A near-zero current-switching series resonant inverter using GTOs

A novel implementation of fast gate-turn-off thyristors (GTOs) for a series resonant power converter operating above 10 kHz and an output power rating of 10 kW or greater is presented. A zero current switching gating strategy that eliminates the need for large negative gate drive circuits is presented. This permits the operation of the converter at a near-unity load power factor independent of the operating frequency. Consequently, for a given output power, the installed kVA capacity of the converter is minimized, and the system simplicity is maintained. A simplified analysis and component ratings for the GTO-based converter are presented. All the results are verified experimentally