Power Electronics

Subject description

Overview of power electronics main topics. A brief historical development of electrical switches. Semiconductor switches: physical principle, conventional and modern switches, static and dynamic characteristics, important parameters, selection, dimensioning, protection, cooling, future trends.

Uncontrolled rectifiers: operation, commutation, characteristics, dimensioning.

Controlled rectifiers: operation, commutation, characteristics, dimensioning, load influence. Control demands, design of control pulse devices.

Influence of controlled rectifiers on supply grid, phase shift, reactive power. Principles of reactive power reduction.

Inverter topologies, converters in ac and dc circuits. Principles of modulations, pulse width modulation, Voltage and current source inverters, characteristics, basic topologies. Applications of semiconductor converters in electrical drives, typical examples from the industry.

Transient loses, inductors and capacitors. Influence of converters on the grid, pasive and active filters, EMC compatibility and protection.

The subject is taught in programs

Objectives and competences

To acquire knowledge on elements and devices of power electronics which are applied in controlled electrical drives, to understand their operation, to select and optimize them and include them in complex automated systems.

Teaching and learning methods

The lectures provide a theoretical background on discussed topics. A complete study material is available to the students.

Successful practical work on laboratory excercises, which take place in smaller groups, enables prior acquaintance of the students with computational and demo tasks.

Expected study results

After successful completion of the course, students should be able to:

– Differentiate among elements of power electronics circuits.

– Describe basic principles of power converters operation.

– Use corresponding type of converter for chosen practical application.

– Explain the importance of voltage and current conversion for optimal operation of industrial devices in terms of technical, economic and ecological point of view.

– Calculate electrical and thermal parameters of converter’s circuits.

– Estimate of important role of energy efficiency in energy conversion process.

– Handle with characteristic power electronics devices.

Basic sources and literature

  1. R. Fišer, Interno študijsko gradivo v pisni in elektronski obliki.
  2. F. L. Luo, H. Ye, Power Electronics – Advanced Conversion Technologies, CRC Press, 2010.
  3. N. Mohan, Power Electronics – a First Course, Wiley, 2012.
  4. M. H. Rashid, Power Electronics Handbook – Third Edition, Elsevier, 2011.
  5. I. Batarseh, Power Electronic Circuits, John Wiley&Sons, 2004.
  6. S. Ang, A. Oliva, Power-Switching Converters, CRC Taylor&Francis, 2005.
  7. B. Wu, High-Power Converters and AC Drives, Wiley Interscience, 2006.
  8. S. Linder, Power Semiconductors, EPFL Press, CRC, 2006.

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