Energy Efficiency Prospect of Power Electronics: Example: Welding Inverter

Abstract

Energy resources are available in various forms and it is being used by people in various ways. Its efficient conversion to usable form reduces global warming and creates less environmental hazards. Electrical energy (EE) domain makes an attractive means to make energy available to the end users at any location. More and more applications use it. It is cleanest form of energy to use. Like all other means of energy usage, it has also grown by improving the efficiency and reliability of constituent components such as generator, transformer, motor, lighting equipments etc. Achieving E² of different components does not, necessarily, optimize the utility of EE. Process efficiency, process innovations are major goals to be achieved.

Better understanding of applications and processes has resulted changing pattern in load behavior to achieve E² and most importantly, the performance. As a natural course, more and more non-linear loads have been connected to the passive electrical grid. The grid looses control to support large non-linear loads as the compatibility between source and load is reduced. The changing relation between source and load needs a system that creates compatibility between them. Power electronics equipments (PEEs) exactly meet that requirement. Performance, E² reliability, compactness, ease of usage, better economics etc. are key inherent features modern PEEs offer This article details the multi-dimensional role played by PEEs in the EE domain and create certain definite hope in terms of energy balance and better environment to live in. As a case study the importance of welding inverter is detailed here.