Power Electronics and Power Supplies

What this page covers

This unit sits in the strand Electrical Power and Energy, within Electrical and electronic engineering. The resources follow a clear thread: how AC becomes steady DC, and how power is converted and regulated after that.

• Power supply basics: the mind maps called Ordinary D.C Power Supply and Ordinary D.C. Power Supply explain that a rectifier produces pulsating DC and a filter circuit removes the a.c. component.
• Converters and design: the notes Converter Models describe small-signal and other model choices, and a mind map covers the design of a reduced-size, high-efficiency, high-power off-grid inverter.
• Applications: the Power electronics notes list uses such as small motor drives and switched-mode power supplies for portable equipment.

Where to start

Begin with the flashcards Introduction to Power Supplies (Mod.7 Sect.1 Part 1). They cover turning AC into DC and the role of diodes as rectifiers. Then open Ordinary D.C Power Supply to see the same idea as a map.

Next, move to the deck Chapter 11 Diodes and Power Supply Circuits. It asks about full-wave center-tapped transformer rectifiers and how a dc supply is built. The deck on full-wave and polyphase rectifiers and power supply regulation continues in the same order.

Using quizzes and maps together

Take the quiz Power Electronics Basics - 1 early. It asks which power semiconductor device has the highest switching speed and which has the highest voltage and current ratings. Note the questions you miss, then look for them in the maps and notes.

Use a mind map to see how parts connect, then a flashcard deck to test recall. The mind map on the off-grid inverter shows trade-offs well: raising frequency shrinks passive elements but increases switching losses.

Going further

For deeper or project-style questions, try the Energy VIVA deck, which asks why the ESR of electrolytic capacitors matters. Pick a resource that matches where you are, then build your own maps and flashcards to fill any gaps.