IGBT in Food Processors

In the western countries, it is now very common to have a food processor on the kitchen counter for the preparation of food. In contrast to blenders, food processors use interchangeable blades and disks instead of a fixed blade and their bowls are designed wider and shorter for the solid or semi-solid foods usually worked in a food processor. The use of a food processor reduces the large amount of time spent in the kitchen with chopping, shredding and mixing of ingredients. Cuisineart, KitchenAid, Hamilton Beach etc are the manufacturers of food processors. Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors are employed in the power circuits used for the operation of the food processor. The AC input power is first rectified by a diode bridge to create a DC bus with a capacitor. The permanent magnet DC motor used in the food processor is then driven by an IGBT controlled chopper. The high input impedance of the IGBT allows its control with a microprocessor that can be programmed to perform various functions. This creates a compact, low-cost design suitable for the consumer market. Home appliances were an early adopter of the IGBT technology because it enhanced the simplicity and flexibility of design while deriving more functionality.