Minimization of energy losses into a PWM chopper

Abstract

This paper initially presents the results of the analysis of a non linear on/off control system which is capable of generating a pulse width modulation (PWM). This technique can be used to design PWM choppers that can be dedicated to regulate fluctuating power supplies (photovoltaic, wind turbines, etc.). However, since the PWM losses mainly depend on the switching frequency, thus, the determination of an optimal frequency is required. Indeed, on the one hand, we seek to operate at high frequencies to reduce the residual noise by filtering. On the other hand, there is a limitation of the switching frequency due to the physical switching elements properties. Therefore, a compromise has to be made in order to determine an optimal switching frequency that minimizes the switching power losses. The main objective of this work is to present a technique that enables to sizing the chopper parameters based on the minimizing of the switching losses. An illustrative example of the proposed technique for sizing a PWM chopper is presented.