POWER ELECTRONICS

Basic knowledge of the main power electronic devices. Advanced knowledge of electronic circuits for energy conversion in traction, transmission, and industrial/commercial applications (rectifiers, DC converters, inverters, heat exchange of equipment, and high-frequency transformers).

Introduction to Power Electronics. Classification of converters. Semiconductors. Solid state devices for static power converters (diode, BJT, MOSFET, IGBT, Thyristors, GTO). Static characteristics and switching behavior. Thermal behavior. Multiple connection of power devices. Driving circuits and protection circuit. Static converters. unidirectional and bidirectional converters. Methods of analysis of the converters. Main families of static converters for electrical conversion and for applications to electric systems. Single stage and multistage converters. Outline of resonant converters. Inductors and transformers. Magnetic materials and ferrites, power losses. Copper windings, power losses due to both skin and proximity effects. Calculation of the steady-state temperature.

Main applications. Home applications. Heating and air conditioning. High-frequency fluorescent lighting. Induction cooking. Industrial applications. Induction heating. Electric welding. Applications for power grids. High voltage transmission. Line-frequency converters with 12 pulses. Reactive power absorbed by the converter. Rectifier operation mode. Inverter operation mode. Control of HVDC converters. Electrical networks. Compensation of the lines and control of the electronically controlled power flow. FACTS controlled by thyristors. FACTS controlled converters. Interconnection of renewable energy sources and energy storage systems with the power grid. Interconnection of photovoltaic arrays.

1) Ned Mohan, Tore M. Undeland. William P. Robbins, "Power Electronics: Converters, Applications, and Design". 3rd Edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, November 2002.

2) Ned Mohan, Tore M. Undeland. William P. Robbins, “Elettronica di potenza: Convertitori e applicazioni”. Edizione italiana di Power Electronics 3rd Edition, Editore Hoepli, Milano, febbraio 2005.

3) Muhammad. H. Rashid, “Power Electronics: Circuits, Devices, and Applications”. 3rd Edition, Prentice Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, 2004.

4) Philip T. Krein, "Elements of Power Electronics”, New York and Oxford, Higher Education Oxford University Press, September 1997.

5) Appunti dalle lezioni