Design of a phase-shifted ZVS full-bridge front-end DC/DC converter for fuel cell inverter applications

In this paper, a phase-shifted ZVS full-bridge DC/DC converter is investigated and designed to function as the voltage boosting stage of a two stage power inverter for a fuel cell powered Distributed Energy System (DES). Design considerations of the ZVS DC/DC converter are discussed in detail. The complex resonant tank analysis of the converter design is simplified using the state plane approximation technique. This technique is used to obtain a linear small signal model. Using this model, the DC/DC converter is designed and simulated. The simulation results validated the state plane approximation technique. In addition to this, an RCD snubber circuit is employed in order to filter the output noise of the circuit.