Concept of Power Electronics


power electronics belong to the part of power engineering as well as electronics engineering. Power engineering generally concern with the power generation, transmission, distribution and utilization of electrical energy at better efficiency. While electronics engineering concern with remove the distortion, harmonic etc from the transmission of power and make flexible transmission.

Power Electronics Backgrounds

The first electronics revolution began in 1948 with the invention of the silicon transistor at Bell Telephone Laboratories by Bardeen, Bratain, and Schockley. Most of today’s advanced electronic technologies are traceable to that invention, and modern microelectronics has evolved over the years from thesemsilicon semiconductors. The second electronics revolution began with the development of a commercial thyristor by the General Electric Company in 1958. That was the beginning of a new era of power electronics. Since then, many different types of power semiconductor devices and conversion techniques have been introduced.
The demand for energy, particularly in electrical forms, is ever-increasing in order to improve the standard of living.
Power electronics helps with the efficient use of electricity, thereby reducing power consumption. Semiconductor devices are used as switches for power conversion or processing, as are solid state electronics for efficient control of the amount of power and energy flow. Higher efficiency and lower losses are sought for devices for a range of applications, from microwave ovens to high-voltage dc transmission. New devices and power electronic systems are now evolving for even more effective control of power and energy.
Applications in power transmission include high-voltage dc (VHDC) converter stations, flexible ac transmission system (FACTS), and static-var compensators. In power distribution these include dc-to-ac conversion, dynamic filters, frequency conversion, and Custom Power System.

Application of power Electronics

1.            Aerospace: Space shuttle power supplies, satellite power supply, aircraft power supply.
2.            commercial: Electric heating, Advertising, Fan, pumps, Blower, light dimmer etc
3.            Industrial: Arc furnace, Pump and Compressors, cement mills, rolling mills, welding etc.
4.            Telecommunication: battery charge, power supply.
5.            Transportations: Traction, Locomotive, electric vehicle etc
6.            Utility System: HVAC system,  HVDC stystem, Static-var, circuit breaker etc
7.            Residential: Washing Machine, Vacuum Cleaner, Electric cooler/ heater etc

Advatage of power electronics

1.            high efficiency due to less loss.
2.            high reliability.
3.            long life.
4.            less maintainance.
5.            fast dynamic respoce.
6.            small size and less weight.
7.            low cost.

Disadvantage of power electronics

1.            power electronics converter circuit have a tendency to generate harmonics in supply as well                 as load.
2.            AC-AC or DC-DC converter operate at low power factor.
3.            power electronics controller have low overload capacity.
4.            regeneration of power is difficult in power electronics converter system.

Power Electronics System

Different power semiconductor device name are following:


1.            Diode

2.            SCR
3.            GTO
4.            BJT
5.            MOSFET
6.            TRIAC
7.            IGBT
8.            IGCT etc




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