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Power Electronics
COURSE CODE: EL 379
Lecturer: Kobina Abakah-Paintsil Course Structure
2
1. Theory
Email: [email protected]
2. Simulations
Open Hours: Tuesdays, 1:00 – 5:00 pm 3. Hands-on Practical
4. Case Studies
Course Summary

1. Introduction to Power Electronics Course Assessment

2. Diodes and Uncontrolled Rectification Assessment Allocated
SN
Type Marks
3. Thyristors and Controlled AC-DC
1 Attendance 10
Conversion 2 Quizzes 15
4. Turn-off Devices and DC-AC Converters 3 Case Study 10
5. DC-DC Converters 4 Assignments 5
5 Semester Exam 60
6. AC-AC Power Converters
Total 100
7. Power Converters for Electric Drives
Resources 3

1 Handout

2 MATLAB & EasyEDA

For MATLAB preferably R2021; but minimum requirement is
R2016.
3 VLE
4 YouTube and Reference Books

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 01

Introduction to Power
Electronics
PART I
What is Power Electronics? 6

1. The control and conversion of electrical power by power

semiconductor devices wherein these devices operate as
switches.

2. It incorporates:
i. Analog Circuits
ii. Electronic Devices
iii. Control Systems
iv. Power Systems
v. Magnetics
vi. Electrical Machines
Fig. 1 Relationship of Power Electronics
vii. Numerical Simulation to the Three Major Electrical Engineering
Disciplines
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What is Power Electronics? 7

3. Power electronics may be defined as the subject of applications

of solid state power semiconductor devices (Thyristors) for
the control and conversion of electric power.

4. Power electronics is limited to uses in which electrical power

flows through and is controlled by one or more solid-state
power devices.

5. The most important distinction between power electronics and

small-signal electronics is the importance attached to overall
power efficiency.

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What is Power Electronics? 8

1. Without Power Electronics

Mostly linear,
inefficient and
AC Supply bulky control Loads:
(50Hz, 240V) methods Bulbs
Ovens
DC Supply Fans
Home Appliances

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 What is Power Electronics? 9

2. With Power Electronics

Power Loads:
AC Supply Electronics Bulbs
(50Hz, 240V) -Magnitude control
Ovens
-Frequency control
-Waveform shape Fans
DC Supply
control Home Appliances

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Brief History of Power Electronics 10

1. It started with the development of the mercury arc rectifier by

Peter Cooper Hewitt in 1902 to convert AC into DC.

2. The first SCR (silicon controlled rectifier) or Thyristor was

invented and developed by Bell Lab’s in 1956 which was the
first PNPN triggering transistor.

3. The second electronic revolution began in the year 1958 with

the development of the commercial grade Thyristor by the
General Electric Company (GE).

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When is Power Electronics Used? 11

1. Situations where voltage and/or current is needed in another

form other than the regular voltage/current supply.

2. Situations where a variation of voltage and/or current levels is

required with high efficiency.

3. Modification of voltage/current characteristics lead to a better

product.

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Applications of Power Electronics 12

1. Commercial: Elevators, Computers, UPS, Refrigeration Units.

2. Domestic: UPS, Refrigerators and Freezers, PCs, Sound
Systems, Cell phones.
3. Industrial: Arc furnaces, Induction furnace, Induction Heaters,
Welders, Pumps, Compressors.
4. Aerospace: Satellite power systems, aircraft power systems.
5. Telecommunications: UPS, Antenna Power Supplies
6. Transportation: Traction control, Electric vehicle (EV)
Charging, Hybrid Vehicle Charging, electric trains, automobile
electronics.
7. Utility: Fuel cells, High Voltage DC transmission (HVDC),
VAR compensation (SVC), Wind Turbines
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Comparison with Old Technologies 13

Incandescent Compact Fluorescent Light Emitting

Bulb Lamp Bulb Diode Bulb

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Comparison with Old Technologies 14

Choke/Ballast
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Power Electronics in Brief 15

1. Power electronics basically consists of various topologies of

converters with the primary goal of converting available power
supply to the desired characteristics demanded by the load.

2. These converters can be classified mainly into:

i. AC-AC converters (Regulators)
ii. AC-DC converters (Rectifiers)
iii. DC-AC converters (Inverters)
iv. DC-DC converters (Choppers)

3. This requires the use of fast and controlled switching in a

particular pattern.
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What to Study 16

1. Switches: Diodes, Transistors, MOSFETS, Thyristors, etc.

2. Selecting best device for an application: Switching

characteristics of switches.

3. Pattern of supply: Wave shape to be produced and controlled,

load behaviour, pattern of desired output voltage.

4. Converters: how to produce required waveforms, converter

topologies.

5. Controllers: Identification of switching patterns, design of

control systems for switches.

6. Harmonics and Electromagnetic Interference

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PART II
Power Converters as Switching
Matrices 18

1. If there are m incoming

lines and n outgoing lines,
the matrix has m × n
switches.

2. Solid-state switches are

mostly unilateral hence the
number of switches will be
2 × m × n, one for each
polarity. Fig. 2 m×n Switching Matrix

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Power Filters 19

1. Switch action by switches in

power converters generate high
frequency discrepancies in the
voltage/current waveform and as
such must be filtered out to protect
the load

2. Input filters are used to screen-out

undesirable voltage/current ripples Fig. 3 Switching Matrix with Power Filters
from the voltage/current supply to
the power converter.

3. Filters contribute to cost and

weight and hence must be
optimized based on use.
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Power Filters 20

1. Switch action by switches in

power converters generate high
frequency discrepancies in the
voltage/current waveform and as
such must be filtered out to protect
the load

2. Input filters are used to screen-out

undesirable voltage/current ripples Fig. 3 Switching Matrix with Power Filters
from the voltage/current supply to
the power converter.

3. Filters contribute to cost and

weight and hence must be
optimized based on use.
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Solid State Switches 21

Table 1 Summary of Types of Switches

Type Examples Function
Conduct automatically when
Type 1 Diodes
forward polarity is applied.
Begin to conduct in the forward
direction upon command of a
Type 2 Thyristors or SCRs control signal and continue to
conduct until the next current zero
crossing.
Transistors, Gate Forward conduction can be
Controlled Switches, initiated and interrupted by control
Type 3
Force-Commutated signals.
Thyristors
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Operation of an AC/DC Converter 22

Fig. 3 Regions of Operation of an AC/DC Converter

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Functional Categories of
Applications 23

Fig.4 Types of Power Converters

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