active discipline in

electric power engineering worldwide.
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 Position and significance in the human society
 Electric power is used in almost every aspect and everywhere of
modern human society.
 Electric power is the major form of energy source used in modern
human society.
 The objective of power electronics is exactly about how to use
electric power, and how to use it effectively and efficiently, and how
to improve the quality and utilization of electric power.
 Power electronics and information electronics make two poles of
modern technology and human society—— information electronics
is the brain, and power electronics is the muscle.

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 The History
Application of
fast-switching
Invention of fully-controlled
Thyristor semiconductor
devices GTO
GTR IGBT
Mercury arc rectifier Power diode Power MOSFET Power MOSFET
Vacuum-tube Thyristor Thyristor Thyristor
rectifier Thyratron (microprocessor) (DSP)
1900 1957 mid 1970s late 1980s

Pre-history 1st phase 2nd phase 3rd phase

 The thread of the power electronics history precisely follows and matches the
break-through and evolution of power electronic devices

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 Applications
 Industrial
 Transportation
 Utility systems
 Power supplies for all kinds of electronic equipment
 Residential and home appliances
 Space technology
 Other applications

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 Industrial applications
• Motor drives
• Electrolysis
• Electroplating
• Induction heating
• Welding
• Arc furnaces and ovens
• Lighting

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 Transportation applications
• Trains & locomotives
• Subways
• Trolley buses
• Magnetic levitation
• Electric vehicles
• Automotive electronics
• Ship power systems
• Aircraft power systems

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 Utility systems applications

• High-voltage dc transmission
(HVDC)
• Flexible ac transmission (FACTS)
• Static var compensation &
harmonics suppression: TCR, TSC,
SVG, APF
• Custom power & power quality
control
• Supplemental energy sources :
wind, photovoltaic, fuel cells
• Energy storage systems

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 Power supplies for electronic equipment

• Telecommunications

• Computers

computer
• Office equipment server

• Electronic instruments

• Portable or mobile electronics

Telecommunication
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 Residential and home appliances
• Lighting
• Heating
• Air conditioning
• Refrigeration & freezers
• Cooking
• Cleaning
• Entertaining

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 Applications in space technology
• Spaceship power
systems

• Satellite power
systems

• Space vehicle power

systems

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 Other applications
• Nuclear reactor
control

• Power systems for

particle
accelerators

• Environmental
engineering

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 Trends
• It is estimated that in developed countries now 60% of the
electric energy goes through some kind of power electronics
converters before it is finally used.

Power electronics has been making major

contributions to:
--better performance of power supplies and better control of
electric equipment
--energy saving
--environment protection

reduction of energy consumption leads to less pollution

reduction of pollution produced by power converters
direct applications to environment protection technology

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 A simple example
A simple dc-dc converter example

Input source:100V
Output load:50V, 10A, 500W
How can this converter be realized?

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 Dissipative realization
Resistive voltage divider

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 Dissipative realization
Series pass regulator:
transistor operates in active region

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 Use of a SPDT switch

SPDT: Single pole double throw

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 The switch changes the dc voltage level

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 Addition of low pass filter
Addition of (ideally lossless) L-C low-pass filter,
for removal of switching harmonics:

Choose filter cutoff frequency f0 much smaller than

switching frequency fs
This circuit is known as the “buck converter”
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 Addition of control system for
regulation of output voltage

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 Tasks of Power Electronics

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 Major issues in power electronics
• How to meet the requirement of the load or gain better control
of the load

• How to improve the efficiency

--for reliable operation of power semiconductor devices
--for energy saving

• How to realize power conversion with less volume, less

weight, and less cost

• How to reduce negative influence to other equipment in the

electric power system and to the electromagnetic environment

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