Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering

EE523 --- Power Electronics Spring, 1998

COURSE DESCRIPTION, GUIDELINES, AND SYLLABUS

• Lecturer: Prof. Marc T. Thompson
• Phone:  (617) 923-1392
• Fax:      (617) 923-8762
• Email:   marctt@mit.edu
• Marc Thompson WPI and business websites: http://ece.wpi.edu/People/faculty/mtt.html, http://members.aol.com/marctt/
• Level:  Graduate level
• Lecture: Wednesday, 5:30-8:30
• Office Hours: Wednesday, 4:30-5:30; other correspondence by email.
• Course Secretary: Louise Campbell, (508) 831-5231, lpcamp@ece.wpi.edu

1. Philosophy

This is a graduate-level power electronics course, covering power electronic systems, device physics, rectifiers, switching power converters (DC/DC and resonant), control issues, practical design issues such as snubbers, gate drives, and thermal design, and magnetic design. The focus is on real-world, approximate design techniques, case studies, and intuitive methods. Circuit simulations will be used when necessary.

2. Prerequisites

Basic background in device physics, transistor amplifier and operational amplifier design. Control systems. Electromagnetism. Access to web searching, MATLAB and PSPICE simulation tools.

3. Course Load

          3.1 Lectures

Attendance in lecture and class participation is required. It is expected that the lecture will be very interactive with a lively "give-and-take."

          3.2 Problem Sets

Homework assignments will be given and due the following week. Material covered will be derived from lecture topics and reading assignments. Some homework assignments may contain a lab or simulation (SPICE or MATLAB component). Late problem sets will not be accepted.

          3.3 Exams

There will be one or more exams.

          3.4 Design Problems

One or more design problems will be given. The design problem assignments will be wider in scope than the homework assignments and will require significant design effort, simulations and/or lab work, and a written report.

4. Grading

Grading will be done with the approximate percentage distribution:

Homework:	20%
Design problems:	40%
Classroom participation:	10%
Exams:	30%

Assignments will be due at the beginning of class on the due date, and will not be accepted late.

5. Required Text

Ned Mohan, Tore M. Undeland and William P. Robbins, Power Electronics Converters, Applications, and Design, Second Edition, John Wiley, 1995

          5.1 Other Recommended Texts:

1. John G. Kassakian, Martin F. Schlecht, and George C. Verghese, Principles of Power Electronics, Addison-Wesley, 1991
2. Ralph E. Tarter, Solid-State Power Conversion Handbook, John Wiley, 1993

   6. Tentative Course Syllabus (subject to change)