A Low-THD Two-Switch PFC DCM Boost Rectifier for Aviation Applications

In this article, a new two-switch, single-phase, power-factor-correction, discontinuous-conduction-mode boost rectifier that features zero-voltage switching turn on and can achieve less than 5% input-current total harmonic distortion (THD) by injecting a simple feedforward signal obtained from input and output voltages to the output voltage feedback control is introduced. Since low THD is achieved without high-bandwidth active current shaping control, the proposed topology is suitable for modern aviation applications that require line frequency up to 800 Hz. The evaluation was performed on a 320-W prototype designed to operate from 94-134-V line input and deliver 220-V dc output. The prototype achieves 3.3% THD at full load over the line frequency range from 360 to 800 Hz and meets the required harmonic limits specified by the DO-160 standard that describes the environmental conditions and test procedures for airborne equipment.