Fundamentals of Power Electronics

Robert W. Erickson
University of Colorado, Boulder

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1.

Introduction to power processing

1.2.

Some applications of power electronics

1.3.

Elements of power electronics

Summary of the course

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.1 Introduction to Power Processing

Power
input

Switching
converter

Power
output

Control
input

Dc-dc conversion:
Ac-dc rectification:
Dc-ac inversion:

Change and control voltage magnitude

Possibly control dc voltage, ac current
Produce sinusoid of controllable
magnitude and frequency
Ac-ac cycloconversion: Change and control voltage magnitude
and frequency
Fundamentals of Power Electronics

Chapter 1: Introduction

Control is invariably required

Power
input

Switching
converter

Power
output

Control
input
feedforward

feedback
Controller
reference

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

Chapter 1: Introduction

High efficiency is essential

Pout
Pin

1 1
Ploss = Pin Pout = Pout

0.8

0.6

High efficiency leads to low

power loss within converter
Small size and reliable operation
is then feasible
Efficiency is a good measure of
converter performance

0.4

0.2
0

0.5

1.5

Ploss / Pout

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

Chapter 1: Introduction

A high-efficiency converter

Pin

Converter

Pout

A goal of current converter technology is to construct converters of small

size and weight, which process substantial power at high efficiency

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

Chapter 1: Introduction

Devices available to the circuit designer

DT

Resistors

Capacitors

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

Magnetics

s
s
linearswitched-mode
mode
Semiconductor devices

Chapter 1: Introduction

Devices available to the circuit designer

DT

Resistors

Capacitors

Magnetics

s
s
linearswitched-mode
mode
Semiconductor devices

Signal processing: avoid magnetics

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

Chapter 1: Introduction

Devices available to the circuit designer

DT

Resistors

Capacitors

Magnetics

s
s
linearswitched-mode
mode
Semiconductor devices

Power processing: avoid lossy elements

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

Chapter 1: Introduction

Power loss in an ideal switch

Switch closed:
Switch open:

v(t) = 0

i(t)

i(t) = 0

v(t)
In either event:

p(t) = v(t) i(t) = 0

Ideal switch consumes zero power

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

10

Chapter 1: Introduction

A simple dc-dc converter example

I
10A
+
Vg
100V

Dc-dc
converter

R
5

V
50V

Input source: 100V

Output load: 50V, 10A, 500W
How can this converter be realized?

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

11

Chapter 1: Introduction

Dissipative realization

Resistive voltage divider

I
10A
+
+
Vg
100V

50V

Ploss = 500W

R
5

V
50V

Pin = 1000W

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

Pout = 500W

12

Chapter 1: Introduction

Dissipative realization
Series pass regulator: transistor operates in
active region
+

I
10A

50V

+
Vg
100V

linear amplifier
and base driver
Ploss 500W

Vref

R
5

V
50V

Pin 1000W

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

Pout = 500W

13

Chapter 1: Introduction

Use of a SPDT switch

I
10A

+
Vg
100V

vs(t)

vs(t)

v(t)
50V

Vg
Vs = DVg

switch
position:

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

DTs

0
(1D) Ts

14

Chapter 1: Introduction

The switch changes the dc voltage level

vs(t)

Vg
Vs = DVg
0

switch
position:

Ts = switching period

(1 D) Ts

DTs
1

D = switch duty cycle

0D1

fs = switching frequency
= 1 / Ts

DC component of vs(t) = average value:

Vs = 1
Ts

Ts

vs(t) dt = DVg
0

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

15

Chapter 1: Introduction

Addition of low pass filter

Addition of (ideally lossless) L-C low-pass filter, for
removal of switching harmonics:
i(t)

+
Vg
100V

vs(t)

Pin 500W

v(t)

Ploss small

Pout = 500W

Choose filter cutoff frequency f0 much smaller than switching

frequency fs

This circuit is known as the buck converter

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

16

Chapter 1: Introduction

Addition of control system

for regulation of output voltage

Power
input

Switching converter

Load
+

vg

v
H(s)

transistor
gate driver

error
signal
ve

(t)

dTs Ts

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

pulse-width vc G (s)
c
modulator
compensator

sensor
gain

Hv

reference
vref
input

17

Chapter 1: Introduction

The boost converter

L
1

Vg

5Vg
4Vg

3Vg
2Vg
Vg
0
0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

D
Fundamentals of Power Electronics

18

Chapter 1: Introduction

A single-phase inverter
vs(t)
1

Vg

v(t)

load

H-bridge

vs(t)

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

19

Modulate switch
duty cycles to
obtain sinusoidal
low-frequency
component

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.2 Several applications of power electronics

Power levels encountered in high-efficiency converters

less than 1 W in battery-operated portable equipment
tens, hundreds, or thousands of watts in power supplies for
computers or office equipment
kW to MW in variable-speed motor drives
1000 MW in rectifiers and inverters for utility dc transmission
lines

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

20

Chapter 1: Introduction

A computer power supply system

regulated
dc outputs
+

iac(t)

Dc-dc
converter

Rectifier
vac(t)

ac line input
85-265Vrms

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

dc link

21

loads

Chapter 1: Introduction

A spacecraft power system

Dissipative
shunt regulator
+
Solar
array

vbus

Battery
charge/discharge
controllers

Dc-dc
converter

Dc-dc
converter

Payload

Payload

Batteries

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

22

Chapter 1: Introduction

A variable-speed ac motor drive system

variable-frequency
variable-voltage ac

+
3ac line
50/60Hz

Rectifier

Inverter
vlink

Ac machine
Dc link

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

23

Chapter 1: Introduction

1.3 Elements of power electronics

Power electronics incorporates concepts from the fields of

analog circuits
electronic devices
control systems
power systems
magnetics
electric machines
numerical simulation

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

24

Chapter 1: Introduction