Evaluation of a novel single-stage high-power-factor electronic ballast based on integrated buck half-bridge resonant inverter

A novel single-stage high-power-factor electronic ballast obtained from the integration of a buck DC-to-DC converter and a half-bridge resonant inverter is evaluated in this paper. The buck converter is operated in discontinuous conduction mode and at constant frequency providing an input power factor high enough to satisfy present standard requirements. The operation of the proposed ballast is also investigated in detail in this paper. A ballast prototype for two 36 W fluorescent lamps has been both simulated and implemented at the laboratory.