Power Electronics Curriculum at Virginia Tech

CPES has established a power electronics systems curriculum that includes courses in power electronics packaging, and systems design and integration. These courses are updated continually to reflect ongoing research advances.  

Please check the Virginia Tech Timetables for up-to-date registration information.

ECE 5204: POWER SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

Characteristics, fabrication and application of power semiconductor devices which includes BJT, FET, power diodes, insulated gate and static induction transistors. Device drive requirements and power circuit interaction. 
  
ECE 5234: EMI & NOISE REDUCTION TECHNIQUES

Theory and practice of E.M. noise coupling; Techniques for noise reduction: shielding, grounding and filtering. Measurement of EMI to comply with government regulation. EMI problems and solutions to switching power supply applications. Design of EMI filter. 

ECE 5244: ADVANCED POWER CONVERSION TECHNIQUES

High-frequency resonant, quasi-resonant, and multi-resonant power conversion techniques; zero-voltage and zero-current switching techniques in pulse-width modulation converters and inverters. Pulse-width modulation and frequency modulation; non-linear analysis techniques for resonant and soft-switching converters and inverters. Power factor correction recitifiers and distributed power systems. 

ECE 5254: POWER CONVERTER MODELING & CONTROL

Nonlinear modeling of power conversion circuit using discrete and average techniques analysis and design of voltage mode and current mode control; parallel module operation and system interactions; distributed power systems; time domain simulation and frequency domain measurement techniques. 

ECE 5274: MODELING AND CONTROL OF THREE-PHASE PWM CONVERTERS

Power conversion principles for three-phase pulse-width modulation techniques, control and converters. Development of averaged models of three-phase rectifiers and inverters in stationary and rotating coordinates. Small-signal models in rotating coordinates and control design. Introduction of switching state vectors and different modulation schemes. Three-phase inverter and rectifier applications. Parallel and multi-level three-phase converters.

ECE 5984: Application and Design of High-density Multi-phase PWM Converters

This course covers the design as well as key applications of the modern advanced high-density AC multi-phase PWM converters. The detailed state-of-the-art design methodology will be presented, including control, semiconductor device selection, loss calculation, thermal design, protection and auxiliary circuits, and converter system integration. The important interface issues with source and load will also be covered. The application topics will focus on PWM converters for electric machine drives, and will also discuss the converter application in electric power transmission and distribution network, as used in utility and autonomous power systems.

ECE 4205, 4206: ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT DESIGN

Stability and response of feedback amplifier, wideband amplifiers, operational amplifier characteristics, waveform generators and wave shaping, nonlinear circuit applications, signal generators, and photolithography. Design of analog electronic circuits, circuit simulation, response characterization, and printed-circuit construction. 

ECE 4224: POWER ELECTRONICS

Power devices and switching circuits including inverters and converters; electronic power processing and control as applied to industrial drives, transportation systems, computers, and spacecraft systems.

ECE 4235-4236: PRINCIPLES OF ELECTRONIC PACKAGING

This two-course sequence covers principles and analyses for design and manufacture of electronic packages.

4235: design issues such as electrical, electromagnetic, thermal, mechanical, and thermomechanical, are covered at the lower levels of packaging hierarchy. Materials and process selection guidelines are discussed for the manufacturing and reliability of chip carriers, multichip and hybrid modules.

4236: system-level package design issues for meeting application requirements and modeling tools for analyzing electronic packages are introduced. Materials and process selection guidelines are discussed for the manufacturing and reliability of packaged electronic products. 

ECE 4284: POWER ELECTRONICS LABORATORY

Design and testing of electronic power processing systems for commercial and aerospace applications.