POWER FACTOR CORRECTION

Design considerations for

optimizing performance &
cost of continuous mode
boost PFC circuits
by
Supratim Basu,Tore.M.Undeland
All rectified ac sine wave voltages with capacitive
filtering draw high amplitude discontinuous current
pulses rich in harmonics , causing:

Low input power factor

High circulating currents

There are many approaches to mitigate this
problem :

Passive and Active power factor correction

Passive and Active filtering of network

Accepting non-sinusoidal voltage / current in the

system.
Passive Power Factor Correction

Simple inductive input filter

Inductor stores energy to maintain
conduction throughout half cycle
Hence reduces harmonic distortation and
improves power factor
But size, weight and cost limits its
application upto 200W
Active high frequency power factor correction

Makes load behave like a resistor

Near unity load power factor

Load generating negligible harmonics

Types of active PFC circuits with Boost
converter topologies

Hard switched

Soft switched using ZVT

Discontinuous Conduction mode (DCM)

Critical Conduction mode (CRM)

Continuous Conduction mode (CCM)

Block Diagram of an active PFC Circuit of
CCM Boost converter
Mosfet & Diode switching waveforms showing switching losses
 Switching loss reduction strategies

RCD Snubber Circuits

Magnetic Snubber Circuits
Power Switch types - IGBT or MOSFET
Boost Diode Options
SiC Schottky Diodes
Single Package Series connected diodes
PFC specific single diodes
RCD Snubber Circuits
Magnetic Snubber Circuit
Comparison of recovery time of various diodes
Comparision of RECOVERY TIME and COST of various diodes

Typical
Part Cost in
Diode Type Rating Recovery Supplier
Number USD
time

Sic Schottky SDT12S60 12A, 600V Zero Infineon 7.69

Single package
series DSEE 808CC 10A, 600V 30ns IXYS 2.46
connected
Single package
series STTH806TTI 8A, 600V 30ns ST Micro 1.82
connected

PFC Specific 1SL9R1560P2 15A, 600V 25ns Fairchild 1.42

PFC Specific 15ETX06 15A, 600V 18ns IR 1.03

 Experimental Results

Single Package
SiC Schottky
PFC Specific Diode Series Connected
Diodes
Diode
Input AC Voltage
85 264V 85 264V 85 264V
(RMS)

Switching
100kHz 100kHz 100kHz
Frequency

Input Power (W) 652 1076 653 1078 642 1049

Output Power (W) 600 1006 598 998 597 1001

Efficiency 0.92 0.935 0.915 0.925 0.93 0.954

Effect of Diode Recovery Current on the
Switching Current at turn-on

The switch turn-on peak current was the lowest

for the SiC Schottky Diode and highest for the
Single Package Series Diode
Effect of Diode recovery current on Mosfet
drain current with a SiC Diode
Effect of Diode recovery current on Mosfet
drain current with a PFC specific diode
Effect of Diode recovery current on Mosfet
drain current with a single package series
connected diode
Conducted EMI generated by the PFC board
was measured separately for each of the
three diode types:

Measurements were made at 90V AC input, 600W output load with

a 3mH common mode EMI filter connected at the input circuit
Low freq part of conducted emission spectrum ( 150kHz - 1
MHz) is almost unaffected by different diode types
High freq part of conducted emission spectrum ( 1 MHz -
30MHz) is affected by diode behavior
SDT12S60 SiC Schottky diode generates lower noise
Increased EMI caused by STTH806TTI single package series
connected diodes is only about 4dBV
Low frequency conducted emission

SiC Diode Single package series connected diode

PFC Specific Diode

High frequency conducted emission

SiC Diode Single package series connected diode

PFC Specific Diode

 OPTIMIZING PERFORMANCE BY DESIGN -
A SUMMARY

Power levels < 200W - Critical conduction mode PFC may be considered

Power levels > 200W - Hard switched CCM PFC is preferred

Power levels < 1000W & sw. freq of 100kHz - PFC specific is the best choice

Power levels > 1000W & sw. freq > 100kHz - Higher initial costs of SiC
Schottky diodes are justified

Higher efficiency or higher sw. freq - ZVT resonant mode boost converter may
be considered

Power levels < 600W - Older generation Mosfets like IRF460N(IR) could reduce
costs w/o affecting performance significantly