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Power Electronics, Daniel W. Hart,Valparaiso University Valparaiso, Indiana, Mc

Graw Hill,2011

Power Electronics, Cyril W. Lander,School of Electronic and Electrical
Engineering, Leicester Polytechnic, Mc Graw Hill Book Company, Second Edition

Power Electronics: Circuits,Devices and Applications, Muhammed H. Rashid,
Electrical and Computer Engineering University of West Florida, Pearson Prentice
Hall, Third Edition

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Chapter 1: FUNDAMENTALS OF POWER
ELECTRONICS
o Applications of Power Electronics
o History of Power Electronics
o Power Semiconductor Devices
o Power Diodes
o Thyristors
o Power Transistors
o Control Characteristics of Power Devices
o Characteristics and Specifications of
Switches
o Ideal characteristics
o Characteristics of Practical Devices
o Thyristors
o Protection of Devices and Circuits
Chapter 2: RECTIFIERS
o Introduction
o Classification of Rectifiers
• Single-Phase Rectifiers
• Half-Wave Uncontrolled
• Half-Wave Controlled
• Full-Wave Uncontrolled
• Full-Wave Half-Controlled
• Full-Wave Full Controlled
•Three-Phase Rectifiers
• Half-Wave Uncontrolled
• Half-Wave Controlled
• Full-Wave Uncontrolled
• Full-Wave Half-Controlled
• Full-Wave Full Controlled
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Chapter 3: HARMONICS Chapter 4: INVERTERS

o Introduction oIntroduction
o Harmonic Analysis o Voltage Source Inverters
o Supply Aspects  Performance Parameters
o Load Aspects  Single-Phase Inverters
o Harmonic Generators  Three-Phase Inverters
o Effects of The Harmonics on the System o Voltage Control Of Inverters
o AC Filters Single Pulse Width Modulation
• Passive Filters Multiple Pulse Width Modulation
• Active Filters Sinusoidal Pulse Width Modulation
• Hybrid Filters Modified Sinusoidal Pulse Width Modulation
o Current Source Inverters

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Chapter 5: DC-DC CONVERTERS Chapter 6: APPLICATIONS

 Introduction to DC-DC Conversion o Power Electronics Applications

 Applications of DC-DC Converters SMPS
 Control of DC-DC Converters UPS
 Topologies of DC-DC Converters Electronic Ballasts

Buck Converter Led Drive

Boost Converter Motor Drives

Buck-Boost Converter Photovoltaics

Ćuk Converter Wind Power Generation
 Transformer Based DC-DC Converters Fuel Cell Power Generation

Flyback Converter Induction Heating

Forward Converter Power Quality Applications

Push-Pull Converter Electric Cars/Hybrid Cars
Aerospace

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• Class 80%
– Mid-term Examination 28%
– Final Examination 47%
– Homework 5%

• Laboratory 20%
– Experiment Reports 8%
– Exam 12%

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Chapter 1: FUNDAMENTALS OF POWER ELECTRONICS

o Applications of Power Electronics

o History of Power Electronics
o Power Semiconductor Devices
o Power Diodes
o Thyristors
o Power Transistors
o Control Characteristics of Power Devices
o Characteristics and Specifications of Switches
o Ideal characteristics
o Characteristics of Practical Devices
o Thyristors
o Protection of Devices and Circuits

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What is Power Electronics?

Power Electronics is a branch of Electrical Engineering that is concerned with the

conversion and control of electrical power for various application such as heating
and lighting control, dc and ac motor drivers, active power line filtering and many
more. The utility system usually generate, transmit and distribute power at a fixed
frequency ( 50 Hz or 60 Hz) and fixed voltage is maintained at the consumers
terminal. A consumer or load however may need power at dc or ac at the same
higher, lower or variable frequency.

Power Electronics
Load
Apparatus

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Power Electronic Systems
What is Power Electronics?

Power Electronics combine power, electronics and control. Control deals with the
steady-state and dynamic characteristics of closed-loop systems. Power deals with
the static and rotating power equipment for the generation, transmission, and
distribution of electric energy. Electronics deal with the solid-state devices and
circuits for signal of processing to meet the desired control objective.

Control
Analog - Digital

Electronic Power
Devices - Equipment
Circuits Static-Rotating

Power Electronics

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A power electronic system interface between the utility system and consumer load
to satisfy this need.

A power electronic apparatus consists of:

 a converter built on a matrix of power semiconductor switching devices

 an electronic control circuitry

The converters can be classified as:

1. Rectifier (ac-dc converter)
2. Inverter (dc-ac converter)
3. Chopper (dc-dc converter)
4. Ac power controller (ac-ac converter at some frequency)
Cycloconverter (ac-ac converter at various frequency)

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History of Power Electronics

It began with the introduction of mercury arc rectifier in 1900. Then the metal tank
rectifier, grid-controlled vacuum tube rectifier, ignitron, phanotron, and thyratron
were introduced gradually. These devices were applied for power control until the
1950s.

The first electronic revoluation began in 1948 with invention of the Silicon transistor
of Bell Laboratories. Modern microelectronics evolved over the years from Silicon
semiconductors.

The second electronic revoluation began in 1958 with the development of

commercial thyristor by GE Company. That was the beginning of a new era of Power
Electronics. Since then, many different types of power semiconductor devices and
conversion techniques have been introduced.

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 • Ignitron

• Mercury arc rectifier

Thyratron

• Phanotron

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Scope and Applications
 Power Processor as a Combination of Converters

• Most practical topologies require an energy storage element, which

also decouples the input and the output side converters
 AC Motor Drive

• Converter 1 rectifies line-frequency ac into dc

• Capacitor acts as a filter; stores energy; decouples
• Converter 2 synthesizes low-frequency ac to motor
• Polarity of dc-bus voltage remains unchanged
– ideally suited for transistors of converter 2
 Applications of Adjustable Speed Drives

Power Source Temperature and

Variable speed drive
humidity

Power Motor Air Building

Electronics conditioner Cooling
Converter

Desired
temperature Indoor temperature
System and humidity Indoor
Controller sensors
Desired
humidity
 Applications of Adjustable Speed Drives

• Conventional drive wastes energy across the throttling valve to adjust flow rate
• Using power electronics, motor-pump speed is adjusted efficiently to deliver the
required flow rate
Applications of Adjustable Speed Drives
Applications of Power Electronics
Applications of Power Electronics
Applications of Power Electronics
• It is predicted that, during the next few years, almost all of the electrical
energy will be processed through Power Electronics somewhere in the
path from generation to end-use.
• Power Electronics (PE) helps in the efficient use of electricity, thereby
reducing power consumption.
• The range of applications continue to expand in areas such as power
supplies to motion control, factory automation, transportation, energy
storage, multi-megawatt industrial drives, and electric power
transmission/ distribution.
• Large penetration of power electronics into power systems,
mainly in distributed generation.
• Large-scale use of power electronics in automotive applications.
This largely depends on political decisions as well as technology
advances.
• Advances in high current, higher voltage devices will have a major
impact on traction applications.
• Emerging applications in commercial / residential areas: HVAC,
Induction cooking, lighting, computer power etc.
• Distributed generation and power quality are important future
considerations.
• For very high-power applications, modularization will be
expanding, provided the system cost, efficiency, flexibility and
EMC are acceptable.
• For medium-power applications, the total system integration still
leaves a lot of room for improvements in cost, power modules,
control and sensing, passives, reliability and performance.
• Fast energy storage is required in numerous applications. At
present, super capacitors seem to be the most promising
solution for energies upto 5 kWh. In the next ten years, all
other energy storage options will continue to be considered.
• Applications in power transmission include HVDC converter
stations, Flexible AC Transmission Systems (FACTS).
• Applications in power distribution include DC-DC converters,
Dynamic filters, frequency conversion and Custom Power
Devices.
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Power Semiconductor Devices

 Power Diode
 Power Transistors (Power BJT, Power MOSFET,IGBT)
 Thyristors

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Power Diodes

A diode has two terminals: a cathode and anode. Power diodes are of three types:
 General purpose
 High speed (fast recovery)
 Schottky

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Types of Power Diodes

Line frequency (general purpose):

On state voltage: very low (below 1V)
Large trr(about 25us) (very slow response)
Very high current ratings (up to 5kA)
Very high voltage ratings(5kV)
Used in line-frequency (50/60Hz) applications such as rectifiers

Fast recovery
Very low trr (<1us).
Power levels at several hundred volts and several hundred amps
Normally used in high frequency circuits

Schottky
Very low forward voltage drop (typical 0.3V)
Limited blocking voltage (50-100V)
Used in low voltage, high current application such as switched mode power supplies.

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Diode Turn-Off

Diode turn-off

Fast-recovery diodes have a small reverse-recovery time

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Power Diodes

General purpose diodes are available up to 6000 V, 4500 A and rating of fast
recovery diodes range up to 6000 V, 1100 A. The reverse recovery time varies
between 0.1 and 5 µs.

The fast recovery diodes are essential for high frequency switching of power
converters.

Schottky diodes have low on state voltage and very small recovery time, typically
nanoseconds. Their rating are limited to 100 V and 300 A.

A diode conducts when its anode voltage is higher than its cathode voltage, a diode
is said to be in a blocking mode.

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The power semiconductor devices can be operated as switches by applying control
signals to the gate terminal of thyristors and power mosfet (and to the base of
bipolar transistor) required output is obtained by varying the conduction time of
these switching devices.

An ideal power semiconductor switches has:

• Zero conduction drop
• Zero leakage at off condition
• Turns on and off instantaneously

Such as devices lossless and therefore converter efficiency is 100 %.

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Thyristors

A thyristor has three terminals: anode, cathode and gate terminals. When a small
current is passed through the gate terminal to kathode, the thyristor conduct,
provided that the anode potential is higher than cathode potential.

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Thyristors

 Semicontrolled device
 Latches ON by a gate-current pulse if forward biased
 Turns-off if current tries to reverse

Some types of thyristors.

• Forced Commutated Thyristor

• Line Commutated Thyristor
• Gate Turn Off Thyristor (GTO)
• Reverse Conducting Thyristor(RCT)
• Static Induction Thyristor(SITH)
• Gate Assisted Turn Off Thyristor
• Light Activated Silicon Controlled Rectifier(LASCR)
• MOS Turn Off Thyristor(MTO)
• Emitter Turn Off Thyristor
• Integrated Gate Commutated Thyristor(IGCT)
• MOS Controlled Thyristor(MCT

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Thyristors

Once a thyristor is in a conduction mode, the gate circuit has no control and the
thyristor continues to conduct. When α is in conduction mode, the forward voltage
drop(Vak) is between 0.5 to 2 V.

A conducting thyristor can be turned off by making the potential of the anode equal
or less than the cathode potential.

The line commutated thyristors are turn off due to the sinusoidal nature of the
input voltage and forward commutated thyristor are turned off by an extra circuit
called commutation circuitry.

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Thyristors

Natural or line commutated thyristor:

are available with rating up to 6000 V, 4500 A

The turn of time of high speed thyristor is 10-20 µsn in a 3000 V – 3600 A thyristor.
The turn off time is defined as the time. Interval between the instant when the
principal current as decreased to zero after external switching of the principle
voltage circuit and instant when the thyristor is capable of supporting the specified
principal voltage without turning on.

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Thyristor in a Simple Circuit

• For successful turn-off, reverse voltage required for an interval greater than the turn-off interval

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Generic Switch Symbol

Generic controllable switch

• Idealized switch symbol

• When ON, current can flow only in the direction of the arrow
• Instantaneous switching from one state to the other
• Zero voltage drop in on-state
• Infinite voltage and current handling capabilities

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Power Transistors

• BJT
• Power MOSFET
• IGBT
• SIT

A bipolar transistor has three terminals. Base, emitter and collector terminal. It is
namely operated as switch in the common emitter configuration.

High power bipolar transistors are commonly used in power converters at a

frequency below 10 kHZ and are effectively applied in the power rating up to 1200V,
4000 A. VCE = 0.5-1.5V

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Bipolar Junction Transistors (BJT)

• Used commonly in the past

• Now used in specific applications
• Replaced by MOSFETs and IGBTs

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The IC-VCE characteristics of a practical BJT

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Classification of Bjt

1-Signal Transistor ( 0.1A)

2-Medium Power Transistor ( 0.5A- 1A)
3-Power Transistor (1A-20A)
4-High Power Transistor(20A and over)

Bjt used in amplifier circuits and low power electronic circuits as switching
element.

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Some useful information about motorola bjt

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Datasheet information of motorola bjt

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Various Configurations of BJTs

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MOSFETs

• Easy to control by the gate

• Optimal for low-voltage operation at high switching frequencies
• On-state resistance a concern at higher voltage ratings

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Power Mos

Mosfet used as switching element in:

motor control driver circuit

sensitive electronic circuits

computer technology

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Limiting Values

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Comparison with BJTs

 The Power Mosfets does not suffer from second breakdown, which limits the
safe operating are of BJT

 Power Mosfets do not require the large dc base-drive currents of power BJTs.

 The Power Mosfets, in general, a higher speed of operation than the power
BJT(This makes MOS power transistors especially suited to switching
applications- for instance, in motor-control circuits.

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Gate Turn-Off Thyristors(GTO)

• Slow switching speeds

• Used at very high power levels
• Require elaborate gate control circuitry

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Gate Turn-Off Thyristors(GTO)

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Gate Turn-Off Thyristors(GTO)
A GTO thyristor can be turned on by a single pulse of positive gate current, but in addition it
can be turned off by a pulse of negative gate current. Both on-state and off-state operation
of the device are therefore controlled by the gate current.

The turn on process is the same as that of thyristor.

The turn-off characteristics are somewhat different. When a negative voltage is applied
across the gate and cathode terminals, the gate current ig rises. When the gate current
reaches its maximum value, the anode current begins to fall, and the voltage across the
device, Vak begins to rise .The fall time of Ia is abrupt, typically less than 1 usec.

Thereafter the anode current changes slowly, and this portion of the anode current is known
as tail current. The ratio Ia/Igr of the anode current Ia to the maximum negative gate current
Igr required for turnoff is low, typically between 3 and 5. For example a 2500V, 1000 A Gto
typically requires a peak negative gate current of 250 A for turnoff. Typically Gtos are
restricted to operate at or below a 1KHz switching frequency.

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Gate Turn-Off Thyristors(GTO)
 Recently these devices have been developed with large voltage and current ratings and
improved performance.

 4000V, 3000A, 5-10 µsec GTOs are being used.

Snubber circuit is used for following

purposes:

o During the fall time of the turnoff process

the device current is diverted to the snubber
capacitor ( charging it up )

o The snubber limits the dv/dt across the

device during turnoff.
GTO with antiparallel diode and Snubber Circuit

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Some useful information about Powerex GTO

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Some useful information about Powerex GTO

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IGBT

in the high voltage converter

technology for power system
applications.

a hybrid semiconductor device that

literally combines the advantages of
MOSFETs and BJTs.

a voltage controlled-device like the

MOSFET but has lower conduction losses.

faster switching devices than BJTs but

not as the MOSFETs.

lower on-state voltage drop even the

blocking voltage is high.

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