Course Catalogue

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This course provides a foundation for engineers from a range of disciplines to manage the integration of power electronic components and sub-systems into their designs.  It describes the basic operation of power electronics with an emphasis on their applications.

This course will be timetabled in blocks, typically one week in four.

Mandatory Entry Requirements

None

Recommended Entry Requirements

None

None

None

75% Written Exam

10% Homework

15% Report

The aims of this course are to understand the function, design, and characteristics of power electronic components and sub-systems within the wider context of mechanical, mechatronic, aerospace and electrical products and systems.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ outline the function and key characteristics of power electronic devices (such as diodes, silicon controlled rectifiers, diacs, triacs, IGBTs, GTOs and MOSFETs) and snubber networks;

■ design and analyse the performance of circuit configurations used in power electronics including those designed to avoid electromagnetic interference and excessive harmonics such as snubber networks, DC-to-DC and DC-to-AC converters, linear power supplies, and power controllers for DC and AC motors, including AC permanent magnet brushless machines via frequency and voltage control;

■ characterise real buck/boost voltage regulators, and compare with linear regulators;

■ formulate the principles of thermal management and power losses in power converters, and in the packaging and integration of electronic power components and apply these principles in calculations of the thermal performance of systems with multiple sources and sinks of heat;

■ design, construct and characterise a power electronic circuit that meets the design specifications, apply techniques to ensure safety and fault protection of power electronic systems, safely use basic power electronics test equipment, and maintain an adequate laboratory record;