Resonant power converter and method of forming the same

Abstract

A resonant power converter and a method of forming the same are disclosed. The resonant power converter includes a transformer. A first resonant cavity is electrically coupled to a secondary winding of the transformer, and a second resonant cavity is electrically coupled to a second secondary winding of the transformer. A first output regulation portion is electrically coupled to the first resonant cavity, and a second output regulation portion is electrically coupled to the second resonant cavity.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to power converters, and more specifically, to resonant power converters having multiple power outputs. Background Technology

[0002] An electrical power converter is an electrical device or circuit that operates to convert direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) (e.g., DC-AC), or from DC to DC (e.g., DC-DC), or from AC to DC (e.g., AC-DC), and voltage or frequency, or some combination thereof. Conventional power converters typically consist of one or more conversion stages. For example, a DC-AC power converter (e.g., an inverter) may include two stages: a first DC-DC conversion stage that generates a DC voltage, followed by a DC-AC conversion stage that supplies an AC voltage to an electrical load. The conversion stages can also be arranged as step-down or "buck" converters (e.g., a DC-DC power converter that steps down the voltage received at its input (power supply) to its output (load)). Alternatively, the conversion stages can also be arranged as "boost" or step-up converters (e.g., a DC-DC power converter that steps up the voltage from its input to its output). Other converters can also be arranged to selectively provide buck or boost modes.

[0003] Electric power converters typically incorporate air and other dielectric materials as electrical insulation. When operating at relatively high altitudes (e.g., above 2000 meters above sea level), such as in an aircraft, the density and dielectric strength of the dielectric materials decrease, leading to performance degradation. Attached Figure Description

[0004] The complete and implementable disclosure of this description, including its best mode, is set forth in the specification with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a conventional resonant converter is shown.

[0005] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of an exemplary resonant power converter according to various aspects described herein is depicted.

[0006] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of another exemplary resonant power converter according to the various aspects described herein is depicted.

[0007] Figure 4 A flowchart is provided illustrating a method for forming a resonant power converter based on the various aspects described herein. Detailed Implementation

[0008] The exemplary drawings are for illustrative purposes only, and the dimensions, positions, orders, and relative sizes reflected in the drawings may vary. Furthermore, the number and placement of the various components depicted in the figures are also non-limiting examples of aspects relating to this disclosure. For example, although various parts have been shown in relative positions, etc., aspects of this disclosure are not limited thereto, and these components are not limited based on their illustrative description.

[0009] The aspects of this disclosure can be implemented in any environment, apparatus, or method for use with electrical filters, regardless of the function performed by that apparatus or method.

[0010] As used herein, the term "set" or "group" of elements can be any number of elements, including only one.

[0011] Approximate terms, such as “approximately,” “about,” “usually,” and “substantially,” are not limited to specifying exact values. In at least some instances, approximate language may correspond to the precision of the instruments used to measure values, or the precision of the methods or machines used to construct or manufacture components and systems. For example, approximate language may refer to a tolerance of 1, 2, 4, 5, 10, 15, or 20% of the endpoints of a single value, a range of values(one or more), or the range of values(one or more).

[0012] As used herein, the term "upstream" refers to the direction opposite to the direction of the current, and the term "downstream" refers to the direction in the same direction as the current. Therefore, the "upstream" end of a component is opposite to the "downstream" end of the component.

[0013] Furthermore, while terms such as “voltage,” “current,” and “power” may be used herein, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these terms may be interrelated when describing aspects of a circuit or its operation.

[0014] Unless otherwise stated, connection references (e.g., attachment, coupling, connection, and engagement) should be interpreted broadly and may include intermediate components between sets of elements and relative movement between elements. Therefore, a connection reference does not necessarily imply that two elements are directly connected and fixed to each other. In non-limiting examples, connection or disconnection may be selectively configured to provide, enable, disable, etc., electrical connections between corresponding elements. Furthermore, as used herein, "electrical connection" or "electrical coupling" may include wired or wireless connections. Exemplary figures are for illustrative purposes only, and the dimensions, positions, orders, and relative sizes reflected in the figures may vary.

[0015] As used herein, the term "conductivity" refers to the property of a material that allows charge or current to flow through it. Furthermore, as used herein, the terms "electrical conductor" or "conductive element" refer to a material exhibiting relatively high electrical conductivity (e.g., greater than about 10). -7 Siemens materials or structures per meter (S / m). Unless otherwise stated, the terms “conductive,” “conductor,” “electrical conductivity,” etc., as used herein refer to the electrical properties of a material or structure. For example, the term “conductor” refers to an electrical conductor.

[0016] As used herein, the term "insulating" refers to the property of a material to resist the flow of electric charge or current. Similarly, as used herein, the terms "insulator" or "insulating material" refer to a material exhibiting low electrical conductivity (e.g., less than about 10). -8 Siemens materials per meter (S / m). Unless otherwise stated, as used herein, the term "insulating" means electrical insulation, and the term "insulator" means electrical insulator.

[0017] As used in this article, the term "dielectric" refers to an electrically insulating material that can be polarized by an electric field.

[0018] As used herein, the term "dielectric breakdown strength" refers to the maximum voltage a material can withstand before becoming conductive. Dielectric breakdown strength can be measured in volts per unit thickness (e.g., V / mm or volts per mil). Dielectric breakdown strength can be calculated by dividing the breakdown voltage by the material thickness.

[0019] As used herein, the term "partial discharge" refers to a partial discharge that only partially bridges the insulation between conductors, and this partial discharge may or may not occur near the conductors. Partial discharge is generally the result of localized electrical stress concentration within or on an insulator. For example, in some instances, partial discharge can occur on the surface of an insulator (e.g., surface partial discharge). In other instances, partial discharge may occur within or inside the insulation (e.g., internal partial discharge). Partial discharge typically does not immediately lead to electrical failures (e.g., arcing conditions). However, such discharges can be repeated and, over time, can eventually break down various insulation layers (e.g., the insulation layers of an electrical winding assembly). This, in turn, can place the electrical winding assembly at a higher risk of arcing conditions over time due to insulation degradation. Environmental conditions and performance parameters, such as, for example, altitude and operating voltage, can increase the likelihood of arcing failure events. Generally, partial discharges can be classified as internal partial discharges, surface partial discharges, and corona discharges.

[0020] Traditional transformers typically consist of two separate coils or two sets of windings (e.g., inductors). These two separate coils usually have different numbers of individual “turns” of their respective insulated conductors wound around the same ferromagnetic core to create magnetic coupling between them. These two coils are commonly referred to as the primary winding and the secondary winding. Typically, the primary winding is powered by a source, and the secondary winding is connected to an electrical load. Typically, the primary and secondary windings are wound around a common ferromagnetic core. For example, in many cases, the primary and secondary windings are wound around the same central post of an E-shaped ferromagnetic core, with the coil of one winding overlapping the coil of the other, so that they are not separated except for their respective insulating coatings on each winding. Transformers are commonly used in power converters, such as DC-DC converters or DC-AC converters (e.g., three-phase inverters).

[0021] For the sake of brevity in the context of DC-DC power converters, aspects of this disclosure will be discussed herein. Other aspects are not limited thereto and may include AC-DC power converters as well as DC-AC power converters, or portions or stages thereof.

[0022] The aspects will also be described with reference to an exemplary example, namely an inductor-inductor-capacitor (“LLC”) resonant converter. A resonant power converter is an electrical power converter that uses a switching network of tuned circuitry (sometimes called a “resonant cavity”) electrically coupled to a capacitor and an inductor to achieve zero-voltage or zero-current switching. This arrangement allows for higher switching frequencies and lower energy losses compared to conventional converters. The aspects are not limited to LLC resonant converters, and can include any of a variety of resonant converters, including series resonant converters (e.g., having an electrical load in series with a resonant inductor and a resonant capacitor) and parallel resonant converters (e.g., having a resonant capacitor in parallel with an electrical load).

[0023] Figure 1 A block diagram of a typical resonant power converter 100 arranged as an LLC resonant converter is shown. The resonant power converter 100 is electrically coupled between an input DC power supply 101 and an electrical load 110. In many cases, the resonant power converter 100 may be electrically coupled to a set of electrical loads 110. For example, the resonant power converter 100 may have a first output section 121 electrically coupled to a first electrical load 111 and a second output section 122 electrically coupled to a second electrical load 112. The resonant power converter 100 typically includes a switching network 102, a resonant cavity 104, a transformer 108, and an output conditioning section 114.

[0024] like Figure 1As shown, the switching network 102, resonant cavity 104, transformer 108, and output regulation section are coupled and connected in series between the input DC power supply 101 and the group of electrical loads 110, from the upstream or primary side 100a (e.g., on the primary side of transformer 108) to the downstream or secondary side 100b (e.g., on the secondary side of transformer).

[0025] The switching network 102 typically includes a set of electronic switches (depicted as a set of four MOSFET electronic switches S1-S4) arranged as a full-bridge power converter. In other instances, although not shown, the switching network 102 may be arranged as a half-bridge converter, a push-pull converter, etc.

[0026] The resonant cavity 104 is typically arranged on the primary side 100a of the resonant power converter 100. The resonant cavity can be implemented in various ways. Typically, the resonant cavity 104 comprises three resonant elements: a series resonant inductor Lr, a parallel resonant inductor, a transformer primary winding 141, and a series resonant capacitor Cr. This configuration is commonly referred to as an LLC resonant converter. According to the well-known operating principle of LLC resonant converters, at a switching frequency approximately equal to the resonant frequency of the resonant cavity 104 (e.g., at a frequency where the inductive reactance (XL) of the resonant cavity 104 essentially cancels out the capacitive reactance (XC) of the resonant cavity 104, resulting in a reduced impedance in the resonant circuit), the resonant cavity 104 facilitates zero-voltage switching of the electronic switches S1-S4. Many other resonant cavity arrangements are possible, and the specific resonant elements and arrangements are not closely related to this disclosure.

[0027] Transformer 108 can provide electrical isolation between the primary side 100a and the secondary side 100b of resonant power converter 100. Transformer 108 is typically formed by at least two transformer windings, namely a primary winding 141 and at least one secondary winding 142a, 142b.

[0028] The primary winding 141 of the transformer is electrically coupled downstream of or to the output side of the resonant cavity 104. A first electrical load 111 is electrically coupled to the secondary winding 142a of the first transformer, and a second electrical load 112 is electrically coupled to the secondary winding 142b of the second transformer. In this example where the resonant power converter 100 is electrically coupled to more than one electrical load 111, 112, the output regulation section 114 may include corresponding output regulation sections 114a, 114b coupled to the respective transformer secondary windings and the respective electrical loads 111, 112. For example, the first output regulation section 114a is electrically coupled in series between the first transformer secondary winding 142a and the first electrical load 111, and the second output regulation section 114b is electrically coupled to the second transformer secondary winding 142b.

[0029] The first and second output regulation sections 114a and 114b may each include, for example, a first rectifier 116a and a second rectifier 116b, and each may include a first output filter 118a and a second output filter 118b (e.g., corresponding capacitors C1 and C2). In some instances, the output regulation section may include a corresponding voltage regulator (not shown).

[0030] In some conventional arrangements, the first rectifier 116a and the second rectifier 116b may each be a corresponding half-wave or full-wave rectifier electrically coupled to the respective secondary windings 142a, 142b of the transformer 108. In other conventional LLC resonant converters, the first and second rectifiers 116a, 116b may be formed from diodes or from other types of controllable devices, such as metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) devices, bipolar junction transistor (BJT) devices, superjunction transistor (SJT) devices, insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) devices, gallium nitride (GaN)-based power devices, and / or similar devices. Detailed operation and structure of rectifiers are well known in the art and will therefore not be discussed further herein.

[0031] In operation, input DC power supply 101 provides input DC voltage Vin to switching network 102. Switching network 102 is selectively operated, for example by a controller (not shown), to convert the input DC voltage Vin into a high-frequency square wave voltage Vsw via soft switching or zero-voltage switching (ZVS) operation when turned on. Typically, one pair of electronic switches S1-S4 is operated during half a cycle of the control waveform, while another pair of electronic switches S1-S4 is operated during the other half of the control waveform. For example, pulse width modulation (PWM) signals can be provided simultaneously as a pair to either of the pairs of electronic switches S1-S4 in each branch, or they can be switched independently in series. Regardless of the topology of the switching network and the control scheme used, the high-frequency square wave voltage Vsw is provided to resonant cavity 104, which operates to eliminate or reduce any harmonic frequencies therein and outputs an alternating polarity voltage of the fundamental frequency (e.g., the lowest frequency of the square wave voltage Vsw). The alternating polarity voltage Vsf is provided to the primary winding 141 of the transformer. Transformer 108 can operatively provide voltage scaling (e.g., voltage step-up or step-down) and further provide primary-secondary isolation. Transformer 108 generates a first alternating polarity voltage Vs1 across the secondary winding 142a of the first transformer and a second alternating polarity voltage Vs2 across the secondary winding 142b of the second transformer. The first and second alternating polarity voltages Vs1 and Vs2 are provided to the output regulation section 114. The first rectifier 116a and the second rectifier 116b, as well as the first output filter 118a and the second output filter 118b (e.g., corresponding capacitors C1 and C2), respectively convert the corresponding first and second alternating polarity voltages Vs1 and Vs2 into a stable first DC output voltage Vo1 and a second DC output voltage Vo2. For example, the first rectifier 116a and the second rectifier 116b convert the corresponding first and second alternating polarity voltages Vs1 and Vs2 received from the secondary windings 142a and 142b of the first and second transformers into corresponding unipolar voltages or first DC output voltage Vo1 and second DC output voltage Vo2 waveforms. The first output filter 118a and the second output filter 118b attenuate any switching ripple present on the first DC output voltage Vo1 and second DC output voltage Vo2 waveforms. The first DC output voltage Vo1 and the second DC output voltage Vo2 are then supplied to the first electrical load 111 and the second electrical load 112, respectively.

[0032] The mutual inductance or magnetic coupling of power transferred from the primary winding 141 to at least one transformer secondary winding 142a, 142b can be quantified as the “coupling coefficient” of transformer 108. Generally, the coupling coefficient can be defined as the ratio of the number of magnetic flux lines shared between the two windings to the number of magnetic flux lines in the windings. The better the magnetic coupling between the primary and secondary windings 141, 142a, 142b, the more effective the electromagnetic induction between them. Imperfect magnetic coupling between the primary winding 141 and the first and second transformer secondary windings 142a, 142b (e.g., less than all the magnetic flux generated by the primary winding 141 passes through the secondary windings 142a, 142b) results in a reduction in the voltage induced in the first and second transformer secondary windings 142a, 142b. This imperfect magnetic coupling manifests as a self-inductance in series with the primary winding 141 and is referred to as “leakage inductance.” Since no magnetic flux connecting the primary winding 141 of the transformer to the secondary windings 142a and 142b acts as an inductive impedance connected in series with the primary winding 141 of the transformer, the "leakage inductance" can be considered as an additional inductance connected in series with the primary winding 141 of the transformer.

[0033] Conventional power converters, such as the resonant power converter 100, may experience partial discharge events (e.g., electrical insulation issues on the primary winding 141 and secondary windings 142a, 142b), especially when operating at relatively high altitudes (e.g., above sea level, more than 2000 meters), such as in an aircraft. Furthermore, conventional power converters may also encounter electromagnetic interference (EMI) problems, which increase with altitude (e.g., due to the very close proximity of the primary and secondary windings 141, 142a, 142b on the ferromagnetic core).

[0034] One solution to the known problems of partial discharge and EMI in resonant power converters operating at relatively high altitudes (e.g., in an airplane) is to increase the physical spacing between the primary and secondary windings 141, 142a, 142b. For example, instead of being wound on the same post of an E-shaped ferromagnetic core (e.g., without a gap between them), the transformer's primary and secondary windings 141, 142a, 142b can be wound on separate posts of a common ferromagnetic core, sometimes referred to as "split cores" or "split spools." This physical separation or split core arrangement can result in a reduction in the coupling capacitance (e.g., the capacitance between adjacent wires or conductors) between the primary and secondary windings 141, 142a, 142b (e.g., from approximately 10 picofarads (pF) to approximately 5 pF), resulting in an increase in the dielectric strength between the primary and secondary windings 141, 142a, 142b. The reduced coupling capacitance and increased dielectric strength can advantageously lead to increased resistance to partial discharge events, and EMI between the primary and secondary windings 141, 142a, 142b is reduced even at relatively high altitudes.

[0035] However, reducing the coupling capacitance between the primary and secondary windings 141, 142a, 142b by introducing a gap between them (e.g., in a split-core transformer) can result in undesirable leakage inductance across the transformer 108. This leakage inductance may be inversely proportional to the coupling capacitance and may cause undesirable voltage fluctuations under varying electrical loads.

[0036] The aspects disclosed herein overcome significant drawbacks of conventional resonant power converters, enabling operation even at relatively high altitudes (e.g., in aircraft applications). The aspects disclosed herein allow for the arrangement of a resonant power converter having a corresponding resonant cavity electrically coupled downstream of each respective transformer secondary winding. The aspects disclosed herein advantageously achieve reduced coupling capacitance between the primary and secondary windings 141, 142a, 142b (e.g., via a split-core transformer), while advantageously taking into account and utilizing the resulting leakage inductance at each secondary winding 142a, 142b by coupling the leakage inductance to the corresponding resonant cavity.

[0037] Furthermore, it may be desirable for the resonant power converter to provide corresponding output signals V1, V2 with predetermined corresponding output gains (e.g., each output section 121, 122 has a different corresponding output gain). The output gain of a conventional resonant converter (e.g., the ratio of the corresponding output signals V1, V2 to the input signal Vin) can be affected by several factors, including the output gain of the switching network 102, the output gain of the resonant cavity 104, and the turns ratio of the transformer 108. Therefore, in a conventional resonant converter, the contributions of the output gain from the switching network 102 and the resonant cavity 104 will be the same for both the first output section 121 and the second output section 122, while for both the first output section 121 and the second output section 122, the contribution to the output gain of the transformer 108 can be changed by altering the corresponding turns of the secondary windings 142a and 142b of the first transformer. Thus, conventional power converters are limited in their capabilities, unable to achieve different corresponding output gains for each output section, and can only change the corresponding secondary winding turns. Compared to conventional resonant converters, the aspects described herein advantageously enable the selective arrangement of the corresponding output gains of each output section by further employing different corresponding resonant cavities for each output section, wherein the output gains of each resonant cavity are different from each other.

[0038] Furthermore, as described herein, each output section may include a corresponding voltage regulation section to enable the separation of positive and negative voltage outputs from each corresponding secondary winding.

[0039] Furthermore, as disclosed herein, the leakage inductance of the transformer can be advantageously used as part of the resonant cavity, thereby enabling the use of smaller and cheaper components.

[0040] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a non-limiting aspect of a resonant power converter 200 is shown. The resonant power converter 200 can be electrically coupled between an input DC power supply 201 and an electrical load 210. As shown, the resonant power converter 200 can be electrically coupled to a set of electrical loads 210 to provide electrical power thereto. For example, the resonant power converter 200 can have a first output portion 221 electrically coupled to a first electrical load 211 and a second output portion 222 electrically coupled to a second electrical load 212. The resonant power converter 200 may include a switching network 202, a transformer 208, a first resonant cavity 204a, a second resonant cavity 204b, and an output regulation portion 214. The output regulation portion may include a first output regulation portion 214a and a second output regulation portion 214b.

[0041] In a non-limiting aspect, the set of electrical loads 210 may be a set of electrical loads (not shown) on an aircraft. However, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, it is contemplated that the set of electrical loads 210 may be in an environment at any altitude. The set of electrical loads 210 may include fixed electrical loads or variable electrical loads, or combinations thereof. In a non-limiting aspect, the set of electrical loads 210 may include DC electrical loads. For example, the set of electrical loads 210 may include gate driver circuitry for a set of semiconductor switching devices, such as MOSFETs (not shown).

[0042] like Figure 2As shown, a switching network 202 is series-coupled between the input DC power supply 201 and the upstream or primary side of the transformer 208, defining the primary side 200a of the resonant power converter 200. A first resonant cavity 204a and a second resonant cavity 204b are series-coupled to the corresponding first transformer secondary winding 242a and second transformer secondary winding 242b, downstream or on the secondary side of the transformer 208, to define the secondary side 200b of the resonant power converter 200. The first resonant cavity 204a and the second resonant cavity 204b are respectively series-coupled between the corresponding first transformer secondary winding 242a and second transformer secondary winding 242b and the output regulation section 214. The first resonant cavity 204a can be series-coupled to the first output regulation section 214a via the first resonant cavity first output line 204c and the first resonant cavity second output line 204d. A first alternating polarity voltage Vsf1 can be limited across the first resonant cavity first output line 204c and the first resonant cavity second output line 204d. The second resonant cavity 204b can be electrically coupled to the second output regulation section 214b via the second resonant cavity third output line 204e and the second resonant cavity fourth output line 204f. The second alternating polarity voltage Vsf2 can be limited across the second resonant cavity third output line 204e and the second resonant cavity fourth output line 204f. The first output regulation section 214a and the second output regulation section 214b can be electrically coupled to the first electrical load 211 and the second electrical load 212, respectively. For example, in a non-limiting aspect, the first output regulation section 214a can be electrically coupled to the first electrical load 211 via the first output line 223 (e.g., a first positive voltage output line) and the second output line 224 (e.g., a first negative voltage output line). The first DC output voltage Vo1 can be limited between the first output line 223 and the second output line 224. In some cases, the second output line 224 can be electrically coupled to the first electrical ground (GND1), and the first DC output voltage Vo1 can be limited between the first output line 223 and the first electrical ground GND1. In a non-limiting aspect, the second output regulation section 214b can be electrically coupled to the second electrical load 212 via a third output line 225 (e.g., a second positive voltage output line) and a fourth output line 226 (e.g., a second negative voltage output line). The second DC output voltage Vo2 can be defined between the third output line 225 and the fourth output line 226. In some cases, the fourth output line 226 can be electrically coupled to a second electrical ground (GND2), and the second DC output voltage Vo2 can be defined between the third output line 225 and the second electrical ground GND2. In some non-limiting aspects, the first electrical ground GND1 and the second electrical ground GND2 can be the same electrical ground.

[0043] exist Figure 2In the example shown, the switching network 202 is depicted as a full-bridge power converter switching network comprising a set of electronic switches 202a-202d. Other aspects are not limited thereto, and the switching network 202 may include any number of electronic switching devices arranged as, but not limited to, a half-bridge converter, a push-pull converter, a square wave generator, etc.

[0044] The first resonant cavity 204a and the second resonant cavity 204b are arranged on the secondary side 200b of the resonant power converter 200. The first resonant cavity 204a and the second resonant cavity 204b can be implemented in various ways. In a non-limiting aspect, the first resonant cavity 204a and the second resonant cavity 204b can each include three corresponding resonant elements, namely series resonant inductors 231a and 231b, parallel resonant inductors 233a and 233b, and series resonant capacitors 235a and 235b. In a non-limiting aspect, the corresponding inductance of the series resonant inductors 231a and 231b or the parallel resonant inductors 233a and 233b, or both, can include the magnetizing inductance or leakage inductance of the transformer 208. According to the well-known operating principle of resonant converters, at a switching frequency approximately equal to the respective resonant frequencies of the first resonant cavity 204a and the second resonant cavity 204b, the first and second resonant cavities 204a and 204b cooperate to achieve zero-voltage switching of the electronic switches 202a-202d of the switching network 202. However, many other resonant cavity arrangements are possible, and the specific resonant elements and arrangements are not closely related to this disclosure. In a non-limiting aspect, the first and second resonant cavities 204a and 204b can be configured to have corresponding predetermined output gains (e.g., the ratio of output voltage to input voltage). In some non-limiting aspects, the first and second resonant cavities 204a and 204b can be configured to have substantially equal corresponding output gains. In other non-limiting aspects, the first and second resonant cavities 204a and 204b can be configured to have corresponding output gains that are different from each other (e.g., the output gain of the first resonant cavity 204a may be different from the output gain of the second resonant cavity 204b).

[0045] Transformer 208 can provide electrical isolation between the primary side 200a and the secondary side 200b of the resonant power converter 200. Transformer 208 may include at least two transformer windings, namely a primary winding 241 and at least one secondary winding 242a, 242b. The primary winding 241 may be spaced apart from at least one secondary winding 242a, 242b. For example, in a non-limiting aspect, transformer 208 may be a split-core transformer. In a non-limiting aspect, the first secondary winding 242a and the second secondary winding 242b may have different numbers of turns (e.g., corresponding numbers of turns that are different from each other).

[0046] The first and second output regulation sections 214a and 214b may each include, for example, a first rectifier 216a and a second rectifier 216b, and each may include a first output filter 218a and a second output filter 218b (e.g., corresponding capacitors C1 and C2). In some instances, the output regulation section 214 may include a corresponding voltage regulator (not shown).

[0047] In some aspects, the first and second rectifiers 216a, 216b may define respective half-wave or full-wave rectifiers electrically coupled to the respective first resonant cavity 204a and second resonant cavity 204b. In a non-limiting aspect, the first and second rectifiers 216a, 216b may each include a diode network, such as a respective diode pair (not shown). Alternatively, the first and second rectifiers 216a, 216b may each include a respective pair of switching elements, such as an n-type metal-oxide-semiconductor (NMOS) transistor (not shown). In some aspects, the first and second rectifiers 216a, 216b may be formed of other types of controllable devices, such as metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) devices, bipolar junction transistor (BJT) devices, superjunction transistor (SJT) devices, insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) devices, gallium nitride (GaN)-based power devices, and / or similar devices. Detailed operation and structure of rectifiers are well known in the art and therefore will not be discussed in detail herein.

[0048] In operation, input DC power supply 201 provides input DC voltage Vin to switching network 202. Switching network 202 can be selectively operated, for example by a controller (not shown), to convert the input DC voltage Vin into a high-frequency square wave voltage Vsw via soft switching or zero-voltage switching (ZVS) operation when turned on, thereby generating a low level of electromagnetic radiation (EMI). The high-frequency square wave voltage Vsw is provided to the primary winding 241 of transformer 208. Transformer 208 can operably provide voltage scaling (e.g., voltage step-up or step-down) and can further provide primary-secondary isolation. Transformer 208 generates corresponding primary secondary voltage Vs1 and secondary secondary voltage Vs2 across the first secondary winding 242a and the second secondary winding 242b of transformer 208, respectively.

[0049] In a non-limiting aspect, corresponding first and second secondary voltages Vs1 and Vs2 are provided to the first resonant cavity 204a and the second resonant cavity 204b, respectively, and they operate to eliminate or reduce any harmonic frequencies therein. The first resonant cavity 204a and the second resonant cavity 204b provide a first alternating polarity voltage Vsf1 and a second alternating polarity voltage Vsf2 (e.g., a second sine wave voltage) to the output conditioning section 214 at the fundamental frequency. For example, in a non-limiting aspect, the first alternating polarity voltage Vsf1 can be provided to the first rectifier 216a, and the second alternating polarity voltage Vsf1 can be provided to the second rectifier 216b.

[0050] The output regulation section 214 can convert the corresponding first alternating polarity voltage Vsf1 and second alternating polarity voltage Vsf2 into a first DC output voltage Vo1 and a second DC output voltage Vo2, respectively. For example, the first rectifier 216a and the second rectifier 216b can convert the first and second alternating polarity voltages Vsf1 and Vsf2 received from the first resonant cavity 204a and the second resonant cavity 204b into corresponding unipolar or first DC voltage Vdc1 and second DC voltage Vdc2, respectively, which can be provided to the first output filter 218a and the second output filter 218b. The first output filter 218a and the second output filter 218b attenuate any switching ripple present on the first DC voltage Vdc1 and the second DC voltage Vdc2, and provide the corresponding first DC output voltage Vo1 and second DC output voltage Vo2 to the first electrical load 211 and the second electrical load 212, respectively.

[0051] For the sake of brevity, Figure 2 A non-limiting aspect is depicted, wherein transformer 208 has two transformer secondary windings (242a, 242b). It should be understood that other aspects are not limited thereto, and transformer 208 may have any number of secondary windings, which may be electrically coupled to any number of resonant cavities 204a, 204b without limitation, without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, Figure 2 A non-limiting aspect is depicted in which each output section 221, 222 has two output lines (e.g., first and second output lines 223, 224 and third and fourth output lines 225, 226). In this non-limiting example, one corresponding output line of each output section 221, 222 (e.g., first and third output lines 223, 225) is a positive line, and one corresponding output line of each output section 221, 222 is a grounded output line (e.g., second and fourth output lines 224, 226). Other aspects are not limited to this, and the output lines 223, 224, 225, 226 may be electrically coupled to an electrical load (e.g., a fixed electrical load, a variable electrical load, or a combination thereof), and may have any number of output lines with voltage applied to them.

[0052] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of another non-limiting aspect of the resonant power converter 300 is shown. Figure 3 The resonant power converter 300 is similar to Figure 2 The resonant power converter 200, therefore the same parts are labeled with the same reference numerals. Figure 3 300 resonant power converter and Figure 2 A significant difference between the resonant power converters 200 and others is that... Figure 3 The resonant power converter 300 includes a voltage regulator section 314. For example, in some aspects, the voltage regulator section 314 may include a first voltage regulator section 314a and a second voltage regulator section 314b. The first voltage regulator section 314a may include a first set of voltage regulators, such as a first voltage regulator 271 and a second voltage regulator 272, and a first Zener diode 261. The second voltage regulator section 314b may include a second set of voltage regulators, such as a third voltage regulator 273 and a fourth voltage regulator 274, and a second Zener diode 262. Furthermore, Figure 3 The first electrical load 311 is described as having a first fixed electrical load 341, a second fixed electrical load 342, a third variable electrical load 343, and a fourth variable electrical load 344. The second electrical load 312 is described as having a fifth fixed electrical load 345, a sixth fixed electrical load 346, a seventh variable electrical load 347, and an eighth variable electrical load 348.

[0053] The resonant power converter 300 can be electrically coupled between the input DC power supply 201 and the first and second electrical loads 311, 312. For example, the resonant power converter 300 can have a first output section 221 electrically coupled to the first electrical load 311 and a second output section 222 electrically coupled to the second electrical load 312. The resonant power converter 300 may include a switching network 202, a transformer 208, a first resonant cavity 204a, a second resonant cavity 204b, and an output regulation section 214, including a first output regulation section 214a and a second output regulation section 214b, and also includes a voltage regulator section 314, including a first voltage regulator section 314a and a second voltage regulator section 314b.

[0054] like Figure 3 As shown, a switching network 202 is series-coupled between the input DC power supply 201 and the primary side of the transformer 208, defining the primary side 200a of the resonant power converter 300. A first resonant cavity 204a and a second resonant cavity 204b are arranged on the secondary side 200b of the resonant power converter 200.

[0055] The first resonant cavity 204a and the second resonant cavity 204b are electrically coupled to the corresponding first transformer secondary winding 242a and second transformer secondary winding 242b on the secondary side of transformer 208, thereby defining the secondary side 200b of the resonant power converter 200. The first resonant cavity 204a and the second resonant cavity 204b are respectively electrically coupled in series between the corresponding first transformer secondary winding 242a and second transformer secondary winding 242b, and coupled to the output regulation section 214. The output side of the first resonant cavity 204a can be electrically coupled to the first output regulation section 214a, and the output side of the second resonant cavity 204b can be electrically coupled to the second output regulation section 214b. The first output regulation section 214a and the second output regulation section 214b can be electrically coupled to the first voltage regulator section 314a and the second voltage regulator section 314b, respectively. For example, the first voltage regulator section 314a may be electrically coupled to the output of the first output regulation section 214a (e.g., the first and second output lines 223, 224), and the second voltage regulator section 314b may be electrically coupled to the output of the second output regulation section 214b (e.g., the third and fourth output lines 225, 226).

[0056] The first voltage regulator section 314a and the second voltage regulator section 314b can be electrically coupled to the first electrical load 311 and the second electrical load 312, respectively. For example, in a non-limiting aspect, the first voltage regulator section 314a can be electrically coupled to the first electrical load 311 via a first output line 323 (e.g., a first positive voltage output line) and a second output line 324 (e.g., a first negative voltage output line). The first DC output voltage Vo1 can be limited between the first output line 323 and the second output line 324 of the first voltage regulator section.

[0057] For example, in a non-limiting aspect, the first voltage regulator section 314a may further include, for example, a first voltage regulator 271 electrically coupled to the first output line 223 to regulate the voltage thereon and a second voltage regulator 272 electrically coupled to the second output line 224 to regulate the voltage thereon. The corresponding regulated voltages may be provided to the first and second output lines 323, 324 of the first voltage regulator section to be supplied to the first electrical load 311.

[0058] In some respects, the first Zener diode 261 may be electrically coupled to the second output line 224 (e.g., the first negative voltage output line) at its anode and electrically coupled to the first electrical ground GND1 at its cathode. In operation, the first Zener diode 261 may be operated to clamp or limit the voltage across the second voltage regulator 272 to a maximum predetermined negative voltage level (e.g., -5VDC).

[0059] In a non-limiting aspect, the second voltage regulator section 314b may be electrically coupled to the second electrical load 312 via the third output line 325 (e.g., a second positive voltage output line) and the fourth output line 326 (e.g., a second negative voltage output line) of the second voltage regulator section. The second DC output voltage Vo2 may be defined between the third output line 325 and the fourth output line 326 of the second voltage regulator section.

[0060] The second voltage regulator section 314b may further include, for example, a third voltage regulator 273 electrically coupled to the third output line 325 to regulate the voltage thereon, and a fourth voltage regulator 274 electrically coupled to the fourth output line 326 of the second voltage regulator section to regulate the voltage thereon. The corresponding regulated voltages may be provided to the third and fourth output lines 325, 326 of the second voltage regulator section to be supplied to the second electrical load 312.

[0061] In some respects, the second Zener diode 262 may be electrically coupled at its anode to the fourth output line 226 (e.g., the second negative voltage output line) and electrically coupled at its cathode to the second electrical ground GND2. In operation, the second Zener diode 262 may be operated to clamp or limit the voltage across the fourth voltage regulator 274 to a maximum predetermined negative voltage level (e.g., -5VDC).

[0062] like Figure 3 As shown, the first electrical load 311 may include a first fixed electrical load 341 and a third variable electrical load 343 electrically coupled to the first output line 323 of the first voltage regulator section. In some aspects, the first fixed electrical load 341 may be electrically connected in parallel with the third variable electrical load 343. The first electrical load 311 may further include a second fixed electrical load 342 and a fourth variable electrical load 344 electrically coupled to the second output line 224. In some aspects, the second fixed electrical load 342 may be electrically connected in parallel with the fourth variable electrical load 344. The third variable electrical load 343 and the fourth variable electrical load 344 may be coupled in series through the first ground line 351. Thus, the third variable electrical load 343 is coupled in series between the first output line 323 of the first voltage regulator section and the first electrical ground GND1, and the fourth variable electrical load 344 is coupled in series between the second output line 324 of the first voltage regulator section and the first electrical ground GND1.

[0063] The first fixed electrical load 341 and the second fixed electrical load 342 can be electrically coupled in series via a first load line 361. The first load line 361 can be coupled to the second output line 324 of the first voltage regulator section via a first Zener diode 261. In this aspect, the first output line 323 of the first voltage regulator section can be a positive voltage output line, and the second output line 324 of the first voltage regulator section can be a negative voltage output line, wherein both the first output line 323 and the second output line 324 of the first voltage regulator section have a common ground reference via a first ground line 351.

[0064] The second electrical load 312 may include a fifth fixed electrical load 345 and a seventh variable electrical load 347. In some aspects, the fifth fixed electrical load 345 may be connected in parallel with the seventh variable electrical load 347. The second electrical load 312 may further include a sixth fixed electrical load 346 and an eighth variable electrical load 348. In some aspects, the sixth fixed electrical load 346 may be connected in parallel with the eighth variable electrical load 348. The seventh variable electrical load 347 and the eighth variable electrical load 348 may be coupled in series via a second grounding wire 352. Thus, the seventh variable electrical load 347 is coupled in series between the third output line 325 of the second voltage regulator section and the second electrical ground GND2, and the eighth variable electrical load 348 is coupled in series between the fourth output line 326 of the second voltage regulator section and the second electrical ground GND2.

[0065] The fifth fixed electrical load 345 and the sixth fixed electrical load 346 can be electrically coupled in series via the second load line 362. The second load line 362 can be coupled to the fourth output line 226 via the second Zener diode 262. In this respect, the third output line 225 can be a positive voltage output line, and the fourth output line 226 can be a negative voltage output line, wherein both the third output line 225 and the fourth output line 226 have a common ground reference via the second ground line 352.

[0066] In operation, the resonant power converter 300 can provide a regulated positive voltage (e.g., +20V DC) relative to ground on the first output line 323 of the first voltage regulator section and a regulated negative voltage (-5.0V DC) relative to ground on the second output line 324 of the first voltage regulator section, while deriving their respective voltages from individual secondary windings (e.g., the second secondary winding 242a of the first transformer). Furthermore, the resonant power converter 300 can provide a regulated positive voltage (e.g., +20V DC) relative to ground on the third output line 325 of the second voltage regulator section and a regulated negative voltage (-5.0V DC) relative to ground on the fourth output line 326 of the second voltage regulator section, while deriving their respective voltages from another individual secondary winding (e.g., the second secondary winding 242b of the second transformer).

[0067] Figure 4 A method 400 for forming resonant power converters 200 and 300 is described. Although described in the context of LLC resonant power converters, it will be appreciated that method 400 can be applied to other power converters, such as series resonant converters (e.g., having an electrical load in series with a resonant inductor and a resonant capacitor) and parallel resonant converters (e.g., having a resonant capacitor in parallel with the electrical load). While for ease of understanding, this document is based on Figure 2-3 The resonant power converters 200 and 300 describe method 400, but other aspects are not limited thereto, and method 400 can be implemented using resonant power converters without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0068] Resonant power converters 200 and 300 may include a switching network 202, a transformer 108, a first resonant cavity 204a, a second resonant cavity 204b, and an output regulation section 214. The output regulation section 214 may include a first output regulation section 214a and a second output regulation section 214b. In some aspects, resonant power converters 200 and 300 may further include a voltage regulator section 314. In a non-limiting aspect, the voltage regulator section 314 may include a first voltage regulator section 314a and a second voltage regulator section 314b.

[0069] Method 400 may begin at 410, electrically coupling the switching network 202 to the primary winding 241 of the transformer 208. For example, the switching network 202 may be a full-bridge power converter switching network comprising a set of electronic switches 202a, 202b, 202c, 202d. In other aspects, the switching network 202 may include any number of electronic switching devices arranged as, but not limited to, a half-bridge converter, a push-pull converter, a square wave generator, etc. In some aspects, the transformer 208 may provide electrical insulation between the primary side 200a and the secondary side 200b of the resonant power converter 200. The transformer 208 may include at least two transformer windings, namely the primary winding 241 and at least one secondary winding 242a, 242b. For example, the transformer 208 may have three transformer windings, including the primary winding 241, a first secondary winding 242a, and a second secondary winding 242b. In a non-restrictive aspect, the secondary winding 242a of the first transformer and the secondary winding 242b of the second transformer may have different numbers of turns.

[0070] Method 400 may include, at 420, electrically coupling the first resonant cavity 204a to the first transformer secondary winding 242a of the transformer 208. In a non-limiting aspect, method 400 may further include, at 425, electrically coupling the second resonant cavity 204b to the second transformer secondary winding 242b of the transformer 208.

[0071] The first resonant cavity 204a and the second resonant cavity 204b are electrically coupled downstream or on the secondary side of the transformer 208 to the corresponding first transformer secondary winding 242a and second transformer secondary winding 242b, thereby defining the secondary side 200b of the resonant power converters 200, 300. The first resonant cavity 204a and the second resonant cavity 204b are arranged on the secondary side 200b of the resonant power converter 200. The first resonant cavity 204a and the second resonant cavity 204b can be implemented in various ways. In a non-limiting aspect, the first resonant cavity 204a and the second resonant cavity 204b may each include three corresponding resonant elements, namely series resonant inductors 231a, 231b, parallel resonant inductors 233a, 233b, and series resonant capacitors 235a, 235b. Many other resonant cavity arrangements are possible, and the specific resonant elements and arrangements are not closely related to this disclosure. In a non-limiting aspect, the first and second resonant cavities 204a and 204b can be configured to have corresponding predetermined output gains (e.g., the ratio of output voltage to input voltage). In some non-limiting aspects, the first and second resonant cavities 204a and 204b can be configured to have substantially equal corresponding output gains. In other non-limiting aspects, the first and second resonant cavities 204a and 204b can be configured to have corresponding output gains that are different from each other.

[0072] Method 400 may further include, at 430, electrically coupling the first output regulating portion 214a to the first resonant cavity 204a. In a non-limiting aspect, method 400 may further include, at 435, electrically coupling the second output regulating portion 214b to the second resonant cavity 204b. The first resonant cavity 204a and the second resonant cavity 204b may be electrically coupled in series between the respective first transformer secondary winding 242a and the second transformer secondary winding 242b and the output regulating portion 214. The first resonant cavity 204a may be electrically coupled to the first output regulating portion 214a via a first resonant cavity first output line 204c and a first resonant cavity second output line 204d. The second resonant cavity 204b may be electrically coupled to the second output regulating portion 214b via a second resonant cavity third output line 204e and a second resonant cavity fourth output line 204f. The first output regulation section 214a and the second output regulation section 214b can be electrically coupled to the first electrical load 211, 311 and the second electrical load 212, 312, respectively.

[0073] The first output regulation section 214a and the second output regulation section 214b may respectively include, for example, a first rectifier 216a and a second rectifier 216b, and respectively include a first output filter 218a and a second output filter 218b (e.g., corresponding capacitors C1 and C2).

[0074] Method 400 may further include, at 440, electrically coupling a first voltage regulator portion 314a to a first output regulation portion 214a. In a non-limiting aspect, the first voltage regulator portion 314a may include a first voltage regulator 271 and a second voltage regulator 272. In a non-limiting aspect, the first voltage regulator 271 may be electrically coupled to a first output line 223 to regulate the voltage thereon, and the second voltage regulator 272 may be electrically coupled to a second output line 224 to regulate the voltage thereon. For example, in some aspects, the first voltage regulator portion 314a may provide a first positive voltage output (e.g., on the first output line 323 of the first regulator portion) and a first negative voltage output (e.g., on the second output line 324 of the first voltage regulator portion). In a non-limiting aspect, electrically coupling the first voltage regulator portion 314a to the first output regulation portion 214a may include electrically coupling the first voltage regulator portion 314a to a first electrical load 311.

[0075] In a non-limiting aspect, method 400 may further include, at 445, electrically coupling the second voltage regulator portion 314b to the second output regulation portion 214b. In a non-limiting aspect, the second voltage regulator portion 314b may include a third voltage regulator 273 and a fourth voltage regulator 274. In a non-limiting aspect, the third voltage regulator 273 may be electrically coupled to a third output line 225 to regulate the voltage thereon, and the fourth voltage regulator 274 may be electrically coupled to a fourth output line 226 to regulate the voltage thereon. For example, in some aspects, the second voltage regulator portion 314b may provide a second positive voltage output (e.g., on the third output line 325 of the second voltage regulator portion) and a second negative voltage output (e.g., on the fourth output line 326 of the second voltage regulator portion). In a non-limiting aspect, electrically coupling the second voltage regulator portion 314b to the second output regulation portion 214b may include electrically coupling the second voltage regulator portion 314b to a second electrical load 312.

[0076] While this disclosure has been described with reference to one or more exemplary aspects, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes can be made and elements can be substituted with equivalents without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, many modifications can be made to adapt particular situations or materials to the teachings of this disclosure without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Therefore, it is intended that this disclosure be limited to the specific aspects(s) disclosed as the best mode for considering the implementation of this disclosure, but rather that this disclosure will include aspects falling within the scope of the appended claims.

[0077] To a degree not yet described, different features and structures of the various aspects can be combined with each other. The fact that a feature cannot be shown in all aspects does not mean it cannot be interpreted as such, but rather for the sake of brevity. Therefore, various features of different aspects can be mixed and matched to form new aspects, whether or not the new aspects are explicitly described. The combination or substitution of features described herein is covered by this disclosure.

[0078] This written description uses examples to disclose aspects of this disclosure, including best practices, and also enables any person skilled in the art to practice aspects of this disclosure, including making and using any device or system and performing any combined methods. The patentable scope of this disclosure is defined by the claims, but may include other examples that would occur to a person skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that are not different from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements that are not substantially different from the literal language of the claims.

[0079] Other aspects of this disclosure are provided by the subject matter of the following provisions: A resonant power converter includes: a transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding configured to receive alternating polarity voltages; a resonant cavity electrically coupled to the primary winding; and an output regulation section electrically coupled to the resonant cavity.

[0080] The resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the secondary winding is a primary winding, the resonant cavity is a first resonant cavity, the output regulation section is a first output regulation section, and the transformer further includes a secondary winding, the resonant power converter further includes: a second resonant cavity electrically coupled to the second secondary winding; and a second output regulation section electrically coupled to the second resonant cavity.

[0081] The resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the primary winding and the secondary winding have different corresponding numbers of turns.

[0082] The resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the first resonant cavity includes a first series resonant inductor, a first parallel resonant inductor, and a first series resonant capacitor.

[0083] The resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the second resonant cavity includes a second series resonant inductor, a second parallel resonant inductor, and a second series resonant capacitor.

[0084] As described in any of the preceding clauses, in a resonant power converter, the corresponding inductance of the first series resonant inductor or the first parallel resonant inductor or both may include at least one of the magnetizing inductance or leakage inductance of the first primary winding.

[0085] As described in any of the preceding clauses, in a resonant power converter, the corresponding inductance of the second series resonant inductor or the second parallel resonant inductor or both may include at least one of the magnetizing inductance or leakage inductance of the second stage winding.

[0086] A resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the first output gain of the first resonant cavity is different from the second output gain of the second resonant cavity.

[0087] The resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the first output regulation section includes a first rectifier, and the second output regulation section includes a second rectifier.

[0088] The resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the first output regulation section includes a first output filter electrically coupled to the first rectifier, and the second output regulation section includes a second output filter electrically coupled to the second rectifier.

[0089] The resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses further includes: a first voltage regulator portion electrically coupled to the first output regulation portion; and a second voltage regulator portion electrically coupled to the second output regulation portion, wherein the first voltage regulator portion includes a first voltage regulator and the second voltage regulator portion includes a second voltage regulator.

[0090] The resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the first voltage regulator portion is configured to provide a first positive voltage output and a first negative voltage output; and the second voltage regulator portion is configured to provide a second positive voltage output and a second negative voltage output.

[0091] The resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the AC voltage is a high-frequency square wave voltage.

[0092] A resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the primary winding receives the AC voltage from a switching network.

[0093] A resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the switching network is configured to convert DC voltage to AC voltage.

[0094] A resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the switching network is electrically coupled to a DC power supply.

[0095] The resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the switching network is a full-bridge switching network.

[0096] The resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the primary winding of the transformer is spaced apart from at least one secondary winding 242a, 242b of the transformer.

[0097] The resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the transformer is a split-core transformer.

[0098] A resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the transformer operatively provides voltage scaling of the AC voltage.

[0099] As described in any of the preceding clauses, the resonant power converter wherein the transformer induces a first alternating polarity voltage across the two ends of the primary winding and a second alternating polarity voltage across the two ends of the secondary winding.

[0100] A resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the first alternating polarity voltage is provided to the first resonant cavity, and the second stage voltage is provided to the second resonant cavity.

[0101] A resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the first resonant cavity operatively provides a first alternating polarity voltage of fundamental frequency to the first output conditioning section.

[0102] A resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the second resonant cavity operatively provides a second alternating polarity voltage of fundamental frequency to the second output conditioning section.

[0103] The resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the first and second rectifiers are corresponding full-wave rectifiers.

[0104] The resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the set of electrical loads includes a fixed electrical load.

[0105] The resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the set of electrical loads includes variable electrical loads.

[0106] A resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the first output regulation portion is coupled to a first electrical load to provide thereto a first DC output voltage.

[0107] The resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the first DC output voltage comprises the first positive DC voltage and the first negative DC voltage.

[0108] The resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the second output regulation section is coupled to a second electrical load to provide thereto a second DC output voltage.

[0109] As described in any of the preceding clauses, the resonant power converter wherein the second DC output voltage comprises the second positive DC voltage and the second negative DC voltage.

[0110] The resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the set of electrical loads includes gate driver circuitry for a set of semiconductor switching devices.

[0111] The resonant power converter as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the set of electrical loads is disposed in the aircraft.

[0112] A method for forming a resonant power converter, the method comprising: electrically coupling a switching network to the primary winding of a transformer; electrically coupling a resonant cavity to the secondary winding of the transformer; and electrically coupling an output regulation portion to the first resonant cavity.

[0113] The method as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the secondary winding is the primary winding, the resonant cavity is the first resonant cavity, and the output regulation section is the first output regulation section, the method further comprising: electrically coupling the second resonant cavity to the secondary winding of the transformer; and electrically coupling the second output regulation section to the second resonant cavity.

[0114] The method described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the first resonant cavity includes a first series resonant inductor, a first parallel resonant inductor, and a first series resonant capacitor.

[0115] The method as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the second resonant cavity includes a second series resonant inductor, a second parallel resonant inductor, and a second series resonant capacitor.

[0116] The method as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the first output gain of the first resonant cavity is different from the second output gain of the second resonant cavity.

[0117] The method as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the first output regulation portion includes a first rectifier, and the second output regulation portion includes a second rectifier.

[0118] The method as described in any of the preceding clauses further includes electrically coupling a first voltage regulator portion, including a first voltage regulator, to the first output regulation portion, and electrically coupling a second voltage regulator portion, including a second voltage regulator, to the second output regulation portion.

[0119] The method as described in any of the preceding clauses, wherein the first voltage regulator portion is configured to provide a first positive voltage output and a first negative voltage output; and wherein the second voltage regulator portion is configured to provide a second positive voltage output and a second negative voltage output.

Claims

1. A resonant power converter, comprising: A transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding configured to receive alternating polarity voltage; The resonant cavity is electrically coupled to the secondary winding; as well as The output adjustment section is electrically coupled to the resonant cavity.

2. The resonant power converter according to claim 1, wherein, The secondary winding is the primary winding, the resonant cavity is the first resonant cavity, the output regulation section is the first output regulation section, and the transformer also includes a secondary winding. The resonant power converter also includes: The second resonant cavity is electrically coupled to the second stage winding; and The second output adjustment section is electrically coupled to the second resonant cavity.

3. The resonant power converter according to claim 2, wherein, The first-stage winding and the second-stage winding have different corresponding numbers of turns.

4. The resonant power converter according to claim 2, wherein, The first resonant cavity includes a first series resonant inductor, a first parallel resonant inductor, and a first series resonant capacitor.

5. The resonant power converter according to claim 4, wherein, The corresponding inductance of the first series resonant inductor or the first parallel resonant inductor or both may include at least one of the magnetizing inductance or leakage inductance of the first primary winding.

6. The resonant power converter according to claim 4, wherein, The second resonant cavity includes a second series resonant inductor, a second parallel resonant inductor, and a second series resonant capacitor.

7. The resonant power converter according to claim 6, wherein, The corresponding inductance of the second series resonant inductor or the second parallel resonant inductor or both may include at least one of the magnetizing inductance or leakage inductance of the second stage winding.

8. The resonant power converter according to claim 2, wherein, The first output gain of the first resonant cavity is different from the second output gain of the second resonant cavity.

9. The resonant power converter according to claim 2, wherein, The first output regulation section includes a first rectifier, and the second output regulation section includes a second rectifier.

10. The resonant power converter according to claim 9, wherein, The first output regulation section includes a first output filter electrically coupled to the first rectifier, and the second output regulation section includes a second output filter electrically coupled to the second rectifier.

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