Infrastructure
Power Electronics
Category
Infrastructure
Abstraction level
Paradigm
Operation level
DeploymentSystem
Use cases
Power supplies and distribution in data centersRenewable inverters and electric vehiclesMotor drives and solid-state transformers
How it works
Power-semiconductor devices are switched rapidly (pulse-width modulation, PWM) within converter topologies, allowing voltage and current to be shaped, voltage levels changed and conversion between DC and AC performed at high efficiency.
Problem solved
How to efficiently and precisely convert and control electrical power between different forms and voltage levels?
Strengths & limitations
Strengths
✓High energy-conversion efficiency
✓Precise control of voltage and power
✓Enables modern energy infrastructure
Limitations
✗Switching losses and heat dissipation
✗Circuit and control complexity
✗Electromagnetic interference (EMI)