Extra Wide Input Voltage Range and High Efficiency
DC-DC Converter Using Hybrid Modulation
Xinke Wu, Wei Lu , Junming Zhang,
College of Electrical Engineering, Zhejiang University
Hangzhou , P.R China
Abstract--In this paper an interleaving phase shift
modulating (PSM) control strategy for Dc-Dc converter is
proposed based on two conventional PWM half bridge
converters. A new rectifier structure suitable to the
interleaving technique is proposed. With the proposed hybrid
control method (PSM and PWM) and the proposed rectifier
structure the DC transfer gain of the converter can be
improved. Therefore, it can be employed in a wide input
voltage application to reduce the current stress and
conduction loss in primary. According to the proposed
control strategy, a new rectifier structure is proposed to
reduce the voltage stress of the diode and the filter
requirement. Based on the proposed converter, a cell
structure concept is proposed. Using this cell structure a
multi-phase converter can be constructed with any wide
input voltage rang. A two phase prototype (100k/500W) is
built to verify the theoretical analysis.
I INTRODUCTION
In the front-end DC-DC rectifier the input voltage is
always between 300-400V because of constant output of
the PFC stage. However, in a universal application where
the line voltage is from 85Vac to 265Vac the conduction
loss at low line for PFC stage is too high to keep high
constant output voltage (400V). To release the conduction
loss stress in the PFC stage either the variable output
voltage control method or the variable circuit structure
with a choosing switch [2, 3] is adopted according to
different line voltage in the PFC stage, which causes
variable DC voltage for a cascade DC-DC converter. With
these methods in PFC stage, considering the hold up time
requirement, the input voltage variation is almost between
100V and 400V. The conventional full bridge is quite
difficult to be optimized in such a wide input voltage
range due to the large duty variation. The fly-back
converter is suitable to the wide input voltage application
[4]
. However it is only accepted in low power level due to
its high current stress. With piecewise control technique [5]
the input voltage range can be extended. But the control
strategy is complex because different modulation methods
are used in different input voltage range based on digital
control. In [6] auxiliary switches are used at secondary
side windings of transformer to change the DC gain to
match wide input voltage range. With interleaving
technique between multi-phase converters [7] the transfer
gain can be improved, and the primary conduction loss
can be reduced because the turn ratio of the transformer
can be reduced. Furthermore, the transfer gain is limited
due to it’s Y type rectifier structure. But the circuit is
complicated and the devices count is large, which causes
high cost. In [8] two forward converters are interleaved
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1-4244-0365-0/06/$20.00 (c) 2006 IEEE
Zhaoming Qian
with a common filter inductor. Obviously, the volume of
the transfer is large because of the half wave rectifier
structure and single-end flux in the transformer. For the
interleaved phase shift full bridge converters [9, 10] the
volume of transformer and the filter can be reduced. But
these converters are not suitable to high output current
application because they suffers from the high conduction
loss in secondary side due to the series switches in the
rectifier diodes.
In order to achieve high DC transfer gain for wide
input voltage application, a new control concept is
proposed based on conventional interleaving technique.
Both the interleaving phase angle and duty cycle are
modulated. Therefore there are two the modulation
methods in the proposed converter, IPSM and PWM. A
new rectifier structure is presented corresponding to the
hybrid modulation method. This technique can be applied
to multi-phase interleaved structure, and the phase number
can be determined according to the input voltage range. To
demonstrate the improvements of the proposed control
strategy and rectifier structure, the operation principle of
two phase half bridge converter shown in Fig.1.
II PRINCIPLE OF THE HYBRID MODULATING STRATEGY
A) Operation Principle
It can be seen from Fig.1 that the converter is
constructed with two phase half-bridge converter and a
three diodes legs as rectifier. Either symmetrical control
strategy or asymmetrical control strategy can be applied to
the proposed converter. In following section only the
symmetry control for the half bridge switches is analyzed.
Q1 Q3 m Lf
C1 C3 n:1
+
T1
a
Cb1 Cf
Vin
b
- Vo RL
Cb2
c
T2
Vmn
Q2 Q4
C2 C4 n:1
n
Fig.1. Proposed two phase interleaving half bridge converter with three
rectifier diode legs structure.
The two phase half-bridge converters are controlled in
an interleaved manner. Fig.2 shows the control signals for
primary switches, where α is the phase angle between two
switch legs. The maximum αmax is T/4 for symmetry
controlled PWM half bridge. Three diode legs a, b, c
consist the rectifier. The capacitors Cb1 and Cb2 are the Mode 0(t0-t1): In this mode, Q1 is on and the left
auxiliary DC blocking capacitors, and they can be half-bridge applies a positive voltage Vin/2 on the primary
neglected in the principle analysis. With this rectify side winding of the transformer. Meanwhile the top diode
structure the rectified voltage Vmn has different forms at of leg a and bottom diode of leg b conduct. The voltage
different input voltage range. According to the form of Vmn is Vin/2n, and it across the output filter inductor Lf,
Vmn, the converter operation principle can be divided into which causes the output inductor current to increase
two cases: linearly.
T D Mode 1(t1-t2) During this mode, there is no drive
signals. The current in the output inductor is in
α freewheeling mode through rectifier diode legs.
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4 C Q1 Lf
4
m
MODE 0 1 2 3 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 1
T1
+ a
Cb1
(a) Case 1: 0<D<α Vin
b Cf
-
D Vmn
T
α C2
Q1
n
Q2
Q3 (a) Mode 0
Q4
m Lf
MODE 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4

(b) Case 2: α<D<T/2 a

Fig.2. Control signals for primary switches b Cf

Case 1: At high input voltage the phase angle keeps at T/4, c

and the PWM method is effective to regulate output
voltage. The rectified output Vmn is four time of the
primary frequency, which results in small filter n
requirement. Fig.3 illustrates the voltage across each
transformer primary windings and the corresponding (b) Mode 1
voltage at the output of the rectifier as well as the filter Fig.4. Equivalent circuit of different modes in case 1.
inductor current waveforms in case 1.
Case 2: When input voltage decreases and the duty
T cycle increase to higher than α/T, there si a overlap
Vab α
between the voltages Vab and Vbc. Hence, the rectifier
0
D output voltage Vmn comes out a platform with the value
Vbc Vion/2n. The frequency of Vmn reduces to double of
0 primary switches. The filter requirement is still reduced
Vmn Vin/2n Vo due to the platform of Vmn. In the overlap interval of Vab
0
abd Vbc, the magnitude of Vmn is Vin/n. It can be seen as
a series connection of the secondary side windings and the
ILf
rectified output voltage is double. Fig.5 shows the key
Io
0 waveforms of rectified voltage Vmn, the secondary side
MODE 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4
voltage Vac and Vbc and the filter inductor current Ifl.
Fig.3. Transformer primary voltage and rectified output and the filter
inductor current for Case 1

The maximum voltage across the output rectifier diode

is Vin/2n, where n is the turns-ratio from the primary side
to the secondary side of the transformer. Hence, the
averaged output voltage Vo equals to Vin*D/n. Fig.4 shows
equivalent circuits and current directions corresponding to
various operation modes. The other six modes are in the
same way as the two modes shown below. Detailed circuit
operations for each mode are described as follows.
589
 T ( c) Mode 2
Vab α
Lf
0
D C3 Q3 m

Vbc +
0 V in
b Cf
-
Cb2
c
Vmn Vmn
T2
Vin/n Vin/2n Vo C4
0 n
I Lf
Io (d) Mode 3
0
MODE 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 Fig.6. Equivalent circuits for different modes in case 2.

Fig.5. Transformer secondary side voltage and rectifier output and the Mode 0(t0-t1): In this mode the voltage across
filter inductor current for phase 2 transformer windings of T1 and T2 are in reverse direction
as in Fig.6 (a). Therefore the secondary side windings of
In this phase, the output of the transformers secondary two half-bridges work in parallel. The voltage across the
windings overlaps in certain area, which means the
output rectifier is Vin/2n, which causes the inductor current
rectifier output voltage is higher than the single
decrease linearly.
transformer secondary winding output voltage. The
overlap interval is (D-α). Hence, the maximum voltage Mode 1(t1-t2): During this mode the voltage across
transferred to the output is Vin/n, and the minimum voltage the winding of T1 is Vin/2, and T2 is shorted. The voltage
is Vin/2n, and the averaged output voltage is across the output rectifier is still Vin/2n.
Vout=Vin*(D+α/T)/n. Fig.6 shows equivalent circuit
Mode 2(t2-t3): The voltage across the transformer
structures and current directions corresponding to various
primary windings is in same direction. In fact, the
operation modes. The other four modes work the same
secondary winding of the two half-bridges work in series.
way as the two modes shown below. Detailed circuit
The voltage across the output rectifier is the summation of
operations for each mode are described as follows.
voltage across the two transformers’ secondary windings,
Vin/n, which causes the inductor current to increase
linearly.
m
Q1 Lf
C1 C3 Mode 3(t3-t4): This mode is similar to mode 1 except
T1 for the positive voltage is supplied by T2.
+ a
Cb1
Vin From the above analysis of two cases, we can
b Cf
- conclude the expression of the conversion gain in overall
Cb2
c Vmn input voltage range. If we suppose that n equal to 1, we
Q4 T2 can get the transfer gain curve according to different phase
C2 C4
n shift angle and duty cycle, where α is determined by a feed
forward circuit from input voltage. Fig.7 shows the
(a) Mode 0
transfer curve in function as D at different phase shift
angle according to (1). When α is zero, the proposed
C Lf
Q1 m converter is same to conventional full bridge converter.
1
T1 But α is modulated when input voltage varies, and only
+ a
Vin
Cb1 when input voltage decrease to lowest value, α is
b Cf modulated to zero to increase transfer gain. At other input
-
Vmn
voltage α doesn’t equal to zero.
C2 1 /( 2 ⋅ n) + ( D − α ) / n 0.5 − α < D ≤ 0.5 (1)
n M ( D, α ) = 
 2 D / n 0 < D ≤ 0 .5 −α
(b) Mode 1 1
α = 0
α = 0 .1
0 .8
Q1 Q3 Lf α = 0 .2
C1 C3 m 0 .6
M(D)

T1
+ a α = 0 .25
Cb1 0 .4
V in
b Cf
- 0 .2
Cb2 c
T2 Vmn 0 0 0 .1 0 .2 0 .3 0 .4 0 .5
C2 C4 D
n
Fig.7 DC transfer gain of the converter in function as duty cycle D
(n=1).
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B) Key improvement for voltage stress reduction
In order to reduce the voltage stress of the rectifier
diode the phase shift angle α begins to being modulated
when input voltage decreases to half of maximum input
voltage, which means that the converter operates in case 1
when Vinmax/2<Vin<Vinmax. When Vin is lower than
Vinmax/2, case 2 begins, and both IPSM and PWM are
operating. With this modulation method the breakdown
voltage for rectifier diode is decided according to the
designing process for half wide range. For example, for a
converter with input range 100V--400V, the diode can be
designed according to 200V-400V. Equation (2) describes
the voltage variation across the diode for the proposed
converter in Fig.1.
Fig.8 shows the breakdown voltage for diode in
function as input voltage with this modulation strategy.
Vin / 2 n (2)
Vdiode = 
Vin / n
400
Conventional full
bridge
Vdiode( Vin)
200 Proposed converter
Overlap range Without overlap
0 a
100 200 300
Vin
Fig.8 Comparison between full bridge and proposed converter of the
voltage variation across rectifier diode (n=1)
C) Phase Cell structure for multi-phase interleaved
converter
In the presented converter in Fig.1 primary structure is
the symmetry PWM controlled half bridge. In fact primary
structure can be other PWM structure as shown in Fig.9.
Table 1 shows the control method for the cell structure.
The proposed rectifier structure with the hybrid
modulation strategy can be extended to multi-phase
structures. Fig.10 is the rectifier structure with m phases.
The input voltage range can be extended to
Vinmin/M-Vinmax, where Vinmin is the minimum voltage for
every cell structure and Vinmax is the maximum voltage.
(a) (b)
Fig. 9 Primary cell structures (a: half bridge; b: full bridge; c: three level
half bridge)
For example, if we apply three cell structures into the
input voltage range 100V-400V, every structure is
designed according to 300V-400V input range. When the
input voltage is between 300V-400V, three cells work
without overlaps at secondary sides of the transformers.
Every cell has a T/6 shift angle. When the voltage
decreases to lower than 300V, two cells begin to coming
out overlap at secondary sides of transformers. When the
voltage decreases to lower than 150V, there is three cell
overlap at secondary sides of transformers. At the lowest
input voltage 100V, the shift angle between cells
disappears.
With more cell structure paralleling, the conduction
loss of primary can be reduced more. But the control
strategy is complex for higher than three cells paralleling
structure except that the digital control strategy is utilized.
TABLE 1
Combination of the cell structure and control method
Half Full bridge Three level
bridge
Asymmetry PWM √ √
Symmetry PWM √ √ √
Phase shift control √ √
Lf
b c m n
400
Cf
T1 T2 Tm RL
Fig.10 Multi-phase rectifier structure
III EXPERIMENTAL VERIFICATION
A) Decision for Key Parameters
In this section, an example design process is illustrated
to explain how the proposed converter is optimized. A
prototype is designed with Vin: 100V to 400V and Vo:
50V/10A. To demonstrate the improvement of the
proposed converter, a full bridge with conventional PWM
control is designed and compared. The key parameters of
the prototype between the conventional full bridge
converter and the proposed converter are listed in Table 2.
In the following paragraphs, the transformer is assumed
ideal and the parasitic parameters are neglected.
For proposed converter the turn ratio of transformer can
be designed according to 200V-400V because the
converter can get the same DC gain to full bridge at 100V
input with the same turn ratio, which is analyzed in above
(c)
paragraphs. The maximum voltage across its secondary
winding is determined by the maximum input voltage.
When the input voltage is less than 200V, the two
secondary windings appear an overlap, which seems be in
series. The voltage across the rectifier diodes will be
591
doubled. But at this time, the input voltage is less than half voltage. There is a little deviation between the
of the maximum input voltage, so the maximum voltage measurement and the calculation at low input voltage,
across the rectifier diodes under this condition is as the which is duty cycle loss caused by the leakage inductance
same as the its high input voltage condition: 100V as of the transformer.
predicted.
As analyzed above, when interleaving control strategy measurement
is adopted, the maximum voltage across output rectifier Plotfit curve
calculation
diodes is reduced to half compared with full bridge.
Although the number of transformer is increased, the
volume of single transformer is reduced by 50% around.
But the number of semiconductor in the secondary
winding is overabundance.

TABLE 2
COMPARISON OF KEY PARAMETERS BETWEEN NORMAL FULL BRIDGE AND
PROPOSED CONVERTER
Normal full Proposed
bridge converter
converter
Fig.12. Measured DC gain vs. duty cycle of proposed converter
turn ration for 2:1 2:1
transformer: n C) Prototype Test Results
Number of transformer 1 2 Experimental voltages and currents of the prototype
Volume fo single Large Small are shown in Fig13-Fig17. As expected, the frequency of
transformer the output filter current is four times the switching
Maxim voltage across Vinmax/n Vinmax/2n
frequency in case 1 and two times in case 2. The voltage
rectifier diode across the two transformers’ secondary winding is flapped
in case2 when D>0.25 but independent in case 1 when
Count of rectifier diodes 4 6
D<0.25. This implies when Vin is high, the voltage across
Volume of output filter Large Small the output rectifier still maintain a low level which will
Diodes MUR3040 MBR20200 optimize the selection of the rectifier semiconductor.
Considering the voltage ringing, the voltage across diode
Switches IRFP450 IRFP450
doesn’t access 150V when the input voltage is 400V.

B) Control logic implementation Vgs of Q1:10V/div

To implement the phase shift angle modulation in
function as input voltage, a feed forward circuit is needed
to determine the shift angle. In this test unit, two
half-bridges single-phase converters are controlled by two
UC3825. The phase-shifted angle is achieved by the
synchronized pin of UC3825 and a dual monostable
multivibrator and modulated by the feed forward Vgs of Q3:10V/div
controller.
G Q1 G Q2 G Q3 G Q4

Fig.13. Drive signal for primary switches.

DELAY
Synchronous
UC3825 Dual Circuit UC3825
Monostable Vgs of Q1:10V/div
Multivibrator

Proportion modulation PID compensation

Feed forward Feed back

Fig.11. Control logic for the proposed converter.

Vmn: 50V/div
The measured actual conversion ratio for the prototype
is shown in Fig.12. As can be seen, the experimental
results match very closely with the ideal ratio in high input Fig.14. Rectifier output voltage and one drive signal in case 2

592
 91.00%
90.50%
Vmn: 50V/div
90.00%
89.50%

Efficiency
89.00%
88.50%
88.00% Vin=380V
Vgs of Q1:10V/div 87.50% Proposed Converter
87.00% Conventional FB
86.50%
100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 500
Output(W)

Fig .17 Measured efficiency for the proposed converter at different input
Fig.15 Experimental waveforms in Case 1 voltage

IV CONCLUSION
Vgs: 10V/div
A hybrid modulation concept is presented with a new
rectifier structure. Interleaving control method is used to
get different gain at different input voltage. With
interleaving technique the secondary windings of the
transformers work in series when input voltage is low but
Current in primary winding in parallel when input voltage is high. The boundary
of T1: 10A/div
condition of the variation is determined by the phase shift
angle between two half bridges. With this structure the
maximum voltage across the output rectifier diodes is
reduced to half compared with conventional full bridge,
and the turns-ratio of transformer is reduced as well. So,
the optimizations for transformers and output rectifier
(a) case 2
diodes are got easily, and the efficiency of converter can
be improved by using low break-down voltage diodes as
rectifier diodes in a wide input voltage application.
Vgs: 100V/div
A cell structure is proposed to extend the input voltage
range to wider range.

Current in primary winding

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
of T1: 10A/div
This research work is supported by NSFC. No 50237030.
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