An LLC and LCL-T resonant tanks based topology for battery charger application

Abstract

To achieve the constant current (CC) and constant voltage (CV) charge of the lithium battery, the traditional LLC resonant converter requires the switching frequency varies in a wide range, which brings difficulty to the magnetic components design, and the system efficiency would also be degraded. In this article, a novel topology based on LLC and LCL-T resonant tanks is proposed to reduce the range of operating switching frequency. During the CC charge state, the proposed converter is operating with the LCL-T resonant tank, and it can be regarded as a current source, which provides constant charging current to the battery. During the CV charge state, the LCL-T resonant tank is bypassed and the structure of the proposed converter is modified to a traditional LLC resonant converter, and it is functioning as a CV source. Owing to the high accuracy of the CC and voltage sources, the required operating switching frequency range can be significantly reduced when compared with traditional LLC approaches. Operational principles and design guidelines for the proposed converter are described. Experiment and simulation results from a 180 W prototype are provided to validate the theoretical analysis.