Losses in soft-switched and hard-switched voltage inverters

Abstract

This paper introduces an adequate loss model, based on the experimental results, which can be used to estimate the losses in hard-switched and soft-switched inverters. As an example and considering the use of IGBTs, it compares the losses produced by hard-switched, auxiliary resonant commutated pole (ARCP) and quasi-square-wave (QSW) inverters for different current and frequencies. The study takes into account conduction losses, switching losses (turn-on and turn-off losses) and losses in the passive components. In the proposed model, the device power losses are considered as a function of the circuit and operating parameters. Experimental results validate the loss model employed.