Concordia University

Department of Electrical and Computer

Engineering

Power Electronics (I) ELEC-433/6411

Week 1
Power electronic systems
(Chapter 1)
 Outline of the lecture
• Definitions on power electronic systems
– Pulsed versus linear electronics
– Classification of power converters
– Scope and applications
• Review of basic concepts
– Definitions
– Analysis of sinusoidal waveforms
– Analysis of nonsinusoidal waveforms
– Response of an inductor and a capacitor to
pulsed signals
 Power Electronic System
• Process and control the flow of electric energy by
supplying voltages and currents in a form that is
optimally suited for user loads
• Power processor is composed of active
(semiconductor switches) and passive elements
(inductors and capacitors)

Block diagram Wave forms

 Switched x linear electronics

Efficiency?

• Example: 78XX family of linear voltage regulators

 Switched x linear electronics

Smaller high-frequency
transformer.
Transistor operates as a switch.
Higher efficiency.
Lower weight and size.

Switch-mode dc power supply

Basic principles of switch-mode converters
• The transistor
operates with a fixed
switching frequency
and high efficiency
• PWM controls the
average output voi (t ) = Voi + vripple (t )
voltage (Voi).
• LC filter reduces the
output voltage ripple.
They can be reduced
by operating at high
frequency.
• Switching losses! Equivalent circuit, waveforms, and frequency spectrum
of the supply
 Applications of Power Electronics
• Currently, the most widely adopted wind system is the
doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) which includes
AC/DC converters and DC/AC converters
 Applications of Power Electronics
• Photovoltaic systems require several power electronics
modules, e.g., DC/DC converters and DC/AC converters
 Applications of Power Electronics
• Successful integration of different renewable energy
sources to a smart grid requires several power electronics
modules, e.g., DC/DC converters and DC/AC converters
 Applications of Power Electronics
• Residential: Air-conditioning, cooking, lighting,
refrigerators, etc.
• Commercial: Heating, air-conditioning, power supplies
for computer, office equipment, elevators, etc.
• Industrial: Arc and Industrial furnaces, blowers and fans,
pumps and compressors, rolling mills, textile mills,
excavators, etc.
• Transportation: Traction control of electric vehicles,
electric locomotives, streetcars, trolleybuses, subways,
automotive electronics.
• Aerospace: Space shuttle power supplies, satellite power
supplies, aircraft power system.
Applications of Power Electronics

FACTS
 Classification of power converters
• According to the type of input and output power:
- Ac –> dc : Rectifier
- Ac –> ac: Ac controller and frequency converter
- Dc –> dc: Chopper
- Dc –> ac: Inverter
• According to the type of commutation:
- Line frequency naturally commutated converters
- Switching forced-commutated converters
- Resonant soft-switching converters
 Power flow through ac-dc converters

• Rectifier mode of operation: Power flows from the

ac to the dc side.
• Inverter mode of operation: Power flows from the
dc to the ac side.
• Application examples: AC drives and grid connec
ted Photovoltaic (PV) systems
 Interdisciplinary nature of power
electronics
• Power electronics involves many fields within electrical
engineering.

Interdisciplinary nature of power electronics

 Concordia University
Department of Electrical and Computer
Engineering

Power Electronics (I) ELEC-6411

Week 1
Review of basic concepts
 Conventions

• Bold non-italic symbols refer to phasors

 Steady-state
• When is a switched converter in steady-state?
• Consider the following dc-dc converter.
 Steady-state
• In switched circuits, steady-state is reached when
the circuit waveforms repeat with a time period T.
30

20

10

0
0s 50us 100us 150us 200us 250us 300us 350us 400us 450us 500us
V(VOUT) I(L)
Time

• This course focuses on steady-state analysis.

 Average and rms values
• For the following system:

• The instantaneous and average powers are:

T T
1 1
p(t ) = v i PAV =  p(t ) dt =  v i dt
To To
• For resistive loads:
T
1 2
T o
PR = R I 2
I = I rms = i dt
Sinusoidal steady-state and phasors

v = 2 V sin t
i = 2 I sin (t −  )
I = V Z , Z = R 2 + X 2
 L

 X L =  L,  = tan −1 ( X L R )
 Phasor representation
• Waveforms with the same frequency can be repre-
sented in a complex plane by phasors.
• Their rms values are used to represent their magni
tude. j0
V Ve V − j
V = Ve j0
and I = = j = e = Ie− j
Z Ze Z
• The reference phasor is usually placed in the posi
tive side of the x axis (angle is zero).
• Phasors rotate in a counterclockwise direction.
• What really matters is the phase angle between the
quantities under consideration.
Power, reactive power and power factor
• Definition of complex power (S):
*   
S = VI = Ve j 0 Ie j = VIe j = Se j S = VI cos + jVI sin 
S = VI apparent power (VA), S = P + jQ, S 2 = P 2 + Q 2 S
P = Re[S]= VI cos  , real power (W)
Q

Q = Im[S]= VI sin  , reactive power (VAr) 

P
P
PF = = cos  , power factor. POWER TRIANGLE
S
• Phase (IP) and out-of-phase (IQ) current compo-
nents: I P = I cos → P = VI P
I Q = I sin  → Q = VIQ
 Power factor and reactive power
• A resistive load ( = 0°) presents a unity
power factor and does not consume vars.
• A pure inductor ( = 90°) presents PF = 0
lagging, meaning it consumes vars.
• A pure capacitor ( = -90°) presents PF = 0
leading, meaning it produces vars.
• Common loads (motors) consume vars.
• Check Example 3-1: PF correction!
 Three-phase systems
2 2
• Positive sequence (a-b-c) Va = Ve j 0 , Vb = Ve
−j
3
, Vc = Ve
j
3

• Phase and line quantities:

2 2  
− j( + ) j( − ) j( ) j( )
− j
I a = Ie , I b = Ie 3
, I c = Ie 3
Vab = Va − Vb = 3Ve 6
= VLL e 6

• Balanced systems can be analyzed in a per-phase

basis: S = 3S = 3VI = 3V I
3 1 LL
 Three-phase systems
• Phase and line quantities:

400V

200V

0V

-200V

-400V
0s 5ms 10ms 15ms 20ms 25ms 30ms 35ms 40ms 45ms 50ms
V(Va:+) V(Vb:+) V(Vc:+) V(Va:+,Vb:+)
Time
Example
Example
Example
Nonsinusoidal waveforms in steady state
• Output voltage and input current of a frequency converter
Fourier analysis of repetitive waveforms
• A nonsinusoidal waveform f(t) with angular fre
quency  can be expressed by:
 
f h (t ) = a0 +  [ah cos(ht ) + bh sin (ht )]
1
f (t ) = F0 + 
h =1 2 h =1

1 2


ah = f (t ) cos(ht ) d (t ), h = 0,..., 
0

1 2


bh = f (t ) sin( ht ) d (t ), h = 1,..., 
0

• One can identify the dc value (F0) , fundamental

component (F1) and harmonics (F2, F3…), where:
ah2 + bh2 − bh
Fh = , since tan(h ) = → Fh = Fh e jh
2 ah
Waveform symmetry and simplifications
 Line current distortion
• Input current of a 1 diode bridge rectifier

• Fourier representation: is (t ) = is1 (t ) +  ish (t )

h 1
12 12
1 2T   2 
• RMS value: Is = 
T  is (t ) dt 

=   I sh 
 
 0   h =1 
I dis
• THD: THD(%) = 100 , where I dis = I s2 − I s21 =
I s1
 sh
I 2

h 1
I s ,peak
• Crest factor: Crest factor =
Is
 Input power and power factor
• Definitions of average power, total power factor,
and displacement power for a nonlinear load:
T T
1 1
PAV =  vs is dt =  2Vs sin t is dt = Vs I s1 cos1
T o T o

S = Vs I s
P Vs I s1 cos1 I s1 I
PF = = = cos1 = s1 DPF
S Vs I s Is Is
DPF = cos 1
1
PF = DPF
1 + THD i
2

• Thus, highly nonlinear loads present low PF

Example
Example
Example
 Inductor and capacitor response
• Phasor analysis (steady-state):
VL VL  VL  − j
IL = = j 2 = e
2
IC = VC jC = VLCe j 2

jL e L  L 
 Inductor and capacitor response
• Transient response to a pulse (time domain)
t t
1 1
iL (t ) = iL (t1 ) +  vL d , vC (t ) = vC (t1 ) +  iC d , t  t1
L t1 C t1
Inductor current & voltage in steady-state

• Volt-second over T (average voltage) equal to zero

Capacitor current & voltage in steady-state

• Amp-second over T (average current) equal to zero

 Reference
Power Electronics: Converters, Applications, and Design by Ned
Mohan, Tore M. Undeland, William P. Robbins