Power electronics & thermal management for energy conversion

This teaching unit lays the foundations for studying electronic power converter systems used to power electronic systems or control electromechanical actuators (motors). These devices are based on the principle of switching to achieve a theoretical efficiency of 100%. Switching requires non-dissipative power filtering (inductors and capacitors), the dimensioning of which is an important step.

This teaching unit also provides basic skills in calculating and dimensioning the thermal cooling of power semiconductor electrical devices.

It is a prerequisite for continuing on to the EEA Master's program.

The main objective of this teaching unit is to give students the ability to independently analyze a power electronics circuit operating in open loop and steady state. This analysis is based on establishing successive partial equivalent circuits, setting up equations, and plotting chronograms of internal time variables (currents, voltages). It leads to the determination of conversion functions and the sizing of circuit components to meet simple specifications.

A second objective is to acquire skills in the field of thermal engineering in order to be able to analyze and calculate heat generation in an electrical energy conversion system, particularly the temperatures of power semiconductors.

- Perfect mastery of electrical circuit analysis, application of Kirchhoff's laws.
- Solid foundation in mathematics and elementary physics. Simple differential and integral calculus. Fourier series.

Recommended prerequisites: EEA L2 bachelor's degree course: HAE403E: Circuits and measurements in electrical engineering.

Continuous assessment for the lecture component (70% of the final grade) and for practical work (30% of the final grade).

Assessment based on two continuous assessment tests for the course component.

Assessment of practical work through an individual practical exam at the end of the series, including an oral examination. This grade may be adjusted based on the overall practical work: reports, work during sessions, and preparation.

1. Introduction to power electronics: comparison of linear power supplies and switching devices.
2. General information on converters: elimination of losses, switching electronics, non-dissipative filtering.
3. Semiconductor power switch components and reactive components (inductors and capacitors).
4. Study of non-isolated unidirectional DC-DC converters: series chopper (buck), parallel chopper (boost), and inverter chopper (inductive storage).
5. Study of non-isolated bidirectional DC-DC converters: 2-quadrant chopper and 4-quadrant chopper.
6. DC-AC converters: full-wave inverters and pulse width modulation (PWM) inverters.
7. Isolated DC-DC converters: FORWARD type direct transfer power supply and FLYBACK type inductive storage power supply.
8. Thermal engineering applied to power electronics and electrical machines. Heat transfer modes (conduction, convection, radiation).
9. Application: Calculation of internal temperatures of semiconductor components in a power converter under real operating conditions.