Modular Single-Active Bridge DC-DC Converters: Efficiency Optimization over a Wide Load Range

Yeh Ting, Sjoerd De Haan, Braham Ferreira

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

15 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Multiple single-active bridge (SAB) DC-DC converters are connected in the input-parallel and outputparallel (IPOP) configuration to achieve higher power output in many applications. Module shutdown, known as phase shedding, is used to improve light-load efficiency in the IPOP modular converter. The SAB is known for its simplicity and robustness, but it is only moderately efficient; therefore, larger snubber capacitance is used to lower switching and conduction losses in the SAB and improve efficiency. However, larger snubber capacitance increases minimum power and reduces load range in the SAB, resulting in the unattainability of certain load-range segments in the IPOP converter because capacitance increases when phase shedding is used. Hence, snubber capacitances across the modules are optimized to improve average efficiency while maintaining the existing load range. As a result, snubber capacitances differ across SAB modules. With nonidentical modules, nonuniform module power distribution is used in the IPOP converter for higher light-load efficiency with selective phase shedding. This increases the average IPOP converter efficiency from 92.5% to 94.1% across the load range of 260 W to 13.6 kW. Peak efficiency is also increased from 93% to 95.5%. In this article, we present a method to optimize the modular SAB IPOP system for high efficiency over a wide load range.

Original languageEnglish
Article number7505599
Pages (from-to)43-52
Number of pages10
JournalIEEE Industry Applications Magazine
Volume22
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2016

Keywords

  • Snubbers
  • Capacitance
  • DC-DC power converters
  • Bridge circuits
  • Energy efficiency

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