Comparative analysis of boost and buck-boost derived topologies used as power factor correctors

AC/DC power converters are extensively used in various applications. The electronics equipment uses, as its input stage, a rectifier with a capacitor as a filter. A major problem associated with these loads are the harmonic currents injected into the power supply and low power factor. Therefore, it is highly desirable to include power factor correction schemes in such electronics equipment. A boost power converter in continuous conduction mode using the multiplier approach is commonly used as a power factor correction topology due to its excellent performance in the medium power range. Recently, power factor correction topologies derived from buck-boost power converters have been proposed, mainly because they emulate a natural resistor when operating in the discontinuous conduction mode, using a single control loop. Topologies derived from buck-boost power converters are an attractive solution in power factor correction applications in the relatively low power range. This paper presents a comparative analysis between boost power converters, in the continuous conduction mode, and Sepic and Cuk power converters, in the discontinuous conduction mode, in order to study their performance in terms of power factor, total harmonic distortion, efficiency, semiconductor stress, volume, etc.