Power Electronics

Lecture # 1

1 Introduction of Power Electronics:

From the face of it, it simply says the Electronics of Power.

1.1 We will start with Power:

It actually means the SCALE of POWER that how much power you require for
certain application.
Range of power scale: milliwatts(mW)  megawatts(MW)  gigawatts(GW)
This is easier to realize these days, as we encounter the SMART phones and UPS
(uninterrupted power supply) at our homes on daily basis. Both require a certain amount
of power and if one will evaluate the power without going into technical details. One can
simply realize:
 Size, Weight and Cost: SMART phone power unit is light weight and small
size i.e. see the battery size while UPS power unit is quite big and heavy that
we cant carry it.
 Heat Dissipation (Efficiency) and Cost of Energy: Remember, that no
device is 100% efficient in this practical world, every electronic device
produces some losses in power and dissipates it in the form of heat and
therefore energy is lost i.e. some useful money. More the scale of power, more
will be the heat produced. If you touch the SMART phone, or go near to UPS
or visit surroundings of a big generator, the amount of heat you feel becomes
bigger and bigger. Hence, the main purpose is to reduce the heat dissipation i.e.
power loss by increasing the efficiency.

1.2 Where is Electronics:

Electronics means the Electronic Devices. It’s a carrier which will transmit power
from one place to another. The relation between Power and Electonics is just like an
example of Transportation - Means of Transportation or Signal – Carrier of Signal /
Water - Dam. Remember, power at the end of the day, is just a high powered signal while
one require electronic devices as a mean of transportation to transport them from
generation to user end. One can't see the voltage and current with the naked eye, while
the electronic devices can be visible.
Hence, size, weight, cost is basically the constraint of electronic devices. Like an
example, if one wants to transfer 15 people to another place, a Van would be enough.
While, if the amount becomes 40, then we require a bigger carrier like Bus. Exactly, the
same phenomena with Electronics devices: More will be the power, bulkier will be the
device.
It is pertinent to note that it's not just the matter of going towards bulkier device if
it is less efficient. For example, if I want to transfer 40 people and Bus is highly in-
efficient (consumes lot of litres of petrol), I may hire three Vans to transfer 40 people, if
its costs me less. With higher power i.e. going towards high rating devices, the efficiency
is equally important. More will be the efficiency of the device, less power, it will waste
into heat.
At this stage, I will forecast something: Memorize that in power electronics, you
will deal two kinds of circuits: Power Circuit (Power Converters) and Elecronic Circuits.
That’s it for the Power Electronics. No Way. Its just the connection between
power and electronics. The real definition is about to begin:

1.3 Power Electronics in simple terms means the Power Processing.

The primary task of power electronics is to process and control the flow of electric
energy by supplying voltages and currents in a form that is optimally suited for user loads
i.e. the flow of electrical energy is controlled by a load demand.
It is the electronics applied to pocess the electric power i.e. Electronics applied
for power processing.
Example:
1) Consider SMART phone, a power processing is required to convert the AC
power available at home from National Grid to convert it into DC for storage
in battery. A charger will do this job.
2) Consider now Laptops, a more heavy charger (circuit based on electronic
devices) is again required for power processing i.e. AC to DC.
3) Consider UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply): Two conversions or two power
prcessings are required: 1) AC in to DC for battery and DC into AC for supply.
4) An AC Fan, does not require any power processing and its speed can be
controlled with the dimmer. But, its not an efficient way to control its speed.
Why not new ACs, have the dimmer. Their speed will be controlled with the
help of electronic devices.
Remember, necessity is the mother of invention. Who cares power electronics, if
all of our devices are AC, each every device will run on AC and not only that even the
storage of electricity can be done through AC. But, that is not the case as: A world cannot
live with me, I have to live with this world. Therefore, power electronics is necessary for
electrical engineers.
 With this discussion, I will introduce now four main types of converters:
1) AC to DC Conversion (Rectifier – Un-controlled and Controlled)
2) DC to DC Conversion (Converter)
3) DC to AC Conversion (Inverter)
4) AC to AC Conversion (Cycloconverter)
1.3.1 Industrial Electronics:
Initially, Power Electronics subject is known as the Industrial Electronics. Since, in
industry, there are multiple motors operating at the same time and yet,they may be
different from each other in nature, so industry required a lot of power processing to
fulfill their technology demands.

2. How to perform the power processing:

The power can be processed by controlling the flow of power. The flow can only
be controlled with the help of switching devices.
Switching Devices are the part and parcel component of Power Converter. It can
be labeled as the Heart of Power Electronics.
Control of these Switching Devices of Power Converter is done through electronic
circuits of low power. This electronic circuit can be labeled as Brain of Power
Electronics.
It is pertinent to note here that control is done through electronic circuits. So, one
can view the Power Electronics as two way circuits: Power Converter Circuit and
Electronic Circuit.
This phenomenon can be visualized from the block diagram shown below:
Block Diagram: (Without Feedback)
 Block Diagram: (With Feedback): A more Robust circuit with feedback
sensors.

 Control is invariably required.

 Power converter along with its controller including the corresponding
measurement and interface circuits, is also called power electronic system.

 The electronic circuit can generate the waveform (signal processing) of low
voltage/current to derive the power switches present in the converter to generate
the same waveform at high power i.e. power processing.
2.1 The Interdisciplinary Definition
3. Applications
 Industrial
 Transportation
 Utility systems
 Power supplies for all kinds of electronic equipment
 Residential and home appliances
 Space technology
 Other applications
4. Main Aim/Goal of Power Electronics
1) To construct a power converter of small size and weight, yet process substantial
power at high efficiency.
2) To construct an electronics circuit of small size and weight for effient control of
power converter.

4.1 Two Circuits: Power Converter (Heart) and Electronic Circuit (Brain)
Switching Devices can be labeled as the Heart of Power Electronics.
Control of these Switching Devices can be labeled as the Brain of Power
Electronics that will be executed through electronic circuit.

4.2 Designing of Power Electronic Circuits:

For power electronic circuits, the constraints which are under observation will be:
cost, size, weight and efficieny. Circuit elements that may be used in low or high power
systems are:

4.2.1 Designing of Electronic Circit:

As they operate at low power, so efficiency is not the main concern. However, the
size and weight may be concern.
Considering size and weight, avoid magnet components because they are large in
size and difficult to be integrated. Transistors may be used in linear or switch mode as the
electronic circuits operate at low power.
4.2.2 Designing of Power Converter: Switching Devices
As they operate at high power, so efficiency is the main concern. However, one can give
a relaxation on the size and weight constraint.
To increase efficiency, also avoid resistive components:
The minimum power loss across the switching devices. It should be noted that
switching devices operate in multiple regions.
For example, BJT operates in
1) Cutoff- Region (Fully Off)
2) Active Region / Linear Mode (Amplifier i.e. With increase in IB, IC also
increases: It behaves like a resistor)
3) Saturation Region / Switched-mode (Fully ON)
To enhance efficiency, avoid resistors in circuits and also avoid linear operating
regions of switching devices, where they behave like a resistor. Because, they produce
power loss and therefore the efficiency reduces.
4.3 Detailed Architecture of Power Electronic Circit
EMI means Electromegnetic Interference

.
4.4 Efficiency to reduce these Losses