Advanced induction heating equipment using dual mode PWM-PDM controlled series load resonant tank high frequency inverters

In this paper, a novel type auxiliary active edge resonant snubber assisted zero current soft switching pulse modulation Single-Ended Push Pull (SEPP) series load resonant inverter using IGBT power modules is proposed for cost effective consumer high-frequency induction heating (IH) appliances. Its operating principle in steady state is described by using each switching mode's equivalent operating circuits. The new multi resonant high-frequency inverter with series load resonance and edge resonance can regulate its high frequency output power under a condition of a constant frequency zero current soft switching (ZCS) commutation principle on the basis of the asymmetrical pulse width modulation (PWM) control scheme. Brand-new consumer IH products using the proposed ZCS-PWM series load resonant SEPP high-frequency inverter using IGBTs is evaluated and discussed as compared with conventional high-frequency inverters on the basis of experimental results. In order to extend ZCS operation ranges under a low power setting PWM as well as to improve efficiency, the high frequency pulse density modulation (PDM) strategy is demonstrated for high frequency multi-resonant inverters. Its practical effectiveness is substantially proved from an application point of view.