A review of the development of modern power supply technology

In recent years, with the continuous improvement and development of microelectronics technology, switching power supply technology has also made breakthrough developments. Switching power supplies have been applied to various fields related to electricity with their unique characteristics of small size, light weight, high efficiency, and diversified output forms. In addition, the mature application of switching power supply technology has made it possible to miniaturize and micro-miniaturize many electronic products. Therefore, switching power supplies have not only become the heart of various electronic devices, but also the key to the safe and reliable operation of various electronic devices.

1. Overview of the development of modern power supply technology

The development direction of modern power supply technology is to change from traditional power supply technology based on low-frequency technology to modern power supply technology based on high-frequency technology. Power supply technology began with silicon rectifier devices in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Its development has gone through the rectifier era, inverter era, and frequency converter era, and has promoted the application of power supply technology in many new fields. The power semiconductor composite devices that integrate high frequency, high voltage and high current, represented by power MOSFET and IGBT, developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s, show that traditional power supply technology has entered the modern power supply era.

1.1 Rectifier Era

High-power industrial electricity is provided by industrial frequency (50Hz) AC generators, but about 20%-40% of electricity is consumed in the form of DC, the most typical of which are electrolysis, traction and DC transmission. High-power silicon rectifiers can effectively convert industrial frequency AC into DC, so in the 1960s and 1970s, the development and application of high-power silicon rectifiers and thyristors were vigorously developed. However, high-power rectifier devices also have many disadvantages, such as low conversion efficiency, large size, large heat dissipation, etc.

1.2 Inverter Era

In the 1970s, frequency conversion technology developed rapidly due to its significant energy-saving effect. The key technology of the frequency converter is: the on-off function of semiconductor devices, a control device that inverts the industrial frequency power supply into another frequency of electrical energy. From the 1970s to the 1980s, with the popularization of variable frequency speed control devices, high-power power electronic devices became the protagonist of motor speed control at that time. At this time, power electronics technology was able to achieve rectification and inversion, but the operating frequency was low, which made the equipment still bulky, the power device loss was also large, the conversion efficiency was not high enough, and it was only limited to the use in the medium and low frequency range.

1.3 Frequency Converter Era

In the 1980s, the rapid development of large-scale and ultra-large-scale integrated circuit technology laid the foundation for the development of power supply technology. The emergence of MOSFET and IGBT is a sign of the transformation from traditional power electronics to modern power electronics. The development of new devices not only provides a higher frequency for AC motor variable frequency speed regulation, making its performance more perfect and reliable, but also enables modern electronic technology to continue to develop towards high frequency, providing an important technical foundation for the high efficiency, energy saving, miniaturization, mechatronics and intelligence of electrical equipment.

2. Overview of the development of modern power supply technology

The development direction of modern power electronics technology is to transform from traditional power electronics, which mainly deals with problems with low-frequency technology, to modern power electronics, which mainly deals with problems with high-frequency technology. Power electronics technology started with silicon rectifier devices in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Its development has gone through the rectifier era, inverter era and frequency converter era, and promoted the application of power electronics technology in many new fields. The power semiconductor composite devices represented by power MOSFET and IGBT, which were developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s, which integrate high frequency, high voltage and high current, show that traditional power electronics technology has entered the modern power electronics era.

2.1 Rectifier Era

High-power industrial electricity is provided by industrial frequency (50Hz) AC generators, but about 20% of the electricity is consumed in the form of DC, among which the most typical are electrolysis (non-ferrous metals and chemical raw materials require DC electrolysis), traction (electric locomotives, electric-driven diesel locomotives, subway locomotives, urban trolleybuses, etc.) and DC transmission (steel rolling, papermaking, etc.). High-power silicon rectifiers can efficiently convert industrial frequency AC into DC. Therefore, in the 1960s and 1970s, the development and application of high-power silicon rectifiers and thyristors were greatly developed. At that time, there was a wave of silicon rectifier factories in various places in China. The current semiconductor manufacturers of all sizes that manufacture silicon rectifiers are the products of that time.

2.2 Inverter Era

In the 1970s, there was a global energy crisis, and AC motor variable frequency speed regulation developed rapidly due to its significant energy-saving effect. The key technology of variable frequency speed regulation is to invert DC into 0-100Hz AC. From the 1970s to the 1980s, with the popularization of variable frequency speed regulation devices, thyristors, giant power transistors (GTRs) and gate turn-off thyristors (GTOs) for high-power inverters became the protagonists of power electronic devices at that time. Similar applications also include high-voltage DC output, static reactive power dynamic compensation, etc. At this time, power electronic technology can already achieve rectification and inversion, but the operating frequency is low and is limited to the medium and low frequency range.

2.3 Inverter Era

In the 1980s, the rapid development of large-scale and ultra-large-scale integrated circuit technology laid the foundation for the development of modern power electronic technology. The organic combination of fine processing technology of integrated circuit technology and high-voltage and high-current technology has led to the emergence of a new batch of fully controlled power devices. First, the advent of power MOSFET led to the development of small and medium power supplies towards high frequency, and then the emergence of insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBT) brought opportunities for the development of large and medium power supplies towards high frequency. The successive advent of MOSFET and IGBT is a sign of the transformation of traditional power electronics to modern power electronics. According to statistics, by the end of 1995, power MOSFET and GTR had reached an equal point in the power semiconductor device market, and the use of IGBT to replace GTR in the field of power electronics has become a conclusion. The development of new devices not only provides a higher frequency for AC motor variable frequency speed regulation, making its performance more perfect and reliable, but also enables modern electronic technology to continue to develop towards high frequency, providing an important technical foundation for efficient material and energy saving of electrical equipment, achieving small and lightweight, mechatronics and intelligence.

3. Development trend of power supply technology

Modern power supply started with silicon rectification technology in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Its development has gone through the rectification era, inverter era and frequency conversion era, promoting the application of power supply technology in many emerging fields. The power semiconductor composite devices represented by power MOSFET and IGBT, which were developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s and integrate high frequency, high voltage and high current, indicate that traditional power supply technology has entered the emerging era of modern power supply technology.

3.1 Green and miniaturized.

Low power consumption, low pollution, low current, high efficiency and high integration have become the mainstream of modern power supply technology. The development of power supply technology also depends on the development of electronic components and integrated circuits.

3.2 Modularization and intelligence.

The modularization of power supply technology includes power unit modularization and output unit modularization. The new switching power supply integrates its power switch tube and various output protection modules together, which further reduces the size of the switching power supply. The modularization of the output voltage stabilization circuit makes the power supply more flexible, convenient and intelligent in practical applications.

3.3 Digitalization and diversification.

With the development and maturity of digital technology, modern power supplies are moving more towards digitalization. The use of digital technology can reduce the high-frequency harmonic interference and nonlinear distortion of the power supply, and facilitate CPU digital control. Modern power supplies have good EMC characteristics, and the high-frequency harmonic power generated by themselves is gradually reduced, which reduces the "pollution" to the environment and enhances the anti-interference performance of the power supply itself.