Resonant DC-DC Converter Magnetic Coupling Phase Shift
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing resonant DC-DC power converters face challenges in achieving low complexity and low cost control mechanisms to force multiple interconnected converters to operate with 180 degrees or 0 degrees phase shift, which is necessary for reducing EMI emission and lowering component costs.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves magnetically coupling resonant DC-DC power converters using identical inductors to enforce 180 degrees or 0 degrees phase shift between their voltage waveforms, allowing for synchronous operation and shared components, thereby reducing EMI emissions and component costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If multiple resonant DC-DC power converters are connected in parallel with controlled phase shift to reduce EMI and ripple, then EMI emission and voltage ripple are reduced, but control circuitry complexity increases substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The inductors themselves generate the phase shift effect through their magnetic coupling, eliminating the need for external control circuitry to enforce phase shift. The system uses its own components (inductors) to automatically achieve the desired phase relationship between parallel converters, thereby reducing control complexity while maintaining EMI reduction benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The inductors act as intermediary elements that mediate between the parallel resonant converters, naturally establishing the phase shift through their magnetic coupling characteristics. This intermediary mechanism replaces complex digital or analog control circuitry with a passive magnetic coupling approach
2Power
If multiple resonant DC-DC power converters are connected in parallel to reduce individual power requirements, then maximum output power requirement per converter is reduced, but device complexity and component count increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple resonant converters into a parallel configuration where they share common input and output circuits. By combining the converters with identical topologies and using magnetic coupling between inductors, the system achieves power sharing while minimizing the increase in overall complexity through standardized component usage
3Volume of stationary object
If resonant power converters operate at high switching frequencies to reduce component size, then power density increases, but switching losses become unacceptable for standard SMPS topologies
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs zero voltage switching (ZVS) and zero current switching (ZCS) techniques that create phase transitions in the switching waveforms. By timing the switching events to occur when voltage or current is zero, the system enables high-frequency operation without excessive switching losses, allowing component sizes to be reduced while maintaining efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The resonant converters use periodic resonant oscillations to shape the voltage and current waveforms, creating natural zero-crossing points that enable lossless switching. This periodic resonant action allows the system to operate at high frequencies with minimal switching losses by exploiting the periodic nature of resonant waveforms
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 eliminates undesirable EMI emissions and reduces component counts and manufacturing costs by ensuring synchronous operation and shared components, while maintaining high switching frequencies.
Implementation Method 1
A first inductor of the first resonant DC-DC power converter and a second inductor of the second resonant DC-DC power converter are configured for magnetically coupling the first and second resonant DC-DC power converters to each other
Implementation Method 2
The resonant semiconductor switch relies on resonances of a resonant network typically involving various circuit capacitances and inductances to shape the waveform of either the current or the voltage across the semiconductor switch
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a resonant DC-DC power converter assembly comprising a first resonant DC-DC power converter and a second resonant DC-DC power converter having identical circuit topologies. A first inductor of the first resonant DC-DC power converter and a second inductor of the second resonant DC-DC power converter are configured for magnetically coupling the first and second resonant DC-DC power converters to each other to forcing substantially 180 degrees phase shift, or forcing substantially 0 degree phase shift, between corresponding resonant voltage waveforms of the first and second resonant DC-DC power converters. The first and second inductors are corresponding components of the first and second resonant DC-DC power converters.