A FAMILY OF PWM SOFT-SINGLE-SWITCHED CONVERTERS WITH LOW

VOLTAGE AND CURRENT STRESSES

L. R. Barbosa J . B. Vieira J r. L. C. de Freitas V. J . Farias
Universidade Federal de Uberliindia
Departamento de Engenharia Eletrica
Campus Santa Manica -Bloc0 E
3 8400-902-Uberl2nd1a-MG-BRAZIL
Abstract - The use of switching regulator circuits at high
power levels and high frequencies requires careful examination
and control of the power dissipation during switching. In this
paper it is shown a family of PWM soft-single-switched
converters which, having only a single active switch, is able to
operate with soft switching in a pulse width modulation way
without high voltage and current stresses. In addition such
converters can work at high switching frequencies for wide
range of load. In order to illustrate the operating principle of
these new converters a detailed study, including simulations
and experimental test is carried out. The validity of these new
converters is guaranteed by the obtained results.
I. INTRODUCTION
High switchmg frequencies are necessary to reduce the
size and the weight of the DC-DC converters. However, this
yields high switching losses and, consequently, low
efficiency in hard switching converters.
To solve this problem the quasi-resonant converters
(QRCs) were proposed in [l]. However, some of their
characteristics such as load limitations and control
difficulties due to variable frequency operation restrict the
practical use of these converters.
Since the pulse-width-modulated quasi resonant converters
(PWM-QRC)operate with fixed switclung frequency they do
not present the control problem llke the QRCs [2]. On the
other hand they present all the other disadvantages of the
QRCs which limits their applications.
converters whch does not
present the limitations described above. An example of such
converters is found in [3]. Although this converter presents
several advantages, its main switch turns off hard and has
hghcurrent stress.
The most part of the PWM soft switching converters
proposed until now have two active switches and one that has
Nowadays there are many
a single active switch, as described in (41, presents hgh
stresses.
To overcome ths draw-back, the converter in [5] was
proposed. In ths paper it will be shown additional aspects of
that converter and a converter family derived of it.
IT. BOOST PWM SSS CONVERTER
Fig. 1 shows the Boost PWM soft-single-switched
converter of the proposed family. The inductor L R ~ is used to
provide ZCS turning on of the switch Sl. L2 is magnetically
coupled with LI . The turn ratio between L1 and L2 must be
large enough to induce voltage in L2, makmg null the current
of Lm before the next turning on of the switch SI , when D2 ,
D3 and D4 are simultaneously conducting.
I I
I I I I-
Fig. 1 - Boost PWM soft-single-switched converter
The branch composed by LRI, D1 and C, is used to charge
CR with voltage V, before the switch SI is turned off. Thus,
ths switch will turn off in a ZVS way.
The operating stages are presented in Fig. 2, and they are
described as follows.
First Stage [to, tl] -
load occurs through diode Dz.
During thls stage transference of energy from source to
1192
First Stage [to , t,]
Second Stage [ti , t7.1
Sixth Stage [ts , f6]
$1
I r l I
Thud Stage [tz , t3]
Fourth Stage [t3, f 4]
Eighth Stage [t7 , t ~ ]
Fig. 2 - Stages of operation ofthe Boost PWhf soft-single-switched
Converter.
Second Stage (tl, tz/ -
When switch SI is turned on, the L R ~ current increases
linearly and CR begins to charge through the circuit with V, ,
LRI , DI , CR and SI.
Third Stage [t2, t3] -
This stage begins when diode D2 is turned off. At ths
moment L2 current becomes equal to LI current, which is
given by the expression IJ(1-K) where I , is the current that
was in LI before SI is turned on and K is the turn ratio
between LI and L2 . We can observe that the current in the
switch SI increases with K. Thus its value must be chosen
as small as possible, in order to avoid hghSI current stress.
Fourth Stage (f3. t4] -
when the voltage in CR becomes equal to output voltage.
This stage begms when &ode Ds is turned on. Ths occurs
1193
In this stage the LRI current decreases linearly until it
becomes zero.
Fi$h Stage [ t 4, ts7 -
At time t4 , the current through LR1 becomes null and the
diodes DI and D3 are turned off. The duration of this stage
depends on the duty cycle.
Sixth Stage [tj , ts] -
The switch SI is turned off with null voltage and LI . LZ ,
C, and D3. conduct. In this stage the capacitor discharges in
a linear way.
Seventh Stage (ts , t,] -
When the capacitor C, voltage becomes smaller than
induced voltage in the L2, &ode D2 is turned on. In this
stage the induced voltage is fixed at K (v,-VJ and L R ~
current goes down due to the resonance between CR and L R ~ . .
Eighth Stage ( t 7 , ta] -
When the capacitor CR voltage becomes zero, &ode 0 4 is
turned on. The LR2 current goes down linearly due to
induced voltage in Lz.
This stage finishes when the LR2 current becomes zero,
starting another switching cycle.
The main theoretical waveforms are shown in Fig. 3.
i t
. .
Fig. 3 - Main waveforms for circuit in Fig. 1
The resonant current between LRI and C, can be reduced
by increasing value of LRI, without &sturbing the other
circuit parameters. Since the branch composed by LRI and
CR does not belong to the principal branch, capacitor CR can
be charged during all interval that the switch Sl is
conducing.
Fig. 4 shows the state plane for PWM soft-single-switched
converter. It is observed that the maximum value of the CR
voltage is equal to the output voltage V,, which is reached
at the begtnning of the fourth stage / t 3, t4].
~
1194
Since the capacitor charges due to resonance between LR]
and CR, the maximum voltage which appears in the CR
terminals is twice the input voltage V,. This limits the output
voltage at that same value, if soft switching is desired.
V O
Fig. 4 - State plane for PWM soft-singlsswk&ed converter
Fig. 5 shows four dfferent regions of the plane (a x G). In
the regions 3 and 4, the converter operates hard and in the
other two regons it works with soft switchmg. In the regions
2 and 3 the LRz current becomes zero before the resonant
capacitor discharge completely, as indicated at t7 in Fig. 3.
Despite, the converter operates soft in the region 2
"2
t
G
Fig. 5 - Converter operatingregions-
In. CIRCUIT ANALYSIS
Fig, 6 presents the model used for static gain
determination.
s,
Fig. 6 - Boost converter model for static gain determination.
To determine the converter static gain of the PWM Boost
converter, presented in this paper, the following
considerations have been made:
- the current 1, and voltage Vu are ripple-free.
- all the components and switches are ideal.
Furthermore the following definitions were used:
where
Using these definitions and several equations which was
developed for all stages, wecan determine the static gain, as
given by the following equation.
I + A
I - D+B
G=
Where:
K L l K
A = - +-
( I - K) Two
-a K KU- K )
4. - +-U
(1-K)' [ (1-K) +$1 2aG
a
( 5)
G(I - K) 2
2a
-
t X
(fs - tl)
D=
T
T =t, - t o
From equation ( 5) it i!; observed that the converter static
gain depends on: the tun1 ratio (K) between LI and L2 , the
duty-cycle (D), resonant frequency (a,,), the normalized
current (a) and the switching period.
Fig. 7 shows how the voltage gain varies with normalized
current (a) for five different values of duty cycle. As it can be
seen, ths converter, except for light loads, behaves almost
like the conventional boost converter.
G
-1-
0.15 0.2s 0.35 0.45 0.55 0.m 0.75 0.85 0.95
Fig. 7 - Curves of static gain characteristic vs normalized input CUt-rent, when
duty cycle varied.
a
IV. A FAMILY OF PWM SSS CONVERTERS
As it can be seen, the Boost PWM-SSS converter shown in
fig. 1 is consisted of the ccinventional Boost PWM converter
added by the resonant nelwork composed by the elements
LR2, L2, D, , D3 and D4 which are connected as shown in fig.
1.
The other converters of the family which is being proposed
are obtained in similar way. as shown in fig. 8.
As it well known, all converters of a family have state
planes with the same shape and voltage gains which is easily
derived from each other.
1195
~.
rl
LI -
n2
-.
L1
i ~ D 3
...
1.558~4 1.56ms 1. 562~1; 1.56% 1.5LLns 1 . 5 6 8 s 1.57ms
3 1 f) T i n e
VI
Fig. 9 - Simulation results for the PWM soft-single-switched converter.
VO
t
As it is observed from Fig. 9, SI operates under soft
switching condtions. It is turned on under zero-current and
turned off with zero-voltage. The maximum voltage in this
switch is equal to the output voltage, which must be lower
than twice the input voltage value.
Rl
VI. EXPERIMENTAL, RESULTS
v o V. SIMULATION RESULTS
t
In order to illustrate the feasibility and operation of the
A prototype circuit was constructed to verify the
waveforms predcted above.
VI +Gf D,
1196
R,
converters of the proposed family, the boost converter shown
in Fig. 1, has been simulated with the following parameters:
==c 1
L3 LR2 = 2 pH (resonant inductor 2)
C1 = 330 pF (output filter capacitor)
L,
L1
3 ,,
D4
C1 RI C, = 30 nF (resonant capacitor)
==
RI = 100 S2 (load resistance)
t
The values of Ll, L2, LRI, LR2* C1, CR, and Rl are the sane
speclfied in simulation. The switchmg frequency is 100
KHi. The switch used was the MOSFET IRF640, and the
&odes D,, Dz,, D3 and D4 were the MUR 1620.
Fig. 10 shows the waveforms of voltage in the resonant
capacitor CR and the current in the resonant inductor LRI. As
seen in this photograph, the voltage reaches 58 Volts, that is
almost the double of input voltage.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
..................
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
. . . .
VCR
2 OVId iv
i mi
1 Ndiv
20.8 V
Fig. 10 - Wavefom of voltage in the resonant capacitor CR (upper trace) and
current in the resonant inductor LRI (lower trace), respectively VCR (2OV/div)
and im (INdiv), 2 peddiv.
Fig. 11 shows again the waveforms of voltage in the
CR, together with the current in the resonant capacitor
resonant inductor L R ~ . .
VCR
2 W)d iv
. . . . . . . . $ ]
. . . . : .... : .... : . . . . : ............................
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
. . . .
Ch1 20 V 5 v
Fig 11- Waveformof voltage in the resonant capacitor CR (upper trace) and
current in the resonant inductor LRZ (lower trace), respectively vat (20V/div)
and i- (1 Ndiv); 2 peddiv.
Fig. 12 shows the switch waveforms for voltage and
current. As it is observed, the switch is turned on under
zero-current and turned off with zero-voltage.
Fig. 13 shows the efficiency versus output power. The
measured converter efficiency is between 92% and 97%.
mF., ~, ... I , [ * F . I .... f ,~
. . . .
................................................
. . . .
VS
PDVIdiv
E. . . _ f ......... f ......... I... . I _ . . . f .... t .... f ...
i s
. . . . Pwdiv
Fig. 12- Voltage(uppertrace) and current (lowertrace) waveforms inthe
switch, respectively VS (2:0V/div) and is (2Ndiv); 2 peddiv.
Efficiency [%]
:E===-
0
0 36 50 62 75 86 92 97 106
P, Wl
Fig. 13 -Experimental: efficiency versus output power
VII. CONCLUSION
A new Family of PWM Soft -Single- Switched Converter
has been presented . These converters with only a single
switch can operate in a scft switching way in a wide load
range without high voltage and current stresses.
The experimental result,s obtained validate the proposed
converter family.
ACKNOVdL,EDGEMENT
The authors gratefully aicknowledge MORTON INPEC
for the ferrite cores support.
REFIZRENCES
[ 11 LEE, F.C. High Frequency Quasi-Resonant Converter Technologies,
proceedmg of the BEE, vol. 76 N. 4, April 1988.
[Z] BARBI, I.; BOLACEL, J .C.; MARTINS D.C.; LIBANO F.B. Buck
Quasi-Resonant Converter Operating at Constant Frequency: Analysis,
Desi@ and Experimentation, IEEE-PESC 89, record, pp. 873-880.
[3] HUA G.; LEU C.S.; LEE F.C. Novel Zero-VoltageTransition PWM
Converter, IEEE-PESC 92, Ramrd, pp. 55-61.
[4] VILELA, M.;COELHO, E.; VIEIRA, J.; FREITAS, L.C.; FARIAS, V. A
family of PWM Soil-Switching Converters with low stresses of Voltage and
Current, IEEE-AFEC96, rewrd, pp299-304.
[ 5 ] LAMBERT, J.; VIEIRA, J.; FREITAS, L.C.; VILELA, M. and FARIAS,
V. A Boost PWM Sofi-Singlt>S~itched Con~&er Without Stresse~of
Voltageand Current IEEE-APEC 96, record, pp 469-474.
1197