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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Converter Circuits by University of Colorado Boulder

4.8
stars
1,364 ratings

About the Course

This course can also be taken for academic credit as ECEA 5701, part of CU Boulder’s Master of Science in Electrical Engineering degree. This course introduces more advanced concepts of switched-mode converter circuits. Realization of the power semiconductors in inverters or in converters having bidirectional power flow is explained. Power diodes, power MOSFETs, and IGBTs are explained, along with the origins of their switching times. Equivalent circuit models are refined to include the effects of switching loss. The discontinuous conduction mode is described and analyzed. A number of well-known converter circuit topologies are explored, including those with transformer isolation. The homework assignments include a boost converter and an H-bridge inverter used in a grid-interfaced solar inverter system, as well as transformer-isolated forward and flyback converters. After completing this course, you will: ● Understand how to implement the power semiconductor devices in a switching converter ● Understand the origins of the discontinuous conduction mode and be able to solve converters operating in DCM ● Understand the basic dc-dc converter and dc-ac inverter circuits ● Understand how to implement transformer isolation in a dc-dc converter, including the popular forward and flyback converter topologies Completion of the first course Introduction to Power Electronics is the assumed prerequisite for this course....

Top reviews

AG

May 22, 2020

A really good course on converter circuits. The way Dr. Erickson synthesized inverters from buck converters was eye opening. Many lectures overlook such basic aspects of power electronics synthesis.

JK

Aug 27, 2023

Great follow on to the Introduction to Power Electronics. Provides a great logical deepening of understanding and practical impacts that can help to understand real-world behaviour and problems.

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226 - 250 of 298 Reviews for Converter Circuits

By Ankita K

Mar 17, 2021

well

By GOURIDADULA P K

Jun 29, 2020

good

By Hwasoo S

Apr 14, 2018

good

By Haider

Dec 30, 2016

good

By LoVeLy P

Nov 9, 2022

GUD

By III E B G .

Nov 21, 2022

fi

By 20MECH7983 m

Nov 18, 2022

go

By Santhosh S

Nov 4, 2022

go

By Meganath

Nov 20, 2022

g

By 33 P

Nov 18, 2022

G

By Vijay k A

Nov 9, 2022

g

By Dinesh D

Nov 9, 2022

u

By Santhosh .

Nov 9, 2022

g

By Sunil K S

Nov 2, 2022

.

By Martin M

Mar 31, 2022

In principle, this is a really good course. However, as with many other MOOCs, there is a lack of collaboration between students and a lack of a tutor or a moderator who can give you a hint if you get stuck with the homework.

I have been in the semiconductor industry for 3 decades. This online learning refresher was great for me, and in today's work environment, most things are done remotely as well. What this course does not offer is talking about the subject, writing, sharing, explaining things to others. Communication is also critical for engineering succcess and I guess this could be much better integrated by Coursera. The discussion forum offered by Coursera is not at all what I know from today's students who all studied remotely during the pandemic.

In basically, you can just work through the book "Fundamentals of Power Electronics" by Robert W. Erickson and Dragan Maksimović, but I like the lecture and the exercises with a deadline really motivate me to do something even if I don't need the certificate.

Btw, I need at least the same time for homework as for listening to the lecture and sometimes much more.

By Guillaume V

Jun 4, 2017

Course 2, Converter Circuits, is as interesting as was Course 1. You can stop, have a rest and retake the course. The work load varies from week to week. You learn the famous converter flyback and forward.

Course 1 is enough if you just want to know what a converter is. But for a real knowledge, I think one must do the other courses of the power electronics specialization, that is to say course 3, 4, 5 and 6. Still a lot of work to come!

By Pappu G

May 25, 2019

Excellent way to understand the power converters and its relation

most liked topic was -interchange of load and source and realize a converter out of it

but for the flyback and forward it was touch disappointing the lecture did not go well as expected

we need more details in solving the volt-sec balance and charge balance for both converters in detail

By Milind R

May 31, 2021

Very interesting topics, nice analysis. However, the idea of using current-balance into a transformer when not explicitly using AC should have been better explained, it kept going against my instincts to try a full time-domain solution with differential equations. The last week (week 4) contents were also pretty difficult.

By Kaushik M

Aug 10, 2020

The lectures were decent. Assignments were good and interesting to solve. But the only gripe about assignments is that mathematical analysis is way too lengthy at some places as well as I feel (though very few) answers fed to the computer were incorrect. Overall, a decent course

By ABDON T O

Jul 13, 2020

Very good training, addressing the main DC/DC converter topologies, including transformer isolation. I would have liked the switch realization section to be shorter; but other than that, it was really useful.

Thansk Proffesor Robert Erickson.

By Arijeet H

Jan 18, 2023

The course is a good one . It helps me know different types of converter circuits . Also I have known different power electronics circuits .

By Elyka A

May 6, 2016

Very good, but some topics may need to be explained further, like the realization of the switches

By Aleena A

Apr 5, 2020

Quite tough a chapter and module but if you understand the concepts its easy to do !

By Пащина С А

Apr 21, 2022

Very interesting course, everyone who is interested should take it!

By ANSHUMAN S

Aug 30, 2020

the last assignment solutions should be provided, rest was good.