Efficiency of AC–DC Drivers in LED Lighting Systems Under Different Transistor Control Methods in a Forward Half-bridge Converter

Abstract

The development of reliable and energy-efficient drivers for LED lighting systems remains a critical task, as existing circuit designs often require the use of specialised integrated circuit. This work focuses on the development of high-efficiency drivers for LED lighting systems, addressing the need for stable performance and compliance with modern electromagnetic compatibility standards. The proposed drivers are based on a half-bridge converter topology with a maximum output power of approximately 200 W, which was chosen based on the typical power requirements of high-power LED lighting systems used in industrial, commercial and street lighting applications. Three different control circuit configurations were implemented: one using the IR2110 driver chip, another employing a single-signal transformer and a novel design incorporating two signal transformers. The innovative two signal transformer approach effectively reduced switching transients in the control signals while maintaining efficiency comparable to the IR2110-based solution. Experimental validation confirmed stable driver performance across varying input voltages without efficiency degradation. The driver achieved a minimum efficiency of 86.1%–88.5% within an output power range of 103–202 W, with nonlinear current distortion remaining below 6%. These results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed driver solutions for energy-efficient LED lighting applications.