2012 International Symposium on Computer, Consumer and Control

Small Signal Modeling of LLC Resonant Converters Based on

Extended Describing Function

Chien-Hsuan Chang, En-Chih Chang, Chun-An Cheng, Hung-Liang Cheng and Sheng-Chang Lin
Department of Electrical Engineering,
I-Shou University,
Kaohsiung 84001, Taiwan
e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract—Due to the advantages of low switching loss and high The state space average method [5] is the most popular
efficiency, LLC resonant converters have been widely used. approach for modeling PWM converters. It provides simple
Based on the extended describing function concept, , the small- and accurate solution for up to half the switching frequency.
signal model of an LLC resonant converter is derived in this Unfortunately, since the natural frequency of a resonant
paper. The equivalent circuit of small-signal model is
converter is close to its switching frequency, this method
illustrated so that the corresponding frequency response can be
easily obtained by using IsSpice simulation. The well cannot be applied for modeling. The sample-data modeling
agreement with experimental measurements has verified the approach was proposed in [6] as a systematic method for
accuracy of the derived small-signal model. modeling resonant converters. However, it is solved in the
numerical form and is difficult to apply for the compensator
Keywords- LLC Resonant Converter; Small Signal Model; design. A small-signal modeling approach based on
Extended Describing Function extended describing function (EDF) [7] concept has been
applied to SRC, PRC and SPRC [1], [3].
I. INTRODUCTION This paper will derive the small-signal model of an LLC
The power switches of traditional pulse-width- resonant converter based on the EDF concept. The
modulation (PWM) dc-dc converters operate in hard corresponding Bode plots can be easily obtained from
switching, which results in high switching loss and IsSpice simulation of the equivalent circuit model. The
electromagnetic interference issues. Numerous resonant accuracy of the derived model can be verified by comparing
converters [1]-[4], such as series resonant converter (SRC) with experimental results. This simple analytical model is
[1], parallel resonant converter (PRC) [1], series-parallel beneficial for the feedback compensator design of an LLC
resonant converter (SPRC) [2], [3], and LLC resonant resonant converter.
converter [4] are proposed to solve these problems. II. SMALL-SIGNAL MODELING
SRC provides satisfied efficiency, but it has the problem
of output voltage regulation at light load condition. Fig. 1 shows the schematic diagram of an LLC resonant
Although PRC has no light load regulation issue, its converter. In this section, the modeling procedure will be
circulating energy is much higher than SRC and impacts addressed step by step. For simplifying the derivation,
following conditions are made:
efficiency significantly. SPRC remains the advantages of
1) The amplitude of perturbation signal is very small,
SRC and PRC, which are smaller circulating energy and not
so sensitive to load change. However, the same as SRC and and its frequency is much lower than switching frequency.
PRC, SPRC requires operating at very high switching 2) The waveforms of resonant components will be
frequency to obtain extremely low output voltage. Therefore, regarded as sinusoidal.
with low output voltage operation, all of SRC, PRC, and 3) All switching components are ideal.
SPRC possess high circulating energy to lower their A. Nonlinear State Equation
efficiencies [4].
According to the circuit shown in Fig. 1, while power
At high input voltage or low output voltage operation, the switches S1 and S2 are conducting alternately, a symmetrical
LLC resonant converter has smaller circulating energy than
square waveform, vab can be obtained. Its magnitude, Vg
SRC, PRC and SPRC. Both the active switches of an LLC should be half the input voltage. Fig. 2 shows the equivalent
resonant converter can turn on with zero voltage switching circuit of an LLC resonant converter, in which Co is
(ZVS), and both the output rectifier diodes can turn off with equivalent output capacitance, r is the equivalent ESR, and
zero current switching (ZCS), which can result in higher Ri is equivalent load resistance seen in primary side.
conversion efficiency. Therefore, LLC resonant converters According to this equivalent circuit, the nonlinear state
have been widely used in the high power or high frequency equations are given by:
applications.

978-0-7695-4655-1/12 $26.00 © 2012 IEEE 361

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DOI 10.1109/IS3C.2012.99
 diLr di di
= ( Lrs − ω s iLrc ) sin ω s t + ( Lrc + ω s iLrs ) cos ω s t (3a)
dt dt dt
diLm di di
= ( Lms − ω s iLmc ) sin ω s t + ( Lmc + ω s i Lms ) cos ω s t (3b)
dt dt dt
dvCr dv dv
= ( Crs − ω s vCrc ) sin ω s t + ( Crc + ω s vCrs ) cos ω s t (3c)
dt dt dt

C. Extended Describing Function

Figure 1. Schematic diagram of an LLC resonant converter.
The nonlinear terms (vab, sgn(iLriLm), _iLriLm_ ig) in (1)
Cr Lr io
a can be approximated either by the fundamental components
_ +
+ vcr iLr Co vco
or by the dc components:
_ +
v ab ≈ f 1 ( v g , d ) sin ω s t (4a)
Vg
vab Lm Ri vo
r
-Vg _
iLm
sgn(iLr − iLm ) ⋅ vo ≈ f 2 (iLrs − iLms , vco ) sin ωs t
(4b)
b ΓΓΓΓΓΓΓ+ f 3 (iLrc − iLmc , vco ) cos ωs t
Figure 2. Equivalent circuit of an LLC resonant converter.
iLr − iLm ≈ f 4 (iLrs − iLms , iLrc − iLmc ) (4c)
di di
Lr Lr + vCr + Lm Lm = vab (1a) ig ≈ f 5 (iLrs , d ) (4d)
dt dt
These fk(∗,∗) in (4) are called extended describing functions
diLm
Lm = sgn(iLr − iLm ) ⋅ vo (1b) (EDFs) [7]. By applying Fourier expansions for the nonlinear
dt terms, their corresponding EDFs can be obtained as
following:
dvCr
Cr = iLr (1c) 4
dt f 1 ( v g , d ) = ⋅ sin(π ⋅ d ) ⋅ v g (5a)
π
§ r · dv 1
¨1 + ¸Co co + vco = iLr − iLm + io (1d) 4 i Lrs − iLms
© R¹ dt Ri f 2 (iLrs − iLms , vco ) = ⋅ vco (5b)
π ip
r ⋅ Ri Ri
vo = ( iLr − iLm + io ) + ⋅ vco (1e) 4 iLrc − iLmc
r + Ri Ri + r f 3 (iLrc − iLmc , vco ) = ⋅ vco (5c)
π ip
1 T vab (t )
ig = ³ iLr dt (1f)
T 0 vg 2
f 4 (i Lrs − i Lms , i Lrc − i Lmc ) = ⋅ip (5d)
where iLr, iLm, vCr, vco are state variables, and vo, ig are output
π
variables. In the LLC resonant converter, the output voltage 2
can be regulated by modulating switching frequency, s or f 5 (iLrs , d ) = ⋅ iLrs ⋅ sin(π ⋅ d ) (5e)
π
duty cycle, d. The operation point is determined by {vg, io, where
Ri, s, d}.
i p = (i Lrs − i Lms ) 2 + (i Lrc − i Lmc ) 2 (5f)
B. Harmonic Approximation
While the LLC resonant converter is operating in steady D. Harmonic Balance
state, the waveforms of resonant components are nearly
sinusoidal. The resonant currents iLr, iLm, and the resonant Because the frequency of small-signal perturbation is
voltage vCr, can be approximated by fundamental harmonics much lower than the switching frequency, the converter can
as following: be regarded as steady-state operation. By substituting (2)~(5)
into (1) and equating the coefficients of dc, sine, and cosine
iLr ≈ iLrs (t ) sin ω s t + iLrc (t ) cos ω s t (2a) terms, following equations can be obtained:
iLm ≈ iLms (t ) sin ω s t + iLmc (t ) cos ω s t (2b) § di ·
Lr ¨ Lrs − ω s i Lrc ¸ + v Crs
vCr ≈ vCrs (t ) sin ω s t + vCrc (t ) cos ω s t (2c) © dt ¹
(6a)
§ di · 4
The derivatives of iLr, iLm, and vCr are given by: + Lm ¨ Lms − ω s i Lmc ¸ = ⋅ sin(π ⋅ d )v g
© dt ¹ π

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 § di · § di · F. Perturbation and Linearization
Lr ¨ Lrc + ω s i Lrs ¸ + vCrc + Lm ¨ Lmc + ω s i Lms ¸ = 0 (6b)
© dt ¹ © dt ¹ By substituting v g = V g + vˆ g , io = 0 + iˆo , d = D + dˆ ,
ω s = Ω s + ωˆ s into (6), and by making linearization under the
§ di · 4 i −i
Lm ¨ Lms − ωsiLmc ¸ = ⋅ Lrs Lms ⋅ vco (6c) small-signal assumption, the following small-signal model
© dt ¹ π ip can be obtained:
§ di · 4 i −i diˆLrs diˆ
Lm ¨ Lmc + ωs i Lms ¸ = ⋅ Lrc Lmc ⋅ v co (6d) Lr = (Ω s Lr ) ⋅ iˆLrc + E1s ⋅ fˆS − vˆCrs − Lm Lms
© dt ¹ π ip dt dt (9a)
Γ
ΓΓΓΓ ˆ ˆ ˆ
+ (Ω s Lm ) ⋅ i Lmc + E 2 s ⋅ f S + Ed ⋅ d + K v ⋅ vˆ g
§ dv ·
Cr ¨ Crs − ωs vCrc ¸ = iLrs (6e)
© dt ¹ diˆLrc diˆ
Lr = −(Ω s Lr ) ⋅ iˆLrs − E1c ⋅ fˆS − vˆCrs − Lm Lmc
dt dt (9b)
§ dv ·
Cr ¨ Crc − ωs vCrs ¸ = iLrc (6f) ΓΓΓΓ ˆ
− (Ω s Lm ) ⋅ i Lms − E2 c ⋅ f S
ˆ
© dt ¹

§ diˆLms
r · dv 1 2 Lm = (Ω s Lm ) ⋅ iˆLmc + E 2 s ⋅ fˆS + 2 K s ⋅ vˆo
¨¨1 + ¸¸ ⋅ Co co + vco = i p + io (6g) dt (9c)
© Ri ¹ dt Ri π
ΓΓΓΓ + g pis (iˆLrs − iˆLms ) − g ps (iˆLrc − iˆLmc )
r ⋅ Ri §2 · Ri
vo = ¨ i p + io ¸ + ⋅ vco (6h) diˆLmc
r + Ri ©π ¹ Ri + r Lm = −(Ω s Lm ) ⋅ iˆLms − E2 c ⋅ fˆS + 2 K c ⋅ vˆo
dt (9d)
2
ig = ⋅ iLrs sin (π ⋅ d ) (6i) ΓΓΓΓ + g pic (iˆLrc − iˆLmc ) − g pc (iˆLrs − iˆLms )
π
dvˆCrs ˆ
E. Steady-State Solution Cr = i Lrs + G s ⋅ vˆCrc + J 1s ⋅ fˆS = iˆLrs + J s (9e)
dt
While the LLC resonant converter is operating in steady
state, the state variables in (6) are constant so that their dvˆCrc ˆ
Cr = i Lrc − G s ⋅ vˆCrs − J 1c ⋅ fˆS = iˆLrc − J c (9f)
derivatives should be zero. By giving a operating point with dt
{Vg, Io, Ri, Ωs, D}, the steady-state solution can be obtained.
Assuming the converter has no loss and the duty ratio, D is dvˆ co R
Co = ( i )⋅
0.5, the voltage transfer function of frequency control is dt Ri + r
given by: (9g)
ª ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ 1 ˆ º
Vo « K s (i Lrs − i Lms ) + K c (i Lrc − i Lmc ) − v co + io »
ˆ
M ( fS ) = ¬ Ri ¼
Vin
ˆ
where the variables { v̂ g , f S , d̂ , iˆo } are called the small-
1 (7)
= signal perturbations of input voltage, switching frequency,
2
§ f · 1 f A f duty ratio and output current, respectively. The small-signal
2n ⋅ (1 + A) 2 ¨¨1 − ( L ) 2 ¸¸ + 2 ( S − L )2
© f S ¹ QL f L 1 + A fS model of the output rectifier circuit is expressed as:
where the inductor ratio, A, the main resonant frequency, fH,
the second resonant frequency, fL, and the load quality factor, vˆo = (
Ri ⋅ r
Ri + r
[
) ⋅ K s (iˆLrs − iˆLms ) + K c (iˆLrc − iˆLmc ) + iˆo ]
QL are defined as following: (9h)
Ri
A = Lr Lm (8a) + vˆ co
Ri + r
ωH 1 2
fH = = (8b) iˆg = ⋅ iˆLrs sin (π ⋅ d ) (9i)
2π 2π Lr ⋅ Cr π

ωL 1 G. Equivalent Circuit Model

fL = = (8c)
2π 2π ( Lr + Lm ) ⋅ Cr Since (9) is a linear state equation, the corresponding
equivalent circuit of small-signal model can be illustrated as
shown in Fig. 3. The left part of this circuit is the part of
Cr
QL = Ri × = Ri ⋅ 2πf L ⋅C r (8d) resonant tank, which is the realization of (9a) ~ (9g).
Lr + Lm Similarly, the right part is the part of output rectifier and is
realized from (9h) and (9i). The equivalent circuit contains
several dependent voltage and current sources. They are

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controlled by the sine and cosine components of the resonant IV. CONCLUSION
current, iLr and the magnetic current, iLm. Based on this The small-signal model of an LLC resonant converter is
circuit model, the Bode plot can be easily obtained from derived based on EDF concept in this paper. The equivalent
circuit simulation program, such as IsSpice. Notice that the circuit mode is illustrated so that the corresponding Bode
parameters are defined in the appendix to simplify the plot can be easily obtained by using IsSpice simulation. The
drawing. well agreement with experimental measurements has verified
III. SIMULATED AND EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS the accuracy of the derived small-signal model. The accuracy
of this model is not restricted to the operating conditions
To verify the accuracy of the derived small-signal model, with high load quality factor. The simple analytical model is
an LLC resonant converter with the following component beneficial for the feedback compensator design of an LLC
parameters was built for experimental measurements: resonant converter.
Lr = 650 μH, Lm = 1.3 mH, Cr = 3.9 nF, ACKNOWLEDGMENT
n = 14, Co = 2200 μF, r = 60 m,
RL = 2.83 , fH = 100 kHz. This work was supported by the National Science
Council of Taiwan, Republic of China, under grant contract
By applying parameters above into the small-signal NSC 100-2221-E-214-006.
circuit model shown in Fig. 3, an IsSpice simulated Bode
plot of frequency-to-output transfer function is illustrated in REFERENCES
Fig. 4(a). Fig. 4(b) shows the experimental result which is [1] E. X. Yang, F. C. Lee, and M. M. Jovanovic, “Small-signal modeling
measured by a phase analyzer. Fig. 4(a) has well agreement of series and parallel resonant converters,” Proc. IEEE Applied Power
with Fig. 4(b), which verifies the feasibility and validity of Electronics Conference and Exposition, (APEC 92), Feb. 1992, pp.
785-792, doi: 10.1109/APEC.1992.228333.
modeling an LLC resonant converter based on EDF concept.
[2] A. K. S. Bhat, “Analysis and design of a series-parallel resonant
converter,” IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 8, issue 1,
Lr v̂Crs 2Ksvˆo 1993, pp. 1-11, doi: 10.1109/63.208493.
[3] E. X. Yang, F. C. Lee, and M. M. Jovanovic, “Small-signal modeling
(Ωs Lr ) ⋅ iˆLrc Js
of LCC resonant converter,” Proc. IEEE Power Electronics Specialist
Lm gpis
vˆin = Ed ⋅ dˆ + Kv ⋅ vˆg Conference (PESC 92), Jun. 1992, pp. 941-948, doi:
K s (iˆLrs − iˆLms ) Co
10.1109/PESC.1992.254782.
(Ωs Lm) ⋅ iˆLmc iˆo
E1s fˆs g ps (iˆLrc − iˆLmc) r Ri [4] B. Yang, “Topology investigation for front end DC/DC power
E2s fˆs Kc (iˆLrc − iˆLmc) conversion for distributed power system,” Ph. D. Dissertation, 2003.
[5] R. D. Middlebrook and S. Cuk, “A general unified approach to
(Ωs Lm ) ⋅ iˆLms modeling switching converter power stages,” Proc. IEEE Power
gpc(iˆLrs − iˆLms)
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E2c fˆs
[6] V. Vorperian and S. Cuk, “Small-signal analysis of resonant
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(Ωs Lr ) ⋅ iˆLrs v̂Crc 2Kc vˆo
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Figure 3. Equivalent circuit of the derived small-signal model. Dissertation, 1994.

Gain 2 -10 Phase APPENDIX

(dB) (degrees)
-2 -45 A. Parameters of Steady-State Solution
-6 -80
4 1 β ( 1 + Reβ )
Ve = ⋅ sin (π ⋅ d ) ⋅ V g Ri = 8n 2 RL π 2 = I 1s = Ve
-10 -115
π , Re
, α2 +β2 ,
-14 -150
α ( 1 + Reβ ) V αβ V −β2
-18 -185 I 1c = Ve I 2s = 2 e 2 ⋅ (β + ) I 2c = 2 e 2 ⋅ (α + )
α2 +β2 , α +β Lm Ω s
, α +β Lm Ω s
,
-22 -220
Gain α (1 + Re β ) 1 β (1 + Re β ) 1
-26 -255 V1s = Ve V1c = − Ve
-30
Phase
-290
α2 + β2 Cr Ω s
, α2 + β2 Cr Ω s
, β = Re (Ω s Lm ) 2 ,
100 Frequency (Hz) 10k 100k
1k
(a) Simulated §
α = ¨¨
1 ·
(
− Ω s Lr ¸¸ 1 + Re Ω s Lm − Ω s L m
2 2 2
)
I p = ( I 1s − I 2 s ) 2 + ( I 1c − I 2 c ) 2
, © Ω s Cr ¹ .
B. Parameters of the Equivalent Circuit Model
E 1 s = ω 0 L r I 1c , E2 s = ω0 Lm I 2 c , E1c = ω0 Lr I1s , E2 c = ω0 Lm I 2 s ,
2( I 1s − I 2 s ) 2( I1c − I 2 c ) αβ
Ks = Kc = g ps = g pc =
π ⋅Ip π ⋅Ip Re (α 2 + β 2 )
, , ,
2
1 § 1 ·
Re β ( 2
− Lr Ω s ) β ¨¨ Lm Ω s − + Lr Ω s ¸¸
Cr Ω s © Cr Ω s ¹
= =
g pis
α2 +β2 ,
g pic
α2 +β2 ( ) .
Figure 4. (a) Simulated, and (b) experimental Bode plots of frequency-to-
output transfer function.

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