Power Electronics & Thermal Management for Energy Conversion

This course lays the foundation for the study of electronic power converter systems used to power electronic systems or to 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), and sizing these components is a critical step.

This course also covers the basic skills needed for thermal calculations and sizing related to the cooling of power semiconductor devices.

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

The main objective of this course is to equip students with the ability to independently analyze a power electronics circuit operating in open-loop and steady-state conditions. This analysis is based on deriving successive partial equivalent circuits, formulating equations, and plotting time diagrams of internal time-varying variables (currents, voltages). It culminates in determining the conversion functions and sizing the circuit components to meet a simple set of specifications.

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

- Thorough understanding of electrical circuit analysis and application of Kirchhoff’s laws.
- Solid foundation in mathematics and elementary physics. Simple differential and integral calculus. Fourier series.

Recommended prerequisites: EEA L2 undergraduate course: HAE403E: Circuits and Measurements in Electrical Engineering.

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

Assessment based on two ongoing assessment exams for the lecture portion.

Assessment of lab work through an individual practical exam at the end of the course, including an oral examination. This grade may be adjusted based on the overall performance in lab work: reports, in-class work, and preparation.

1. Introduction to Power Electronics: A Comparison of Linear Power Supplies and Switch-Mode Devices.
2. General Information on Converters: Loss Reduction, 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 inverting chopper (inductive storage).
5. Study of non-isolated bidirectional DC-DC converters: 2-quadrant chopper and 4-quadrant chopper.
6. DC-to-AC converters: full-wave inverters and pulse-width modulation (PWM) inverters.
7. Isolated DC-DC converters: FORWARD-type direct-conversion power supplies and FLYBACK-type inductive-storage power supplies.
8. Thermal Engineering Applied to Power Electronics and Electrical Machines. Heat transfer mechanisms (conduction, convection, radiation).
9. Application: Calculating the internal temperatures of semiconductor components in a power converter under actual operating conditions.