Capacitors in Power Electronics Applications (2024)
Doctoral School of Engineering and Science at Aalborg University
Organizer: Professor Huai Wang hwa@energy.aau.dk
Lecturers: Professor Huai Wang, AAU Energy
ECTS: 2
Date/Time: September 25-26, 2024
Deadline: 04 September 2024
Max no. of participants: 30
Place: AAU Energy, Pontoppidanstraede, Aalborg, Denmark
Description: Capacitors are one of the key components in typical power electronic systems in terms of cost, volume, and reliability. Power electronics applications are consuming unprecedented quantities of electrolytic capacitors, film capacitors, and ceramic capacitors. This industrial/PhD course will discuss the sizing, modeling, and reliability analysis of capacitors from an application perspective, focusing on both classical and emerging power electronics applications. It is the latest research outcome of several PhD projects and industrial collaboration activities. The course will cover the following aspects:
1. Basics of capacitors and its functions in power electronic converters
2. Emerging capacitor technologies and latest developments
3. Capacitor sizing criteria in power electronics by considering steady-state performance, transient and stability performance under both normal and abnormal operations.
4. Reliability of electrolytic capacitors, film capacitors, and ceramic capacitors
5. Mission profiled based electro-thermal-lifetime modeling of capacitors.
6. Condition monitoring and protection of capacitors in power electronics applications
7. Capacitor minimization techniques in power electronic systems
8. Case studies in DC-DC converters, Modular Multi-Level Converters (MMC), photovoltaic inverters, wind power converters, adjustable-speed-drives, Solid-State-Transformers (SST), and ultra-low inductive capacitor bank design.
Day 1 – Introduction to capacitors and its electro-thermal-lifetime modeling and accelerated testing (Lecturer: Huai Wang, 08:30 – 16:30)
L1 Basics of capacitors and emerging capacitor technologies
L2 Electro-thermal-lifetime modelling of capacitors
Exc 1 Mission profile based capacitor lifetime modelling
Lab 1 Capacitor thermal characterization
L3 Accelerated degradation testing of capacitors
Exc 2 Step-by-step capacitor lifetime data analysis
L4 Capacitor condition monitoring
Day 2 – Capacitor sizing in power electronic applications (Lecturer: Huai Wang, 08:30 – 15:30)
L5 Capacitor sizing criteria in power electronics
L6 Active capacitors with semiconductor circuits
L7 Capacitor application case studies
Exc 3 Step-by-step capacitor sizing for a power converter with specified reliability Specifications
Prerequisites: Basic understanding of power electronics circuits and control
Form of evaluation: Case study exercise, lab measurement, and report submission
Course literature:
1. Handouts prepared by the lecturer (30 pages)
2. Selected Journal articles (about 100 pages)
3. Presentation slides (about 100 slides)