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ES3E0-15 Power Electronics

Department
School of Engineering
Level
Undergraduate Level 3
Module leader
Jihong Wang
Credit value
15
Module duration
10 weeks
Assessment
30% coursework, 70% exam
Study location
University of Warwick main campus, Coventry
Introductory description

Practically all electronic equipment, whether domestic or industrial, requires power conditioning to deliver the energy for it to operate correctly. This is using electronics for power processing, not information processing. The applications vary widely from power supplies for laptops and mobile phone chargers, through industrial motor drives, hybrid and electric vehicle drives, electric rail transport, to solar and wind energy systems and power transmission and distribution systems.

Module web page

Module aims

The module aims are:

  • To introduce the concept of power electronics as power processing and control, and to present the range of applications of power electronics in today’s society.
  • To introduce power semiconductor devices as basic switching elements used in power electronic converters, and describe the theory of their operation.
  • To introduce power electronic converters, explain their operation and give examples of applications.
  • To develop an understanding of the issues present in converter and device design, including the impact of physical layout and heat dissipation.
Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

  • Introduction to power electronics, devices and applications.
  • Semiconductor theory: revision and in depth discussion. Band theory, doping, p-n junctions. Avalanche breakdown and punchthrough. Carrier lifetime and the effect on resistance and switching speeds.
  • Power semiconductor device physics: PiN and Schottky diodes, thyristors, bipolar transistors, MOSFETs, IGBTs.
  • An introduction to wide bandgap semiconductors and devices. An insight into silicon carbide; specifically, its advantages and potential (high voltage, high frequency and high temperature devices) and its problems (cost, immaturity, processing issues).
  • Power semiconductor device fabrication.
  • Power converters: AC-DC converters, DC-DC converters, isolated converters, bridges and 3-phase inverters, resonant converters.
  • Non-ideal cases, commutation and overlap, introduction of power quality and filters.
  • Drives: basic concept of DC motor control.
  • Design and simulation of converters and devices.
  • Applications: solar power, distributed generation, wind power, hybrid & electric vehicles.
Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

  • Describe the operation of power semiconductor devices.
  • Apply the concepts of device physics in the context of device switching in a power converter.
  • Design a simple power converter, including an AC-DC converter, a DC-DC converter and a DC-AC inverter.
  • Analyse the power quality and harmonics. Design the basic filters to smooth the converter output and to improve the power quality.
  • Explain the practical issues in converter design.
  • Evaluate the applications of power electronics and the development of new devices.
Indicative reading list
  1. Power Electronics: a first course, Ned Mohan, ISBN : 978-1-118-07480-0, Wiley 2012.
  2. Fundamentals of silicon carbide technology, T. Kimoto and J.A. Cooper, ISBN 9781118313527, Wiley, 2014.
  3. S.M. Sze and K.K. Ng, Physics of semiconductor devices, ISBN 9780471143239 Wiley, 2007.
  4. Advanced electric drives : analysis, control, and modeling using MATLAB/Simulink, Ned Mohan, ISBN 978111891113, Wiley , 2014.
  5. Electric machines and drives : a first course, Ned Mohan, ISBN 9781118074817, Wiley, 2012.
  6. Advanced Power Electronics Converters: PWM Converters Processing AC Voltages, Euzeli Cipriano dos Santos Jr. and Edison Roberto Cabral da Silva, ISBN 978111888695, Wiley, 2015.
  7. Electromagnetic compatibility in power electronics, Laszlo Tihanyi, Butterworth-Heinemann, ISBN 9781118863183, Wiley, 2014.
Research element

New development in power electronic device and converter design.
Using research project and research outcome as examples in the teaching to show how research drives the technology progress.

Subject specific skills

Power electronic device and their materials, formation, packaging, protection.
Power device selections and quantity analysis
Power electronic converter design and circuit analysis
Practical skills in device and converter modelling and simualtion, analysis for parameter optimisation
Practical skills in converter parameter tuning
Converter dynamic modelling and transition analysis

Transferable skills

Practical sckill in electronic equipment usage;
Lab report writing and results analysis and presentation.
Computer simulation and CAD

Study time

Type Required
Lectures 30 sessions of 1 hour (20%)
Practical classes 12 sessions of 1 hour (8%)
Other activity 6 hours (4%)
Private study 102 hours (68%)
Total 150 hours
Private study description

Guided independent learning 102 hours.

Other activity description

4 X 1 hour Example Classes
2 X 1 hour Revision Classes

Costs

No further costs have been identified for this module.

You do not need to pass all assessment components to pass the module.

Students can register for this module without taking any assessment.

Assessment group D3
Weighting Study time
(Practical/simulation) lab based assignments 1 (4 pages each) 1000 words 15%

both elements must be passed

(Practical/simulation) lab based assignments 2 (4 pages each) 1000 words 15%

both elements must be passed

Online Examination 70%

Assessment weighting unchanged: exam now 2 * 1 hour online QMP tests.

~Platforms - QMP


  • Students may use a calculator
  • Online examination: No Answerbook required
  • Engineering Data Book 8th Edition
Feedback on assessment

Solutions to questions in problem sheets and discussion of the solutions during example classes.
Marked assignments.
Cohort level feedback on examinations.

Past exam papers for ES3E0

Pre-requisites

To take this module, you must have passed:

Post-requisite modules

If you pass this module, you can take:

  • ES4E8-15 Advanced Power Electronic Converters and Devices

Courses

This module is Core for:

  • Year 3 of UESA-H63W BEng Electronic Engineering
  • Year 4 of UESA-H63V BEng Electronic Engineering with Intercalated Year
  • Year 3 of UESA-H63X MEng Electronic Engineering
  • UESA-H636 MEng Electronic Engineering with Intercalated Year
    • Year 3 of H636 Electronic Engineering with Intercalated Year
    • Year 4 of H636 Electronic Engineering with Intercalated Year
  • Year 3 of UESA-H605 Undergraduate Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Year 3 of UESA-H606 Undergraduate Electrical and Electronic Engineering MEng
  • Year 4 of UESA-H607 Undergraduate Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Intercalated Year

This module is Core optional for:

  • UESA-H636 MEng Electronic Engineering with Intercalated Year
    • Year 3 of H636 Electronic Engineering with Intercalated Year
    • Year 4 of H636 Electronic Engineering with Intercalated Year
  • Year 4 of UESA-H63Y MEng Electronic Engineering with Intercalated Year
  • Year 3 of UESA-H115 MEng Engineering with Intercalated Year
  • UESA-H607 Undergraduate Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Intercalated Year
    • Year 3 of H607 Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Intercalated year
    • Year 4 of H607 Electrical and Electronic Engineering with Intercalated year

This module is Optional for:

  • Year 3 of UESA-H113 BEng Engineering
  • Year 3 of UESA-H114 MEng Engineering
  • Year 4 of UESA-H115 MEng Engineering with Intercalated Year

This module is Option list A for:

  • Year 4 of UESA-H111 BEng Engineering with Intercalated Year
  • UESA-H112 BSc Engineering
    • Year 3 of H112 Engineering
    • Year 3 of H112 Engineering