An improved automotive power distribution system using nonlinear resonant switch converters

An improved automotive electrical system is proposed in which the generator is a high-efficiency AC machine connected to the battery by an AC-DC converter. The electrical loads are isolated from the battery by a DC-DC converter. This will allow gradual conversion to higher battery voltage, regulation of DC distribution voltage, and multiple distribution voltage levels. In the low-voltage, high-current, high-temperature environment of the automobile, in addition to packaging and thermal management, a major problem is the switching loss caused by leakage, package, and other parasitic inductances. The nonlinear resonant switch can remove this source of loss, achieving zero current switching without sacrificing conduction loss or MOSFET switch utilization. For the nonlinear resonant switch in a 1.5 kW load converter application, the upper limit is approximately 20 nH. Hence, device interconnections have low inductance, and MOSFET package inductances are taken into account. A low-voltage, high-current nonlinear resonant switch converter operating at 700 kHz an producing 600 W is described