Experimental verification of the efficiency/power-density (η-ρ) Pareto Front of single-phase double-boost and TCM PFC rectifier systems

Over the last decades, the converter systems performance has been substantially improved but the endeavor for highest possible performance, especially with respect to power density, efficiency, and costs remains the most important driver of present and future developments and research. In latest publications, comprehensive analytical models have been applied in optimization procedures to calculate the design parameters of single-phase AC-DC converter systems resulting in the highest performance concerning multiple objectives. In this paper, an experimental validation of this analytical design approach is provided based on four prototype rectifier systems with Power Factor Correction (PFC) which result from the optimization with respect to power density or efficiency of the mature double-boost bridgeless Continuous Conduction Mode (CCM) and the recently published interleaved totem-pole-based Triangular Current Mode (TCM) rectifier topology. All design details, such as power component values and EMIfilter structure as well as volume and losses distributions, are provided and the measurement results regarding efficiency, EMI standards, and input current quality (power factor and total harmonic distortion) allow the direct performance comparison of the investigated rectifier topologies. All four prototype systems comply with the EMI standard CISPR 22 class B and exhibit a high power factor and a low current THD. The recently published TCM-topology is beneficially applied to achieve a higher efficiency compared to the efficiency- and volume-optimized double boost CCM rectifier systems with a similar power density. With the loss-optimized TCM-prototype an extreme efficiency of 99.23 % at nominal input voltage and rated output power has been measured.