An Improved Control Technique of Switching-Frequency-Modulated Power Factor Correctors for Low THD and High Power Factor

This paper deals with switching-frequency modulation (SFM) for conducted electromagnetic interference (EMI) suppression in active power factor correctors (PFCs) operating in discontinuous conduction mode (DCM). The effect of SFM on different performance characteristics of DCM PFC is studied in details. It is shown that the use of SFM in PFC with conventional control approach leads to significant increase in total harmonic distortion (THD) and harmonic content of input current. Moreover, SFM leads to noticeable increase in peak power components currents. In order to use SFM for EMI reduction more effectively without significantly worsening THD, power factor, and harmonic content of DCM PFC, an improved control technique and a control circuit are proposed and verified by simulations and experimentally. The technique is based on the use of specific time delay injection to power MOSFET control signal. As show simulations and experiments, SFM PFC with the proposed delay technique in comparison to PFC without SFM has noticeably lower conducted EMI and THD of input current, at the cost of slightly decreased efficiency and moderately increased peak currents.