TS IEC 60050-551

TS IEC 60050-551 is the part of the International Electrotechnical Vocabulary devoted to power electronics. As a terminology standard, it gives a controlled technical language for describing conversion processes, operating principles, and the distinctions between related components and functions, which helps reduce ambiguity in design notes, training material, maintenance documentation, and engineering communication.

Why terminology matters in power electronics

Power electronics concerns the conversion, control, and conditioning of electrical energy by means of semiconductor devices. Core terms such as rectifier, inverter, chopper, and converter distinguish different forms of energy processing, while concepts like switching, conduction loss, commutation, and waveform control describe how systems behave in practice. A vocabulary standard does not build a circuit or prescribe a test; it establishes a common meaning for the language used to discuss these systems.

How this part is positioned

This edition is the power-electronics section of IEC 60050 and is identified as a horizontal standard in accordance with IEC Guide 108. In general technical use, that means it serves as a cross-cutting reference for the subject rather than focusing on one product family alone. It is especially useful where power conversion overlaps with electrical engineering and electronics, such as in drives, supplies, and other power-processing equipment.

• Vocabulary and definitions standard, not a performance or test method document.
• Covers the shared technical language of power electronics.
• Bridges terminology used in electrical engineering and electronics.
• Positioned as a horizontal reference part linked to IEC 60050-551.