An approach to the realization of a high-power Venturini converter

The problems of current commutation in the Venturini converter are examined with a view to reducing losses and device stress. An active magnetic filter is proposed for use with bidirectional switches. A new form of switch control is proposed which makes use of both natural and forced commutation as a means of using existing unidirectional semiconductor devices to realize a practical, high-power converter. Commutation losses have been reduced to the level associated with standard DC-to-AC inverters. The hardware required to control seminatural commutation has been shown to be very simple, and could be implemented on a single chip such as a PAL, including basic short-circuit protection. The active magnetic filter technique is capable of distinguishing between load and circulating currents during commutation and can reduce the associated loss by up to a factor of 100.<>