Multiphase Power Converter Injection Winding for Leakage Ripple
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional switching power converters experience significant ripple current magnitude at certain duty cycles, which leads to increased losses and stringent filtering requirements, primarily due to leakage inductance, and degrades transient response when attempting to reduce ripple current.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a multiphase switching power converter with an injection stage that controls the injection winding to reduce voltage across leakage inductances, ensuring low ripple current magnitude across a wide range of duty cycles by utilizing magnetizing inductance without impairing transient response.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional switching power converters use discrete inductors or coupled inductors, then energy storage is achieved, but significant ripple current magnitude occurs at certain duty cycles due to leakage inductance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple inductors into a coupled inductor structure where magnetic flux links all windings (magnetizing inductance) while sharing a common magnetic core. This merging approach reduces the number of separate components and minimizes leakage inductance effects by ensuring all windings are magnetically coupled, thereby reducing ripple current magnitude without proportionally increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a third winding (injection winding) as an intermediary element that is magnetically coupled to the first and second windings through the common magnetic core. This injection winding serves as a mediator to actively control and reduce the voltage across leakage inductances, thereby reducing ripple current magnitude while maintaining a unified coupled inductor structure rather than requiring multiple discrete inductors
2Loss of energy
If leakage inductance is reduced to minimize ripple current, then ripple current magnitude decreases, but transient response is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The injection winding acts as an intermediary that actively compensates for leakage inductance effects during normal operation to reduce ripple current, while the control system can selectively disable or adjust the injection stage during transient events. This allows the system to maintain low ripple current during steady-state operation while preserving fast transient response when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic control of the injection stage where the controller can adjust or disable the injection winding's operation based on operating conditions. During transient events, the injection stage can be disabled to allow fast response, while during steady-state operation it remains active to minimize ripple current magnitude, thus dynamically optimizing both parameters
3Loss of energy
If ripple current magnitude is reduced through design modifications, then losses decrease, but filtering requirements become more stringent
Solution Approach 1:
The injection winding serves as an active intermediary that directly addresses the root cause of ripple current by controlling the voltage across leakage inductances. This active compensation approach reduces ripple current magnitude at its source rather than requiring additional passive filtering components, thereby reducing losses without increasing filtering complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and addresses the harmful effect of leakage inductance separately through the dedicated injection winding. By isolating the leakage inductance compensation function into a specific winding controlled by the controller, the system reduces ripple current magnitude without requiring complex additional filtering circuits, thus reducing losses without proportionally increasing device complexity
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
This approach results in smaller losses, relaxed filtering requirements, and reduced ripple current magnitude, achieved by controlling the injection stage to compensate for power transfer windings, thereby minimizing ripple current associated with leakage inductances.
Implementation Method 1
A coupled inductor exhibits magnetizing inductance, which is inductance associated with magnetic flux linking all windings of the coupled inductor
Implementation Method 2
Each winding of a coupled inductor exhibits leakage inductance, which is inductance associated with magnetic flux that links only the winding
Implementation Method 3
controlling an injection stage to reduce voltage across a respective leakage inductance of each power transfer winding, the injection stage including an injection winding that is magnetically coupled to each power transfer winding
Data Source
AI summary
A method for operating a switching power converter to reduce ripple current magnitude includes controlling duty cycle of a plurality power stages of the switching power converter to regulate at least one parameter of the switching power converter. Each power stage includes a respective power transfer winding that is magnetically coupled to the respective power transfer winding of each other power stage. The method further includes controlling an injection stage of the switching power converter to reduce voltage across a respective leakage inductance of each power transfer winding. The injection stage includes an injection winding that is magnetically coupled to each power transfer winding.