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Loss reduction circuit for switching power converters

  • US 6,341,076 B1
  • Filed: 09/30/2000
  • Issued: 01/22/2002
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2000
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A family of switching type pulse-width-modulated DC-DC converters for converting the power from the primary power source to an output power draw defined by the load power consumption demands, said converters comprising:

  • an input means to be connected to said primary power source;

    an output means to be connected to said load;

    a common return bus to be connected between said primary power source and said load;

    a power storage inductor to accumulate the power absorbed from said primary power source and to deliver said power to said load;

    a controllable power switch operated in a pulse-width-modulated fashion and alternatively turned into conducting state to provide the power absorption from said primary power source into said power storage inductor and turned into non-conducting state to provide the power release from said power storage inductor into said load;

    a power rectifier to disconnect said load from said power storage inductor and from said primary power source while said controllable power switch is conducting and to provide the power release path from said power storage inductor and from said primary power source to said load while said controllable power switch is non-conducting;

    an output smoothing filter to store the power delivered to said load and to absorb the ripple component of delivered power;

    an active soft-switching conditioner connected through its nodes across said controllable power switch to provide active shaping the operating points trajectories of the switching devices through active developing soft-switching zero-voltage-across/zero-current-through conditions within the time intervals of alternative changing between conducting and non-conducting states;

    said active soft-switching conditioner comprising;

    an input node connected to the junction point common for said power storage inductor, for said power controllable switch and for said power rectifier;

    an output node;

    a common node connected to said common return bus;

    a separator to separate the networks within said active soft-switching conditioner, said separator comprising at least a rectifier;

    first commutator to provide first controllable path for currents within the network of said active soft-switching conditioner, said first commutator comprising a controllable switch connected in parallel with a rectifier;

    second commutator to provide second controllable path for currents within the network of said active soft-switching conditioner, said second commutator comprising at least a rectifier;

    third commutator to provide third controllable path for currents within the network of said active soft-switching conditioner, said third commutator comprising a rectifier;

    fourth commutator to provide fourth controllable path for currents within the network of said active soft-switching conditioner, said fourth commutator comprising at least a rectifier;

    first slope-shaper to provide shaping the voltage wave form developed across said controllable power switch during said controllable power switch transition into non-conducting state, therefore creating soft-switching zero-voltage-across condition for said controllable power switch during its transition into non-conducting state such that said controllable power switch transition into non-conducting state does not produce power loss, said first slope-shaper comprising at least a capacitor;

    second slope-shaper to provide shaping the voltage wave form developed across said first commutator, therefore creating soft-switching zero-voltage-across/zero-current-through conditions during said first commutator transition into nonconducting state such that said first commutator transition into nonconducting state does not produce power loss, said second slope-shaper comprising at least one capacitor;

    damp/resonant choke to provide the prescribed rate-of-change for the current through said power rectifier during its transition into non-conducting state, therefore creating soft-switching close to zero-current-through condition for said power rectifier during its transition into non-conducting state such that said power rectifier transition into non-conducting state does not produce power loss, and to provide the resonant discharge path for the capacitor within said first slope-shaper for shaping the voltage wave form developed across said controllable power switch during said controllable power switch transition into conducting state, therefore creating soft-switching zero-voltage-across/zero-current-through condition for said controllable power switch during its transition into conducting state such that said controllable power switch transition into conducting state does not produce power loss;

    damp switch to provide a current path to release the energy magnetically stored within said damp/resonant choke, and to damp the parasitic circulation of energy magnetically stored within said damp/resonant choke, said damp switch comprising at least a rectifier;

    said first slope-shaper is connected between said input node and said common node to shunt said controllable power switch;

    a series-connection network comprising said separator connected with said damp/resonant choke connected with said first commutator is parallel-connected across said first slope-shaper to shunt said controllable power switch;

    a controllable switch within said first commutator is turned into conducting state prior to said controllable power switch transition into conducting state to provide the prescribed rate-of-change for the current through said power rectifier during its transition into non-conducting state, therefore creating soft-switching close to zero-current-through condition for said power rectifier during its transition into nonconducting state such that said power rectifier transition into non-conducting state does not produce power loss, and to provide the resonant discharge path for the capacitor within said first slope-shaper, therefore creating soft-switching zero-voltage-across/zero-current-through condition for said controllable power switch during its transition into conducting state such that said controllable power switch transition into conducting state does not produce power loss;

    a series-connection network comprising said second slope-shaper connected with said damp switch is parallel-connected across said damp/resonant choke to shunt said damp/resonant choke and to provide the prescribed shape-of-change for the voltage across said first commutator during its transition into nonconducting state, therefore creating soft-switching zero-voltage-across/zero-current-through condition for said first commutator such that said first commutator transition into non-conducting state does not produce power loss;

    a series-connection network comprising said third commutator connected with said second slope-shaper is adapted to limit the voltage level across said second slope-shaper during resonant release of energy magnetically stored within said damp/resonant choke;

    a series-connection network comprising said third commutator connected with said second slope-shaper is adapted to provide a discharge path for the capacitor(s) within said second slope-shaper past said controllable power switch transition into nonconducting state; and

    a series-connection network comprising said third commutator connected with said second slope-shaper is coupled between said input node and said output node to provide the prescribed rate-of-change for the voltage across said controllable power switch during its transition into nonconducting state, therefore creating soft-switching zero-voltage-across condition for said controllable power witch such that said controllable power switch transition into non-conducting state does not produce power loss.

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