Power Electronics

1. Introduction

1.1. Subject of Power Electronics

Power Electronics – energy converting and controlling electronics

Switching, controlling and converting of energy using power semiconductor devices

(diodes, thyristors, transistors) together with the required equipment for measurement
and control
Objective: minimization of power losses

Nowadays – power electronics represents an independent branch of electrical

engineering

Standardized parameters of electrical energy delivered by the grid

- not appropriate to many applications
→ has to be adapted to the requirements of the load

In developed countries at least 50 % of electrical energy converted by means of

power electronic equipment

Advantages of power electronic energy conversion:

- ability of wide range adjustment of parameters
- high degree of efficiency
- dynamic response
- low-maintenance

Main applications:
- adjustable speed drives
- transport, automotive applications
- power supplies
- electro-technology
- illumination equipment, lighting
- feed-in of electrical energy generated using alternative/renewable energy sources
- small apparatuses, consumer electronics
1.2. Stages of development of power electronics
Development of power electronics essentially influenced by improvement of power
electronic devices

Mechanic
rectifier: effect of rectification by means of periodic switching of mechanic
contacts
e.g.: commutators of electric motors
mechanic choppers
(conversion d.c. → a.c.)

Power electronic
devices: elements switching periodically between conducting and non-
conducting state
characterized by a direction-dependent conductivity
(existing in vacuum, gases, semiconductors under certain
conditions)

Contemporary power semiconductor devices:

diode

thyristor, triac
(controlled switching-on)

bipolar transistor, GTO, MOSFET, IGBT, …

(controlled switching-on and switching-off)
Historical overview:

1902 uncontrolled mercury-arc rectifier (Cooper-Hewitt)

1922 application of controlled mercury-arc rectifier with phase-shift control

(Toulon und Müller)

1930 poly-crystal semiconductors

1940 selenium rectifier

1950 single-crystal semiconductors (Ge, Si)

1958 thyristor/ silicon controlled rectifier (General Electric)

1970 bipolar power transistors up to about 20 kVA

1980 ... improved thyristor modifications

GATT – Gate-Assisted-Turn-off-Thyristor
RCT – Reverse-Conducting-Thyristor
GTO – Gate-Turn-off-Thyristor

Power-MOSFETs

1990 … development of combined structures

(bipolar and unipolar on one chip)
IGBT – Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor
SIT – Static Induction Transistor
MCT – MOS Controlled Thyristor

Development of integrated devices

(IPM, SMART POWER - power devices with integrated equipment
for control, driving and protection)

IGCT – Integrated Gate-Commutated Thyristor

Continuing development concerning materials and devices

SiC applied in silicon-carbide diodes

GaAs applied in high-frequency devices, laser diodes, solar cells

GaN applied in blue LEDs, violet laser diodes, high-speed field-

effect transistors
Literature (selection):

E. Ohno: Introduction to Power Electronics;

Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1988

R. W. Erickson, Fundamentals of Power Electronics;

D. Maksimovic: Springer Science+Business Media,
2001

P. T. Krein: Elements of Power Electronics;

Oxford University Press, 1998

N. Mohan, Power Electronics - Converters, Applications

T. Undeland, and Design;
W. Robbins: John Wiley & Sons, 3rd edition 2003

M. H. Rashid: Power Electronics Handbook;

Academic Press, 2001

M. H. Rashid: Power electronics : circuits, devices, and applications;

Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004

J. Kolar, Interactive Power Electronics Seminar (iPES);

U. Drofenik: ETH Zürich, www.ipes.ethz.ch

PSIM Standard/ Student Version;

Powersim Inc.; www.powersys.fr.
1.3. Power semiconductor devices

Non-controllable Devices:
Diode, Diac

Diode
circuit symbol static behavior

anode

forward direction

cathode

reverse direction

dynamic behavior
turn-on

turn-off

soft factor
s = tf/ts
Devices which can be triggered into the on-state:
(and must be turned off by the power circuit)
Thyristor, Triac

Thyristor (also named SCR - Silicon Controlled Rectifier)

circuit symbol static behavior

forward direction

IL

IH

forward blocking

reverse direction

dynamic behavior
turn-on
 turn-off

Controllable switches (turned on and off by control signals):

GTO, IGCT, MCT (thyristor modifications)

Bipolar Transistor (as power transistor)

Power MOSFET

IGBT

...
Power MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor)
usually n-channel enhancement type

circuit symbol

body diode

static behavior

on
I ohmic region
II active region
III breakdown
IV inverse region

* concerning transfer characteristic

off

transfer characteristic

VGS(th) threshold voltage

gm transconductance

1) cut-off region (VGS < VGS(th))

dynamic behavior
turn-on (hard switching due to constant-current load)

turn-off (hard switching due to constant-current load)

IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor)
types: PT (punch-through), NPT (non punch-through), Trench

circuit symbol

static behavior

transfer characteristic

VGE(th) gate-emitter threshold voltage

 dynamic behavior
turn-on and turn-off (resistive load)

0,9 VGE
VGE

0,1 VGE

VCE
IC

0,9 IC

0,1 IC