Analysis, design and implementation of an improved two-switch zero-current zero-voltage pulse-width modulation forward converter

In this study, an improved two-switch zero-current zero-voltage switching pulse-width modulation (ZCZVS-PWM) forward converter, which employs a simple resonant lossless snubber circuit, is introduced. A simple resonant snubber circuit consists of a capacitor, an inductor and two diodes. In proposed converter, switch Q₁ operates under exactly zero-current switching at turn-on, and exactly zero-voltage switching (ZVS) at turn-off, and switch Q₂ operates under exactly ZCZVS at turn-on, and ZVS at turn-off, and the all-passive semiconductor devices operate under soft-switching at turn-on and turn-off. The proposed converter has no current and voltage spikes in the switches in comparison with the hard-switching forward converter counterpart and is suitable for high switching frequency and high-power operation. The proposed converter is analysed and various operating modes of the improved two-switch ZCZVS-PWM forward converter are discussed. Analysis and design considerations are presented and the prototype experimental results of a 160 W (32 V/5 A) proposed converter operating at 300 kHz switching frequency, confirm the validity of theoretical analysis.