Power Electronics and Drives: cram pack

Formula sheets, the key method steps for every topic and 8 practice problems, with full solutions at the back.

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1Formulas and methods

DC-DC converters

Buck
Vo = D·Vin
Boost
Vo = Vin/(1 − D)
Inverting buck-boost
|Vo| = Vin·D/(1 − D)
Ideal power balance
VinIin = VoIo
Inductor ripple
ΔIL = VL,on·D/(L·f); buck Vin − Vo, boost and buck-boost Vin
Average inductor current
buck Io; boost and buck-boost Io/(1 − D)
Output ripple
buck ΔIL/(8fC); boost and buck-boost Io·D/(fC)
CCM boundary
buck (1 − D)R/(2f); boost D(1 − D)²R/(2f); buck-boost (1 − D)²R/(2f)

Method

  1. Identify the converter (buck, boost or buck-boost) and the duty cycle D from the voltage ratio.
  2. Use volt-second balance on the inductor: the average inductor voltage over a period is zero.
  3. Find the inductor voltage while the switch is on, then ΔIL = VL·D/(L·f).
  4. For the output ripple, find the charge that flows in and out of the capacitor; for the CCM boundary, set the average inductor current equal to ΔIL/2.

DC motors

Armature circuit
V = E + IaRa
Back-EMF and torque
E = k·ω, T = k·Ia
Speed
ω = 2π·n/60, ω = (V − IaRa)/k
No-load speed and stall torque
ω0 = V/k, Tstall = k·V/Ra
Powers
Pin = V·Ia, Pdev = E·Ia = T·ω, Pout = Pdev − Prot
Starting
Istart = V/(Ra + Rst)
Speed regulation
SR = (n0 − nFL)/nFL
Maximum developed power
Pmax = V²/(4Ra)
Chopper drive
Va = D·Vdc

Method

  1. Draw the armature circuit: supply V, resistance Ra and the back-EMF E in series.
  2. Use V = E + Ia·Ra to link voltage, current and back-EMF.
  3. Use E = k·ω for speed and T = k·Ia for torque, with ω = 2π·n/60.
  4. For power and efficiency, start from V·Ia, subtract the copper loss Ia²·Ra and then the rotational losses.

AC power & power factor

Real power
P = V·I·cos φ
Reactive power
Q = V·I·sin φ
Apparent power
S = V·I = √(P² + Q²)
Power factor
pf = cos φ = P/S
Correction capacitor
QC = P(tan φ1 − tan φ2), C = QC/(ωV²)

Three-phase power

Y connection
VL = √3·Vph, IL = Iph
Δ connection
VL = Vph, IL = √3·Iph
Total real power
P = √3·VL·IL·cos φ = 3·Iph²·R
Apparent and reactive power
S = √3·VL·IL, Q = P·tan φ
Correction capacitors
QC = P(tan φ1 − tan φ2), C = QC/(3ωV²)
Voltage across each capacitor
Δ: VL Y: VL/√3
Motor input
Pin = Pout/η

2Practice problems

1.DC-DC convertersMedium
tiL​Imax​Imin​ΔI = ?DTT2T

An ideal buck converter turns 24 V into 18 V at 25 kHz with L = 220 µH. Find the peak-to-peak inductor ripple current ΔIL.

Vin​ = 24 VVo​ = 18 Vf = 25 kHzL = 220 µH
ΔIL = A
2.DC-DC convertersHard
tiL​Imax​IL​DTT2T

An ideal inverting buck-boost converter turns 9 V into −6 V for a 10 Ω load at 25 kHz. Find the smallest inductance Lcrit for continuous conduction.

Vin​ = 9 VVo​ = −6 Vf = 25 kHzR = 10 Ω
Lcrit = µH
3.DC motorsMedium
T (N·m)n (rpm)Tst​ = ?n0​

A DC motor with k = 1.5 N·m/A and Ra = 1 Ω is connected to 240 V. Find its stall torque Tstall, the torque at zero speed.

V = 240 Vk = 1.5 N·m/ARa = 1 Ω
Tstall = N·m
4.DC motorsHard
+−110 VRs​ = ?Ra​ = 0.5 ΩM+−En = 600 rpmT = 25 N·m

A DC motor (k = 1 V·s/rad, Ra = 0.5 Ω) on a fixed 110 V supply drives a load of 25 N·m. Find the series resistance Rs that slows it down to 600 rpm.

V = 110 Vk = 1 V·s/radRa = 0.5 ΩT = 25 N·mn = 600 rpm
Rs = Ω
5.AC power & power factorMedium
240 VR + jXP = 4320 W20 A

An inductive load takes 20 A and 4320 W from a 240 V (rms) single-phase supply. Model it as a resistance R in series with a reactance X. Find R.

V = 240 VI = 20 AP = 4320 W
R = Ω
6.AC power & power factorHard
100 V1000 HzRs​ = 50 ΩXs​ = j30 ΩZL​ = ?

A 100 V (rms), 1000 Hz source has an internal impedance Zs = 50 + j30 Ω. The load impedance ZL can be chosen freely. Find the maximum real power Pmax that can be delivered to the load.

Vs = 100 V (rms)f = 1000 HzZs = 50 + j30 Ω
Pmax = W
7.Three-phase powerMedium
ABCVL​ = 208 VNZ = 4 + j3 Ωper phase

A balanced Y-connected load with an impedance of 4 + j3 Ω per phase is connected to a balanced three-phase supply with a line-to-line voltage of 208 V. Find the total real power P absorbed by the load in kW.

VL = 208 VZ = 4 + j3 Ω per phase
P = kW
8.Three-phase powerHard
P = 120 kWφ1​S1​Q2​QC​ = ?

A balanced three-phase load takes 120 kW at a power factor of 0.65 lagging from a 400 V (line-to-line), 60 Hz supply. A three-phase capacitor bank in parallel with the load must raise the overall power factor to 0.9 lagging. The real power stays the same. Find the total reactive power QC the capacitor bank must supply, in kvar.

P = 120 kWpf1 = 0.65pf2 = 0.9VL = 400 Vf = 60 Hz
QC = kvar

3Solutions

1.DC-DC converters

Answer: ΔIL = 0.8182 A

DC-DC converters: a switch S turns on for the fraction D of each period T = 1/f. In steady state the average inductor voltage is zero (volt-second balance), which gives the ideal conversion ratios in continuous conduction: buck Vo = D·Vin, boost Vo = Vin/(1 − D), inverting buck-boost |Vo| = Vin·D/(1 − D). An ideal converter keeps the power: Vin·Iin = Vo·Io. While S is on the inductor current rises by ΔIL = VL·D·T/L, with VL = Vin − Vo for the buck and Vin for the boost and buck-boost. The output ripple is ΔVo = ΔIL/(8fC) for the buck and Io·D/(fC) for the boost and buck-boost. The inductor current just touches zero (the CCM boundary) when the average inductor current equals ΔIL/2.

Duty cycle

D = 18/24 = 0.75

Inductor voltage during the on-time

While S is on, the inductor sits between Vin and Vo.

VL = 24 − 18 = 6 V

Ripple current

ΔIL = VL·D/(L·f) = 6·0.75/(220·10⁻⁶·25·10³) = 0.8182 A

Answer

ΔIL = 0.8182 A
2.DC-DC converters

Answer: Lcrit = 72 µH

DC-DC converters: a switch S turns on for the fraction D of each period T = 1/f. In steady state the average inductor voltage is zero (volt-second balance), which gives the ideal conversion ratios in continuous conduction: buck Vo = D·Vin, boost Vo = Vin/(1 − D), inverting buck-boost |Vo| = Vin·D/(1 − D). An ideal converter keeps the power: Vin·Iin = Vo·Io. While S is on the inductor current rises by ΔIL = VL·D·T/L, with VL = Vin − Vo for the buck and Vin for the boost and buck-boost. The output ripple is ΔVo = ΔIL/(8fC) for the buck and Io·D/(fC) for the boost and buck-boost. The inductor current just touches zero (the CCM boundary) when the average inductor current equals ΔIL/2.

Duty cycle

D = 6/(9 + 6) = 0.4

Boundary condition

Set the average inductor current equal to half the ripple current and solve for L.

Lcrit = (1 − D)²·R/(2f)

Critical inductance

Lcrit = (1 − 0.4)²·10/(225·10³) = 72 µH

Answer

Lcrit = 72 µH
3.DC motors

Answer: Tstall = 360 N·m

DC motor: the armature is a resistance Ra in series with the back-EMF E, so V = E + Ia·Ra. The back-EMF grows with speed, E = k·ω, and the torque with current, T = k·Ia, with the same motor constant k (V·s/rad = N·m/A) in SI units. Convert speeds with ω = 2π·n/60. The developed power is E·Ia = T·ω; the input power is V·Ia, and the copper loss Ia²Ra and the rotational loss make the difference. The speed falls in a straight line with torque, ω = V/k − Ra·T/k², from the no-load speed V/k to zero at the stall torque k·V/Ra. At standstill E = 0, so the starting current V/Ra is large unless a resistor limits it.

Stall current

Ia = V/Ra = 240/1 = 240 A

Stall torque

Tstall = 1.5·240 = 360 N·m

Answer

Tstall = 360 N·m
4.DC motors

Answer: Rs = 1.387 Ω

DC motor: the armature is a resistance Ra in series with the back-EMF E, so V = E + Ia·Ra. The back-EMF grows with speed, E = k·ω, and the torque with current, T = k·Ia, with the same motor constant k (V·s/rad = N·m/A) in SI units. Convert speeds with ω = 2π·n/60. The developed power is E·Ia = T·ω; the input power is V·Ia, and the copper loss Ia²Ra and the rotational loss make the difference. The speed falls in a straight line with torque, ω = V/k − Ra·T/k², from the no-load speed V/k to zero at the stall torque k·V/Ra. At standstill E = 0, so the starting current V/Ra is large unless a resistor limits it.

Current and back-EMF

Ia = 25/1 = 25 A
E = 1·62.83 = 62.83 V

Series resistance

Ra + Rs = (110 − 62.83)/25 = 1.887 Ω
Rs = 1.387 Ω

Answer

Rs = 1.387 Ω

The resistor wastes 866.7 W; a chopper controls the speed with far less loss.

5.AC power & power factor

Answer: R = 10.8 Ω

AC power: apparent power S = V·I (VA) splits into real power P = S·cos φ (W), which does useful work, and reactive power Q = S·sin φ (var), which moves back and forth between source and load. The power factor is cos φ. A capacitor in parallel supplies reactive power locally, so the line current drops for the same real power.

Resistance from the real power

R = P/I² = 4320/20² = 10.8 Ω

Answer

R = 10.8 Ω
6.AC power & power factor

Answer: Pmax = 50 W

AC power: apparent power S = V·I (VA) splits into real power P = S·cos φ (W), which does useful work, and reactive power Q = S·sin φ (var), which moves back and forth between source and load. The power factor is cos φ. A capacitor in parallel supplies reactive power locally, so the line current drops for the same real power.

Conjugate match

The load reactance cancels the source reactance, and the load resistance equals the source resistance.

ZL = Zs* = 50 − j30 Ω

Maximum power

I = Vs/(2Rs) = 100/100 = 1 A
Pmax = I²·RL = Vs²/(4Rs) = 100²/(4·50) = 50 W

Answer

Pmax = 50 W
7.Three-phase power

Answer: P = 6.922 kW

Balanced three-phase systems: in a Y (star) connection the line-to-line voltage is √3 times the phase voltage, VL = √3·Vph, and the line current equals the phase current. In a Δ (delta) connection the line-to-line voltage equals the phase voltage and the line current is √3 times the phase current, IL = √3·Iph. The total power is three times the power of one phase: P = 3·Vph·Iph·cos φ = √3·VL·IL·cos φ.

Phase voltage

Vph = 208/√3 = 120.1 V

Phase current

|Z| = √(4² + 3²) = 5 Ω
Iph = 120.1/5 = 24.02 A

Total real power

Only the resistive part of each impedance absorbs real power.

P = 3·Iph²·R = 3·24.02²·4 = 6.922 kW

Answer

P = 6.922 kW

Check: cos φ = R/|Z| = 0.8, and √3·VL·IL·cos φ gives the same power.

8.Three-phase power

Answer: QC = 82.18 kvar

Balanced three-phase systems: in a Y (star) connection the line-to-line voltage is √3 times the phase voltage, VL = √3·Vph, and the line current equals the phase current. In a Δ (delta) connection the line-to-line voltage equals the phase voltage and the line current is √3 times the phase current, IL = √3·Iph. The total power is three times the power of one phase: P = 3·Vph·Iph·cos φ = √3·VL·IL·cos φ. Power factor correction: capacitors supply reactive power locally, QC = P·(tan φ1 − tan φ2). Each of the three capacitors supplies QC/3 = V²·ω·C, where V is the voltage across that capacitor: VL in a Δ bank, VL/√3 in a Y bank.

Reactive power before and after

The real power is unchanged, so each power factor fixes the reactive power: Q = P·tan φ.

Q1 = 120·tan(acos 0.65) = 120·1.169 = 140.3 kvar
Q2 = 120·tan(acos 0.9) = 120·0.4843 = 58.12 kvar

Reactive power from the capacitors

QC = Q1 − Q2 = 82.18 kvar

Answer

QC = 82.18 kvar

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