Circuit for moderating a peak reverse recovery current of a rectifier and method of operation thereof

• US 5,923,153 A
• Filed: 02/24/1997
• Issued: 07/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tyco Electronics Logistics AG (TE Connectivity Limited)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Liu, Rui
• Primary Examiner(s): BERHANE, ADOLF D
• Application Number:
  US08/804,554
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 323/222, 323/282, 323/283, 323/351, 323/290, 363/52, 363/89, 363/59
• US Class Current: 323/222
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/342 Active non-dissipative snubbers
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• 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

In a power converter having a power train that includes a power switch and a rectifier for conducting forward currents from the power switch, a circuit for, and method of, moderating a peak reverse recovery current of the rectifier and a power converter employing the circuit or the method. The circuit includes: (1) a snubber circuit coupled to the rectifier and including a snubber inductor, a snubber capacitor and an auxiliary diode, the snubber inductor reducing the peak reverse recovery current of the rectifier and the snubber capacitor recovering energy stored in the snubber inductor and (2) an auxiliary switch, coupled in parallel with the power switch, that is activated when the power switch is transitioned from a conducting state to a non-conducting state to charge the snubber capacitor.

Claims

1. In a power converter having a power train that includes a power switch and a rectifier for conducting forward currents from said power switch, a circuit that moderates a peak reverse recovery current of said rectifier, comprising:

a snubber circuit coupled to said rectifier and including a snubber inductor, a snubber capacitor and an auxiliary diode, said snubber inductor reducing said peak reverse recovery current of said rectifier and said snubber capacitor recovering energy stored in said snubber inductor; and

an auxiliary switch, coupled in parallel with said power switch, that is activated when said power switch is transitioned from a conducting state to a non-conducting state to charge said snubber capacitor.

2. The circuit as recited in claim 1 wherein said auxiliary switch is deactivated following expiration of a predetermined period of time.

3. The circuit as recited in claim 1 wherein said snubber circuit further comprises another auxiliary diode for conducting said forward currents prior to said snubber capacitor being fully discharged.

4. The circuit as recited in claim 1 wherein said power switch is an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) that exhibits a tail current that causes switching losses in said IGBT, said auxiliary switch altering a voltage across said IGBT to reduce said switching losses.

5. The circuit as recited in claim 1 wherein said rectifier includes a power diode.

6. The circuit as recited in claim 1 further comprising a resistor that discharges a voltage across said auxiliary switch when said auxiliary switch is in a non-conducting state.

7. The circuit as recited in claim 1 further comprising a Zener diode that recovers energy from said auxiliary switch to said snubber capacitor when said auxiliary switch is in a non-conducting state.

8. In a power converter having a power train that includes a power switch and a rectifier for conducting forward currents from said power switch, a method of moderating a peak reverse recovery current of said rectifier, comprising the steps of:

reducing said peak reverse recovery current of said rectifier with a snubber inductor;

recovering energy stored in said snubber inductor with a snubber capacitor; and

activating an auxiliary switch coupled in parallel with said power switch when said power switch is transitioned from a conducting state to a non-conducting state to charge said snubber capacitor.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising the step of deactivating said auxiliary switch following expiration of a predetermined period of time.

10. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising the step of conducting said forward currents through another auxiliary diode prior to said snubber capacitor being fully discharged.

11. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said power switch is an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) that exhibits a tail current that causes switching losses in said IGBT, the method further comprising the step of altering a voltage across said IGBT to reduce said switching losses.

12. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said rectifier comprises a power diode.

13. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising the step of discharging a voltage across said auxiliary switch when said auxiliary switch is in a non-conducting state.

14. The method as recited in claim 8 further comprising the step of recovering energy from said auxiliary switch to said snubber capacitor when said auxiliary switch is in a non-conducting state.

15. A power supply, comprising:

an input source of electrical power;

a power converter, coupled between said input source and an output, including;

a power switch, and

a power diode for conducting forward currents from said power switch; and

a circuit for moderating a peak reverse recovery current of said power diode, including;

a snubber circuit coupled to said power diode and including a snubber inductor, a snubber capacitor and an auxiliary diode, said snubber inductor reducing said peak reverse recovery current of said power diode and said snubber capacitor recovering energy stored in said snubber inductor; and

an auxiliary switch, coupled in parallel with said power switch, that is activated when said power switch is transitioned from a conducting state to a non-conducting state to charge said snubber capacitor.

16. The power supply as recited in claim 15 further comprising an input electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter and input rectifier coupled between said input source of electrical power and said power converter, said power converter further comprising an output filter coupled to said output.

17. The power supply as recited in claim 15 wherein said power converter further comprises an input inductor for storing energy from said input source of electrical power to be delivered to said output.

18. The power supply as recited in claim 15 wherein said snubber circuit further comprises:

another auxiliary diode for conducting said forward currents prior to said snubber capacitor being fully discharged; and

a resistor for discharging a voltage across said auxiliary switch when said auxiliary switch is in a non-conducting state.

19. The power supply as recited in claim 15 wherein said power switch is an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) that exhibits a tail current that causes switching losses in with said IGBT, said auxiliary switch altering a voltage across said IGBT to reduce said switching losses.

20. The power supply as recited in claim 15 wherein said power converter is selected from the group consisting of:

a boost converter;

a buck converter; and

a buck-boost converter.