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Power Electronics: History
Please note this is an old version of this entry, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Contributor: Eng Editorial Office
Power electronics is an engineering discipline focused on the conversion, conditioning and control of electric power by means of power semiconductor switching devices, passive energy-storage components and associated control circuitry [1]. It implements controlled mutual conversion between alternating-current and direct-current electric energy forms, as well as adjustment of voltage magnitude, current amplitude and operating frequency for power-level energy flow [2]. It targets high-energy-flow power processing applications, and is conceptually distinct from small-signal analogue electronics which are primarily designed for information signal processing and communication rather than bulk energy conversion. The field encompasses converter topologies, semiconductor device physics, control algorithms, electromagnetic design and thermal management aspects of power conversion systems [3].
  • power electronics
  • power semiconductor
  • electric power conversion
  • power converter

References

  1. Mohan, N.; Undeland, T.M.; Robbins, W.P. Power Electronics: Converters, Applications, and Design, 3rd ed.; Wiley: Hoboken, NJ, USA, 2002. ISBN: 9780471226932.
  2. Erickson, R.W.; Maksimović, D. Fundamentals of Power Electronics, 2nd ed.; Kluwer Academic Publishers: Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 2001. ISBN: 0792372700.
  3. IEC 60050-551:1998. International Electrotechnical Vocabulary — Part 551: Power electronics; International Electrotechnical Commission: Geneva, Switzerland, 1998. https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/220
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