Sneak Circuit Phenomena in a DCM Boost Converter Considering Parasitic Parameters

It is found in the latest research works that there are sneak circuit phenomena in power converters, which would normally be ignored but finally cause various problems. Therefore, it is necessary to find out and analyze sneak circuits. Under certain conditions, sneak circuit phenomena caused by parasitic parameters are first found in a Boost converter operating at discontinuous conduction mode (DCM). A detailed investigation into the impacts of sneak circuits on the operation performances of the DCM Boost converter is achieved. It is found that the operation performances of the DCM Boost converter will be adversely affected when the sneak circuits appear. Then, the conditions of the sneak circuits are derived. Furthermore, design guidelines for reducing or eliminating the sneak circuit phenomena are presented. Finally, the theoretical analyses are demonstrated with both simulation and experimental results.