Novel voltage regulator converter without switching losses
| 515 - Abstract: |
| The European Space Agency (ESA) presents an invention which offers the ability to develop very high-efficiency galvanically isolated converters – of the order of 98-99% when using state-of the art technology and rectification – while maintaining small size and mass. The invention uses a novel technique to integrate the regulation of the converter output whilst maintaining zero-voltage and zero-current switchovers in the main switching devices, leading to zero switching loss. A licence is searched. |
Description
The innovation refers to continuous unregulated voltage on input and providing a continuous regulated voltage on output. Existing works in the specific area have a number of disadvantages, as they apply only for square wave push-pull converters and also present a decrease in converter performance due to switching losses caused by the presence of current in the transistors when their drain-source voltage is non-zero. This technology addresses this issue and has been designed to work even under the severe constraints of satellite systems.
The invention proposes a converter provided with a main transformer and a regulation transformer. The regulation transformer presents a secondary winding placed in series with a winding of the main transformer. The regulation transformer has a winding in the primary of the main transformer, and the two transformers are tuned to resonate together in order to produce the desired resonant waveforms which assure zero switching losses.
The Regulating transformer is driven from a small power regulator handling the difference in voltage which occurs due to variation in the power supply Bus rails. By regulating the voltage appearing on this transformer, the overall regulation of the output voltage may be achieved as desired with only a small penalty in terms of overall efficiency, and since the resonant characteristics of the converter are maintained, the efficiency of the converter can be as high as 98-99% (depending on the application).
Innovations and advantages
The requirements inherent to any technology developed for space applications provide some advantages when comparing this design to previous art. Among these we can name the improved operational reliability, achieved through the reduction of the number of required components and the redundancy of critical systems and aspects. It also worthy of note the reduction of the volumetric footprint and mass.
This device can also be adapted to operate at very high switching frequency or very high output voltage value.
Domains of application
The main domain of application would be on voltage regulator converters. Another possible end use for this technology would be in electronic power conditioners for power supply of travelling-wave tube amplifiers (TWTAs) and electric propulsion.
Generally, the field of application would be defined as electronic components and power supplies.