Control of ZCS-SR Inverter-Fed Voltage Multiplier-Based High-Voltage DC-DC Converter by Digitally Tuning Tank Capacitance and Slightly Varying Pulse Frequency

Conventional pulse-frequency-modulated (PFM) zero-current switching series resonant (SR) inverter-fed voltage-multiplier-based high-voltage dc power supplies have nearly zero switching loss. However, they have limitations of poor controllability at light load and large output voltage ripple at low switching frequencies. To address these problems, this letter proposes a new control scheme that is based on digitally tuning tank capacitance and slightly varying pulse frequency of SR inverter. For the realization of the proposed control approach, the tank circuit of the resonant inverter is made up of several tank capacitors that are switched into or out of the tank circuit by electromechanical switches. By digitally modulating the tank capacitance, the output voltage changes in steps. The regulation of output voltage between two adjacent steps is achieved by slightly varying the pulse frequency. The proposed control scheme has several features, namely, a wide range of output voltage controllability even at light loads, less output voltage ripple, and less current stress on the inverter's power switches at light loads. Therefore, the proposed control approach alleviates most of the problems associated with conventional PFM. Experimental results obtained from a scaled-down laboratory prototype are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed system.