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Efficiency study for a 150W LLC resonant converter

Conference Paper · December 2009

DOI: 10.1109/PEDS.2009.5385876 · Source: IEEE Xplore

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 PEDS2009

Efficiency Study for a 150W LLC Resonant Converter

Chun-An Cheng, IEEE Member, Hung-Wen Chen, En-Chih Chang, Chun-Hsien Yen, and Kun-Jheng Lin
Power Electronics Lab, Dept. of Electrical Engineering
I-Shou University, Taiwan, R.O.C.
E-mail: cacheng@isu.edu.tw

Abstract -- The paper presents and analyzes the efficiency of a

150W LLC resonant converter in order to compare with the D1
results obtained with a conventional 150W flyback version. The Q1 +
experimental results of the LLC resonant converter show a Cr Lr ns Co Vo
maximum efficiency of 94%, and an efficiency of 92% under a
full-load condition. Using the presented theoretical equations Vin -
and design methods, the power losses of the LLC resonant
Q2 Lm np ns
converter are measured and compared with those of a flyback
type. Moreover, the switching losses of power switches, the
losses of output-power diodes, and the losses of the transformer
are considered in the design of the LLC resonant converter. D2
PWM Feedback
Controller Optical Control
Index Terms-- LLC resonant converter, switching losses
Coupler

Fig. 1. The circuit diagram of the LLC resonant converter.

I. INTRODUCTION 3
3
Recently, the LLC-type resonant converter has played an R eg ion 2
increasingly important role among resonant converters. By (
GA fs , Q 0 )
ZV S
adequately designing the LLC resonant converter, the GA ( fs , Q 1 ) 0 .2
parasitic components can serve as the resonant tank, which is GA ( fs , Q 2 ) 2
helpful for reducing the overall volume of magnetic V ( fs , Q 3 )
GAoltage
components. Also, soft-switching from no-load to full-load G ain R egion 1
GA ( fs , Q 4 ) Q = 0 .4
condition is achieved. Other advantages of LLC converters ZV S
GA ( fs , Q 5 )
are that they are easy to design within a wide range of input 1 0 .6
voltage levels, and they offer high power factor and high GA ( fs , Q 6 )

efficiency. For front-end power supply applications, the 1

flyback converter is the conventionally used configuration. ZCS

R eg ion 3
0
The drawbacks of the flyback converter are high voltage 0
0.4 0.6 0 .8 1 1 .2
stress on the power switches and high output-voltage ripple.
0 .3 fs 1.2 5
Therefore, the LLC resonant converter, which has reduced fo
numbers of components and offers high efficiency for high
Fig. 2. Voltage gain versus frequency ratio fs/fo of the LLC resonant
input-voltage conditions, is preferable to the conventional converter.
flyback for front-end power supply applications such as
notebooks, power sources for communication, PDP TV, and Fig. 2 shows the relationship between voltage gain and
so on [1]-[4]. Experimental results for the LLC and flyback frequency ratio fs/fo for the LLC resonant converter under
resonant converter under the same conditions are measured, different loads. The LLC resonant converter has two resonant
and the power losses in both converters are analyzed and frequencies (fr1 and fr2) and three kinds of operation regions.
discussed in this paper. The main resonant frequency fr1, shown in (1), is related to
resonant inductors and resonant capacitors. The second
resonant frequency fr2, shown in (2), is related to resonant
II. ANALYSIS OF THE LLC RESONANT CONVERTER inductors, magnetic inductors, and resonant capacitors.
Fig. 1 depicts the circuit diagram of the cost-effective LLC 1
f r1 =
converter. The LLC converter is similar to the traditional 2π L r C r (1)
series resonant converter (SRC), and the disadvantages of
traditional SRC, such as switching frequency being affected 1
fr2 =
by the load and difficult control, are improved [1]. 2π (Lm + Lr )Cr (2)

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 PEDS2009

As shown in Fig. 2, the two resonant frequencies, fr1 and fr2, diodes D1 and D2 are reverse-biased. The output voltage is
have different characteristics. When the switching frequency not clamped by the voltage of magnetic inductor Lm.
of the power switches is higher than the resonant frequency,
the LLC converter works in regions 1 and 2. The resonant
tank of the LLC converter resembles an inductive load,
D1
resulting in zero-voltage switching (ZVS) being achieved on Q1
the power switches, and thus reducing switching losses. The
Cr Lr Vo
voltage gain is lower than unity in region 1. When the LLC ns Co
converter operates in region 2, its characteristics are like a Vin
parallel resonant converter (PRC) or a series resonant Q2 Lm np ns
converter (SRC). When the switching frequency approaches
the level described by equation (1), the circuit acts as an SRC. D2
On the other hand, when the switching frequency approaches
the level shown in equation (2), the circuit acts as a PRC.
(a)
While the LLC converter operates in region 3, the switching
frequency is lower than the resonant frequency. The
impedance of the input resonant tank of the LLC converter D1
Q1
resembles a capacitive load. Under this condition, zero-
current switching (ZCS) is obtained on the power switches. Cr Lr ns Co Vo
However, large spikes of current appear on the power Vin
switches, resulting in more power losses. So the LLC Q2 Lm np ns
converter is seldom designed to be operated at region 3 [4].
Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 show the operational modes and key D2
waveforms of the LLC resonant converter, respectively. The
operational modes of the LLC converter are described as
follows. (b)
Mode 1 (t1~t2): The equivalent circuit of this mode is
shown in Fig. 3(a). Switches Q1 and Q2 turn off. Resonant D1
inductor current ILr continues flowing through the body diode Q1
of high-side power switch Q1. Output diode D1 is forward- Cr Lr ns Co Vo
biased, so inductor Lm is clamped by the output voltage. Then, Vin
the inductor current increases linearly. Q2 Lm np
ns
Mode 2 (t2~t3): The equivalent circuit of this mode is
shown in Fig. 3(b). Switch Q1 turns on. At the same time, D2
current ILr flows through the resonant inductors, and the
magnetic inductance increases. In addition, the output voltage (c)
of the magnetic inductor is clamped. When magnetic
inductor current ILm is equal to the inductor current of ILr, this D1
Q1
mode finishes.
Mode 3 (t3~t4): The equivalent circuit of this mode is Cr Lr Co Vo
shown in Fig. 3(c). When current ILm is equal to current ILr, Vin
the output voltage is higher than the secondary-side voltage of np ns
Lm
the transformer, resulting in reverse-biased operation of the Q2
diodes. So, inductor Lm is not clamped by the output voltage.
D2
Mode 4 (t4~t5): The equivalent circuit of this mode is
shown in Fig. 3(d). Switches Q1 and Q2 are off. Inductor (d)
current ILr flows through the body diode of power switch Q2.
At the same time, the voltage of magnetic inductor Lm is
Q1 D1
clamped by the output voltage.
Mode 5 (t5~t6): The equivalent circuit of this mode is Cr Lr Co Vo
shown in Fig. 3(e). Power switch Q2 turns on, and the Vin
inductor current flows in a reversed direction. The voltage of
inductor Lm is clamped by the output voltage. So, magnetic Lm np ns
Q2
inductor current ILm continues decreasing linearly.
Mode 6 (t6~t7): The equivalent circuit of this mode is D2
shown in Fig. 3(f). This mode begins when the inductor
current of ILr is equal to magnetic inductor current ILm. Output (e)

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 PEDS2009

TABLE II.
D1 KEY COMPONENTS OF THE LLC CONVERTER.
Q1
Cr Lr Vo Component Value
Co
Vin Magnetic Inductor Lm 500 μH
Lm np Resonant Inductor Lr 100 μH
Q2
Resonant Capacitor Cr 16.8 nF
D2
Duty Ratio D 0.48
(f) Quality Factor Q 0.3
Fig. 3. Operational modes of the LLC resonant converter: (a) Mode 1, (b) Switching Frequency fs 100 kHz
Mode 2, (c) Mode 3, (d) Mode 4, (e) Mode 5, and (f) Mode 6.
Turns Ratio n 11
IV.
V. DISCUSSION OF POWER LOSSES IN THE LLC
RESONANT CONVERTER
Vgs2 Vgs1
Fig. 5 shows the current and voltage of the power switch in
the LLC converter under the turning-off condition. Generally
speaking, the power losses of converters are the losses of the
switch during the turning-on and turning-off periods, the
Is losses of the output diodes, and the losses of the core and
windings in the transformer [5], [6].
ILr
V DS A B
ILm V I

0 wt
Is
t1t2 t3 t4 t5 t6 t7 I off

Fig. 4. Key waveforms of the LLC resonant converter. 0 wt

I sV DS
tr t f

III. SPECIFICATIONS OF THE 150W LLC RESONANT

COVERTER 0 wt
The duty ratio is chosen to be 0.48, and Q is designed at
Fig. 5. The current and voltage of the power switch in the LLC converter
0.3. The switching frequency is chosen to be 100 kHz. In under the turning-off condition.
order to operate in region 2, the resonant frequency is selected
to be 125 kHz, according to the relationship between
frequency and gain curve. In order to let the circuit be stable The switch current, which is equal to the current before the
when the load is changed, the circuit parameters are designed turn-off period, is described as
in detail [5], [6]. Tables I and II are the specifications and
key components of the 150W LLC converter, respectively.
iS = I OFF . (3)
Voltage VDS on the switch is shown as
VI (ωt )
2

Table I. VDS = . (4)

(ωtr )
2
SPECIFICATIONS OF THE 150W LLC CONVERTER.

Parameter Value
Combining (3) and (4), the loss during the turn-on period is
Input Voltage Vin 390~400 V given by
2π
Output Voltage Vo 19 V 1 VI I OFF tr
Output Current Io 7.9 A
Ptr =
2π ∫i v
0
S DS d (ωt ) =
3TS
. (5)

Output Power Po 150 W

The falling time of current is is described as

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 PEDS2009

⎛ ⎞ VI. THE MEASURED RESULTS AND EFFICIENCY OF THE

ωt
iS = I OFF ⎜1 − ⎟⎟ . (6) LLC RESONANT CONVERTER
⎜ ωt
⎝ f ⎠ Fig. 6 shows measured output voltage VO, VDS and IDS of
the power switch Q2 under full-load condition, during which
The voltage of the switch at the turn-off period, which is ZVS is achieved. The measured efficiency of the two kinds
equal to VI, is given by of converters is shown in Fig. 7. As illustrated, the efficiency
vDS = VI . (7) is 92% in the LLC resonant converter under full-load
conditions. Fig. 8 shows a comparison of losses in the two
Power losses Ptf is shown as kinds of converters.
2π
1 VI I OFF t f
Ptf =
2π ∫ iS vDS d (ωt ) =
0
2TS
. (8) VII. CONCLUSION
This paper has discussed the efficiency of LLC converters
By combining (5) and (8), the power loss total during the as compared with flyback converters. The computed and
turn-off period is given by measured losses in the flyback converter are higher than those
of the LLC resonant version. In addition, as shown in the
VI I OFF ⎛ tr t f ⎞ experimental results, the output-diode losses in the LLC
Pt −off = Ptr + Ptf = ⎜ + ⎟. (9)
resonant converter represent the majority of the total power
TS ⎝ 3 2 ⎠
losses.
The power losses of RDS(on) can be expressed by
I P 2 RDS ( on )Ton VDS
PRDS ( on ) = . (10)
TS
The rms value of the diode current is shown as
2π
1 π IO
I D ,rms = ∫i
2
d (ωt ) = . (11)
2π
d1 VO
0
4 I DS

The power losses of the turn-on resistors can be calculated by

PRF = RF I D , rms 2 . (12)
Also, the current of the diodes is given by Fig. 6. Measured VDS (200V/div) and IDS (0.5A/div) of the power switch Q2
2π and VO under full-load condition.
1 I
ID =
2π ∫ i d (ωt ) = 2 .
0
d1
O
(13)
100%
LLC Resonant Converter
The turn-on power loss total is shown as 95%
Flyback Converter
90%
VF I O
PVF = VF I D = . (14) 85%

2 80%
75%
Combining (11) and (12) with (14), the losses of the diodes is 70%
shown by 65%
60%
V I π I O RF 2 2
30W 45W 60W 75W 90W 105W 120W 135W 150W
PD = F O + . (15) Output Power
2 16 Fig. 7. The measured efficiency of the two kinds of converters.
The core losses should be of concern, and are represented by
PFe = P ( losses ) ⋅V (volumes ) . (16)
The losses of the windings are shown as
PCu = I n 2 ρ N n MLT . (17)
In addition, the losses of the leakage inductors in the flyback
converter are given by
Lr I P 2
PLr = . (18) Fig. 8. A comparisons of the efficiency levels of the two kinds of converters.
2TS

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 PEDS2009

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This work was supported by National Science Council of

Taiwan (R. O. C.) under Grant NSC97-2815-C-214-050-E.

REFERENCES

[1] B. Yang, “Topology Investigation for Front End DC/DC Power

Conversion for Distributed Power System,” PhD Dissertation, 2003.
[2] James F. Lazar and Robert Martinelli, “Steady-State Analysis of the
LLC Series Resonant Converter,” in Proc. of IEEE APEC’01, 2001, pp.
728-735.
[3] B. Yang and F.C. Lee, “LLC Resonant Converter for Front End
DC/DC Conversion,” in Proc. of IEEE APEC’02, 2002, pp. 1108-1112.
[4] Jee-hoon Jung and Joong-gi Kwon, “Theoretical Analysis and Optimal
Design of LLC Resonant Converter,” in Proc. of European Conference
on Power Electronics and Applications, 2007, pp. 1-10.
[5] Marain K. Kazimierczuk and Dariusz Czarkowski, Resonant Power
Converters, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1995.
[6] Abraham l. Pressman, Switching Power Supply Design (2nd Ed), The
McCraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1999.

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