Electrical Engineering 113 — Power Electronics (4 Units)

Course Overview

Summary

This course covers the fundamentals of power conversion circuits, including AC-DC, DC-AC, AC-AC and DC-DC. In the first portion of the course there is a large emphasis on the analysis and design of magnetic components. The emphasis later shifts back to circuit topologies, analyzing various power circuit topologies. The class features a set of hardware and simulation labs.

Prerequisites

  • EE105
  • Physics 7B

Topics Covered

  • Rectifiers (half wave, full wave, 3 phase)
  • Harmonics and power factor
  • Magnetic component analysis and design (transformers and inductors)
  • DC-DC conversion (direct, indirect, isolated, switched capacitor)
  • Inverters
  • Semiconductor fundamentals
  • MOSFET switching dynamics
  • Device protection
  • High frequency design

Workload

Course Work

  • Approximately biweekly problem sets (every 2 weeks)
  • Weekly Labs
  • 1 Midterm

Time Commitment

3 hours of lecture, 3 hours of lab, no discussion. Expect problem sets to take around 4-6 hours, and lab reports to take around 3 additional hours outside the lab.

Choosing the Course

When to take

Junior or Senior year. Power electronics is an interdisciplinary subject, and while not needed, a mature background in circuit analysis will greatly help.

What's next?

Controls or circuits classes if interested.

Usefulness for Research or Internships

Useful for work related to Power Electronics such as solar inverters, variable speed electric drives, and consumer electronics.

Additional Comments/Tips

Last Updated: Summer 2020