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Electronic Science & Overview of Power Electronics

The document traces the history and development of power electronics from the late 19th century discoveries of electric current and electrons, to the development of vacuum tubes and early transistors. It discusses key inventors like Edison, Thomson, de Forest, Fleming, and Shockley. The rise of high voltage transistors and developments in aerospace in the 1960s pushed switching power supply technology. The 1970s energy crisis established switching power supplies in the market. Miniaturization trends saw switching frequencies increase using MOSFETs. The document classifies power electronic devices and discusses their configuration and use in power processing circuits.

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Tristan George Reyes
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57 views10 pages

Electronic Science & Overview of Power Electronics

The document traces the history and development of power electronics from the late 19th century discoveries of electric current and electrons, to the development of vacuum tubes and early transistors. It discusses key inventors like Edison, Thomson, de Forest, Fleming, and Shockley. The rise of high voltage transistors and developments in aerospace in the 1960s pushed switching power supply technology. The 1970s energy crisis established switching power supplies in the market. Miniaturization trends saw switching frequencies increase using MOSFETs. The document classifies power electronic devices and discusses their configuration and use in power processing circuits.

Uploaded by

Tristan George Reyes
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Beginnings of

Electronic Science
&
Overview of Power Electronics

1883 Edison observed that electric


current would pass between heated
filament and positive metal plate.

1897 JJ Thomson identified current as


the flow of negative charges which he
later named electrons.

1906 Lee de Forest added control


grids in the electron stream making
the first vacuum tube.

John Ambrose Fleming


Inventor of Vacuum Tube
Rectifier

William Shockley
Inventor of Solid State
Transistor

1904: First Vacuum


Tube Rectifiers

1945: The First Contact


Point Transistor

Development of Solid State Transistors

William Shockley
1948: Patented the Junction
Transistor

Exactly on the same day,


Bell Labs demonstrated the first
transistor used in radios that
normally uses vacuum tubes.

Transistors replace Vacuum Tubes

Linear power supplies are still the dominant converters in the


market then since low voltage transistors are in abundance. However,
problems on heat dissipation forced designers to take their
thermodynamics seriously since transistors doesnt glow
in the dark like vacuum tubes do, they simply melt and quit.

The Rise of High Voltage Transistors

Ringing Choke Converter

Self-Oscillating Push Pull Converter

In the 60s, high voltage transistors are getting common and


thus innovations in switching power supplies are becoming more
complex.

1969: Man takes first steps on the Moon

Developments in aerospace exploration pushed the switching


power supply technology. Various forms of switching topology
emerged. The need for lighter, more efficient supplies are
being sought.

The 70s Energy Crisis

Single ended isolated switching converters.


This event which affected the entire industrial world, provided the
switching power supply with an opportunity to strengthen and
establish a significant position in the electronic marketplace.
Switching Power supplies operating directly to AC main becomes
common.

The 70s Energy Crisis

Multi-switch topology Family

Miniaturization Trends in
Electronic and Computer System

Switching Power Supplies would operate in the range of 2550Khz using the bipolar transistor but with the use of MOSFETs
helped push the switching frequency in the 100Khz plus
range. MOSFETs are faster than their Bipolar Transistor
counterpart.

Introduction of

Power Electronic Devices

1) The concept and features


z 2) Configuration of systems using power
electronic devices
z 3) Classifications
z

Concept:
z

Power electronic devices are the electronic devices that can


be directly used in the power processing circuits to convert or
control electric power.

In broad sense ,
1) Vacuum devices : Mercury arc rectifier
rectifier thyratron etc.
2) Semiconductor devices: Major material Silicon
Silicon

Very often ,
Power electronic devices = Power semiconductor devices

Features:
z

The electronic power that power electronic device deals


with is usually much larger than that the information
electronic device does.

Usually working in switching states to reduce power losses.

Need to be controlled by information electronic circuits.

Dissipated power loss usually larger than information


electronic devices special
special packaging and heat sink
are necessary.

2) Configuration of systems using


power electronic devices

Protection circuit is also very often used in power electronic


system especially for the expensive power semiconductors.

3) Classifications
z

z
z
z

Uncontrolled device: diode


has only two terminals and can not be controlled by control signal.
signal.
The on and off states of the device are determined by the power circuit.
HalfHalf- -controlled device: thyristor is turnedturned-on by a control signal and turnedturnedoff by the power circuit
FullyFully- -controlled device: Power MOSFET, IGBT
The on and off states of the device are all controlled by control
control signals.
Other classifications:
1) Current -driven (current(current-controlled) devices ;
Voltage -driven (voltage(voltage- -controlled) devices.
2)

Unipolar devices ;
Bipolar devices ;
Composite devices .

Mechanical Switches
Vs
Semiconductor

Compare
Voltage & current characteristics
Static / Dynamic behavior
Advantages & Limitations

10

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