Specialized Technologies of Power ratings.

In some applications, such as those

Electronics for the consumer market, cost reduction is a
critical consideration. In other applications,
such as those for the consumer market, cost
reduction is a critical consideration. In other
applications, such as aerospace, size and
weight are critical considerations. And so on
and on.

Converter Terminology

Power Converter Terminology:

CONVERTER – General Term

SWITCH – Full Off or Full On
REGULATOR – Intermediate Control of
AC or DC
RECTIFIER – Converts AC to DC
A pinwheel can be used to further extend the
INVERTER – Converts DC to AC
specialized technological categories of
FREQUENCY CHANGER – Changes
power electronics without trying to show an
Frequency of AC Power
n-dimensional picture. The “Core
POWER FACTOR CHANGER –
Discipline” incorporates the “Medium
Changes Power Factor of an AC Load
Power Domain”, with the additional
AC/DC CONVERTER – Operates as
requirements of natural commutation and
Rectifier or Inverter
other requirements being “nominal”. Power
electronics equipment for a particular
Unfortunately the field of power electronics
application incorporates technology from the
abounds with inconsistent and ambiguous
Core Discipline plus technology from one or
usage of terminology. To maintain internal
more of the specialized categories. The High
consistency, we will adopt the following
Voltage, High Current, High Power, and
definitions:
High Frequency Domains just discussed
constitute some of these specialized
CONVERTER – A general term which can
technologies. Forced Commutation is
be used to describe any one of the following
another category of increasing importance.
circuit types, a combination of several types,
Numerous other categories of specialized
or all types as a group.
technology could be noted. For example, in
SWITCH – A device or circuit which has
some applications the power devices must
two extreme states - full off or full on.
be specified on the basis of their transient
REGULATOR – A circuit which permits
surge ratings rather than on their steady-state
intermediate control of AC or DC power.
The desired output frequency is the same as
the input frequency. If implemented by
switching devices, regulation is achieved by
time - averaging with a suitable time
constant. A DC regulator is often called a
chopper.
RECTIFIER – Converts AC power to DC
power.
INVERTER – Converts DC power to AC
power.
FREQUENCY CHANGER – A converter
in which the desired AC output frequency is
generally different from the AC input
frequency.
POWER FACTOR CHANGER – A
converter which manipulates the power
factor of an AC load without changing
frequency.

In contrast to the previous discussion of the

internal functions and the specialized
technologies of power electronics, these
terms form the basis for categorizing power
electronics according to external or
application-oriented functions. However, as
will be seen, rectifiers and inverters are not
exclusive types of circuits. Certain circuits
can perform either function. Therefore we
will define another intermediate category:

AC/DC CONVERTER – A circuit which

may operate either as a rectifier or as an
inverter.