Step-Down Impedance Control Network Resonant DC–DC Converter Utilizing an Enhanced Phase-Shift Control for Wide-Input-Range Operation

Abstract

This paper introduces an isolated step-down impedance control network (ICN) resonant dc–dc converter that utilizes enhanced inverter and rectifier phase-shifts to achieve both soft switching and output voltage regulation. Compared to previously presented ICN converters, which utilize burst-mode control to achieve output voltage regulation, this ICN converter with the proposed enhanced phase-shift control has dramatically reduced output capacitance requirement. The avoidance of burst-mode control also simplifies the design of the converter's input electromagnetic interference filter, reduces switch stresses due to overshoots during repeated startup transitions, and improves converter efficiency by eliminating startup and shutdown losses as well as by reducing conduction losses when backing off in power. A closed-loop control architecture for the ICN converter operated under enhanced phase-shift control is also proposed, wherein state-feedback control is incorporated to guarantee stability and achieve good dynamic performance across wide variations in input voltage and output power. A prototype 1-MHz, 120-W step-down ICN converter designed for an input voltage range of 18–75 V, an output voltage of 12 V, and a 10:1 output power range is built and tested with both burst-mode control and the proposed enhanced phase-shift control. When operated with enhanced phase-shift control, the prototype ICN converter achieves a peak efficiency of 95.7% and maintains full-power efficiency above 91.7% across its 4:1 input voltage range. Compared to when operated under burst-mode control, the ICN converter with enhanced phase-shift control reduces converter losses by up to 30% and reduces the output capacitance requirement by two orders of magnitude. The prototype ICN converter is also operated under closed-loop control using a digitally implemented controller based on the proposed architecture, and is shown to successfully regulate its output voltage in the face of input voltage and load variations.