A Structurally Reconfigurable Resonant Dual-Active-Bridge Converter and Modulation Method to Achieve Full-Range Soft-Switching and Enhanced Light-Load Efficiency

Abstract

This paper proposes a reconfigurable dual-active-bridge (DAB) converter that is capable of switching between two converter structures for enhancing its performances at different output power levels. For 50%-100% load, the converter operates in full-bridge mode and achieves soft-switching in all switches independently of the input-to-output voltage ratio. Below 50% load, the converter is reconfigured to operate in half-bridge mode for reduced circulating current and improved light-load efficiency while maintaining the desired soft-switching characteristic of full-bridge mode. The achievement of soft-switching is aided by the use of a tuned LCL resonant tank, which enables an accurate prediction of the phases of tank currents with respect to tank voltages, and therefore simplifies the realization of soft-switching. The effects of dead time are discussed and expressions for guiding the selection of appropriate dead time for ensuring soft-switching in practical implementation are derived. The proposed converter and the modulation scheme are experimentally verified with a 1.6-kW converter prototype, which demonstrates their merits in comparison with a nonreconfigurable, full-bridge DAB topology and conventional modulation schemes.