It is astonishing to realize that there is hardly a home, office block, factory, car, sports hall, hospital or theatre without an application, and sometimes many applications, of power electronic equipment. Some typical applications are given below:
- Industrial processes in the chemical, paper and steel industries;
- Domestic and theatre lighting;
- Motor drives from food mixers and washing machines through to lifts and locomotives such as 'Eurostar';
- Power supplies for laboratories and uninterruptible power for vital loads;
- Generation and transmission control;
- Heating and ventilating of homes and office blocks.