Phase-shifted Full-bridge Topology Research Articles

Paralleled Variable Inductor Phase-Shifted Full-Bridge Converter With Full-Load Range ZVS and Low Duty Cycle Loss

This paper presents a new phase-shifted full-bridge topology using a new variable inductor. In this topology, a variable inductor is connected in parallel with a near-ideal transformer. The ZVS of the switches is achieved over the full load range using the parallel current provided by the variable inductor. And the adjustable parallel current reduces conduction losses. Under the orthogonal DC magnetic potential, the variable inductor has similar characteristics to the saturated inductor, which is beneficial to reduce the conduction loss caused by the parallel current. Since the topology has no series inductor and the leakage inductor is extremely small, the proposed converter has the advantages of extremely small duty cycle loss, larger transformer turns ratio, smaller primary current stress, smaller secondary voltage stress, and smaller output current ripple, which are beneficial to improve the efficiency and frequency of the converter. An experimental platform was established. Theoretical analysis and experimental verification were carried out.

Closed-Form Formulas for Automated Design of SiC-Based Phase-Shifted Full Bridge Converters in Charger Applications

Phase-Shifted Full Bridge (PSFB) topology in its four-diode variant is the choice with the lowest part count in applications that demand high power, high voltage, and galvanic isolation, such as in Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers. Even though the topology is prevalent in power electronics applications, no single, unified analytical model has been proposed for the design process of four-diode PSFB converters. As a result, engineers must rely on simulations and empirical results obtained from previously built converters when selecting components to properly match the DC source voltage level with the DC load voltage requirements. In this work, the authors provide a design-oriented analysis approach for obtaining the output voltage and semiconductor current values, ready for implementation in a spreadsheet- or MATLAB-type software to automate design optimization. The proposed formulas account for all the first-order nonlinear dependencies by considering the impact of each of the following eight design parameters: DC-link voltage, load resistance, phase-shift ratio, switching frequency, transformer turns ratio, magnetizing inductance, series inductance, and output inductance. The results are verified through experiments at the power level of 10 kW and the DC-link voltage level of 800 V by using a grid simulator and a SiC-based two-level Active Front End (AFE) with a DC–DC stage based on the PSFB topology. The accuracy of the output voltage formula is determined to be around 99.6% in experiments and 100.0% in simulations. Based on this exact model, an automated design procedure for high-power high-voltage SiC-based PSFB converters is developed. By providing the desired DC-link voltage, output voltage, output power, output current ripple factor, maximum temperatures, and semiconductor and heatsink databases, the algorithm calculates a set of feasible designs and points to the one with the lowest semiconductor losses, dimensions, or cost.

Phase-Shift PWM-Controlled DC–DC Converter with Secondary-Side Current Doubler Rectifier for On-Board Charger Application

A novel circuit topology for an on-board battery charger for plugged-in electric vehicles (PEVs) is presented in this paper. The proposed on-board battery charger is composed of three H-bridges on the primary side, a high-frequency transformer (HFT), and a current doubler circuit on the secondary side of the HFT. As part of an electric vehicle (EV) on-board charger, it is required to have a highly compact and efficient, lightweight, and isolated direct current (DC)–DC converter to enable battery charging through voltage/current regulation. In this work, performance characteristics of full-bridge phase-shift topology are analyzed and compared for EV charging applications. The current doubler with synchronous rectification topology is chosen due to its wider-range soft-switching availability over the full load range, and potential for a smaller and more compact size. The design employs a phase-shift full-bridge topology in the primary power stage. The current doubler with synchronous recitation is placed on the secondary. Over 92% of efficiency is achieved on the isolated charger. Design considerations for optimized zero-voltage transition are disused.

Modeling of ZVS Transitions for Efficiency Optimization of the Phase-Shifted Full-Bridge Topology

The emergence of wide bandgap semiconductors paved the way for integration of high-efficiency, high-power-density converters into industrial applications. Key to achieving these performance goals is operation at high switching frequencies, which requires mitigation of switching losses by schemes, such as zero-voltage switching (ZVS). The phase-shifted full-bridge (PSFB) converter is a very appealing converter for such industrial applications. However, the mechanisms that underlie the operation of ZVS within this topology are complex, as they depend on the coupled influence of multiple system parameters. This article aims to provide a detailed analytical treatment of the ZVS mechanisms within this topology, along with a detailed study of the interdependence of the associated critical system parameters. A prototype 10-kW, SiC-based PSFB converter is employed to aid this discourse and provide empirical validations. The outcome of these studies is leveraged to identify a set of practical guidelines for tuning the ZVS mechanisms. These guidelines also consider the impact of practical nonidealities, which are often neglected in the literature. Overall, the theoretical formulations, parametric trade studies, and practical implementation suggestions presented in this article constitute a set of tools that designers can utilize to obtain the full performance entitlement of this topology in practice.

Modulation Method and Control Strategy for Full-Bridge-Based Swiss Rectifier to Achieve ZVS Operation and Suppress Low-Order Harmonics of Injected Current

The Swiss-type rectifier (SR) uses a three-phase unfolder circuit to convert the ac voltage into two time-varying positive voltages. The power factor correction of ac sides and the stable dc voltage output can be realized by using two dc-dc topologies without any bulky decoupling capacitors. By applying the phase-shifted full-bridge topology into the dc structure, both the soft-switching and the high-frequency electrical isolation can be achieved. However, the power coupling between two full bridges using the traditional modulation method will affect the zero-voltage switching (ZVS) condition of lagging legs. Then, the duty cycle loss caused by the transformer leakage inductance will affect the input and output performance. Therefore, a new method using the up-counting mode modulation is proposed to implement the ZVS for both the lagging switches. Then, the relationship between the duty cycle loss and the extra 6N ± 1 harmonics added into the input current is theoretically analyzed. Hence, to suppress the low-order harmonics, a novel compensation strategy is proposed. The proposed modulation method and control strategy have been successfully verified by the experiments. 95% efficiency under half-rated power and 3% input current total harmonic distortion (THD) under rated power have been achieved under a 10-kW 380 Vac input/400 Vdc output prototype with 90-kHz switching frequency.

A ZVS‐ZCS phase shift full bridge DC‐DC converter with secondary‐side control for battery charging applications

SummaryThe output power requirement of battery charging circuits can vary in a wide range, hence making the use of conventional phase shift full bridge DC‐DC converters infeasible because of poor light load efficiency. In this paper, a new ZVS‐ZCS phase shift full bridge topology with secondary‐side active control has been presented for battery charging applications. The proposed circuit uses 2 extra switches in series with the secondary‐side rectifier diodes, operating with phase shift PWM. With the assistance of transformer's magnetizing inductance, the proposed converter maintains zero voltage switching (ZVS) of the primary‐side switches over the entire load range. The secondary‐side switches regulate the output voltage/current and perform zero current switching (ZCS) independent of the amount of load current. The proposed converter exhibits a significantly better light load efficiency as compared with the conventional phase shift full bridge DC‐DC converter. The performance of the proposed converter has been analyzed on a 1‐kW hardware prototype, and experimental results have been included.

Design and Implementation of a High-Efficiency Multiple Output Charger Based on the Time-Division Multiple Control Technique

Multiple output converters (MOCs) are widely applied to applications requiring various levels of output voltages due to their advantages in terms of cost, volume, and efficiency. However, most of the conventional MOCs cannot regulate multiple outputs tightly and they can barely avoid the cross-regulation problem. In this paper, the recently developed time-division multiple control (TDMC) method, which can regulate all of the outputs with a high accuracy, is used for a multiple output battery charger based on the phase-shift full-bridge topology to simultaneously charge three batteries. The proposed charger is able to charge three different kinds of batteries or three of the same kind of battery in different state of charges (SOCs) independently and accurately with the constant current/constant voltage (CC/CV) charge method. As a result, the strict ripple specification of a battery can be satisfied for multiple battery charges without difficulty. In addition, the proposed charger exhibits a high efficiency since the soft switching of all of the switches during the entire charge process can be guaranteed. The operating principle of the converter and the design of the controller, including the state-space average modeling, will be detailed, and the validity of the proposed method is verified through experiments.

A Novel Zero-Voltage-Switching Push–Pull High-Frequency-Link Single-Phase Inverter

In this paper, a novel zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) push–pull high-frequency-link (PPHFL) single-phase inverter is proposed, which consists of a primary-side converter with three power switches ${\mathrm{ S}}_{1}{\sim } {\mathrm{ S}}_{3}$ , high-frequency isolation transformer, cycloconverter, and $LC$ filter circuit. First, the evolution process and the switching strategy of the proposed PPHFL inverter are discussed. Then, the steady operating principle and output characteristics of the inverter are analyzed in detail based on the switching sequence. In addition, the design guidelines and topologies in comparison with the ZVS phase-shift full-bridge topology and typical push–pull circuit are given. It shows that the switches (S1 and ${\mathrm{ S}}_{2})$ of the primary-side converter can realize ZVS easily and the switch S3 can also achieve ZVS when the leakage inductor energy is large enough. Furthermore, the cycloconverter can achieve ZVS commutation. Finally, a 20-kHz PPHFL inverter prototype is developed, whose efficacy is verified by experimental results.

Dead-Time for Zero-Voltage-Switching in Battery Chargers with the Phase-Shifted Full-Bridge Topology: Comprehensive Theoretical Analysis and Experimental Verification

This paper presents a comprehensive theoretical analysis and an accurate calculation method of the dead-time required to achieve zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) in a battery charger with the phase-shifted full-bridge (PSFB) topology. Compared to previous studies, this is the first time that the effects of nonlinear output filter inductance, varied Miller Plateau length, and blocking capacitors have been considered. It has been found that the output filter inductance and the Miller Plateau have a significant influence on the dead-time for ZVS when the load current varies a lot in battery charger applications. In addition, the blocking capacitor, which is widely used to prevent saturation, reduces the circulating current and consequently affects the setting of the dead-time. In consideration of these effects, accurate analytical equations of the dead-time range for ZVS are deduced. Experimental results from a 1.5kW PSFB battery charger prototype shows that, with the proposed analysis, an optimal dead-time can be selected to meet the specific requirements of a system while achieving ZVS over wide load range.

An Airborne Radar Power Supply With Contactless Transfer of Energy—Part II: Converter Design

A magnetic link is established between the stationary and revolving frames of a radar system by means of a rotating transformer. Based on the magnetics analysis of Part I of the series, a design methodology is proposed for integrating a rotating transformer into a power electronic converter using the efficiency and voltage gain plots. It is shown that a phase-shifted full-bridge topology can effectively utilize the parasitic components of the transformer. The increased magnetizing current assists the resonant transition, and this, in turn, compensates for the increased conduction losses that a rotating transformer yields. The proposed design method secures the soft-switching operation of the converter over the entire load range and allows efficient operation and reduced electromagnetic emissions. The methodology is evaluated experimentally, and the resulting prototype demonstrates an average efficiency of 92.6% in the 0.2-1-kW output power range. The proposed topology extends the power capacity of the rotating transformer without compromising its size, cost, or performance. A comparison between the slip rings and rotating transformer solutions highlights the merits and weaknesses of each technology.