The Promising Future Of Power Electronics

By John Oncea, Editor

It is estimated that by 2030, up to 80% of electric power worldwide will rely on power electronics in some capacity. This makes power electronics crucial for improving energy efficiency, reducing power consumption, and enabling the integration of renewable energy sources into the electrical grid.

When Whitehouse released their 1982 album Psychopathia Sexualis, the liner notes put together by principal member William Bennett included the first use of the term power electronics. And that, dear reader, marked the beginning of the application of electronics to the control and conversion of electric power.

Hold on … I’m being told that’s not true at all. Well, that all happened but it has nothing to do with the RF industry. Anyway, let’s try this again.

The Birth Of Power Electronics

Power electronics, a multidisciplinary branch of electrical engineering, began when Peter Cooper Hewitt invented the cathode mercury-arc rectifier – used to convert alternating current (AC) into direct current (DC) – in 1902. The rectifiers, according to IEEE, found immediate applications in battery charging and electrochemical processes.

Three years later, the first DC distribution line with mercury-arc rectifiers was constructed in New York. Innovations continued, including the application of thyratrons and grid-controlled mercury arc valves to power transmission in the 1920s, followed by Uno Lamm’s development of a mercury valve with grading electrodes in 1929, making them suitable for high-voltage direct current power transmission.

In 1930, New York City installed a 3,000-kW grid-controlled rectifier for traction DC motor drives, and the next year mercury-arc cycloconverters that converted three-Phase 50 Hz to single-Phase 16 2/3 Hz for universal motor traction drives were introduced in Germany.

“Joseph Slepian of Westinghouse invented the ignitron tube in 1933,” IEEE writes. “The ignitron tube was able to handle high power at high voltage. These were popular in railway and steel mill DC drives and synchronous motor drives. Ignitron converters were used in HVDC transmission systems also in the 1950s until thyristor converters replaced them in the 1970s.”

The Modern Era: Hello, Power Semiconductor Devices

The modern era of power electronics has been significantly shaped by the development and widespread adoption of power semiconductor devices. These devices are specialized components designed to handle high voltages and currents, functioning as switches or rectifiers in power electronic circuits. They have become essential in applications ranging from small-scale consumer electronics to large-scale industrial and renewable energy systems, according to The Engineering and Technology History Wiki (ETHW).

Among the first of the modern era power electronics developments was the invention of the PNPN transistor (thyristor) by Bell Laboratories in 1956, followed by GE’s introduction of the thyristor (SCR) to the commercial market two years later.

Starting with the phase-controlled thyristor, other power devices emerged gradually occurred. The antiparallel thyristor (TRIAC) was invented by GE in 1958 for AC power control, as was the gate turn-off thyristor (GTO). Power MOSFETs (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors) were introduced in the 1970s and remain popular today for low-power high-frequency applications as they offer improved performance and higher switching frequencies compared to bipolar transistors. They are particularly useful in low-voltage, high-frequency applications.

The insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) was invented in 1983 by GE-CRD under the leadership of Jayant Baliga and was widely available by the 1990s. IGBTs combine the advantages of MOSFETs and bipolar transistors, as well as offer high input impedance, low on-state voltage drop, and can handle high voltages and currents, making them ideal for medium to high-power applications.

The latest breakthrough in power electronics involves materials like Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN). These materials offer superior performance at higher voltages, temperatures, and switching frequencies compared to traditional silicon-based devices.

Along with the power semiconductor evolution, microelectronics technology also was advancing and the fabrication techniques, packaging, modeling, and simulation techniques contributed to the development of many advanced power devices. Microelectronics-based devices, such as microcomputers/DSPs and FPGA chips, became the backbone of control implementation.

Why This Matters

The adoption of these advanced power semiconductor devices has enabled significant improvements in various markets, according to onsemi, including:

• Automotive Industry: The shift toward electric and hybrid vehicles has created a massive demand for high-efficiency power electronics. SiC devices, in particular, are being increasingly used in EV powertrains to improve range and efficiency.
• Renewable Energy: Power semiconductors play a crucial role in solar inverters and wind turbine converters, enhancing the efficiency of renewable energy systems.
• Industrial Applications: The trend toward Industry 4.0 and industrial automation has increased the need for efficient power conversion and motor control systems, driving the adoption of advanced power semiconductors.
• Data Centers: The growing demand for cloud computing and AI has led to a surge in power-hungry data centers, necessitating more efficient power management solutions.

Driven by this, the power semiconductor devices market is experiencing rapid growth, estimated at $41.81 billion in 2023 and expected to reach $49.23 billion by 2028, according to Power Systems Design. This growth is being driven by the increasing demand for energy-efficient solutions across various sectors and, as we move forward, the focus on future development of power electronics will revolve around improving efficiency, increasing power density, and pushing the boundaries of voltage and current handling capabilities.

The Future Of Power Electronics

The ongoing research and development in wide bandgap semiconductors, particularly SiC and GaN, are expected to further revolutionize the field, enabling even more compact and efficient power electronic systems in the future. According to IEEE, “Power electronics is going to be widely used in various power system applications. HVDC transmission using an integrated power electronic module (IPEM) is catching attraction. Modular multilevel converters are replacing conventional voltage source inverters in HVDC applications. Wireless charging technologies may replace conventional chargers in electric vehicles.”

The shift toward electrification, particularly in the transportation and energy sectors, will be a major driver as well, according to EE Power. Electric Vehicles (EVs), renewable energy systems, and smart grids will rely heavily on power electronics for efficient energy conversion and management. This trend is motivated by the need to reduce fossil fuel dependence and greenhouse gas emissions, making power electronics crucial for sustainable technologies. Additional factors at play in the development of power electronics include:

• Integration Of Power And Data Lines: The integration of power electronics with data lines, such as Power over Ethernet (PoE) and Power over Data Line (PoDL), will become more prevalent. This integration, according to Power & Beyond, will streamline infrastructure by reducing the need for multiple cables, thus lowering costs and improving efficiency in communication networks.
• AI Hardware: The increasing demand for AI capabilities will drive the development of specialized power electronics hardware. AI semiconductors, which require robust power supply distribution and voltage regulation, will become more critical. Innovations in this area will support the growing computational needs of AI applications, particularly in data centers and edge computing.
• Superconducting Circuits: Although still in the experimental phase, superconducting circuits hold promise for the future of power electronics. These circuits could potentially revolutionize power distribution and energy storage by offering near-zero resistance at certain temperatures, leading to highly efficient systems.
• Thermal Management: Advanced thermal management solutions will be essential to handle the increased power densities and heat dissipation requirements of modern power electronics. Innovations in cooling technologies, such as double-sided liquid cooling and advanced thermal interface materials (TIMs), will be crucial for maintaining the reliability and performance of power electronic systems, especially in EVs and high-power applications.

These trends will drive the development of more efficient, compact, and reliable power electronic systems, playing a crucial role in the transition to a more sustainable and technologically advanced world. Also driving development are emerging technologies such as the intergrid or future electronic energy network, offshore wind power, multilevel cascade converters for interconnection, high-voltage DC transmission, solid-state transformers in traction and smart grids, DC grids, and new medium-voltage grid technology, large battery storage, and new control technologies. With these technological advancements, power electronics will certainly have a bright future ahead.