ELECTRICAL DRIVES

&
CONTROL
 Power Electronic Systems

What is Power Electronics ?

A field of Electrical Engineering that deals with the application of

power semiconductor devices for the control and conversion of
electric power

sensors
Input
Source Power Electronics Load
- AC Converters
- DC Output
- unregulated - AC
- DC
POWER ELECTRONIC
CONVERTERS – the
heart of power a power
Reference Controller electronics system
 Power Electronic Systems

Why Power Electronics ?

Power semiconductor devices Power switches

isw

ON or OFF
+ vsw −
=0

isw = 0
Ploss = vsw× isw = 0
+ vsw −
Losses ideally ZERO !
 Power Electronic Systems

Why Power Electronics ?

Power semiconductor devices Power switches

K K K

G G
Vak Vak Vak

+ + +
ia ia ia
A A A
 Power Electronic Systems

Why Power Electronics ?

Power semiconductor devices Power switches

D
C
iD
+ ic
+
VDS G
G
VCE

E
 Power Electronic Systems

Passive elements High frequency

+ VL transformer

iL
+ +
Inductor
V1 V2

+ VC

iC
 Power Electronic Systems

sensors
Input
Source Power Electronics IDEALLY LOSSLESS
Load !
- AC Converters
- DC Output
- unregulated - AC
- DC

Reference Controller
 Power Electronic Systems

Why Power Electronics ?

Other factors:
• Improvements in power semiconductors fabrication
• Power Integrated Module (PIM), Intelligent Power
Modules (IPM)

• Decline cost in power semiconductor

• Advancement in semiconductor fabrication

• ASICs • FPGA • DSPs
Power Integrated Module (PIM)

Intelligent Power Modules (IPM)

 Modern Electrical Drive Systems

• About 50% of electrical energy used for drives

• Can be either used for fixed speed or variable speed

• 75% - constant speed, 25% variable speed (expanding)

• Variable speed drives typically used PEC to supply the motors

DC motors (brushed) AC motors

SRM - IM
BLDC - PMSM
 Modern Electrical Drive Systems

Classic Electrical Drive for Variable Speed Application :

• Bulky
• Inefficient
• inflexible
Ward Leonard control system
 Power Electronic Systems

Some Applications of Power Electronics :

Typically used in systems requiring efficient control and conversion of
electric energy:
Domestic and Commercial Applications
Industrial Applications
Telecommunications
Transportation
Generation, Transmission and Distribution of electrical energy

Power rating of < 1 W (portable equipment)

Tens or hundreds Watts (Power supplies for computers /office equipment)
kW to MW : drives
Hundreds of MW in DC transmission system (HVDC)
 Modern Electrical Drive Systems

Typical Modern Electric Drive Systems

Power Electronic Converters Electric Motor

Electric Energy Electric Energy Electric Mechanical
- Unregulated - - Regulated - Energy Energy

POWER IN Power
Electronic Motor Load
Converters

feedback

Reference
Controller
 Modern Electrical Drive Systems
Example on VSD application

Constant speed Variable Speed Drives

valve

Supply
motor pump

Power out

Power
In

Power loss
Mainly in valve
 Modern Electrical Drive Systems
Example on VSD application

Constant speed Variable Speed Drives

valve

Supply Supply
motor pump motor
PEC pump

Power out
Power out
Power
Power
In
In

Power loss
Power loss
Mainly in valve
 Modern Electrical Drive Systems
Example on VSD application

Constant speed Variable Speed Drives

valve

Supply Supply
motor pump motor
PEC pump

Power out
Power out
Power
Power
In
In

Power loss
Power loss
Mainly in valve
Overview of AC and DC drives
 Power Electronic Converters in ED Systems
Converters for Motor Drives
(some possible configurations)

DC Drives AC Drives

AC Source DC Source AC Source DC Source

DC-AC-DC DC-DC

AC-DC AC-DC-DC AC-DC-AC AC-AC DC-AC DC-DC-AC

 (a)

Practical switch current, voltage, and waveforms

A useful plot that illustrates how switching takes place from on to off and vice
versa is called a switching trajectory, which is simply a plot of i sw versus vsw as
shown here

Switching trajectory
Switching Functions and Matrix
Representation
The system below has n inputs and m outputs that can be either
voltages or currents. There are n x m switches
 Safe Operation Area
• The safe operation area (SOA) of a device provides the current
and voltage limits the device must handle to avoid destructive
failure
 Snubber Circuits
• To relieve switches from overstress during switching, switching aid
circuits, known as snubber circuits
• The objectives of snubber circuits are:
– Reducing the switching power losses in the main power device in
the power electronic circuit
– Avoiding second breakdowns
– Controlling the device’s dv/dt or di/dt

(a) (b)

iSW versus vSW switching loci

Frequency versus power rating ranges for various power devices.
 Principles of heat transfer

Conduction: Energy transfer within solids

Convection: Transfer from a surface to a moving fluid

Radiation: Transfer by electromagnetic radiation

 Heat is radiated out – black helps

Heat is conducted away –

good conductors and
surface area help

Heat is convected away – surface

area and forced flow helps.
 COMPONENT

They are usually made black to radiate the most heat.

The surface area of some components needs to be increased so there is
more area to loose heat. The best way to do this is with fins.
 Heat sinks for air cooling
• Aluminium alloys are the dominating materials for air-
cooled heat sinks

High pressure-drop Low pressure-drop

Comparison of Power Devices