EEE 447, Power Electronics

KHAIRUL ALAM
Professor, EEE Department
East West University
 Text Book
Text Book: Muhammad H Rashid, “Power
Electronics – Devices, Circuits, and
Applications” 4th Edition
Ref. Book: Robert W Erickson,
“Fundamentals of power Electronics” 2nd
Edition
 Definition
Power electronics combines power, electronics, and
control.
1. Power deals with the static and rotating power
equipment for the generation, transmission, and
distribution of electric energy.
2. Electronics deal with the solid-state devices and
circuits for signal processing to meet the desired
control objectives.
3. Control deals with the steady-state and dynamic
characteristics of closed-loop systems.

Definition: Power electronics may be defined as the

application of solid-state electronics for the control and
conversion of electric power.
 Definition
The interrelationship of power electronics with power, electronics,
and control is shown in Figure 1.1. The arrow points to the direction of
the current flow from anode (A) to cathode (K). It can be turned on
and off by a signal to the gate terminal (G). Without any gate signal, it
normally remains in the off-state, behaves as an open circuit, and can
withstand a voltage across the terminals A and K.
Some Applications
 Types of PE Circuits
For the control of electric power or power
conditioning, the conversion of electric power
from one form to another is necessary and the
switching characteristics of the power devices
permit these conversions. The power electronics
circuits can be classified into six types:
1. Diode rectifiers
2. DC–DC converters (choppers)
3. DC–AC converters (inverters)
4. AC–DC converters (controlled rectifiers)
5. AC–AC converters (ac voltage controllers)
6. Static switches
 RMS Values of Different Waveforms
To accurately determine the conduction losses in a device
and the current ratings of the device and components, the
rms values of the current waveforms must be known. The
current waveforms are rarely simple sinusoids or
rectangles, and this can pose some problems in
determining the rms values. The rms value of a waveform
i(t) can be calculated as

𝑇
1
𝐼𝑅𝑀𝑆 = න 𝑖 2 𝑑𝑡
𝑇
0

where T is the time period.

 RMS Values of Different Waveforms
If a non-sinusoid waveform can be broken up into
harmonics whose rms values can be calculated
individually, the rms values of the actual waveform can be
approximated satisfactorily by combining the rms values of
the harmonics. That is, the rms value of the waveform can
be calculated from

where Idc = the dc component. Irms(1) and Irms(n) are the rms
values of the fundamental and nth harmonic components,
respectively. This rms value is called true rms.
RMS Values of Different Waveforms
RMS Values of Different Waveforms
RMS Values of Different Waveforms
RMS Values of Different Waveforms
 Where the Harmonics Come From
The operations of the power converters are based mainly on
the switching of power semiconductor devices; as a result
the converters introduce current and voltage harmonics into
the supply system and on the output of the converters.
These can cause problems of distortion of the output
voltage, harmonic generation into the supply system, and
interference with the communication and signaling circuits. It
is normally necessary to introduce filters on the input and
output of a converter system to reduce the harmonic level to
an acceptable magnitude.
 Quality of a Wave Form
Factors such as total harmonic distortion (THD), displacement
factor (DF), and input power factor (IPF) are measures of the
quality of a waveform. To determine these factors, finding the
harmonic content of the waveforms is required. To evaluate the
performance of a converter, the input and output voltages and
currents of a converter are expressed in a Fourier series. The
quality of a power converter is judged by the quality of its voltage
and current waveforms.

The control strategy for the power converters plays an important

part on the harmonic generation and output waveform distortion,
and can be aimed to minimize or reduce these problems. The
power converters can cause radio-frequency interference due to
electromagnetic radiation, and the gating circuits may generate
erroneous signals. This interference can be avoided by grounded
shielding.
 Harmonic Components : Fourier Series
Fourier series
 
i (t ) = I dc +  an cos(nt ) + ab sin (nt ) = I dc +  Cn sin (nt + n )
n =1 n =1
2 2

 i(t )d (t )  i(t )cos(nt )d (t )

1 1
I dc = an =
2 0
 0
2

 i(t )sin (nt )d (t ) n = tan −1 (an / bn )

1
bn = Cn = an2 + bn2
 0

sin(m − n )x  sin(m + n )x 
 cos(mx )cos(nx )dx = 2(m − n )
+
2(m + n )
sin(m − n )x  sin(m + n )x 
 sin (mx ) sin (nx )dx = −
2(m − n ) 2(m + n )
2 2

 cos(mx )cos(nx )dx = 

0
m,n  sin (mx )sin (nx )dx = 
0
m,n

cos(m − n )x  cos(m + n )x 
 sin (mx )cos(nx )dx = − 2(m − n )
−
2(m + n )
2 2 2

 sin (mx )cos(nx )dx = 0

0
 sin (nx )dx =  cos(nx )dx =0
0 0
 Fourier Series of a Square Wave
2

 i(t )d (t ) = 0
1
I dc =
2 0

an = 0
4I a
bn =
 (2n − 1)
4 I a  sin (t ) sin (3t ) sin (5t ) 
i (t ) =  + + + .......... 
  1 3 5 
 Characteristics of a Switch
The motivation behind the development of any new device is to
achieve the characteristics of a “super device.”
1. In the on-state, it must have (a) the ability to carry a high
forward current (ideally infinity); (b) a low on-state forward
voltage drop (ideally zero); and (c) a low on-state resistance
(ideally zero)
2. In the off-state, it must have (a) the ability to withstand a
high forward or reverse voltage (ideally infinity); (b) a low
off-state leakage current (ideally zero); and (c) a high off-
state resistance (ideally infinity)
3. During the turn-on and turn-off process, it must have (a) a
low delay time (ideally zero); (b) a low rise time (ideally
zero); (c) a low storage time (ideally zero); and (d) a low fall
time (ideally zero)
 Characteristics of a Switch

4. For turn-on and turn-off, it must require (a) a low gate-drive

power PG, tending to zero; (b) a low gate-drive voltage VG,
tending to zero; and (c) a low gate-drive current IG, tending
to zero
5. It must have a high dv/dt, tending to infinity. That is, the
switch must be capable of handling rapid changes of the
voltage across it
6. It must have a high di/dt, tending to infinity. That is, the
switch must be capable of handling a rapid rise of the
current through it.
Characteristics of a Switch
 Switch Specifications
The device manufacturers supply data sheets describing the
device parameters and their ratings. There are many
parameters that are important to the devices. The most
important among these are :

1. Voltage ratings: Forward and reverse repetitive peak

voltages, and an on-state forward voltage drop.
2. Current ratings: Average, root-mean-square (rms),
repetitive peak, nonrepetitive peak, and off-state leakage
currents.
3. Switching speed or frequency: The switching period Ts and
frequency fs are given by
 Switch Specifications
4. di/dt rating: The device needs a minimum amount of time
before its whole conducting surface comes into play in
carrying the full current. The di/dt of the current through
the device is normally limited by connecting a small
inductor in series with the device, known as a series
snubber.
5. dv/dt rating: A semiconductor device has an internal
junction capacitance CJ. If the voltage across the switch
changes rapidly during turn-on, turn-off, and also while
connecting the main supply, the initial current, the current
CJ dv/dt flowing through CJ may be too high, thereby
causing damage to the device. The dv/dt of the voltage
across the device is limited by connecting an RC circuit
across the device, known as a shunt snubber, or simply
snubber.
 Switch Specifications
7. Switching losses: Simultaneous existence of high voltage
and current in the device represents power losses. Because
of their repetitiveness, they represent a significant part of
the losses, and often exceed the on-state conduction losses
8. Gate-drive requirements: The gate-drive voltage and current
are important parameters to turn on and off a device. The
gate-driver power and the energy requirement are very
important parts of the losses and total equipment cost.
With large and long current pulse requirements for turn-on
and turn-off, the gate-drive losses can be significant in
relation to the total losses and the cost of the driver circuit
can be higher than the device itself.