Please advise on where to start with power electronics design.

Hi all!

I am going to gain some practical experience in power converter design. I'd like to do it from fundamentals to the practical circuit board design so I can learn from the process. something like design a converter including modeling, simulation, component design and calculations and prototyping it.

I have a degree in power electronics, have started some refreshing background reading and have basic tools like meter and soldering. I can do Simulink, PSCAD, Simetrix, femm2D, basic protel, Multisim.

I need your advice on what to start with DC-DC AC-DC etc and also if you can refer me to a comprehensive guideline resource for this. Your advice and references are highly appreciated.

Thanks,
Marco

Have a look at this site,
http://www.poweresim.com/
LTSpice was also designed from the ground up to handle SMPS simulation for Linear Technologies SMPS ICs.
If you are doing custom design, you need to be very strong on the practical aspects of designing or using power inductors, and especially transformers, a lot of science and art goes into getting that right.
You also need an oscilloscope, possibly 50MHz, probably a 100, and need to know how to use the probes properly.
If you are designing a commercial product, there are a raft of standards you may have to conform to, many of which are associated with PCB design and component selection. To avoid expensive redesign read the standards over.
Cheers
Richard