Hybrid Converters with Reduced Inductor Loss for Integratable Power Conversion

This paper discusses hybrid converters that achieve high efficiency with an inductor positioned at the lower current path to reduce the DC component of inductor current and thus significantly decrease inductor loss. The concept also features reduced inductance requirement by decreasing the voltage swing blocked by the inductor. These improvements bring benefits in both higher efficiency and better integration. The hybrid architecture exploits less voltage stress on switches for switching loss reduction and switching frequency increase. As a result, low-voltage-rated switches with better figure-of-merit can be used, and passive component size reduced. The hybrid converters can be realized for both step-down and step-up power conversion as well as bidirectional power flow. For simplicity and cost, some of switches can be replaced with passive switches such as diodes that simplifies the converter circuit implementation. To explore different applications, a possible extension of an original hybrid topology is discussed as well as utilization of power delivery cable as power conversion component and techniques for soft-switching and soft-charging switched capacitor operations.