A Study of T-Type and ZVS-PWM Full-Bridge Converters for Switch-Mode Power Supplies

The zero-voltage switching (ZVS) T-type dc-dc converter has been proposed as an alternative to the conventional ZVS pulsewidth modulated (PWM) full-bridge (FB) converter. Although it has a number of advantageous features, the ZVS T-type dc-dc converter is not well known among power electronic engineers, and the topology has thus been neglected. In this article, the operation of the dc-dc ZVS T-type converter is reviewed and contrasted to that of the conventional ZVS-PWM-FB dc-dc converter. Results obtained from prototypes of each converter topology are then presented, compared, and discussed, and conclusions about which converter is superior for particular applications are made.