Power converters
We describe a resonant discontinuous power converter including a magnetic energy storage device, and a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) switch having a collector terminal coupled to repetitively switch power from the input on and off to said magnetic energy storage device such that power is transferred from the input to the output. During an off-period of said BJT switch a voltage on said magnetic energy storage device and on said collector terminal of said BJT is at least partially resonant. The power converter includes a voltage clamping circuit to clamp a base voltage on a base terminal of said BJT during a resonant portion of said off-period to limit an excursion of a collector voltage on said collector terminal of said BJT towards or beyond an emitter voltage of said BJT during said resonant portion of said off-period, in particular to inhibit reverse bias of a base emitter junction of the transistor.
1. A resonant discontinuous power converter, said power converter having an input to receive an input power supply, an output to provide an output power supply, a magnetic energy storage device coupled between said input and said output, and a bipolar junction transistor (BJT) switch having a collector terminal coupled to repetitively switch power from said input on and off to said magnetic energy storage device such that power is transferred from said input to said output, wherein during an off-period of said BJT switch a voltage on said magnetic energy storage device and on said collector terminal of said BJT is at least partially resonant, and wherein said power converter includes a voltage clamping circuit to clamp a base voltage on a base terminal of said BJT during a resonant portion of said off-period to limit an excursion of a collector voltage on said collector terminal of said BJT towards or beyond an emitter voltage of said BJT during said resonant portion of said off-period,
the power converter further comprising a current generator to apply an initial current drive to said base terminal of said BJT at the start of an on-period of said BJT switch to compensate for a negative magnetisation current in said magnetic energy storage device flowing through said collector terminal of said BJT,
the power converter further comprising a control circuit to control an excursion of said collector voltage towards or beyond said emitter voltage during a subsequent portion of said on-period to that during which said initial current drive is applied,
wherein said control circuit comprises a second current generator to apply a second current drive to said base terminal of said BJT,
wherein said control circuit includes a base voltage detector circuit to detect an excursion of said base voltage below a threshold level and to control said second current generator responsive to said detection,
wherein said detect circuit comprises a sample-hold circuit to sample a voltage from said base terminal during a period when said initial current drive is applied and to hold said sampled voltage during said subsequent portion of said on-period, and wherein said threshold level is dependent on said sampled voltage.
2. A resonant discontinuous power converter as claimed in claim 1 wherein said threshold voltage level is determined by said sampled voltage with a voltage offset.