Patent Publication Number: US-9887635-B2

Title: Double-ended forward converter and power supply device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation application of International Application PCT/JP2013/001975 filed on Mar. 22, 2013 and designated the U.S., the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The embodiments discussed herein are related to a double-ended forward converter including a normally-on switching element. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In recent years, saving of energy resources in various fields has attracted attention, and the influence thereof has spread to the field of, for example, power supply. Specifically, the higher efficiency of, for example, a switching power supply has been desired. 
     The switching power supply converts an input direct-current voltage to a desired direct-current voltage by using a direct current (DC)-DC converter and outputs the desired direct-current voltage as a stabilized power supply voltage. 
     The following is a reference document.
     [Document 1] Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2005-65393.   

     SUMMARY 
     According to an aspect of the invention, a double-ended forward converter includes: a first switching element and a second switching element that are coupled to a primary side of a transformer; a pulse generation circuit that generates a pulse signal for controlling the first and second switching elements; an isolation transformer that converts the pulse signal into an alternating-current signal; a rectifier circuit that rectifies the alternating-current signal and generate gate voltages of the first and second switching elements; a driver circuit that includes a third switching element which drives gates of the first and second switching elements, a voltage generated on a secondary side of the isolation transformer being input to a gate of the third switching element; and a minus bias generation circuit that generates a source voltage of the third switching, based on a change in the voltage generated on the secondary side of the isolation transformer. 
     The object and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the claims. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a circuit diagram of a general double-ended forward converter; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  are diagrams illustrating an example of a gate drive circuit based on a transformer drive system; 
         FIG. 3  is a gate drive circuit diagram of an embodiment; 
         FIGS. 4A to 4D  are diagrams for explaining an operation of a driver minus power supply circuit of an embodiment; 
         FIGS. 5A to 5G  are simulation waveform diagrams of the gate drive circuit of an embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is a circuit diagram in which the gate drive circuit of an embodiment is applied to a double-ended forward converter; 
         FIGS. 7A to 7D  are simulation waveform diagrams of a circuit in which the gate drive circuit of an embodiment is applied to the double-ended forward converter; and 
         FIG. 8  is a circuit diagram of a power supply device. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a circuit diagram of a general double-ended forward (bipolar) converter serving as a type of DC-DC converter. 
     A double-ended forward converter  10  illustrated in  FIG. 1  steps down an input direct-current voltage VIN, thereby generating an output direct-current voltage Vout of a desired electric potential. 
     The input direct-current voltage VIN is a direct-current voltage of 385 V obtained by converting an AC voltage of 80 (V) to 265 (V) to a direct-current voltage by using a switching power supply in, for example, a server or the like. In addition, furthermore, in order to be used within the server, the input direct-current voltage VIN is stepped down to a predetermined voltage by the double-ended forward converter  10 . For safety, based on a standard such as IEC60950, an AC input is supposed to be isolated from a direct-current voltage used within the device. Therefore, both the primary-side VIN generated from the AC input and the secondary-side Vout use the double-ended forward converter  10  based on a method of being isolated using a transformer T 1 . 
     The double-ended forward converter  10  includes primary-side switches SW 10  and SW 12 , feedback diodes D 10  and D 12 , the transformer T 1 , an inductor L 10 , a smoothing capacitor C 10 , and synchronous rectifiers D 14  and D 16 . 
     For example, metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) are used for the primary-side switches SW 10  and SW 12 . In the double-ended forward converter  10 , if the primary-side switches SW 10  and SW 12  are simultaneously subjected to switching and caused to perform on-off actions, thereby applying a current to the primary side of the transformer T 1 , alternating-current power is generated on the secondary side of the transformer T 1 . The alternating-current power is rectified by the first and second rectifiers D 14  and D 16  and is smoothed by the choke coil L 10  and the output smoothing capacitor C 10 , thereby being converted to the output direct-current voltage Vout. Note that synchronous rectification in which the first and second rectifiers D 14  and D 16  are replaced with low-resistance FETs in order to reduce a loss is used in some cases. 
     Since the transformer T 1  is excited in only one of two directions, a coil of the transformer T 1  stores energy as soon as the primary-side switches SW 10  and SW 12  are turned off. Therefore, energy is fed back by the feedback diodes D 10  and D 12 , thereby resetting magnetic fluxes. 
     The on-off actions of the primary-side switches SW 10  and SW 12  are controlled by a pulse width modulation (PWM) signal. A circuit that generates the PWM signal uses the output direct-current voltage Vout serving as a power supply on the secondary side of the transformer T 1 . Therefore, the PWM signal is converted by transformers T 2  and T 3  are is input to gates of the switches SW 10  and SW 12  on the primary side of the transformer T 1 . From this, the switches SW 10  and SW 12  on the primary side are isolated from the PWM signal generation circuit on the secondary side. 
     In order to reduce a power loss in the DC-DC converter, it is desirable to use a switching element whose on-resistance is low and whose switching speed is high. A high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) has been developed, the HEMT using gallium nitride (GaN) serving as a compound semiconductor material that is not silicon. Hereinafter, this switching transistor will be called a GaN-HEMT. 
     Since, compared with silicon, having high electron mobility and high mutual conductance, many compound semiconductors each have a feature that it is possible to reduce the on-resistance and capacitance generated between individual terminals of a transistor is low. 
     However, a silicon MOSFET of the related art is a normally-off type (enhancement type) in which turnoff is caused in a state of applying no voltage to a gate, whereas, usually the GaN-HEMT is, by contrast, a normally-on type (depression type) in which turns on in a state of applying no voltage to a gate. Therefore, in order to subject the GaN-HEMT to switching, a voltage is applied based on a negative power supply circuit. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 2A and 2B , a problem area in a case where the MOSFETs of the primary-side switches SW 10  and SW 12  are replaced with the GaN-HEMTs in the double-ended forward converter  10  will be described. 
       FIG. 2A  illustrates an example of a gate drive circuit based on a transformer drive system, which controls a gate of a switching element. The gate drive circuit, based on a transformer drive system and illustrated in  FIG. 2A , includes a PWM signal generation circuit  20 , a damping resistor R 3 , a direct-current cut capacitor C 3 , an isolation transformer T 4 , and a driver circuit. The damping resistor R 3  limits a current so that the direct-current cut capacitor C 3  and the isolation transformer T 4  do not resonate. The direct-current cut capacitor C 3  cuts a direct current so that a current does not continue to flow owing to saturation of the primary side of the isolation transformer T 4 . The isolation transformer T 4  isolates a PWM signal from the PWM signal generation circuit  20  and transmits the PWM signal to the secondary side thereof. The PWM signal transmitted to a secondary-side air is input to the gate of the switch SW 10  and controls the gate of the switch SW 10 . 
       FIG. 2B  illustrates waveforms of a gate voltage VG of the switching element. With reference to  FIG. 2B , respective waveforms illustrate changes in the gate voltage VG of the switching element in a case where the duty ratio of the PWM signal is set to 10%, 50%, and 80%. 
     If the gate of the switching element SW 10  is controlled by the circuit, based on a transformer drive system and illustrated in  FIG. 2A , both a peak value and a zero level electric potential of the gate voltage VG fluctuate depending on the duty ratio of the PWM signal, as illustrated in  FIG. 2B . 
     If, in this way, the gate voltage VG fluctuates depending on the duty ratio of the PWM signal, there is a possibility that it is difficult to perform a switching operation on the normally-on type GaN-HEMT. 
     Suitable embodiments according to the present disclosed technology will be described in detail with reference to drawings. 
       FIG. 3  is a circuit diagram illustrates one embodiment of a gate drive circuit that is based on a transformer drive system and that drives a normally-on type switching element. 
     In  FIG. 3 , a same symbol is assigned to a configuration element equal to or equivalent to the gate drive circuit, based on a transformer drive system and illustrated in  FIG. 2A , and the description thereof will be omitted. 
     A gate drive circuit  70 , based on a transformer drive system and illustrated in  FIG. 3 , includes the PWM signal generation circuit  20 , an isolated transmission circuit  30 , a half-wave voltage doubler rectifier circuit  40 , a driver circuit  50 , and a driver minus power supply circuit  60 . 
     The PWM signal generation circuit  20  is equivalent to a PWM signal generation circuit used in a general step-down type converter and performs switching on a normally-on type switching element SW 30  by using the generated PWM signal. 
     The half-wave voltage doubler rectifier circuit  40  is a circuit for rectifying a secondary-side voltage Vtrans generated on the secondary side of the gate transformer T 4  and generates given voltages V+ and V− independent of the duty ratio of the PWM signal. The given voltages V+ and V− are determined by the secondary-side voltage Vtrans of the gate transformer T 4  and a capacity ratio between two capacitors C 2  and C 4  as follows.
 
 V+=V trans× C 2/( C 2+ C 4)
 
 V−=−V trans× C 4/( C 2 +C 4)
 
     The driver circuit  50  is a circuit for supplying the gate voltage Vout to a gate of the switching element SW 30  and outputs, to the gate of the switching element SW 30 , one of the given voltages V+ and V− generated by the above-mentioned half-wave voltage doubler rectifier circuit  40 . An NPN type transistor Q 1  on the output side of the driver circuit  50  is turned on when a base voltage thereof becomes high, and the NPN type transistor Q 1  supplies the given voltage V+ on a collector side thereof to the gate of the switching element SW 30 . By setting the given voltage V+ to a voltage that exceeds a threshold value of the normally-on type switching element SW 30 , the switching element SW 30  is put into an on-state. 
     In addition, a PNP transistor Q 4  is turned on when a base voltage thereof becomes low, and the PNP transistor Q 4  supplies the given voltage V− on an emitter side thereof to the gate of the switching element SW 30 . By setting the given voltage V− to a voltage less than or equal to a threshold value of the normally-on type switching element SW 30 , the switching element SW 30  is put into an off-state. 
     The base voltages of the NPN type transistor Q 1  and the PNP transistor Q 4  are controlled by two switching elements Q 3  and Q 5  configured in two stages. 
     The secondary-side voltage Vtrans of the gate transformer T 4  is applied to a gate of the first-stage switching element Q 3 . 
     The driver minus power supply circuit  60  generates a source voltage Vs of the switching element Q 3 , which varies depending on the duty ratio of the secondary-side voltage Vtrans. 
     Next, using  FIGS. 4A to 4D , an operation of the driver minus power supply circuit  60  will be described.  FIG. 4A  illustrates a circuit in which only a portion  90 , which relates to generation of a driver minus power supply and surrounded by a dashed line, is extracted from the gate drive circuit  70 , based on a transformer drive system and illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
     Roles of individual components in this circuit are as follows. 
     R 3 : a damping resistor to limit a current so that the C 3  and the T 4  do not resonate. 
     C 3 : to cut a direct current so that a current does not continue to flow owing to saturation of the primary side of the T 4 . 
     T 4 : to isolate and transmit the PWM signal to the secondary side. 
     D 3 : rectifier diode. 
     C 5 : smoothing capacitor. 
     First, a reason why VS has a dependence property with respect to a duty ratio will be described. If being drawn by focusing on the primary side in  FIG. 4A , an equivalent circuit may be illustrated by an LC equivalent circuit illustrated in  FIG. 4B . This case is simplified under the assumption that since having a small value, the damping resistor R 3  has little influence. 
     If a pulsed voltage having a peak voltage Vin is applied from a voltage source V 1 , a current ILP 1   1  flowing through LP 1   1  monotonically increases during a time period (D×T), during which a voltage is applied, and monotonically decreases in a state (D×T to T) of a zero voltage, as illustrated in  FIG. 4C . So as to clarify a relationship with a duty ratio, currents in the respective time periods will be calculated. 
     A current change ΔI L(DT)  in the “D×T” time period is calculated as follows. 
     
       
         
           
             
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     A current change ΔI L(DT to T)  in the “D×T to T” time period is calculated as follows. 
     
       
         
           
             
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     Since, in a steady state, adding Δi L(DT)  to Δi L(DT to T)  becomes zero, Δi L(DT) +Δi L(DT to T) =0 
     In other words, 
     
       
         
           
             
               
                 
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     If collecting V C ,
 
 V   C   =V   in   D  
 
     If a voltage of the voltage source V 1 , which temporally changes, is v (t) , a voltage V LP1  between two end portions of L P1  is expressed as follows.
 
 V   LP1   =v   (t)   −V   C   =V   (t)   −V   in   D  
 
     If being graphically illustrated,  FIG. 4D  is obtained, a peak voltage of V LP1  is V in −V in D, and a voltage on a negative side thereof is −V in D. 
       FIGS. 5A to 5G  illustrate simulation waveform diagrams of the gate drive circuit, based on a transformer drive system and illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
     If, with reference to  FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B , the duty ratio of the primary-side voltage Vin of the gate transformer T 4  increases, the primary-side voltage Vin being amplitude-modulated by the PWM signal, the peak value of the secondary-side voltage Vtrans decreases. In addition, depending on the duty ratio of the primary-side voltage Vin, the zero voltage electric potential of the secondary-side voltage Vtrans varies. 
     With reference to  FIG. 5C  and  FIG. 5D ,  FIG. 5C  and  FIG. 5D  illustrate the given voltages V+ and V−, respectively, generated by the half-wave voltage doubler rectifier circuit  40  by rectifying the secondary-side voltage Vtrans of the gate transformer T 4 . It may be confirmed that the given voltages V+ and V− are determined by the secondary-side voltage Vtrans of the gate transformer T 4  and the capacity ratio between the two capacitors C 2  and C 4  and are not dependent on the duty ratio of the PWM signal. 
     In a case where, with reference to  FIG. 5E  and  FIG. 5F , the duty ratio of the PWM signal is 10%, a zero level of the gate voltage VG of the first-stage switching element Q 3  is −1.2 V, whereas, by contrast, the source voltage VS=−12 V×0.1=−1.2 V is satisfied. Therefore, a voltage difference between the gate and the source becomes zero. In a case where the duty ratio of the PWM signal is 50%, the zero level of the gate voltage VG of the first-stage switching element Q 3  is −6 V, whereas, by contrast, contrast the source voltage VS=−12 V×0.5=−6 V is satisfied. Therefore, the voltage difference between the gate and the source becomes zero. In a case where the duty ratio of the PWM signal is 80%, the zero level of the gate voltage VG of the first-stage switching element Q 3  is −9.6 V, whereas, by contrast, the source voltage VS=12 V×0.8=−9.6 V is satisfied. Therefore, the voltage difference between the gate and the source becomes zero. 
     In this way, even if the duty ratio of the PWM signal changes, thereby causing the zero level of the gate voltage VG of the switching element Q 3  to change, it becomes possible to continuously set the voltage difference between the gate and the source to a given level by changing the source voltage VS in accordance with a change in the zero level of the gate voltage VG. 
     According to the present embodiment, a given voltage, generated by the half-wave voltage doubler rectifier circuit  40  and independent of the duty ratio of the PWM signal, is supplied to the gate of the normally-on GaN-HEMT on the primary side of a transformer in the double-ended forward converter. Therefore, the on-off action is correctly performed. In addition, even if the duty ratio of the PWM signal changes, it is possible to set, to a given level, a gate-to-source voltage V of the switching element Q 3  in the drive circuit that controls the normally-on GaN-HEMT. Therefore, it is possible to perform a stable action. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a circuit diagram of a DC-DC converter in which each of two switches included in a double-ended forward circuit  80  is driven by the gate drive circuit  70 , based on a transformer drive system and illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
       FIGS. 7A to 7D  illustrate simulation waveforms of main portions of the DC-DC converter illustrated in  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 7A  illustrates a gate voltage VG of a switching element SW 10 ,  FIG. 7B  illustrates a drain current IDS,  FIG. 7C  illustrates an inductor current IL of an inductor on an output side, and  FIG. 7D  illustrates a simulation waveform of a DC output voltage Vout. With reference to  FIG. 7A  and  FIG. 7B , it is confirmed that the gate voltage VG of the normally-on GaN-HEMT falls to an electric potential of about −2 V or less at the time of being low and the flow of the drain current IDS is stopped, thereby correctly performing the on-off action. 
     Note that additionally the gate drive circuit, based on a transformer drive system, of an embodiment is able to be applied to a double-ended flyback type DC-DC converter. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates an example of a circuit diagram of a switching power supply device in a server or the like. 
     The power supply device illustrated in  FIG. 8  includes a rectifier circuit  110 , a PFC circuit  120 , a control unit  150 , and a DC-DC converter  160 . 
     The rectifier circuit  110  is a diode bridge in which four diodes are connected in a state of bridge. The rectifier circuit  110  is connected to an alternating-current power source  100  and full-wave-rectifies and outputs alternating-current power. Here, since the output voltage of the alternating-current power source  100  is Vin, the input voltage of the rectifier circuit  110  is Vin. The rectifier circuit  110  outputs electric power obtained by full-wave-rectifying the alternating-current power input from the alternating-current power source  100 . 
     Since the alternating-current power whose voltage is, for example, 80 (V) to 265 (V) is input to the rectifier circuit  110 , voltage drops in the four diodes in the rectifier circuit  110  are negligible. Therefore, the output voltage of the rectifier circuit  110  is regarded as Vin. 
     The PFC circuit  120  includes an inductor, a switching element, a diode, and a smoothing capacitor, which are connected in a T shape, and is an active filter circuit that reduces a distortion such as a harmonic wave included in a current rectified by the rectifier circuit  110  and that improves a power factor of electric power. 
     For example, a boosting inductor is used for the inductor, and for example, a metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) is used for the switching element. The control unit  150  applies a pulsed gate voltage to a gate of the switching element, thereby performing the on-off action of the switching element, and the switching element is pulse-width-modulation (PWM)-driven. 
     The diode only has to have a rectification direction oriented in a direction from the inductor to the smoothing capacitor and, for example, a fast recovery diode or a SiC schottky diode is used therefor. 
     The control unit  150  outputs the pulsed gate voltage to be applied to the gate of the switching element. Based on the voltage value Vin of the full-wave-rectified electric power output from the rectifier circuit  110 , a current value IQ of a current flowing through a switching element  22 , and a voltage value Vout on the output side of the smoothing capacitor, the control unit  150  determines the duty ratio of the gate voltage and applies the gate voltage to the gate of the switching element. As the control unit  150 , a multiplier circuit capable of calculating the duty ratio, based on, for example, the current value IQ and the voltage values Vout and Vin, may be used. 
     The smoothing capacitor smooths a voltage output by the PFC circuit  120  and inputs the smoothed voltage to the DC-DC converter  60 . 
     The double-ended forward type converter of the present embodiment, described above, is used for the DC-DC converter  160 . 
     Direct-current power whose voltage is, for example, 385 (V) is input to the DC-DC converter  160 , is converted by the DC-DC converter  160  into direct-current power of, for example, 12 (V), and is output to a load circuit  170 . 
     All examples and conditional language recited herein are intended for pedagogical purposes to aid the reader in understanding the invention and the concepts contributed by the inventor to furthering the art, and are to be construed as being without limitation to such specifically recited examples and conditions, nor does the organization of such examples in the specification relate to a showing of the superiority and inferiority of the invention. Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail, it should be understood that the various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made hereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.