The design and selection of resistors in power electronics

The types of resistors considered are generally referred to as power resistors to distinguish them from their smaller cousins used in the electronics industry. Power resistors have traditionally been assigned a nominal power rating based on their steady state continuous duty and we look at nominal ratings between 30 watts and 750 Watts. These are often used in snubber circuits, for steady state voltage sharing and for dynamic braking of motors. Many power electronics applications demand higher dissipation than this, but often only for very short duration. Later on we look at the short time capabilities within this range.