Constant frequency resonant dc/dc converter

• US 5,157,593 A
• Filed: 03/28/1991
• Issued: 10/20/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Astec International Limited (Emerson Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Northern Telecom Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Jain, Praveen K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephan, Steven L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STERRETT, JEFFREY L
• Application Number:
  US07/676,597
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 363/17, 363/98, 363/132
• US Class Current: 363/17
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/01 Resonant DC/DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/33573 Full-bridge at primary side of an isolation transformer
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 70/10 Technologies improving the efficiency by using switched-mode power supplies [SMPS], i.e. efficient power electronics conversion e.g. power factor correction or reduction of losses in power supplies or efficient standby modes

Abstract

A constant frequency full resonant mode dc/dc converter is provided, suitable for use in low voltage, high current dc power distribution systems. The converter comprises a full-bridge inverter, a resonant circuit, an output transformer, an output diode rectifier, a dc output filter, and a control circuit. The resonant circuit consists of a series branch and a parallel branch. The components of the resonant circuit are selected such that a sinusoidal voltage waveform is achieved across the parallel branch, and an overall lagging current is obtained at the output of the full-bridge inverter for a desired range of output voltage control and no-load to full-load operating conditions.

Claims

1. A constant frequency full resonant mode dc/dc converter operating at a constant resonant operating frequency comprising;

a full bridge inverter having a least four semiconductor switches to which control signal are applied and at least four snubber capacitors;

a resonant circuit means connected to the full bridge inverter and comprising a parallel resonant branch which has a parallel inductor and parallel capacitor and is tuned to said operating frequency, and a series resonant branch having a series inductor which, together with said parallel capacitor, is tuned to a frequency different from said operating frequency;

a transformer connected to said resonant circuit means in such a way that said series resonant branch is connected in series to said transformer and said parallel resonant branch is connected in parallel to said transformer; and

a rectifying circuit means connected to said transformer wherein the phase shift angle among said control signals is adjustable to maintain the output voltage of said converter constant.

2. The constant frequency full resonant mode dc/dc converter according to claim 1, wherein said snubber capacitors and said resonant circuit means are chosen as to their values with respect to said operating frequency so that a resonant current waveform having near exponentially rising and falling edges with a lagging power factor is applied through said series inductor and a near-sinusoidal voltage waveform is applied across said parallel branch.

3. The constant frequency full resonant mode dc/dc converter according to claim 2, wherein said parallel resonant branch is tuned to said operating frequency and the value of said series inductor is chosen so that the resonant frequency of said series inductor and said parallel capacitor is about 1.7 times said operating frequency.

4. The constant frequency full resonant mode dc/dc converter according to claim 3, wherein said full bridge inverter further comprises at least four diodes and said semiconductor switches are MOSFETs.