Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara

Biomedical Engineering
Power Electronics
Jesús Arnoldo Zerecero Nuñez
2885993
“History of Power Electronics”
8/06/18
Introduction:

Power Electronics are the applications, methods and control of solid state electronics
(semiconductors) to generate and convert electric power.

Multiple power conversion systems are implemented in power electronics. These

are:

 AC to DC (rectifier)
 DC to AC (inverter)
 DC to DC (DC voltage to another DC voltage)
 AC to AC (AC waveform to another AC waveforms

Evolution of Power Electronics:

1902: Peter Cooper Hewitt invents the mercury arc rectifier.

1920s: Thyratrons (hot cathode glass bulbs) and mercury arc valves implemented
for power transmission.

1933: Invention of the selenium rectifiers.

1940: Wide usage of magnetic amplifiers (MAs)

1947: Invention of the bipolar point-contact transistor under the direction of William
Shockley.

1948: Shockley invents the BJT as we know it, improving stability and performance
for transistors.

1950s: High power diodes replace vacuum tubes.

1956: General Electric introduces the silicon controlled rectifier (SCR).

1960s: DC/DC converters are allowed by high switching speeds of BJTs.

1976: Invention of power MOSFETs.

1982: Introduction of the Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT).

1985: Implementation of AC-AC converters (matrix converters or direct PWM

frequency converters).

In the end, alternating current was preferred over direct current because of the long
distances it can travel without dropping its voltage or modifying its frequency and
waveform. That way, electrical power can be distributed easily using step up
transformers, for everyone to use. Also, AC is cheaper to generate and maintain,
and it can be converted to DC with ease.