Two-Transistor Flyback Converter Soft Switching With Auxiliary Winding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current two-transistor flyback converters suffer from high energy loss due to hard switching, especially at high frequencies, limiting conversion efficiency and imposing high voltage withstand requirements on power switching transistors.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating an auxiliary circuit with an auxiliary winding and capacitor to store and discharge energy, adjusting the potential at the primary-side winding ends, enabling soft switching of the switching transistors by reducing the voltage between their electrodes to zero before turning them on.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If hard switching is used for the switching transistors, then the structure remains simple, but energy loss increases and conversion efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidenergy loss
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The auxiliary winding performs preliminary action by charging before the primary-side winding charging begins. This pre-charging action prepares the voltage conditions needed for soft switching, reducing energy loss when the main switching transistors are turned on.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The auxiliary winding acts as an intermediary element between the input voltage source and the primary-side winding. It mediates the voltage conditions to enable soft switching of the main transistors, reducing energy loss without complicating the overall structure significantly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If switching frequency is increased to improve productivity, then output per unit time increases, but energy loss per switching event accumulates and reduces overall efficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconversion speedVSAvoidcumulative energy loss
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The auxiliary winding performs preliminary voltage preparation before each main switching event. This allows the system to operate at higher frequencies while maintaining low energy loss per switching event, as the soft switching condition is pre-established by the auxiliary winding's prior charging action.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If the voltage withstand requirement for switching transistors is reduced, then easier transistor selection is possible, but hard switching causes high energy loss during switching

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransistor selection flexibilityVSAvoidswitching energy loss
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The auxiliary winding performs preliminary voltage preparation to create the potential difference needed for soft switching. This allows transistors with lower voltage withstand ratings to be used while avoiding the high energy loss associated with hard switching, as the voltage is gradually reduced before switching occurs.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The auxiliary winding serves as an intermediary that enables the use of transistors with lower voltage ratings. By mediating the voltage transition and enabling soft switching, it allows flexible transistor selection without incurring the penalties of hard switching energy loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Loss of energy

If an auxiliary circuit is added to enable soft switching, then energy loss is reduced and efficiency improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveswitching energy lossVSAvoidcircuit structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The auxiliary winding performs preliminary voltage preparation using a simple charging-discharging mechanism. This approach reduces energy loss through soft switching while adding minimal complexity, as the auxiliary circuit only needs to charge before the main switching event and then naturally discharge through the transistor.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Reduces energy loss and improves conversion efficiency by implementing soft switching, thereby lowering the voltage withstand requirements on power switching transistors.

Implementation Method 1

the auxiliary circuit may charge the auxiliary winding, so that the auxiliary winding stores electric energy

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Implementation Method 2

switching-on and switching-off of the switching transistor Q1 and the switching transistor Q2 are controlled to control charging and discharging of the primary-side winding, so that the primary-side winding can cooperate with a secondary-side circuit to complete voltage conversion

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectromagnetic induction: Electromagnetic Induction

Data Source

PatentEP4181379B1Power supply module
Publication Date: 2025.10.29 HUAWEI DIGITAL POWER TECH CO LTD
  • EP4181379B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4181379B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4181379B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This application provides a two-transistor flyback conversion circuit, a power module, an electric vehicle, and a control method. The two-transistor flyback converter includes an auxiliary circuit. Before charging of a primary-side winding starts, the auxiliary circuit may increase a potential at a first end of the primary-side winding, and decrease a potential at a second end of the primary-side winding. By adding the auxiliary circuit, soft switching can be implemented for switching transistors at both ends of the primary-side winding, thereby helping reduce loss of the two-transistor flyback converter and improve conversion efficiency of the two-transistor flyback converter.