Question

Power Semiconductor Devices by Version 2 EE IIT, Kharagpur 

Answer 1

Introduction

This lesson provides the reader the following:

(i) Create an awareness of the general nature of Power electronic equipment;

(ii) Brief idea about topics of study involved,

(iii) The key features of the principal Power Electronic Devices;

(iv) An idea about which device to choose for a particular application.

(v) A few issues like base drive and protection of PE devices and equipment common to

most varieties.

Power Electronics is the art of converting electrical energy from one form to another in an

efficient, clean, compact, and robust manner for convenient utilisation.

A passenger lift in a modern building equipped with a Variable-Voltage-Variable-Speed

induction-machine drive offers a comfortable ride and stops exactly at the floor level. Behind the

scene it consumes less power with reduced stresses on the motor and corruption of the utility

mains. 

Power Electronics involves the study of

• Power semiconductor devices - their physics, characteristics, drive requirements and their

protection for optimum utilisation of their capacities,

• Power converter topologies involving them,

• Control strategies of the converters,

• Digital, analogue and microelectronics involved,

• Capacitive and magnetic energy storage elements,

• Rotating and static electrical devices,

• Quality of waveforms generated,

• Electro Magnetic and Radio Frequency Interference, 

• Thermal Management

The typical converter in Fig. 1.1 illustrates the multidisciplinary nature of this subject. 

Version 2 EE IIT, Kharagpur 

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