Nikola Tesla- the AC Motor and the Origins of Power Electronics-Slides

Abstract: In 1887, Nikola Tesla perfected his polyphase motor by using two out-of-phase alternating currents to create a rotating magnetic field in the stator. Initially, he delivered these two currents separately by using four wires to connect his motor to the generator. However, Tesla and his backers quickly realized that there would be little demand for an AC motor requiring four [or even more] wires; could he develop a polyphase motor that would run on existing two-wire networks? In response, Tesla figured out how to use resistors, capacitors, and inductance coils to split a single alternating current coming into his motor into several out-of-phase currents. In this webinar, we will explore how Tesla solved this intricate problem and discuss whether his introduction of these electronic components represents one of the first examples of power electronics.