9/4/23, 8:02 AM Basic Power Electronics Interview Questions - Inst Tools

Pages

Inst Tools Menu

Basic Power Electronics Interview Questions

by Editorial Staff

What is holding current in SCR?

It is the minimum current required to hold the SCR in forward conduction state.
When the forward current becomes less than holding current, SCR turns from forward conduction state
to forward blocking state.

What is latching current in SCR?

It is the minimum current required to latch(turn on) the SCR from forward blocking state to forward
conduction state.

What are the different turn on methods of SCR?

Forward voltage triggering

Gate Triggering
dv/dt triggering

https://instrumentationtools.com/basic-power-electronics-interview-questions/ 1/15
9/4/23, 8:02 AM Basic Power Electronics Interview Questions - Inst Tools

Temperature triggering

Light triggering

What is snubber circuit?

The snubber circuit is used for the dv/dt protection of the SCR. It is a series combination of a resistor and
a capacitor in parallel with the SCR.

What is hard switching of the thyristor?

When gate current is several times higher than the required gate current, the SCR is said to be hard fired.
It reduces the turn ON time and enhances the di/dt capability.

What is firing angle?

The angle between the zero crossing of the input voltage and the instant the SCR is fired is called as
delay angle or firing angle.

https://instrumentationtools.com/basic-power-electronics-interview-questions/ 2/15
9/4/23, 8:02 AM Basic Power Electronics Interview Questions - Inst Tools

What is meant by SOA?

SOA – Safe Operating Area determines the voltage and current boundary within which the Power Device
can be operated without destructive failure.

What are the main components used for isolating the Power Circuits, Power Semiconductor from
the low-power circuit?

Opto-Couplers, Transformers

Name some of the current controlled (current driven) devices

SCR, GTO, GTR

Name some of the voltage driven ( Voltage controlled) devices

IGBT, MCT, IGCT, SIT

https://instrumentationtools.com/basic-power-electronics-interview-questions/ 3/15
9/4/23, 8:02 AM Basic Power Electronics Interview Questions - Inst Tools

What is duty cycle?

It is the ratio of the ON time of the chopper to total time period of the chopper.
D = Ton / [Ton + Toff]

Can fuses with an AC voltage rating be used in a DC applications?

Fuses must be rated for the voltage AC or DC in which they will be used.
Generally, fuses have a DC voltage rating that is half of the maximum AC voltage rating.

What are the characteristics of ideal Opamp?

Infinite open loop voltage gain

Infinite input impedance
Zero output impedance
Infinite Bandwidth
Zero offset voltage

For High voltage applications will you prefer MOSFET or IGBT?

For High voltage applications we have to use IGBT.

Because MOSFETs are low voltage devices. ie, Their voltage rating is lesser than IGBT.
General rule is MOSFETs are suitable for applications which has breakdown voltage less than 250V.
The IGBTs are suitable for applications which has breakdown voltage upto 1000V.

For High frequency applications will you prefer MOSFET or IGBT? Why?

https://instrumentationtools.com/basic-power-electronics-interview-questions/ 4/15
9/4/23, 8:02 AM Basic Power Electronics Interview Questions - Inst Tools

For High frequency applications, MOSFET is the right choice of the device.
Because MOSFET has low switching losses compare to that of IGBT.
General rule of thumb is for low-frequency applications having frequency range upto 20kHz, we
have to use IGBT.

For high frequency applications having frequency range of more than 200kHz, we have to use
MOSFET.

Draw the buck topology?

In most of the power electronics interview questions, you are going to face this basic question. Not only
buck converter, the interviewer may ask you to draw other fundamental topologies too

So you should be familiar with other basic topologies like Flyback, Boost , Buck-boost….

Which is the good choice among the 2 options mentioned below to get the 12V as an output? why?

Option I: Input voltage = 48V,

Option II: Input voltage = 24V

Answer:

We know that
Duty cycle D = Vout / VInput

For case I
D = 12/48 = 0.25

For case II
D = 12/24 = 0.5

https://instrumentationtools.com/basic-power-electronics-interview-questions/ 5/15
9/4/23, 8:02 AM Basic Power Electronics Interview Questions - Inst Tools

So for case II, the duty cycle is more than case I.

It means device is turned ON more time in the second case. while designing SMPS we have to consider

the principle mentioned in Q-3.

What is effect of having more duty cycle and less duty cycle? ( continuation of above question)

If the duty cycle D is greater than 0.5, the core would not be completely demagnetized at the end of the
off-period, and a DC magnetization of the core would build up, resulting in core saturation.

Relate this answer the previous question….

To design the buck converter, what are basic & essential information (parameters) we need to get
from the Customer?

We need the following inputs from the customer,

Output Voltage VOUT

Input Voltage VIN

Output Current (load current) IOUT

Maximum Ripple voltage allowed at the output side

Efficiency of the converter

How to select the inductor for the buck converter?

https://instrumentationtools.com/basic-power-electronics-interview-questions/ 6/15
9/4/23, 8:02 AM Basic Power Electronics Interview Questions - Inst Tools

Once the topology is finalized in the process of power supply design, the next step is selecting the
Inductor.

We know the following basic equation

Voltage across Inductor VL = L di/dt

Rewriting the above equation as follows

L = VL.dt/di

VL = Maximum voltage appears across the Inductor

dt= The time during which the maximum voltage appears across the inductor

di = Ripple current
VL The maximum voltage appears across the inductor when the power switch is turned on. During that

time the voltage will be

VL = VOUT – VIN

dt = The time during which the maximum voltage appears across the inductor
= D/FS

= Duty cycle/Switching frequency

di = Ripple current
= Generally it is assumed in between 10% to 30% of the load current

By knowing all these values we can get the required inductor value for the buck converter.

What are the various parameters we have to consider, while selecting IGBT?

In IGBT datasheet, we have to focus on following parameters

Collector to emitter voltage VCES

Collector Current IC

Collector Dissipation PC
Junction Temperature Tj

For Selecting MOSFET, what are the major parameters we have to consider in the datasheet?

https://instrumentationtools.com/basic-power-electronics-interview-questions/ 7/15
9/4/23, 8:02 AM Basic Power Electronics Interview Questions - Inst Tools

In MOSFET datasheet, we have to focus on following parameters:

Drain to Source Voltage VDSS

On state Drain to Source Resistance RDS(ON)

Reverse Recovery Current IRR

Reverse Recovery Charge QRR

Gate Charge QG

Body Diode Characteristics

ID at ambient temperature

Channel power dissipation

Channel temperature

What are the advantages of free wheeling diode in rectifier circuit?

The input power factor is improved. It prevents the output voltage from becoming negative. Load current
waveform is improved.

What is meant by commutation?

The process of changing the direction of current flow in a particular path of the circuit. It is used to turn
off the SCR.

What are the types of commutation?

Natural commutation
Forced commutation

What is natural commutation?

The process of the current flowing through the thyristor goes through a natural zero and enable the

thyristor to turn off is called as natural commutation.

https://instrumentationtools.com/basic-power-electronics-interview-questions/ 8/15
9/4/23, 8:02 AM Basic Power Electronics Interview Questions - Inst Tools

What is forced commutation?

The process of the current flowing through the thyristor is forced to become zero by external circuitry is

called as forced commutation.

What are the types of commutation with respect to commutation process?

Voltage commutated chopper

Current commutated chopper

Load commutated chopper

What is meant by cyclo-converter?

It is also known as frequency changer. It converts input power at one frequency to output power at
another frequency with one stage conversion.

What are the types of cyclo-converters?

Step up cyclo-converter

Step down cyclo-converter.

What is step down cyclo-converter?

It is the converter whose output frequency is less than the input frequency.

What is step up cyclo-converter ?

It is the converter whose output frequency is more than the input frequency.

What does the Voltmeter in AC mode show? Is it RMS value or peak value?

Multimeter in AC mode shows RMS value of the voltage or current. Also when it is DC mode it will show

the RMS value only.

What is the necessity to use the special machines?

General purpose motors (Induction motors, synchronous motors) are neither precision speed nor
precision position motors. For many automated systems require high precise speed and high precise

https://instrumentationtools.com/basic-power-electronics-interview-questions/ 9/15
9/4/23, 8:02 AM Basic Power Electronics Interview Questions - Inst Tools

positioning motors. In such cases special purpose motors like stepper motors, PMDC motors etc. are
used.

What are the control strategies of chopper?

The control strategies of chopper are

1. Pulse width modulation PWM (Variable TON, Constant frequency)

2. Frequency modulation (Constant TON or TOFF, Variable frequency)

3. Current Limit Control (CLC)

What is delay angle or what is firing angle of phase controlled rectifier?

The delay angle is the angle at which thyristors are triggered after zero crossing. After zero crossing of

supply voltage, one pair of thyristors is

forward biased. After delay angle(α) these SCRs are triggered.

What is Universal Motor?

It is defined as a motor which can be operated either on DC or single-phase AC supply at approximately

the same speed and output.

The universal motor is built exactly like a series DC motor. But a series DC motor cannot be run as a

universal motor, even though both motors look the same internally and externally.

We cannot use these motors in the industrial applications due to the low efficiency (25% -35%). It has

high starting torque and a variable speed characteristic. It runs at dangerously high-speed on no load.

Give some examples of power electronics applications in the day-to-day life?

We can list a huge number of power electronics applications. Few of the applications which we can see in

our daily life are

UPS – Uninterruptible Power Supply

SMPS – Switch Mode Power Supply

Speed Control of Motors

ICU

https://instrumentationtools.com/basic-power-electronics-interview-questions/ 10/15
9/4/23, 8:02 AM Basic Power Electronics Interview Questions - Inst Tools

What is meant by PMDC?

PMDC stands for Permanent Magnet DC Motor

A Permanent Magnet DC Motor is similar to an ordinary dc shunt motor except that its field is provided
by permanent magnets instead of salient-pole wound field structure.

There are three types of permanent magnets used for such motors namely;

(i) Alnico Magnets

(ii) Ceramic magnets

(iii) Rare-earth magnets

The major advantages are low noise, small size, high-efficiency, low manufacturing cost.

Don't Miss Our Updates

Be the first to get exclusive content straight to your email.

Enter your name here...

Enter your email here...

We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Subscribe Now

Electrical Q & A
Types of IGBT
Electrical Power Transmission And Distribution

Recommended Articles
1. Induction Motor Interview Questions Answers
https://instrumentationtools.com/basic-power-electronics-interview-questions/ 11/15
9/4/23, 8:02 AM Basic Power Electronics Interview Questions - Inst Tools

2. Electrical Motors Interview Question And Answers

3. High Voltage and Power System Stability Interview Questions

4. Circuit Breaker Interview Questions & Answers

5. Interview Questions on Transmission & Distribution

6. Electrical Machines Interview Questions and Answers

7. Interview Questions & Answers on Alternators

8. Power Electronics Interview Questions & Answers

9. Electrical Drives and Controls Interview Questions

10. Substation Interview Questions Answers

Leave a Comment

Name *

Email *

Website

Subscribe to our newsletter

Post Comment

https://instrumentationtools.com/basic-power-electronics-interview-questions/ 12/15
9/4/23, 8:02 AM Basic Power Electronics Interview Questions - Inst Tools

report this ad

Categories

Select Category

report this ad

Recent Comments

shoban aftab sindhu on Silica Analyzer Questions & Answers

barka on Trip Valve Principle

Shon Xu on How to Select a Inductive Proximity Sensor

Joseph on Types of Sensors used in Vibration Measurement

Mi on Why are Impulse Lines often Installed in a Sloping Manner?

‫ مهدی‬on Solenoid Valve Functional Testing

https://instrumentationtools.com/basic-power-electronics-interview-questions/ 13/15
9/4/23, 8:02 AM Basic Power Electronics Interview Questions - Inst Tools

Abdo on Difference Between Optical Fibre and Coaxial Cable

More Articles

1. Transformers Questions & Answers Part-2

https://instrumentationtools.com/basic-power-electronics-interview-questions/ 14/15
9/4/23, 8:02 AM Basic Power Electronics Interview Questions - Inst Tools

2. Induction Motor Interview Questions & Answers

3. Thyristor Interview Questions & Answers

4. High Voltage and Power System Stability Interview Questions

5. Interview Questions on Battery Testing

6. Generator Protection Interview Questions & Answers

7. DC machines and Induction Machines Viva Questions & Answers

8. Electric Traction Objective Questions and Answers

9. Basic Electrical Engineering Interview Questions Answers

10. Electrical Drives and Controls Interview Questions

2023 © Reproduction without explicit permission is prohibited. - PLC SCADA Courses - Engineers Community

https://instrumentationtools.com/basic-power-electronics-interview-questions/ 15/15