An interleaved ZVS ultra‐large gain converter for sustainable energy systems applications

Abstract

Abstract This paper proposes an interleaved zero‐voltage switching (ZVS) ultra‐large gain converter. By implementing coupled‐inductor (CI) and built‐in transformer (BIT) together with a switched capacitor (SC) voltage multiplier cell (VMC), a higher degree of flexibility is achieved for improvement of step‐up voltage gain in comparison with those in which only one of these magnetic devices is utilised. Furthermore, the imposed voltage across the semiconductors is reduced by adjusting the turns ratio of the implemented CI and BIT. To further improve the efficiency, semiconductor devices with low ON‐state resistance can be used. Moreover, to ensure ZVS turn‐on, active clamp circuits are located in parallel with the main MOSFETs, which realize ZVS for all MOSFETs during an entire switching cycle. Minimizing the input current ripple as well as attenuating the reverse recovery problem of the diodes are the other advantages of this converter. Therefore, the proposed converter is a suitable candidate for those applications requiring high step‐up gain and high conversion efficiency, such as renewable energy systems. To validate the performance of the proposed converter, a 600 W prototype with 22–380 V voltage conversion is designed, fabricated, and tested. Experimental results confirm that the proposed converter outperforms the previously presented ones in terms of the voltage gain and efficiency.

Keywords

• Power electronics, supply and supervisory circuits
• Other analogue circuits
• Insulated gate field effect transistors
• Inductors and transformers