Soft transition converter

• US 6,862,195 B2
• Filed: 03/01/1999
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Delta Energy Systems (Switzerland) AG (Delta Electronics Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delta Energy Systems (Switzerland) AG (Delta Electronics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Jitaru, Ionel
• Primary Examiner(s): Laxton, Gary L.
• Application Number:
  US09/260,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20020001203A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,192 Days
• Field of Search: 363 15- 17, 363/98, 363/132
• US Class Current: 363/17
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0058 by employing soft switching techniques, i.e. commutation of transistors when applied voltage is zero or when current flow is zero using an auxiliary actively switched resonant commutation circuit connected to an intermediate DC voltage or between two push-pull branches of an inverter bridge H02M7/4811; in resonant inverters H02M7/4815; in inverters operating from a resonant DC source H02M7/4826
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/0085 Partially controlled bridges
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/3376 with automatic control of output voltage or current
• 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

The present invention is a circuit and method for reducing switching and reverse recovery losses in the output rectifiers while creating zero voltage switching conditions for the primary switchers. There are described two output configurations, one employing a soft commutation inductor element a bridge rectifier and a output filter capacitor, the second using a soft commutation inductor element a rectification-filtering bridge composed by two capacitors and two capacitors. Both secondary circuits can be driven by three primary circuits. A first circuit is a full bridge with phase shift control, and a second circuit is a half bridge topology with an additional bydirectional switch which achieves two goals, on to get soft switching commutation across all the primary switches, the second to create the right waveforms in the secondary suitable with the claims in this invention. The third topology is a phase shifted two transistors forward. The circuits claimed in this invention can provide soft commutation across the primary switching elements and secondary rectifier means, clamping the voltage across the rectifiers to the output voltage eliminating the need for snubbers circuits both in primary and the secondary section.

Claims

1. A soft transition power converter, comprising:

a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding forming at least part of a power output side of the power converter;

an alternating current source, comprising a source of DC current and a set of switching elements electrically connecting said source of DC current to said primary winding for producing alternating current in said secondary winding;

a rectifier circuit having an alternating current input for receiving said alternating current and producing a rectified current output at said power output side of the power converter;

a soft transition inductor electrically connecting said source and said primary winding; and

a source controller adapted to produce said alternating current by alternating the voltage across said secondary winding from one of a negative ON time during which said voltage is negative and a positive ON time during which said voltage is positive, to a dead time wherein the voltage is substantially zero, and then to the other of said negative ON time and said positive ON time.

2. The power converter of claim 1, wherein said rectifier circuit includes a bridge of rectifiers.

3. The power converter of claim 1, wherein said rectifier circuit includes two rectifiers and two capacitors.

4. The power converter of claim 1, wherein said set of switching elements comprises two pairs of switching elements controlled by said source controller, the switching elements of each pair being coupled together in totem pole configuration at corresponding output nodes of the pair, said pairs disposed in parallel relation across said source, the output node of one of said pairs being coupled to one end of said primary winding and the output node of the other of said pairs coupled to the other end of said primary winding, each switching element having a control input coupled to said source controller.

5. The power converter of claim 4, wherein said switching elements are MOSFETS each having respectively a source, a drain, and a gate, wherein said output nodes define respective connections between the source of one of said MOSFETs and the drain of another of said MOSFETs, and wherein said gates correspond respectively to said control inputs.

6. The power converter of claim 1, wherein said source controller is adapted to short said primary winding during said dead time.

7. The power converter of claim 6, wherein said source controller is adapted to vary the duty cycle in a constant frequency mode of operation by varying the duration of said positive and negative ON times, for varying the power transferred through said transformer.

8. The power converter of claim 7, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source in a discontinuous conduction mode of operation of the power converter to produce said alternating current so that substantially all of the energy stored in said at least one soft transition inductor during said first active time is transferred to said power output prior to said second active time.

9. The power converter of claim 8, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source in a critical conduction mode of operation of the power converter to produce said alternating current so that substantially all of the energy stored in said at least one soft transition inductor is transferred to said power output just prior to said second active time.

10. The power converter of claim 8, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source so as to vary the duty cycle by varying the duration of at least one of (a) said first and second active times, and (b) said dead time, for varying the power transferred through said transformer.

11. The power converter of claim 10, wherein said first active time is substantially equal to said second active time.

12. The power converter of claim 7, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source in a continuous conduction mode of operation of the power converter to produce said alternating current so that a substantial amount of the energy stored in said at least one soft transition inductor during said first active time remains stored in said at least one soft transition inductor at the commencement of said second active time.

13. The power converter of claim 12, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source so as to vary the duty cycle by varying the duration of said first and second active times, for varying the power transferred through the transformer.

14. The power converter of claim 13, wherein said first active time is substantially equal to said second active time.

15. The power converter of claim 6, wherein said source controller is adapted to provide for a variable frequency mode of operation.

16. The power converter of claim 15, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source in a discontinuous conduction mode of operation of the power converter to produce said alternating current so that substantially all of the energy stored in said at least one soft transition inductor during said first active time is transferred to said power output prior to said second active time.

17. The power converter of claim 16, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source in a critical conduction mode of operation of the power converter to produce said alternating current so that substantially all of the energy stored in said at least one soft transition inductor is transferred to said power output just prior to said second active time.

18. The power converter of claim 16, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source so as to vary the duty cycle by varying the duration of at least one of (a) said first and second active times, and (b) said dead time, for varying the power transferred through said transformer.

19. The power converter of claim 18, wherein said first active time is substantially equal to said second active time.

20. The power converter of claim 15, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source in a continuous conduction mode of operation of the power converter to produce said alternating current so that a substantial amount of the energy stored in said at least one soft transition inductor during said first active time remains stored in said at least one soft transition inductor at the commencement of said second active time.

21. The power converter of claim 20, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source so as to vary the duty cycle by varying the duration of said first and second active times, for varying the power transferred through the transformer.

22. The power converter of claim 21, wherein said first active time is substantially equal to said second active time.

23. A soft transition power converter, comprising:

a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding forming at least part of a power output side of the power converter;

an alternating current source, comprising a source of DC current and a set of switching elements electrically connecting said source of DC current to said primary winding for producing alternating current in said secondary winding;

a rectifier circuit having an alternating current input for receiving said alternating current and producing a rectified current output at said power output side of the power converter;

a first soft transition inductor electrically connecting said secondary winding and said alternating current input of said rectifier circuit; and

a source controller adapted for controlling said alternating current source so as to produce said alternating current by alternating the voltage across said primary winding a first active time during which the voltage is one of positive and negative, thence to a dead time during which the voltage is substantially zero, and thence to a second active time during which the voltage is the other of positive and negative.

24. The power converter of claim 23, wherein said rectifier circuit includes a bridge of rectifiers, and wherein said first soft transition inductor is connected between an end of said secondary winding and an input node of said bridge.

25. The power converter of claim 23, wherein said rectifier circuit includes two rectifiers and two capacitors.

26. The power converter of claim 23, wherein said set of switching elements comprises two pairs of switching elements controlled by said source controller, the switching elements of each pair being coupled together in totem pole configuration at corresponding output nodes of the pair, said pairs disposed in parallel relation across said source, the output node of one of said pairs being coupled to one end of said primary winding and the output node of the other of said pairs coupled to the other end of said primary winding, each switching element having a control input coupled to said source controller.

27. The power converter of claim 26, wherein said switching elements are MOSFETS each having respectively a source, a drain, and a gate, wherein said output nodes define respective connections between the source of one of said MOSFETs and the drain of another of said MOSFETs, and wherein said gates correspond respectively to said control inputs.

28. The power converter of claim 23, wherein said source controller is adapted to short said primary winding during said dead time.

29. The power converter of claim 28, wherein said source controller is adapted to provide for a constant frequency mode of operation.

30. The power converter of claim 29, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source in a discontinuous conduction mode of operation of the power converter to produce said alternating current so that substantially all of the energy stored in said at least one soft transition inductor during said first active time is transferred to said power output prior to said second active time.

31. The power converter of claim 30, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source in a critical conduction mode of operation of the power converter to produce said alternating current so that substantially all of the energy stored in said at least one soft transition inductor is transferred to said power output just prior to said second active time.

32. The power converter of claim 30, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source so as to vary the duty cycle by varying the duration of at least one of (a) said first and second active times, and (b) said dead time, for varying the power transferred through said transformer.

33. The power converter of claim 32, wherein said first active time is substantially equal to said second active time.

34. The power converter of claim 29, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source in a continuous conduction mode of operation of the power converter to produce said alternating current so that a substantial amount of the energy stored in said at least one soft transition inductor during said first active time remains stored in said at least one soft transition inductor at the commencement of said second active time.

35. The power converter of claim 34, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source so as to vary the duty cycle by varying the duration of said first and second active times, for varying the power transferred through the transformer.

36. The power converter of claim 35, wherein said first active time is substantially equal to said second active time.

37. The power converter of claim 29, further comprising a second soft transition inductor electrically connecting said source and said primary winding.

38. The power converter of claim 37, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source in a discontinuous conduction mode of operation of the power converter to produce said alternating current so that substantially all of the energy stored in said at least one soft transition inductor during said first active time is transferred to said power output prior to said second active time.

39. The power converter of claim 38, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source in a critical conduction mode of operation of the power converter to produce said alternating current so that substantially all of the energy stored in said at least one soft transition inductor is transferred to said power output just prior to said second active time.

40. The power converter of claim 38, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source so as to vary the duty cycle by varying the duration of at least one of (a) said first and second active times, and (b) said dead time, for varying the power transferred through said transformer.

41. The power converter of claim 40, wherein said first active time is substantially equal to said second active time.

42. The power converter of claim 37, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source in a continuous conduction mode of operation of the power converter to produce said alternating current so that a substantial amount of the energy stored in said at least one soft transition inductor during said first active time remains stored in said at least one soft transition inductor at the commencement of said second active time.

43. The power converter of claim 42, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source so as to vary the duty cycle by varying the duration of said first and second active times, for varying the power transferred through the transformer.

44. The power converter of claim 43, wherein said first active time is substantially equal to said second active time.

45. The power converter of claim 28, wherein said source controller is adapted to provide for a variable frequency mode of operation.

46. The power converter of claim 45, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source in a discontinuous conduction mode of operation of the power converter to produce said alternating current so that substantially all of the energy stored in said at least one soft transition inductor during said first active time is transferred to said power output prior to said second active time.

47. The power converter of claim 46, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source in a critical conduction mode of operation of the power converter to produce said alternating current so that substantially all of the energy stored in said at least one soft transition inductor is transferred to said power output just prior to said second active time.

48. The power converter of claim 46, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source so as to vary the duty cycle by varying the duration of at least one of (a) said first and second active times, and (b) said dead time, for varying the power transferred through said transformer.

49. The power converter of claim 48, wherein said first active time is substantially equal to said second active time.

50. The power converter of claim 45, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source in a continuous conduction mode of operation of the power converter to produce said alternating current so that a substantial amount of the energy stored in said at least one soft transition inductor during said first active time remains stored in said at least one soft transition inductor at the commencement of said second active time.

51. The power converter of claim 50, wherein said source controller is adapted for controlling said alternating current source so as to vary the duty cycle by varying the duration of said first and second active times, for varying the power transferred through the transformer.

52. The power converter of claim 51, wherein said first active time is substantially equal to said second active time.

53. A method for converting power in a power converter that includes a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, a source connected to said primary winding and adapted to produce alternating electrical current in said secondary winding, a rectifier circuit for receiving and rectifying said alternating electrical current, and at least one soft transition inductor, the method comprising controlling said source so as to produce said alternating current by alternating the voltage across said primary winding a first active time during which the voltage is one of positive and negative, thence to a dead time during which the voltage is substantially zero, and thence to a second active time during which the voltage is the other of positive and negative.

54. The method of claim 53, further comprising shorting said primary winding during said dead time.