Switching Frequency Variation Range Research Articles

A high-efficiency primary-side regulation control strategy for half-bridge LLC resonant converter with wide input voltage range

The requirement of the half-bridge LLC resonant converter with a wide input voltage range is becoming higher in photovoltaic applications because of its simple structure and low switching loss. Conventional frequency modulation (FM) requires a wide switching frequency range and a high-quality factor circuit design, leading to reduced efficiency and large component volumes at light loads. To solve the problems, a high-efficiency control strategy using adaptive pulse-width and frequency modulation (APWFM) is proposed. APWFM adjusts the gain by changing the switching frequency and duty cycle simultaneously. When the output power is below the reference value, the switching frequency decreases linearly as the output power decreases, and the duty cycle is simultaneously modulated to achieve constant output voltage, so the switching frequency variation range is smaller than FM. This results in improved light or medium load efficiency in a limited frequency range while keeping a small volume of magnetic components. Also, the proposed control strategy is realized with primary-side regulation (PSR) to eliminate the optocoupler and simplify the control circuit. Experimental results demonstrate a significant improvement in efficiency at medium and light loads compared to FM, and the average efficiency is improved by 5% based on low cost and simple operation.

High Power Factor CRM Boost PFC Converter With Optimum Switching Frequency Variation Range Control Based on Variable Inductor

Critical conduction-mode boost power factor correction converter with constant <sc xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">on</small> -time control is widely used in low-to-medium power applications. However, the range of the switching frequency varies with different input voltages and load conditions. In this letter, a theoretical all-fixed switching frequency method based on the continuous variable inductance control is proposed first. Considering that the existing variable inductor technology is difficult to achieve a wide variation range, a switching frequency optimization compromise based on the segment variable inductance (SVI) control is put forward. Ensuring unit power factor, the proposed method significantly reduces the switching frequency variation range, which facilitates the electromagnetic interference filter design. A prototype with SVI control has been built and tested in the lab to demonstrate the validity of the proposed method.

Current Ripple Prediction and DPWM Based Variable Switching Frequency Control for Full ZVS Range Two Parallel Interleaved Three-Phase Inverters

In this article, an improved variable switching frequency zero-voltage switching (ZVS) control strategy is proposed for two parallel interleaved three-phase inverters. Discontinuous pulsewidth modulation is adopted and full-range ZVS can be achieved at any load or modulation ratio. The critical switching frequency can be easily calculated in a digital controller based on current ripple prediction instead of current zero-crossing detection. No additional high-frequency sensor or auxiliary circuit is needed. Compared with the continuous pulsewidth modulation, the switching frequency variation range is narrower and the frequency calculation equation is simplified. In addition, lower peak current ripple leads to lower current stress. Owing to the high switching frequency and the low inductance, the size and the cost of the inverter can be significantly reduced. A 6.6-kW experimental prototype with SiC MOSFETs interfacing 400-V dc with three-phase 110-V ac grid is developed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.

GaN-Based Megahertz Single-Phase Inverter With a Hybrid TCM Control Method for High Efficiency and High-Power Density

Compared with traditional frequency limitation method DCM and QCFTCM for TCM-based inverter, this article proposes a hybrid TCM method, which can achieve both full range ZVS and frequency variation limitation. An accurate resonant transition model is established and the switching frequency variation range can be obtained for TCM. The hybrid control can be implemented according to the variation ratio γ. In order to determine the optimal γ, an offline optimization algorithm based on loss estimation is proposed. Therefore, an accurate analytical loss model for GaN HEMTs considering the nonlinear junction capacitance is given for TCM and hybrid TCM. The loss model shows that the total losses of hybrid TCM inverter are reduced compared with TCM. Moreover, an interleaved GaN-based megahertz single-phase inverter with digital control is demonstrated with 120 W/in <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sup> power density. The aforementioned benefits are experimentally verified in the optimal hybrid TCM. With this hybrid control, the measured peak efficiency is 98%. Compared with pure TCM mode, there is a 70% reduction in the switching frequency and the related efficiency is 0.8% higher at light loads. Higher power density (135 W/in <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sup> ) can be achieved in hybrid TCM through further increasing the switching frequency compared with pure TCM.

Heteromagnetic Swinging Inductor and Its Application for Power Factor Correction Converters

A variable inductor concept based on a magnetic structure consisting of composite of magnetic materials is introduced to meet the designed inductance function of current. A design of the inductor, termed heteromagnetic swinging inductor (HMSI), was fabricated using a toroid core with a gap that was filled by a custom-developed low-permeability magnetic powder + polymer material. Having the gap filled with the magnetic material allowed for greater flexibility in L–I design with added benefit of low fringe field. The analytical model of HMSI was derived and verified by simulation. And the step-by-step design of arbitrary L–I curve HMSI was posted. We applied this swinging inductor to a critical conduction mode boost power factor correction converter to reduce its switching frequency variation range. First, the required L–I curve of the HMSI needed for narrow range of switching frequency was calculated. Then, the HMSI core structure consisting of two magnetic materials was designed. Finally, a prototype of the HMSI was fabricated and tested. Experimental result showed that for a 110-Vrms input, the converter with the HMSI had a switching frequency variation factor, defined as Δ f / f min, six times less than that of the converter using a linear inductor.

Quasi-Fixed Switching Frequency Control of CRM Boost PFC Converter Based on Variable Inductor in Wide Input Voltage Range

With traditional constant on-time control, the switching frequency variation range of critical conduction mode boost power factor correction converter is large during a half line cycle, not to mention the wide range of input voltage's rms value. For this issue, this article puts forward a quasi-fixed switching frequency control, which combines the variable on-time and variable inductor technology together. Furthermore, a lower output voltage ripple and a higher efficiency are obtained. In spite of the power factor decrease, the input current harmonics still satisfy the IEC61000-3-2 Class D limits. The detailed theoretical analysis and experimental results are presented in this article.

Adaptive Hysteresis Current Based ZVS Modulation and Voltage Gain Compensation for High-Frequency Three-Phase Converters

This article proposed a systematic approach for the control of three-phase bidirectional zero-voltage switching (ZVS) converters. Combining the adaptive hysteresis-band current control and turn- on delay modifications, ZVS conditions are realized in full line-cycle in all loading conditions like active power, reactive power, light load, and heavy load. The soft-switching resonant period is carefully analyzed, and the current band is designed accordingly, which minimized the additional conduction loss. Meanwhile, a zero-sequence voltage injection control is included in the approach, which compensates the voltage gain by 15% and narrows down the switching frequency variation range. The hardware design approach is also provided including the LCL filter design and a low-cost high-bandwidth high-accuracy current sensor design. A highly integrated 5-kW silicon carbide implemented three-phase ZVS converter prototype with printed circuit board integrated inductors and customized current sensors is designed. All the control is implemented in a single microcontroller unit, which achieves a high electromagnetic compatibility. The designed prototype achieves a total power density of 5.5 kW/L and a peak efficiency of 98.5%. All the analysis and the proposed control approach are experimentally verified on the designed prototype.

Optimal Switching Frequency Variation Range Control for Critical Conduction Mode Boost Power Factor Correction Converter

Critical conduction mode boost power factor (PF) correction converter is widely used in low-to-medium power applications for its advantages of high PF, zero-current turn-on of the switch, and no reverse recovery in diode. Nevertheless, the switching frequency varies continually with the input voltage phase angle with traditional constant on-time control. This makes the electromagnetic interference (EMI) spectra display great differences and complicates the design of EMI filter. An optimal switching frequency variation range control strategy is proposed in this article. The optimal harmonics amounts for the lowest switching frequency variation range without and with a limited PF are both figured out. In addition, a lower output voltage ripple is obtained. A prototype has been built and tested in the lab to demonstrate the validity of the theoretical analysis.

Synchronous random switching frequency modulation technique based on the carrier phase shift to reduce the PWM noise

Pulse width modulation (PWM) technique brings harsh acoustic noise in motor drive system. Thus, synchronous random switching frequency modulation (SRSFM) technique based on carrier phase shift for paralleled three-phase voltage source inverters is proposed in this study to eliminate the PWM noise. The proposed SRSFM technique is able to remove the high-frequency PWM noise more effectively than the conventional random switching frequency PWM; it not only completely eliminates the PWM noise nearby odd-order carrier frequency but also reduces PWM vibration noise around even-order carrier frequency depending on the switching frequency variation range. Furthermore, the SRSFM technique is simple to implement and requires no additional hardware. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by detailed experimental results.

Critical-Mode-Based Soft-Switching Modulation for High-Frequency Three-Phase Bidirectional AC–DC Converters

In this paper, a novel critical-conduction-mode-based modulation is proposed for three-phase bidirectional ac–dc converters. With this modulation, the switching frequency variation range shrinks, zero-voltage-switch soft switching is achieved, and the switching-related loss is reduced, which is especially beneficial for systems operating above hundreds of kHz high switching frequency with wide-band-gap power semiconductor devices to achieve both high power density and high efficiency. A 25 kW silicon carbide based high-frequency three-phase bidirectional ac–dc converter prototype is designed to achieve a power density of 127 ${\text{W/in}}^{3}$ , which is at least five times higher than commercial products. All the control functions are digitally implemented with one low-cost microcontroller, and the aforementioned benefits are experimentally verified on this prototype under both inverter mode and rectifier mode operations. With the proposed soft-switching modulation, the tested peak efficiency is close to 99.0% for this prototype even at above 300 kHz high switching frequency operation.

Analysis and Design of Phase-Shift Pulse-Frequency-Modulated Full-Bridge LCC Resonant Converter

A phase-shift pulse-frequency modulation (PS-PFM) for a full-bridge LCC resonant converter is proposed in this paper to reduce both switching frequency variation range and reactive power of a traditional PFM LCC resonant converter. Like the PFM LCC resonant converter, a PS-PFM LCC resonant converter has a wider zero voltage switching operation range than a phase-shift modulated LCC resonant converter. By integrating a voltage-controlled carrier generator, the proposed PS-PFM modulator can adjust phase-shift angle and switching frequency simultaneously, resulting in one more degree of control freedom to optimize the steady-state performance of an LCC resonant converter. A detailed analysis of the proposed PS-PFM LCC resonant converter is performed and a step-by-step parameter design procedure is given. A 500-W/48-V prototype with 100–200 V input voltage is built to verify the theoretical analysis. The maximum efficiency of the prototype reaches 95.3%.

A Dual-Carrier Modulation Technique for Half-Bridge Resonant Converter With Wide Soft-Switching Range

A dual-carrier modulation technique is proposed to improve the performance of the half-bridge resonant converter in this paper. By alternately using two different sawtooth waveforms as a carrier, the dual-carrier modulation combines the characteristics of both variable frequency modulation and fixed-frequency modulation. According to the structure of modulator, there are two kinds of dual-carrier modulation: type A and type B. Type A dual-carrier modulation is suitable for resonant converters operating in inductive region to achieve a wide zero voltage switching (ZVS) range, while type B dual-carrier modulation is preferred for resonant converters operating in capacitive region to obtain a wide zero current switching range. By utilizing both switching frequency modulation and duty ratio modulation, the proposed dual-carrier modulation not only extends soft-switching range of the resonant converter, but also reduces switching frequency variation range. In order to verify the benefits of the proposed modulation, a 500-W dual-carrier modulated LCC resonant converter operating in inductive region is designed and built. Simulation and experimental results show the prototype achieves ZVS soft-switching operation for 200–400 V input voltage and 100–500 W output power, with only about 10 kHz switching frequency variation.