Power Electronics

Power Controls, Supplies, Drives.

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The interactive and animated applets are part of the Introductory Course on Power Electronics taught by Prof. Kolar at the ETH Zurich.

 Interactive Power Electronics Seminar

Interactive Power Electronics Seminar

Power Electronics Circuit Simulation

Applets to See – are the simple Buck-converter and the Rotating Three-Dimensional Field
More pages of Compulsory Reading for Students

  • Part I – An Overview of AC/AC-Converter Topologies
  • iPES-Circuits – DC/DC converters, thyristor converter, AC/DC inverter.
  • iPES-Circuits+ – Power electronic systems of higher complexity in industry.
  • iPES-Thermal – Dimensioning and operation of power electronic converters
  • iPES-EMFields – Electrostatic, magnetic fields, permeability, inductor design.
  • iPES-AET – Operational Amplifier – Applications.

Gecko Research

Power Electronics Simulation -Specialized Software to meet demands of Power Electronics Engineers. Gecko-Research is engaged in numerical simulations of circuits, control, 3D-thermal, electromagnetics, reliability issues and system optimization.

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I first saw this practically in the Orthodox Cherokee SMPS. This is where we differentiate from Engineered Products and just Mass Production without following standards. The Cherokee SMPS was a work of art, perfect in all respects.

The Copper Desert or Isolation Land

There is a No Man’s Land in PCB. Any good power electronics designer should/will know. Product Safety and HV Isolation, Quality and Reliability all depend on this.

High Energy Circuits

Power Electronics Design Methods

These things don’t come overnight, it is a culture, learning, experience and integrity of some of these American Firms. Reliability and Product safety are important. Every human values his life very much. A manufacturer too should appreciate this.

Coming back to isolation, Keep in mind creepage distance, High energy circuits and Low voltage circuits should have clear isolation, use the best insulation. Fire and shock hazard. Mains HV transitions, spikes.

Regulated High Voltage Power Supply

Power supply faces all these, even other areas where a Human Life or Property can be endangered.

HV High Voltage Reliability and Safety

Use a Servo Stabilizer or CVT Constant Voltage Transformer or at least an Isolation Transformer. The First Defense form HV Surges, Spikes.

High Voltage Polyester & Polypropylene Metallized Capacitors in Stepdown Supplies should be Fire Retardant & Self Healing with a MOV too.

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delabs Notes – In a Circuit Module, if all Power and Signal Polarities are reversed. All NPN to PNP, All N-Channel to P-Channel and Vice Versa. All Diodes and Caps too turned around. This Topsy Turvy or Mirror Design ought to work in Theory. It has worked for some circuits in practice too in my experience. ?

Some believe that N-Channel is more Robust than the P Type. In Bipolar Transistor NPN is more trusted for the final output stages. The NPN Transistor and N-Channel turn-on by a Positive control bias. It may be inappropriate to say this mosfet is NPN or PNP.

The MOSFET in Power Electronics

The traditional metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) structure is obtained by growing a layer of silicon dioxide (SiO2) on top of a silicon substrate and depositing a layer of metal or polycrystalline silicon (the latter is commonly used). As the silicon dioxide is a dielectric material, its structure is equivalent to a planar capacitor, with one of the electrodes replaced by a semiconductor.

If the MOSFET is an n-channel or nMOS FET, then the source and drain are “n+” regions and the body is a “p” region. If the MOSFET is a p-channel or pMOS FET, then the source and drain are “p+” regions and the body is a “n” region. The source is so named because it is the source of the charge carriers (electrons for n-channel, holes for p-channel) that flow through the channel; similarly, the drain is where the charge carriers leave the channel. MOSFET – Wikipedia

This application note discusses the breakdown voltage, on-resistance, transconductance, threshold voltage, diode forward voltage, power dissipation, dynamic characteristics, gate charge and dV/dt capability of the power MOSFET.
Application Note AN-1084 Power MOSFET Basics – IRF

A MOSFET is a transistor. It is a Metal Oxide Field Effect Transistor. Here are the symbols for FETs and MOSFETs: The MOSFET How the MOSFET works

The conductivity of the path from Source to drain is controlled by applying a voltage between the gate and the body of the semiconductor. N-channel enhancement MOSFET

See this simple circuit that explains everything
n-channel MOSFET switch – George Watson, Univ. of Delaware, 1996.

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This is a Regulated 0-30 V DC Power Supply manufactured by me in small numbers, 0-30V 5A and 5V -5A. It had a Switching Preregulator. This keeps the Vce across Transistor Bank at the Back of Instrument, at the lowest possible level, in order to keep them Cool. When Vce and Ic both are more in a Power transistor it will get heated more, then the efficiency of power supply is low.

Power Supplies Section – delabs

Variable Regulated Power Supply

The Output had both Constant Current Control and Constant Voltage Control. The CC control is also a Short circuit protection. The Output was protected from outside voltages damaging output circuits even when equipment is switched off. The back panel is a finned anodized black aluminum heat sink with many transistors.

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