scholarly journals Comparative Performance and Assessment Study of a Current-Fed DC-DC Resonant Converter Combining Si, SiC, and GaN-Based Power Semiconductor Devices

Electronics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 1982
Author(s):  
Oscar Miguel Rodríguez-Benítez ◽  
Mario Ponce-Silva ◽  
Juan Antonio Aquí-Tapia ◽  
Abraham Claudio-Sánchez ◽  
Luis Gerardo Vela-Váldes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Field Effect Transistors ◽  
Input Voltage ◽  
Oxide Semiconductor ◽  
Switching Frequency ◽  
Resonant Converter ◽  
Comparative Performance ◽  
Voltage Range ◽  
Power Semiconductor ◽  
Low Efficiency ◽  
A Current

This paper focuses on the main reasons of low efficiency in a current-fed DC-DC resonant converter applied to photovoltaic (PV) isolated systems, comparing the effects derived by the overlapping time in the gate-signals (gate-source voltage) combining silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC), and gallium nitride (GaN)-based power devices. The results show that unidirectional switches (metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) plus diode) present hard switching as a result of the diode preventing the MOSFET capacitance of being discharged. The effectiveness of the converter was verified with a 200-W prototype with an input voltage range of 0–30.3 V, an output voltage of 200 V, and a switching frequency of 200 kHz. The reduction losses by applying GaN versus Si and SiC technologies are 66.49% and 53.57%, respectively. Alternatively, by applying SiC versus Si devices the reduction loss is 27.84%. Finally, according to the results, 60% of losses were caused by the diodes on both switches.

scholarly journals Wide Voltage Resonant Converter Using a Variable Winding Turns Ratio

Electronics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 370 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bor-Ren Lin ◽  
Chu-Xian Dai
Keyword(s):  
Low Voltage ◽  
Field Effect Transistors ◽  
Oxide Semiconductor ◽  
Resonant Circuit ◽  
Frequency Variation ◽  
Switching Frequency ◽  
Voltage Gain ◽  
Resonant Converter ◽  
Voltage Range ◽  
Llc Resonant Converter

This paper presents a inductor–inductor–capacitor (LLC) resonant converter with variable winding turns to achieve wide voltage operation (100–400 V) and realize soft switching operation over the entire load range. Resonant converters have been developed for consumer power units in computers, power servers, medical equipment, and adaptors due to the advantages of less switching loss and better circuit efficiency. The main disadvantages of the LLC resonant converter are narrow voltage range operation owing to wide switching frequency variation and limited voltage gain. For computer power supplies with hold-up time function, electric vehicle battery chargers, and for power conversion in solar panels, wide input voltage or wide output voltage operation capability is normally demanded for powered electronics. To meet these requirements, the variable winding turns are used in the presented circuit to achieve high- or low-voltage gain when Vin is at low- or high-voltage, respectively. Therefore, the wide voltage operation capability can be implemented in the presented resonant circuit. The variable winding turns are controlled by an alternating current (AC) power switch with two back-to-back metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). A 500-W prototype is implemented and test results are presented to confirm the converter performance.

scholarly journals Extended T-type Inverter

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-64
Author(s):  
Jacek Rąbkowski ◽  
Rafał Kopacz
Keyword(s):  
Low Voltage ◽  
Field Effect Transistors ◽  
Schottky Diodes ◽  
Input Voltage ◽  
Neutral Point ◽  
Oxide Semiconductor ◽  
Laboratory Model ◽  
Power Losses ◽  
Power Semiconductor ◽  
Point Potential

Abstract This paper presents a new concept for a power electronic converter - the extended T-type (eT) inverter, which is a combination of a three-phase inverter and a three-level direct current (dc)/dc converter. The novel converter shows better performance than a comparable system composed of two converters: a T-type inverter and a boost converter. At first, the three-level dc/dc converter is able to boost the input voltage but also affects the neutral point potential. The operation principles of the eT inverter are explained and a simulation study of the SiC-based 6 kVA system is presented in this paper. Presented results show a serious reduction of the DC-link capacitors and the input inductor. Furthermore, suitable SiC power semiconductor devices are selected and power losses are estimated using Saber software in reference to a comparative T-type inverter. According to the simulations, the 50 kHz/6 kVA inverter feed from the low voltage (250 V) shows <2.5% of power losses in the suggested SiC metal oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) and Schottky diodes. Finally, a 6 kVA laboratory model was designed, built and tested. Conducted measurements show that despite low capacitance (2 × 30 μF/450 V), the neutral point potential is balanced, and the observed efficiency of the inverter is around 96%.

scholarly journals Voltage Balance Switching Scheme for Series-Connected SiC MOSFET LLC Resonant Converter

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (20) ◽  
pp. 4003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cha ◽  
Kim
Keyword(s):  
High Efficiency ◽  
Field Effect Transistors ◽  
Input Voltage ◽  
Oxide Semiconductor ◽  
System Stability ◽  
Resonant Converter ◽  
Switching Scheme ◽  
Zero Voltage Switching ◽  
Voltage Balance ◽  
Llc Resonant Converter

To achieve high efficiency and power density, silicon carbide (SiC)-based Inductor-Inductor-Capacitor (LLC) resonant converters are applied to the DC/DC converter stage of a solid-state transformer (SST). However, because the input voltage of an SST is higher than the rated voltage of a commercial SiC device, it is essential to connect SiC devices in series. This structure is advantageous in terms of voltage rating, but a parasitic capacitance tolerance between series-connected SiC devices causes voltage imbalance. Such imbalance greatly reduces system stability as it causes overvoltage breakdown of SiC device. Therefore, this paper proposes a switching scheme to solve the voltage imbalance between SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). The proposed scheme sequentially turns off series-connected SiC MOSFETs to compensate for the turn-off delays caused by parasitic capacitor tolerances. In addition, dead-time selection methods to achieve voltage balance and zero voltage switching simultaneously are provided in detail. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed scheme, experiments were conducted on a 2 kW series-connected SiC MOSFET LLC resonant converter prototype.

scholarly journals Evaluation of VTH and RON Drifts during Switch-Mode Operation in Packaged SiC MOSFETs

Electronics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 441
Author(s):  
Marcello Cioni ◽  
Alessandro Bertacchini ◽  
Alessandro Mucci ◽  
Nicolò Zagni ◽  
Giovanni Verzellesi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Field Effect Transistors ◽  
Oxide Semiconductor ◽  
Driving Voltage ◽  
Drain Voltage ◽  
Current Increase ◽  
Mode Operation ◽  
Switch Mode ◽  
Gate Signal ◽  
A Current ◽  
Parameter Monitoring

In this paper, we investigate the evolution of threshold voltage (VTH) and on-resistance (RON) drifts in the silicon carbide (SiC) power metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) during the switch-mode operation. A novel measurement setup for performing the required on-the-fly characterization is presented and the experimental results, obtained on commercially available TO-247 packaged SiC devices, are reported. Measurements were performed for 1000 s, during which negative VTH shifts (i.e., VTH decrease) and negative RON drifts (i.e., RON decrease) were observed. To better understand the origin of these parameter drifts and their possible correlation, measurements were performed for different (i) gate-driving voltage (VGH) and (ii) off-state drain voltage (VPH). We found that VTH reduction leads to a current increase, thus yielding RON to decrease. This correlation was explained by the RON dependence on the overdrive voltage (VGS–VTH). We also found that gate-related effects dominate the parameter drifts at low VPH with no observable recovery, due to the repeated switching of the gate signal required for the parameter monitoring. Conversely, the drain-induced instabilities caused by high VPH are completely recoverable within 1000 s from the VPH removal. These results show that the measurement setup is able to discern the gate/drain contributions, clarifying the origin of the observed VTH and RON drifts.

Resonant LLC DC–DC Converter Employing Fixed Switching Frequency Based on Dual-Transformer With Wide Input-Voltage Range

2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 607-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salman Khan ◽  
Deshang Sha ◽  
Xiangshuai Jia ◽  
Sunbo Wang
Keyword(s):  
Input Voltage ◽  
Switching Frequency ◽  
Voltage Range

scholarly journals Step-Up Series Resonant DC–DC Converter with Bidirectional-Switch-Based Boost Rectifier for Wide Input Voltage Range Photovoltaic Applications

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (14) ◽  
pp. 3747 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abualkasim Bakeer ◽  
Andrii Chub ◽  
Dmitri Vinnikov
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Analysis ◽  
Duty Cycle ◽  
Input Voltage ◽  
Voltage Regulation ◽  
Switching Frequency ◽  
Voltage Gain ◽  
Voltage Range ◽  
Dc Voltage ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Series Resonant

This paper proposes a high gain DC–DC converter based on the series resonant converter (SRC) for photovoltaic (PV) applications. This study considers low power applications, where the resonant inductance is usually relatively small to reduce the cost of the converter realization, which results in low-quality factor values. On the other hand, these SRCs can be controlled at a fixed switching frequency. The proposed topology utilizes a bidirectional switch (AC switch) to regulate the input voltage in a wide range. This study shows that the existing topology with a bidirectional switch has a limited input voltage regulation range. To avoid this issue, the resonant tank is rearranged in the proposed converter to the resonance capacitor before the bidirectional switch. By this rearrangement, the dependence of the DC voltage gain on the duty cycle is changed, so the proposed converter requires a smaller duty cycle than that of the existing counterpart at the same gain. Theoretical analysis shows that the input voltage regulation range is extended to the region of high DC voltage gain values at the maximum input current. Contrary to the existing counterpart, the proposed converter can be realized with a wide range of the resonant inductance values without compromising the input voltage regulation range. Nevertheless, the proposed converter maintains advantages of the SRC, such as zero voltage switching (ZVS) turn-on of the primary-side semiconductor switches. In addition, the output-side diodes are turned off at zero current. The proposed converter is analyzed and compared with the existing counterpart theoretically and experimentally. A 300 W experimental prototype is used to validate the theoretical analysis of the proposed converter. The peak efficiency of the converter is 96.5%.

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