Publisher's Synopsis
Power Electronics is the study of switching electronic circuits in order to control the flow of electrical energy. Power Electronics is the technology behind switching power supplies, power converters, power inverters, motor drives, and motor soft starters. The first high power electronic devices were mercury-arc valves. In modern systems the conversion is performed with semiconductor switching devices such as diodes, thyristors and transistors. In contrast to electronic systems concerned with transmission and processing of signals and data, in power electronics substantial amounts of electrical energy are processed. An AC/DC converter (rectifier) is the most typical power electronics device found in many consumer electronic devices, e.g. television sets, personal computers, battery chargers, etc. The power range is typically from tens of watts to several hundred watts. In industry a common application is the variable speed drive (VSD) that is used to control an induction motor. The power range of VSDs start from a few hundred watts and end at tens of megawatts. Power electronics started with the development of the mercury arc rectifier. Invented by Peter Cooper Hewitt in 1902, it was used to convert alternating current (AC) into direct current (DC). From the 1920s on, research continued on applying thyratrons and grid-controlled mercury arc valves to power transmission. Uno Lamm developed a mercury valve with grading electrodes making them suitable for high voltage direct current power transmission. In 1933 selenium rectifiers were invented. By the 1960s the improved switching speed of bipolar junction transistors had allowed for high frequency DC/DC converters. In 1976 power MOSFETs became commercially available. In 1982 the Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) was introduced. This Text aims to introduce and explain the main concepts in Power Electronics, which include Power Semi-Conductor Devices, Phase-Controlled Converters, DC to DC Converter, Inverters and AC to AC Converters. It provides a basic knowledge of circuitry for the control and conversion of electrical power with high efficiency. These converters can change and regulate the voltage, current, or power; dc-dc converters, ac-dc rectifiers, dc-ac inverters, and ac-ac cycloconverters are in common use. Applications include electronic power supplies, aerospace and vehicular power systems, and renewable energy systems.
