Ren

Characterization of an enhancement-mode 650-V GaN HFET

GaN heterojunction field-effect transistors (HFETs) in the 600-V class are relatively new in commercial power electronics. The GaN Systems GS66508 is the first commercially available 650-V enhancement-mode device. Static and dynamic testing has been performed across the full current, voltage, and temperature range to enable GaN-based converter design using this new device. A curve tracer was used to measure Rds-on across the full operating temperature range, as well as the self-commutated reverse conduction (i.e. diode-like) behavior. Other static parameters such as transconductance and gate current were also measured. A double pulse test setup was constructed and used to measure switching loss and time at the fastest achievable switching speed, and the subsequent over-voltages due to the fast switching were characterized. Based on these results and analysis, an accurate loss model has been developed for the GS66508 to allow for GaN-based converter design and comparison with other commercially available devices in the 600-V class.

Capacitor-Clamped, Three-level GaN-Based DC–DC Converter With Dual Voltage Outputs for Battery Charger Applications

Gallium nitride (GaN) heterojunction field-effect transistors are an enabling technology for high-density converter design. This paper proposes a three-level dc-dc converter with dual outputs based on enhancement-mode GaN devices, intended for use as a battery charger in aircraft applications. The charger can output either 28 or 270 V, selected with a jumper, to satisfy the two most common dc bus voltage requirements in airplanes. It operates as an LLC converter in the 28 V mode and as a buck converter in the 270 V mode. In both operation modes, the devices can realize zero voltage switching (ZVS). With the chosen modulation method, the converter can realize automatic voltage balancing of the flying capacitor and the frequency doubling function to act as an interleaved converter. For the LLC mode, the resonant frequency is twice the switching frequency of primary-side switches, and for the buck mode, the frequency of the output inductor current is also twice the switching frequency. This helps to reduce the size of magnetics while maintaining a low switching loss. Also, the converter utilizes a matrix transformer, with resonant parameters designed to reduce conduction loss and avoid ZVS failure. The operating principle of the converter is analyzed and then experimentally verified on a 1.5-kW prototype with 1 MHz resonant frequency.

Short-circuit current control strategy for full-bridge LLC converter

The short circuit problem is a difficult issue in LLC converter. This paper derives the state-plane trajectory of the full-bridge LLC converter based on state-plane analysis and the characteristics of the trajectory performance are provided under short circuit mode. Two types of control scheme for power switches, respectively based on phase-shift frequency-boost and frequency-drop method, are deduced for full-bridge LLC converter under short circuit mode. By designing the trajectory of the state variables, two schemes would achieve controllable short current output while maintain the advantage of ZVS. Comparing with traditional solution with increasing switching frequency only, the concept presented in this paper would bring better short current limitation performance. The simulation and experiment results show agreement with theoretical analysis.

The third harmonics current injection scheme for LLC topology to reduce the RMS of the output current

The Intermediate Bus Converter (IBC) is a middle stage converter in the distribution power architecture, characterized with high efficiency, high frequency and high power density, to realize the DC voltage transform and isolated function. In this paper, the unregulated LLC DC transformers (LLC-DCT) inherent problem which leads to a large conduction loss in IBC application has been discussed. A new intuitive topology with third order harmonic current injection has been proposed to reduce the RMS of the resonant and secondary current. At the end, the theoretical analysis and the proposed optimal topology design are verified by an 800W, 100kHz, 400V/12.5V LLC-DCT prototype.

A Modulation Compensation Scheme to Reduce Input Current Distortion in GaN-Based High Switching Frequency Three-Phase Three-Level Vienna-Type Rectifiers

Wide bandgap semiconductors are gradually being adopted in high power-density high efficiency applications, providing faster switching and lower loss, and at the same time imposing new challenges in control and hardware design. In this paper, a gallium nitride-based Vienna-type rectifier with SiC diodes is proposed to serve as the power factor correction stage in a high-density battery charger system targeting for aircraft applications with 800 Hz ac system and 600 V level dc link, where power quality is required according to DO160E standard. To meet the current harmonic requirement, PWM voltage distortion during the turn-off transient, is studied as the main harmonics contributor. The distortion mechanism caused by different junction capacitances of the switching devices is presented. A mitigation scheme considering the nonlinear voltage-dependent characteristics of these capacitances is proposed and then simplified from a pulse-based turn-off compensation method to a general modulation scheme. Simulation and experimental results with a 450 kHz Vienna-type rectifier demonstrate the performance of the proposed approach, showing a THD reduction from 10% to 3% with a relatively low-speed controller.

Accurate ZVS boundary in high switching frequency LLC converter

Due to the realization of zero voltage switching (ZVS) under the full load range, LLC resonant converter is widely adopted in the telecom, battery charger and several applications, characterized with high efficiency, high frequency and high power density, to realize DC conversion. Recently, by using Gallium Nitride (GaN) HFETS, switching frequency of LLC converters is further increased. However, ZVS failure cannot be predicted accurately in the high switching frequency condition by only considering traditional constraints generally applied in the low frequency design. The traditional constraints result in a too optimistic estimation of the dead time to obtain ZVS without considering the reverse resonance under the dead time and the design of resonant parameters at high resonant frequency and high load condition. The experiment shows the LLC converter loses ZVS even through the converter satisfies the ZVS constraints proposed by previous paper. In this paper, the failure mode will be investigated in detail and an accurate ZVS boundary is proposed for high frequency LLC converter design. The proposed theory was verified on a 1 MHz, 1500 W LLC prototype.

Dual-output, three-level GaN-based dc-dc converter for battery charger applications

Gallium Nitride (GaN) HFETS are an enabling technology for high-density converter design. This paper proposes a three-level dc-dc converter with dual outputs based on enhancement-mode GaN devices, intended for use as a battery charger in aircraft applications. The charger can output either 28 V or 270 V, selected with a jumper, which meets the two most common dc bus voltages in airplanes. It operates as an LLC converter in the 28 V mode, and as a buck converter in the 270 V mode. In both operation modes, the devices can realize zero-voltage-switching (ZVS). With the chosen modulation method, the converter can realize the frequency doubling function to act as an interleaved converter. For the LLC mode, the resonant frequency is twice the switching frequency of primary-side switches, and for buck mode, the frequency of the output inductor current is also twice the switching frequency. This helps to reduce the size of magnetics while maintaining low switching loss. Also, the converter utilizes the matrix transformer with resonant parameters designed to avoid ZVS failure. The operation principle of the converter is analyzed and verified on a 1MHz resonant frequency prototype.

A compensation scheme to reduce input current distortion in a GaN based 450 kHz three-phase Vienna type PFC

Wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors owing to their low loss and high switching capability, are gradually adopted in high power-density high efficiency applications, and impose new challenges from control to hardware design. In this paper, a Gallium Nitride (GaN) HEMT plus SiC diode based Vienna type rectifier is proposed to serve as the power factor correction stage for a high-density battery charger system. To meet low current harmonic requirement, PWM voltage distortion during turn-off transition, found as the main harmonics contributor, is studied. The distortion mechanism led by different parasitic capacitances of WBG devices is presented. A mitigation scheme is thereafter proposed considering their nonlinear voltage-dependent characteristics and eventually deduced from a pulse-based turn-off compensation to a generic modulation correction. Simulation and experimental results through a 450 kHz enhancement-mode GaN based Vienna type rectifier finally demonstrate the high performance of the proposed approach, showing a THD reduction up to 7% with a relatively low-speed control.