Design Rules for Physical Switch Selection in Power Electronics Topology Derivation

Power electronics converters are indispensable components for energy conversion and transmission, with topology derivation being a core design procedure. Conventional topology derivation methods adopt ideal switches to simplify the design process, yet the subsequent replacement of these ideal switches with physical devices (e.g., IGBTs, MOSFETs, and diodes) is necessary to translate these theoretically derived topologies into practical implementations. However, random selection of physical switches for this implementation frequently gives rise to latent and unintended operating modes, which deviate from the original design intent. To mitigate this challenge, this paper presents a systematic methodology for selecting physical switches during topology implementation. This methodology formulates corresponding design rules based on the voltage-current characteristics of ideal switches under intended operating modes, and incorporates a structured four-step selection process. A case study is conducted to validate the proposed methodology, which effectively eliminates latent operating modes through the precise matching of ideal switches to appropriate physical devices. This work bridges the critical gap between theoretical topology derivation and practical hardware implementation, thereby improving the reliability and functional performance of power electronic converters. © 2026 IEEE.