Topology zero: advancing theory and experimentation for power electronics education

For decades, power electronics education has been based on the fundamentals of three basic topologies: buck, boost, and buck-boost. This thesis presents the analytical framework for the Topology Zero, a general circuit topology that integrates the basic topologies and provides significant insight into the behaviour of converters. As demonstrated, many topologies are just particular cases of the Topology Zero, an important contribution towards the understanding, integration, and conceptualization of topologies. The investigation includes steady-state, small-signal, and frequency response analysis. The Topology Zero is physically implemented as an educational system. Experimental results are presented to show control applications and power losses analysis using the educational system. The steady-state and dynamic analyses of the Topology Zero provide profuse proof of its suitability as an integrative topology, and of its ability to be indirectly controlled. As well, the implementation of the Topology Zero within an experimentation system is explained and application examples are provided.