Power Conversion Apparatus with Dynamic PFC Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic devices face challenges in reducing standby power consumption and shortening power-on times due to the inefficiencies of active Power Factor Correction (PFC) circuits, which consume more current and increase implementation costs.
Innovation Solution
A power conversion device with a rectifying circuit, a first conversion circuit using passive and switching elements for digital power conversion, and a control circuit that monitors current consumption to adjust power factor compensation, allowing for the alternation or deactivation of switching elements to optimize power factor correction and reduce power consumption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of stationary object
If an active PFC circuit is used to reduce the size and implementation cost of passive elements, then the size and cost of passive elements are reduced, but current consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The PFC circuit dynamically switches between active PFC mode (using switching elements) and passive PFC mode (using passive elements only) based on the operating conditions. This dynamic adaptation allows the system to reduce current consumption by using passive elements when appropriate while maintaining the benefits of active PFC when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The control circuit periodically monitors operating conditions and alternates between activating and deactivating the switching elements in the active PFC circuit. This periodic action allows the system to manage current consumption by switching to passive PFC operation during low-demand periods while maintaining active PFC capability when required.
2Use of energy by stationary object
If the active PFC circuit is turned off in standby mode to reduce standby power, then standby power consumption is reduced, but power-on time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control circuit performs preliminary action by keeping the switching elements in a ready state or partially activated during standby mode, or by pre-charging capacitors and pre-warming up the PFC circuit. This preliminary preparation reduces the time required to fully activate the PFC circuit when power-on is requested, while still maintaining lower standby power consumption compared to keeping the full active PFC circuit continuously active.
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 solution shortens the power-on time of electronic devices and reduces standby power consumption by efficiently managing power factor correction based on current consumption, thereby enhancing power conversion efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a rectifying circuit that full-wave rectifies an input AC power
Implementation Method 2
compensating a power factor of the rectified power through at least one of the passive element, the first switching element, and the second switching element
Data Source
AI summary
A power conversion device includes a rectifying circuit that full-wave rectifies an input AC power, a first conversion circuit that includes a passive element, a first switching element, and a second switching element and digitally converts a rectified power while compensating a power factor of the rectified power through at least one of the passive element, the first switching element, and the second switching element, a second conversion circuit that converts the digitally-converted power into a power with a specified magnitude and output the power with the specified magnitude, a device circuit that consumes an output power of the second conversion circuit, a first control circuit that monitors current consumption of the device circuit and controls an amount of output current of the second conversion circuit based on the current consumption of the device circuit, and a second control circuit that controls a power factor compensation degree of the first conversion circuit based on the current consumption, wherein the second control circuit may alternately activate the first and second switching elements according to the current consumption or deactivate the second switching element and switch the first switching element.