This book is intended to be an introductory text in power electronics, primarily
for the undergraduate electrical engineering student. The text assumes
that the student is familiar with general circuit analysis techniques usually
taught at the sophomore level. The student should be acquainted with electronic
devices such as diodes and transistors, but the emphasis of this text is on circuit
topology and function rather than on devices. Understanding the voltage-current
relationships for linear devices is the primary background required, and the concept
of Fourier series is also important. Most topics presented in this text are appropriate
for junior- or senior-level undergraduate electrical engineering students.
The text is designed to be used for a one-semester power electronics
course, with appropriate topics selected or omitted by the instructor. The text
is written for some flexibility in the order of the topics. It is recommended that
Chap. 2 on power computations be covered at the beginning of the course in
as much detail as the instructor deems necessary for the level of students.
Chapters 6 and 7 on dc-dc converters and dc power supplies may be taken before
Chaps. 3, 4, and 5 on rectifiers and voltage controllers. The author covers chapters
in the order 1, 2 (introduction; power computations), 6, 7 (dc-dc converters;
dc power supplies), 8 (inverters), 3, 4, 5 (rectifiers and voltage controllers), followed
by coverage of selected topics in 9 (resonant converters) and 10 (drive and
snubber circuits and heat sinks). Some advanced material, such as the control
section in Chapter 7, may be omitted in an introductory course.
The student should use all the software tools available for the solution
to the equations that describe power electronics circuits. These range from
calculators with built-in functions such as integration and root finding to
more powerful computer software packages such as MATLAB®, Mathcad®,
Maple™, Mathematica®, and others. Numerical techniques are often suggested
in this text. It is up to the student to select and adapt all the readily
available computer tools to the power electronics situation.
Much of this text includes computer simulation using PSpice® as a supplement
to analytical circuit solution techniques. Some prior experience with
PSpice is helpful but not necessary. Alternatively, instructors may choose to use
a different simulation program such as PSIM® or NI Multisim™ software instead
of PSpice. Computer simulation is never intended to replace understanding of
fundamental principles. It is the author’s belief that using computer simulation
for the instructional benefit of investigating the basic behavior of power electronics
circuits adds a dimension to the student’s learning that is not possible
from strictly manipulating equations. Observing voltage and current waveforms
from a computer simulation accomplishes some of the same objectives as those
of a laboratory experience. In a computer simulation, all the circuit’s voltages
and currents can be investigated, usually much more efficiently than in a hardware
lab. Variations in circuit performance for a change in components or operating
parameters can be accomplished more easily with a computer simulation
than in a laboratory. PSpice circuits presented in this text do not necessarily represent
the most elegant way to simulate circuits. Students are encouraged to use
their engineering skills to improve the simulation circuits wherever possible.
The website that accompanies this text can be found at www.mhhe
.com/hart, and features Capture circuit files for PSpice simulation for students
and instructors and a password-protected solutions manual and PowerPoint®
lecture notes for instructors.
My sincere gratitude to reviewers and students who have made many
valuable contributions to this project. Reviewers include
Ali Emadi
Illinois Institute of Technology
Shaahin Filizadeh
University of Manitoba
James Gover
Kettering University
Peter Idowu
Penn State, Harrisburg
Mehrdad Kazerani
University of Waterloo
Xiaomin Kou
University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Alexis Kwasinski
The University of Texas at Austin
Medhat M. Morcos
Kansas State University
Steve Pekarek
Purdue University
Wajiha Shireen
University of Houston
Hamid Toliyat
Texas A&M University
Zia Yamayee
University of Portland
Lin Zhao
Gannon University
A special thanks to my colleagues Kraig Olejniczak, Mark Budnik, and
Michael Doria at Valparaiso University for their contributions. I also thank
Nikke Ault for the preparation of much of the manuscript.Complete Online Solutions Manual Organization System (COSMOS). Professors
can benefit from McGraw-Hill’s COSMOS electronic solutions manual.
COSMOS enables instructors to generate a limitless supply of problem material
for assignment, as well as transfer and integrate their own problems
into the software. For additional information, contact your McGraw-Hill sales
representative.Electronic Textbook Option. This text is offered through CourseSmart for both
instructors and students. CourseSmart is an online resource where students can
purchase the complete text online at almost one-half the cost of a traditional text.
Purchasing the eTextbook allows students to take advantage of CourseSmart’s Web
tools for learning, which include full text search, notes and highlighting, and e-mail
tools for sharing notes among classmates. To learn more about CourseSmart options,
contact your McGraw-Hill sales representative or visit
www.CourseSmart.com. Daniel W. Hart
Valparaiso University
Valparaiso, Indiana