• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.655-661
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• 2011

This paper presents two topologies for single-stage single-phase double-buck type PFC converters, designed to operate at high power factor, near sinusoidal input currents and adjustable output voltage. Unlike the known buck type PFC topologies, in which the output voltage is always lower than the maximum input voltage, the proposed converters can operate at output voltages higher than the ac input peak voltage. A reduced number of switches on the main path of the current are another characteristic of the two proposed topologies. To shape the input line currents, a fast and robust controller based on a sliding mode approach is proposed. This active non-linear control strategy, applied to these converters allows high quality input currents. A Proportional Integral (PI) controller is adopted to regulate the output voltage of the converters. This external voltage controller modulates the amplitude of the sinusoidal input current references. The performances of the presented rectifiers are verified with experimental results.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.739-747
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• 2012

This paper applies carrier phase shifted pulse-width modulation (CPS-PWM) to transformerless modular multilevel converters (MMC) to improve the output spectrum. Because the MMC topology is characterized by the double-star connection of six legs consisting of cascaded modular chopper cells with floating capacitors, the balance control of the DC-link capacitor voltage is essential for safe operation. This paper presents a leg-balancing control strategy to achieve DC-link voltage balance under all operating conditions. This strategy based on circulating current decoupling control focused on DC-link balancing between the upper and lower legs in each phase pair by considering the six legs as three independent phase-pairs. Experiments are implemented on a 100-V 3-kVA downscaled prototype. The experimental results show that the proposed leg-balancing control is both effective and practical.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.748-757
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• 2012

In a sensorless control system with a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM), the angular position of the rotor flux can be estimated by a voltage equation. However, the estimated angle may be inaccurate due to various causes. In this paper, it was comprehensively analyzed how various causes affect the angle error. As a result of the analysis, an error equation intuitively describing these relationships was derived. The parameter errors of a PMSM and the non-ideal properties of the driving system were identified as error-causing factors. To demonstrate the validity of the error equation, PMSMs were tested at various operating points. The variations in angle errors could be well explained with the error equation.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.723-730
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• 2012

This paper presents a new ZVS single phase bridgeless (Power Factor Correction) PFC, using an active clamp to achieve zero-voltage-switching for all main switches and diodes. Since the presented PFC uses a bridgeless rectifier, most of the time, only two semiconductor components are in the main current path, instead of three in conventional single-switch configurations. This property significantly reduces the conduction losses,. Moreover, zero voltage switching removes switching loss of all main switches and diodes. Also, auxiliary switch turns on zero current condition. The presented converter needs just a simple non-isolated gate drive circuitry to drive all switches. The eight stages of each switching period and the design considerations and a control strategy are explained. Finally, the converter operation is verified by simulation and experimental results.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.731-738
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• 2012

A new fluorescent dummy load to replace one of the fluorescent lamps in a dual lamp type rapid-start ballast for halving the lamp power is proposed. Using a circuit composed of a fundamental compensation circuit and a harmonic filter circuit, a new fluorescent dummy load having superior characteristics than a conventional dummy load is developed. The design principle and architecture of the proposed fluorescent dummy load is explained and verified by experiments.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.708-714
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• 2012

This paper presents a new interleaved pulse-width modulation (PWM) boost-flyback converter to achieve power factor correction (PFC) and regulate DC bus voltage. The adopted boost-flyback converter has a high voltage conversion ratio to overcome the limit of conventional boost or buck-boost converter with narrow turn-off period. The proposed converter has wide turn-off period compared with a conventional boost converter. Thus, the higher output voltage can be achieved in the proposed converter. The interleaved PWM can further reduce the input and output ripple currents such that the sizes of inductor and capacitor are reduced. Since boundary conduction mode (BCM) is adopted to achieve power factor correction, power switches are turned on at zero current switching (ZCS) and switching losses are reduced. The circuit configuration, principle operation, system analysis, and design consideration of the proposed converter are presented in detail. Finally, experiments conducted on a laboratory prototype rated at 500W were presented to verify the effectiveness of the converter.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.715-722
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• 2012

New discrete time domain models for the peak current controlled (PCC) power LED drivers in continuous conduction mode include for the first time the effects of the time delay in the pulse-width-modulator. Realistic amounts of time delay are found to have significant effects on the average output LED current and on the critical inductor value at the boundary between the two conduction modes. Especially, the time delay can provide an accurate LED current for the PCC buck converter with a wide input voltage. The models can also predict the critical inductor value at the mode boundary as functions of the input voltage and the time delay. The overshoot of the peak inductor current due to the time delay results in the increase of the average output current and the reduction of the critical inductor value at the mode boundary in all converters. Experimental results are presented for the PCC buck LED driver with constant-frequency controller.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.842-850
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• 2012

Learning Power Electronics is essential in both electrical and electronic engineering fields and the introductory courses are similar in many universities. Taking this premise into account, an educational computer-aided platform for power electronics will be presented in this paper. This educational platform includes an e-book, a set of power electronics animations, Java simulations, as well as several hands-on training sessions. The main advantages of this platform are twofold. First, all necessary teaching tools are combined on a single platform. And secondly, access to this platform is available free of charge and with no complicated registration requirements. In addition to traditional teaching techniques, the use of this platform has demonstrated an increase in student participation and has consistently improved their academic performance. Data consist of surveys, which guarantee both reliability and validity through psychometric techniques.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.851-858
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• 2012

This paper presents resonant inverter tuning for current source parallel resonant induction heating systems based on a new self oscillating switching technique. The phase error is suppressed in a wide range of operating frequencies in comparison with Phase Locked Loop (PLL) techniques. The proposed switching method has the capability of tuning under fast changes in the resonant frequency. According to this switching method, a multi-frequency induction heating (IH) system is proposed by using a single inverter. In comparison with multi-level inverter based IH systems, the advantages of this technique are its simple structure, better transients and wide range of operating frequencies. A laboratory prototype was built with an operating frequency of 35 kHz to 55 kHz and 300 W of output power. The performance of the IH system shows the validity of the new switching technique.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.689-698
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• 2012

This paper investigates the effects of applying different input current waveshapes on the performance of a continuous-conduction-mode (CCM) power-factor-correction (PFC) boost pre-regulator. It is found that the output voltage ripple of the pre-regulator can be reduced if the input current is modified to include controlled amount of higher order harmonics. This finding allows us to balance the performance of output regulation and the harmonic current emission when coming to the design of the pre-regulator. An experimental PFC boost pre-regulator prototype is constructed to verify the analysis and show the benefit of the pre-regulator operating with input current containing higher order harmonics.