Fundamentals of Power Electronics

This course is four 6 hour days over two weeks to  accommodate busy schedules and day job obligations. Power electronics connects four subfields: electronics, magnetics, energy conversion and control systems. Using applications, examples and hands-on demonstrations, you will learn the basics and nuances.

Topics include:

• Appliance power supplies
• Cranes and elevators
• Precision motion control
• Renewable/alternative energy
• Electric/hybrid-electric vehicles

• Introduction to Power Electronics and Applications/PE Overview
• DC/AC Inverters
• Rectifiers
• Fundamentals of Capacitors and Inductors in Power Electronics
• Basic DC/DC Converters
• Electric Vehicle Chargers
• EMI for Power Electronics I
• EMI for Power Electronics II
• Reliability Engineering for Power Electronics I
• Reliability Engineering for Power Electronics II
• Thermal Engineering Practice for Power Electronics I
• Thermal Engineering Practice for Power Electronics II
• Controls and Dynamics
• Insulation and Dielectric Design
• Introduction to Wide Bandgap Devices
• Examples of Power Electronics in EVs/HEVs

Thomas Jahns

Dr. Thomas M. Jahns received his bachelors, masters, and doctoral degrees from MIT, all in electrical engineering.

Dr. Jahns joined the faculty of the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1998 in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.  He served for 14 years as a Co-Director of the Wisconsin Electric Machines and Power Electronics Consortium (WEMPEC), a world-renowned university/industry consortium in the electrical power engineering field.  Since 2021, he is the Grainger Emeritus Professor of Power Electronics and Electrical Machines.

Prior to coming to UW-Madison, Dr. Jahns worked at GE Corporate Research and Development (now GE Global Research) in Niskayuna, NY, for 15 years, where he pursued new power electronics and motor drive technology in a variety of research and management positions. His current research interests at UW-Madison include integrated motor drives and electrified propulsion for both land vehicles and aircraft.

Dr. Jahns is a Fellow of IEEE.  He received the 2005 IEEE Nikola Tesla Technical Field Award “for pioneering contributions to the design and application of AC permanent magnet machines”.  Dr. Jahns is a Past President of the IEEE Power Electronics Society.  He was elected to the US National Academy of Engineering in 2015 and received the IEEE Medal in Power Engineering in 2022.

Bulent Sarlioglu

Bulent Sarlioglu is a Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the Technology and Collaboration Director of WEMPEC of the Wisconsin Electric Machines and Power Electronics Consortium. From 2000 to 2011, he was with Honeywell International Inc.'s Aerospace Division, Torrance, CA, USA, most recently as a Staff Systems Engineer.  His expertise includes electrical machines, drives, and power electronics, particularly in electrifying transportation and industrial applications. He is the inventor or co-inventor of 22 U.S. patents and many international patents. In addition, he has more than 300 technical papers that are published in conference proceedings and journals. Dr. Sarlioglu received Honeywell's Outstanding Engineer Award in 2011 for his outstanding contribution to aerospace, the NSF CAREER Award in 2016, and the 4th Grand Nagamori Award from Nagamori Foundation, Japan, in 2018.  Dr. Sarlioglu received the IEEE PES Cyril Veniott Award in 2021. Dr. Sarlioglu became a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors in 2021 and an IEEE Fellow in 2022.

Timothy Burress

Tim Burress, Electric Machines Team Leader, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Burress has led developments of motor controls and drives as well as comprehensive dynamometer evaluations for over 10 years. He also leads novel machine design projects for transportation applications.

Neal Clements

Neal Clements currently works as an engineering consultant (Neal Clements Engineering LLC in Grygla Minnesota) where he specializes in power electronics design, electromagnetic compatibility engineering, drives, and motor control.  Dr. Clements has worked as a hands-on technical engineer for over 40 years in many areas of power electronics, pulsed power, vehicular electrical systems (aircraft, ship, and land based), automatic control systems and EMC among other areas.  Dr. Clements holds a PhD and an MSEE from the University of Wisconsin, an MSEE from the University of Cincinnati, and a BSEE from the University of Toledo. He is a licensed professional engineer (P.E.) and a certified EMC engineer (iNARTE).  Dr. Clements is a member of the IEEE, a member of the power electronics society of the IEEE (PELS), and a member of the EMC society of the IEEE.