A Bidirectional LLCL Resonant DC-DC Converter With Reduced Resonant Tank Currents and Reduced Voltage Stress of the Resonant Capacitor

In this paper, a bidirectional inductor-inductor-capacitor-inductor (LLCL) resonant dc-dc converter is presented. Compared with the conventional LLC, a parallel-connected inductors structure is employed into the resonant tank. By virtue of this unique resonant tank, LLCL exhibits the following desirable features: 1) good voltage gain regulation capability in bidirectional power flow applications; 2) zero-voltage-switching turn-on of the power switches in a wide load range; 3) compared with the other bidirectional LLC-type resonant converters, lower resonant tank currents and lower resonant capacitor voltage stress are achieved under the same working conditions. The topology derivation and operating principles of LLCL are shown, and the vital characteristics of LLCL are especially discussed. Moreover, based on battery applications in energy storage systems, in order to make the voltage gain range of LLCL meet the requirements while minimizing the resonant tank currents, a parameter design method is conducted. Finally, a 500-W prototype is established to verify the operating principles and design effects of the proposed converter.