During the past 10 years, power conversion has played a monumental part in the energy transformation that has been happening in the world. The heavy emphasis on electric vehicles, energy storage, and sustainability has further underlined the importance of developing this field. Power conversion devices are indispensable to innovators in similar areas, where the energy in use has to change its form. Having said that, what exactly is a power converter, what is a dc to dc converter and how does it work?
Power converter
A power converter is a device that changes electrical energy from one form, frequency, voltage, and current to another through a complex circuit board design. The higher the power needed to convert, the more complex the design and components of the device become. Industrial converters are especially difficult to find as there are few reliable manufacturers worldwide.
What is a dc to dc converter and how does it function?
A DC to DC converter is a type of power converter that transforms a direct current with a certain voltage and current level to again a direct current with other levels of voltage and current. For example, you have a DC generator that produces energy at 800 volts DC. You would like to charge a battery that operates at nominal voltage of 350 volts. What do you do? It is impossible to connect the generator directly to the battery. What you need is a reliable dc to dc converter to stand between the generator and the battery. It will take the 800Vdc and convert it to 350Vdc, suitable for the battery to be charged.
Applications of dc to dc converter
DC converters are suitable for onboard installation of electric vehicles or charging stations. They are irreplaceable for charging the car battery. Moreover, they are regularly used in general energy storage, harnessing power for later use. Another interesting application is when using fuel cells. The dc to dc converter allows it to transform the power from the fuel cell into one suitable for whatever application you have in mind.
Other types of converters
There are other types of converters:
- AC to DC – they transform single or three-phase alternating current to direct current
- DC to AC – the reverse of AC to DC
All power converter types serve specific functions in the global energy transformation and their usage is sure to grow in the future.
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