Linear variable inductor in power processing

Straightforward power processing is one of the many application fields of the recently discovered linear variable inductor, the LVI. A brief description of the operation principle and of the construction of an LVI is followed by a presentation of the simplest power processing cell utilizing this new component. The new cell operates in the continuous conduction mode only and features a number of desirable properties such as a constant-frequency opearation without noise-sensitive pulse-width modulators and an insensitivity to the finite reverse-recovery time of the secondary rectifiers. The 50 percend duty ratio operation of the switches greatly simplifies the design of the associated lossless snubbers. The measurements of a 1 KW experimental dell and the number of its possible extensions demonstrate the versatility of this new magnetic structure as a controlled element in power-processing applications.