semiconductor voltage regulators, automatic motor controls, and audio systems are some of the most common applications. But in the future, electronic systems ranging from small motor controls for windows and seats up to high-power traction controls for electric drive systems will be present on cars. Perhaps most significant is the move to a higher-voltage electrical system. Cars of the near future will be designed around a 40 V to 50 V electrical supply in place of today's 10 V to 15 V systems. Many people are curious about new electric and hybrid cars -- in which the primary electrical system is dominated by power electronics. Electric cars offer high performance, zero tailpipe emissions, and low costs, but are still limited in range by the need for batteries. Hybrid car designs use various strategies to combine both an engine and electrical elements to gain advantages of each. In both cases, inverters and dc-dc converters rated for many kilowatts serve as primary energy control blocks.Power Electronics in Telecommunications Power electronics is widespread in the telecommunications industry. It is actually one of the largest users of power supplies and batteries. The uses range from ultra-reliable backup power systems that keep telephones working under all conditions to small supplies for cordless phones.A typical power system for a "central office" in a telephone network might have a a 5-kW power converter system for telecommunication system. This might comprise a front-end off-line power-factor-correction (PFC) boost converter to support any possible ac utility input, followed by two 2.5-kW forward converters to support high output current for the telehone system's 48 V dc distributed bus.Power Electronics in Space SystemsThe difficulties of generating and storing power in space provide a fertile ground for power electronics research. Design constraints such as weight, efficiency, and reliability consistently push pow...
