Power Electronics, introduction to fundamentals and reading guide

Power electronics is a scientific and technical discipline – acquired status since the 1980s, a vast discipline of knowledge and technology.

The success of a power converter, as an industrial product, relies on the mastery of numerous physical phenomena, in several fields. However, it would be difficult to provide a precise definition of the concepts, technologies and techniques covered by the acronym "power electronics". This discipline supports the realization of essential functions within systems, of which the general public ultimately sees only the finality. Whether in a train or a cell phone, the role of power electronics in these "products" is rarely highlighted. Power electronics supply energy to the functions of any "electronic" system. The image of the "power electronics" discipline is undoubtedly equal to the importance of this discipline in a system: all discreet.

At a time when fossil fuels are becoming increasingly scarce and ecological awareness is promoting clean, renewable energies, power electronics are once again at the forefront. Downstream of the systems that transform alternative energies to fossil fuels (sun, wind, water, heat, vibration, biomass), power electronics are present from the moment they are transformed into electrical energy, and from the moment this electricity is adapted to needs. The power electronics industry is obliged to produce more converters, with higher performance and lower cost. This means higher efficiency and increased power-to-weight ratio. Some applications require operation in environments considered severe in terms of ambient temperature, vibration and chemical aggression. But always with discretion...

Power electronics is related to electrical engineering, and refers to large-scale installations. At first glance, these electrical installations don't evoke high technology, yet the energy transition is giving rise to a strong technical and scientific revival in so-called smart grid solutions. The deployment in the near future of a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) grid requires the development of appropriate components and converters. Without power electronics in terms of techniques and concepts, nomadic products (computers, readers, etc.) would not develop as they have. On a very small scale, power electronics is called "energy management" or "power management". Ultimately, this is the primary purpose of any converter. It's low-voltage electronics that has seized on the concepts of electrical energy chopping, or power electronics, as a discipline, which is concerned with products ranging from the very small (less than a watt) to those involving colossal powers (several megawatts). Technology aside, the power supply for a processor (~ 100 W) or the converter connected to a wind turbine...