Article, 2024

Adaptive Harmonic Conductance Control for Boost PFC Converters at Light Loads

IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, ISSN 0885-8993, Volume 39, 3, Pages 3175-3185, 10.1109/TPEL.2023.3345936

Contributors

Zhu T. 0000-0002-0602-7269 [1] Zhao F. 0000-0001-9006-7740 [1] Wang X. 0000-0002-6327-9729 (Corresponding author) [1] [2] Torrico-Bascope G.V.

Affiliations

  1. [1] Aalborg University
  2. [NORA names: AAU Aalborg University; University; Denmark; Europe, EU; Nordic; OECD];
  3. [2] Royal Institute of Technology
  4. [NORA names: Sweden; Europe, EU; Nordic; OECD]

Abstract

Data center power systems tend to have more severe harmonic distortions when boost power factor correction (PFC) converters operate with light loads. The conventional harmonic damping method that increases the input conductance of PFC converter becomes less effective, due to the reverse blocking of the front-end diode rectifier in the PFC converter. To tackle this challenge, this article proposes an adaptive harmonic conductance control (AHCC) that can automatically achieve maximum harmonic mitigation for PFC converters at light loads, and no extra sensor is needed. In this approach, the critical value of harmonic conductance, beyond which the harmonic distortion is inversely amplified by the reverse blocking of diode rectifier, is identified first. Then, a method for online detection of the critical harmonic conductance is developed, which ensures the minimum harmonic distortion of PFC converters at light loads. Finally, the effectiveness of the AHCC approach is validated by experimental tests of 0.9 kW boost PFC converter modules under varying loads, distorted grid voltages, and paralleled operations.

Keywords

Boost power factor correction converter, harmonic conductance, harmonic distortion, harmonic mitigation

Data Provider: Elsevier