Detailed Simulation and Loss Estimation of Active-Clamped ZVS Current-Fed Full-Bridge Isolated DC/DC Converter
Andras Futo, Attila Balogh, Zoltan Suto, Laszlo Stranyoczky Department of Automation and Applied Informatics Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME), Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics, Budapest, Hungary 2026-06-27

Abstract

Estimating losses and efficiency of power electronic converters requires accurate simulation models of all components. Detailed computer simulation involves determining inductor currents and capacitor voltages using a solver for ordinary differential equations. However, solvers do not work well if the system is complicated and has very small time constants caused by snubber circuits. In current-fed topologies this is often the case, and certain snubber circuits may not be easily eliminated as the circuit does not work without them even if all other components are considered ideal. Detailed simulation of such systems is not straight forward. Better results could be obtained by using a minimalistic model which uses ideal components and only contains the most important elements of the power circuit. Waveforms generated from such a model can then be further post-processed to generate the waveforms of real components and to calculate losses. This paper presents such a solution for an active-clamped ZVS current-fed full-bridge isolated DC/DC converter topology.

Key words: Simulation, Loss Estimation, Current-Fed

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