Electric power conversion
conversion of electric energy from one form to another
In electrical engineering, power conversion is the process of converting electrical energy from one form to another.
A power converter is an electrical device for converting electrical energy between alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC). It can also change the voltage or frequency of the current.
Power converters include simple devices such as transformers, and more complex ones like resonant converters. The term can also refer to a class of electrical machinery that is used to convert one frequency of alternating current into another. Power conversion systems often incorporate redundancy and voltage regulation.
Power converters or power supplies are classified based on the type of power conversion they perform. One way of classifying power conversion systems is based on whether the input and output is alternating or direct current.
DC power conversion
DC to AC
Devices that convert DC to AC (produce AC from a DC source):
Inverter
Switched-mode power supply, SMPS (inverter stage)
Rotary converter
Variable-frequency drive
DC to DC
Devices that convert one DC voltage/current level to another:
Buck converter
Boost converter
Buck–boost converter
Charge pump
Ćuk converter
Flyback converter
Forward converter
Full-bridge
Push–pull converter
Half-bridge
Low-dropout regulator (LDO)
Linear regulator
Rotary converter
Single-ended primary-inductor converter (SEPIC)
AC power conversion
AC to DC
Devices that convert AC to DC (rectification + regulation):
Mains power supply unit
Motor–generator
Rectifier
Switched-mode power supply
AC to AC
Devices that convert AC to AC (change voltage and/or frequency):
Autotransformer
Cycloconverter
Ferroresonant transformer
Matrix converter
Rotary converter
Static frequency converter
Switched-mode AC regulator
Tap changer
Transformer
Variable-frequency transformer
Voltage converter
Other systems
There are also devices and methods to convert between power systems designed for single and three-phase operation.
The standard power voltage and frequency vary from country to country and sometimes within a country.
The public source identifies “Electric power conversion” as conversion of electric energy from one form to another. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Electric, power and conversion.
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This entry incorporates text from “Electric power conversion” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.