Small Signal Analysis of LLC Current Resonant

Converters Using Equivalent Source Model

Yusuke Murakami,Terukazu Sato, Kimihiro Nishijima and Takashi Nabeshima
Department of Electrical Engineering
Oita University
Oita, Japan

Abstract— This paper presents small signal ac analysis of

LLC current resonant converter. Equivalent source model that
represents a switching element as an equivalent source having
averaged current and voltage is employed and described in
detail. From analysis, the transfer function of the switching
frequency to the output voltage of the converter becomes a
quadratic system. Resonant capacitor and inductor do not
affect directly to the small signal characteristics. However they
affect a dc gain and an internal resistance. The analysis (a) Basic circuit
method is confirmed by experiments, and experimental results
are relatively consistent with the analytical results.

Keywords— LLC current resonant converter, Small-signal

characteristic, Equivalent source model, Transfer function

I. INTRODUCTION
LLC resonant circuit was firstly developed by Tektronix,
Inc., in 1969 [1], and it was used as a power supply for an
oscilloscope. After that, it was used as a power supply for (b) Switching operation
TV by many manufacturers. Fig.1 LLC current resonant converter
It performs zero voltage switching (ZVS), and has
advantages of simple circuitry, high efficiency and low computer simulation is found in [6], [7]. However these
noise. However, applications that used LLC current resonant experimental results do not seem to agree with the
converter were limited because it has the disadvantage of theoretical ones.
narrow input voltage range as compared with PWM In order to obtain more precise result of the small signal
converters. This disadvantage was resolved since the power transfer function of the LLC current resonant converter, the
factor correction (PFC) converter appeared. The analysis method using the equivalent source model [8] is
combination of LLC current resonant converter and PFC proposed in this paper.
converter has been able to compensate for this disadvantage.
At present, LLC current resonant converters are widely used II. DERIVATION OF THE AVERAGED EQUIVARENT CIRCUIT
in numerous products such as the liquid crystal televisions,
A. Derivation of the current and voltage waveform
power supplies of the data center and so on.
The basic circuit of the LLC current resonant converter is
Analysis of steady state characteristic is necessary to
shown in Fig. 1. In the figure, Vi is input voltage, S1 and S2
estimate voltage conversion ratio and ripple rate of voltage
are switches, Cr is a resonant capacitor, Lr is a resonant
and current. Steady state analysis of LLC current resonant
inductor, n1 and n2 is the number of turns of the transformer,
converter is relatively easy and has been reported in many
nT=n1/n2 is the turns ratio of the transformer, D1 and D2 is
papers [2]-[4]. On the other hand, analysis of small signal
Diodes, C is output capacitor, R is load resistance, VO is
characteristic is necessary to guarantee the stability of the
output voltage, IO is output current, ir is resonant current, vx
system and to estimate transient performance. The stability
is switching node voltage, T is switching period and f is
analysis needs transfer function of switching frequency to
switching frequency.
output voltage. Therefore derivation of the small signal
The first harmonic approximation (FHA) method [9], [10]
transfer function of LLC current resonant converter has
is one of the methods of steady state analysis of the LLC
been tried by a number of researchers and engineers. The
current resonant converter. It considers only the
small signal equivalent circuit based on extended describing
fundamental component of the current and voltage in the
function is derived in [5]. Small signal analysis based on

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 circuit, and is simple compared to detailed analysis. The
FHA method is used for steady state analysis in this paper.
Fig. 2(a) shows an equivalent circuit for deriving a
fundamental component of the resonant current, ir. In the
figure, Lm is transformer magnetizing inductance, vx1 is first
harmonic wave of vx, ir1 is first harmonic wave of ir, iOAC is
instantaneous value of the load current, vOAC is instantaneous (a) First harmonic wave equivalent circuit
value of the load voltage, RAC is equivalent ac resistance as
seen from the transformer primary side. Since vx is a square
wave of Vi/2, vx1 becomes as follows.
2
vx1  Vi sin(t ) (1)

From equivalent circuit of Fig. 2(a), vOAC and ir1 are
obtained as,
1
vOAC  VOAC sin(t  1 ) (2)
2
1
i r1  I rm sin(t   2 ) (3)
2
where (b) Waveforms of voltages and current
2 K 1 R AC Fig. 2 FHA method
VOAC  Vi (4)
 R12  R 22
follows,
R1  RAC (1   ( Lr  Lm )Cr )
2
(5) 1 2
2
K1  K 2
2

I S1  I rm  Vi (15)
 2 R12  R 22
R2  Lm (1   2 Lr Cr ) (6) 2 2
1 2 K1  K 2
I S2  I rm  Vi  I S 1 . (16)
K1   2Cr Lm (7)   2
R R
2
1
2
2

The average value of the switch voltage, VS1 and VS2

R2
 1  tan 1 K 1 R AC  tan 1 (8) become:
R1 1
VS1  V S 2  Vi . (17)
2
2
K1  K 2
2
2
I rm  Vin (9)
 R12  R 22 C. The average current and voltage of diode
K2  Cr RAC (10) The sum of the average current of D1 and D2 is equal to the
K2 R output current. The average voltage of D1 and D2 is equal to
 2  tan1  tan1 2 . (11) the output voltage because average voltage of the
 K1 R1
transformer secondary is 0.
Root mean square value of VOAC and IOAC are expressed Therefore, the average current and voltage of the diodes
as, are represented by:
2 2 1 K 1 R AC
VOAC( RMS )  nT V O (12) V D1  V D 2  VO  Vi  KVi (18)
 2 R12  R22
I O
I OAC( RMS )  V O 2n T K1
(13) I D1  I D 2   Vi  GVi (19)
2 2 nT 2R  2 R  R 22
2
1
where VO is output dc voltage and Io is output dc current. where K and G is
From (12) and (13), we have K 1 R AC
1
2 2 K (20)
nT VO 2 R12  R 22
VOAC( RMS ) 8nT2 R
R AC     . (14)
I OAC( RMS ) I O 2 2n T K1
G (21)
2 2 nT  2
R  R 22
1
2

B. The average current and voltage of the switch From (18), VD is obtained as follows.
1

The resonant current flows in switch S1 and S2 during V  L L f2 1 f f  2
(22)
VD  VO  i (1  r  r 02 )  2 (  0 )2 
positive and negative half cycle, respectively. Therefore 2 Lm Lm f Q f0 f 
average current in S1, I S 1 and that in S2, I S 2 are obtained as where,

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 RAC
Q (23)
Z0
Lr
Z0  (24)
Cr
1
f0  . (25)
2 Lr Cr
Equation (22) is rewritten as:
1
V 2 2 Fig. 3 Equivalent circuit using norators
VO  A1  in  A3 
1
(26)
 4 
where,
Lr L f2
A1  1   r 02 (27)
Lm Lm f
f f
A2   0 (28)
f0 f
Fig. 4 Small signal equivalent circuit
4 2
A3  Z I A2 .2
0
2
0 (29)
64
Finally, we have equivalent circuit as shown in Fig. 3 using
norators that have the average current and voltage of
switches and diodes.

Fig. 5 Small signal equivalent circuit taking the ESR into account
III. DERIVATION OF THE EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT FOR A MINUTE
VARIATION OF CURRENT AND VOLTAGE

In Fig. 3, the average current and average voltage changes

for the variation of the switching frequency. Relational
equations between the output voltage and the switching
frequency are derived by the following procedure. Suppose Fig. 6 An equivalent circuit using voltage source and internal
a small perturbation of the switching frequency,f, occurs resistance
as:
f  f  f . I r  I S1  I S 2 . (36)
Then the minute perturbation of switch current, switch Substituting (30) into (36), we have
voltage and resonant current are obtained as follows: I r  0 . (37)
I S1  I S1  I S1 I S 2  I S 2  I S 2 VS1  VS1  VS1 Equation (37) indicates that Ir does not change even when
VS 2  VS 2  VS 2 I D1  I D1  I D1 I D 2  I D 2  I D 2 f changes. Appling this fact, small signal equivalent circuit
VD1  VD1  VD1 VD 2  VD 2  VD 2 I r  I r  I r . for the secondary side is derived as shown in Fig. 4.
From (15)-(19), following equations are obtained, Fig. 5 shows equivalent circuit that considers the
I S1 I equivalent series resistance (ESR) of transformer, rL, and
I S1  f  S 2 f  I S 2 (30) ESR of output capacitor, rC.
f f
Norator VD, is converted to equivalent voltage source and
VS1 V internal resistance as show in Fig. 6. Then Fig. 5 can be
VS1  f  S 2 f  VS 2  0 (31)
f f redrawn as Fig. 7, where g0 and r are as follows:
I D1 VD VD
I D1  f (32) g0  
f f f
I D 2 
3
I D 2  f (33) V  2 A2 2  2
f  in  A1  2  (38)
2  Q 
V
VD1  D1 f (34)  2f 2 f 2 L2 2 L 1 4 f 4 L2 
f   2 2  30 ( 2 r  r  2 )  50 2r 
VD1  Q f0 f Lm Lm Q f Lm 
VD 2  f (35)
f
.
Relation among Ir, IS1 and IS2 is

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 Fig. 7 Small signal equivalent circuit finally obtained for the
frequency analysis

Fig. 10 Experimental circuit

Table1 Using Device

Name Symbol Parameter
Input voltage Vi 48V
Output voltage Vo 25V～35V
Switching frequency f 100kHz
The minute fluctuations in the switching frequency Δf ±5kHz
Freqency range f min 50kHz
f max 150kHz
Resonant capasitor Cr 0.15μF
Fig. 8 LLC current resonant converter with a control circuit
Resonant inductor Lr 7.2μH
M agnetizing inductor Lm 60μH
Output capasitor C 560μF
Load resistance R 40Ωor160Ω

Fig. 9 Block diagram of the control system

IV. EXPERIMENTAL RESULT
1

V D VO A V 2  2
(39) A. Comparison of the analytical value and experimental one of g0
r    3  i  A3  .
I D I O A1 I O  4  and r
From Fig. 7, the small signal transfer function of the LLC current resonant converter with a control circuit is
perturbation of the switching frequency to output voltage is shown in Fig. 8. EA is an error amplifier. The error
obtained as follows: amplifier output is the input to the voltage controlled
s oscillator (VCO). The VCO output voltage is a square wave
(1  ) of duty ratio of 0.5. The frequency of the VCO output
VO ( s ) 2
 G0 . (40) voltage is determined by the input voltage of VCO; Vc.
f ( s ) s s2
1  2 ( ) Fig. 9 illustrates the block diagram of the control system
1 12 corresponding to Fig. 8. The transfer functions in the block
where diagram of the control system become as follows:
R Vo( s)
G0  g 0 (41) G(s) 
r  rL  R (46)
f ( s)
r  rL f ( s)
1 H 1 ( s)  (47)
1 R V C ( s)
1  (42)
CL m rC VC ( s)
1 H 2 ( s) 
R (48)
VO ( s)
1
2  (43) VC ( s)
CrC H 3 (s)  (49)
Vr ( s)
2
rC Z whereVC andVr are small perturbations of VC and Vr,
(rL  r )(1  )  rC  m

  R R respectively. The experimental circuit verifying the validity

(44)
rC r  rL of the proposed analysis method is shown in Fig. 10. The
2Z m (1  )(1  )
R R parameters of the devices in the experiments are listed in
Lm Table1.
Zm  (45)
C . Fig. 11 shows the characteristic of the output voltage
versus the switching freqency. The partial differential of the
output voltage to the switching frequency is g0 . Fig. 12
shows the characteristics of the dc gain, g0, versus the
switching frequency.

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 Fig. 14 Internal resistance r versus output current
Fig. 11 Output voltage versus switching frequency

Fig. 15 Output voltage versus output current using circuit simulator

Fig. 12 dc gain g0

Fig. 16 Internal resistance r versus output current

r using circuit simulator
Fig. 13 Output voltage versus output current
For these reasons, FHA method is an analysis method that
Analytical results in Fig. 11 and Fig.12 are obtained using focuses only on the fundamental wave component and loss
(22) and (38), respectively.They are relatively in good of circuits and harmonics have not been taken into
agreements with experimental ones. consideration. Therefore, deviation of the analytical and
Fig. 13 shows a characteristic of output current to the experimental values has occurred.
output voltage. The partial differential of output voltage to To obtain more precise value of internal resistance, r,
output current become internal resistance, r. Fig. 14 shows a circuit simulater(SPICE) is used. SPICE parameters are
characteristic of the internal resistance to output current. same value of the FHA method.
Analytical values of Fig. 13 and Fig.14 are obtained using Results are shown in Fig. 15 and Fig. 16. Result using
(26) and (39), respectively . FHA method is almost liner line, whereas that using SPICE
In Fig.13, analytical values and experimental values are is curve like experimental value. The value of r vibrates as
relatively in good agreement when switching frequency is output current varies. The vibration increase as switching
high. However, they do not match when switching frequency decrese.
frequency is low. In Fig.14, the analytical and experimental
waveforms do not fit at all.

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 R=40 (a) Gain

R=160 (b)Phase
(a) Gain Fig. 18 Bode plots of VO/f (Cr=0.15F or Cr=0.22F)

V. CONCRUTION
The small signal analysis of the LLC current resonant
converter by using the equivalent source model are
presented in this paper. Analytical and experimental results
are in good agreements, and the validity of the analysis
method is confirmed. As a result, the small signal transfer
function becomes second order system.
R=40 In particular, resonant capacitor and inductor do not
contribute directly to the small signal characteristics. It is
shown that they affect dc gain and internal resistance.
REFERENCE
[1] R.E. Andoews, “Converter circuit having a controlled output,” US
Patent, 3596165, 1969.
[2] G. Invensky, S. Bronshtein and A. Abramovitz, “Approximate
Analysis of Resonant LLC DC-DC Converter,” IEEE Trans. Power
Electron., vol. 26, no. 11, pp. 3274–3284, April 2011.
[3] B.Lu,W. Liu, Y.Liang, F.C.Lee, “Optimal Design Methodlogy for
R=160
LLC Resonant Converter” in Proc. IEEE APEC, 2006 pp. 533–538.
(b)Phase
Fig. 17 Bode plots of VO/f [4] R. Beiranvand, B. Rashidian, M. R. Zolghadri, S.M.H. Alavi, “A
design Procedure for Optimizing the LLC Resonant Converter as a
Wide Output Range Voltage Source” IEEE Trans. Power Electron.,
B. Frequency characteristics of VO/f vol. 27, no. 8, pp. 3749–3763, August 2012.
[5] C.H. Chang, E.C. Chang, H.L. Cheng, S.C. Liu, “Small Signal
Fig. 17 shows the small signal characteristic of the LLC Modeling of LLC Resonant Converters Based on Extended
current resonant converter when switching frequency is 100 Describing Function,”in Proc. IEEE IS3C , 2012, pp 365–368.
kHz. Analytical results agree with experimental ones. In the [6] J. Stahl, T.Hieke, C. Oder, T.Duerbaum, “Small Signal Analysis of
analysis, g0 is obtained by FHA method, while r is obtained the Resonant LLC Converter” in Proc.IEEE ECCE, 2013, pp 25–30.
by experiments. Small signal characteristic is close to a first [7] B. Yang, F.C. Lee, “Small Signal Analysis for LLC Resonant
Converter” CPES Seminar, 2003, pp144–149.
order system, however, actually it is a second order system
[8] H. Kobayashi, T. Nabeshima, “Handbook of Power Management
because the phase is below the -90 degree at high frequency. Circuits,” Singapore: Pan Stanford Publishing Pte.Ltd, 2016.
Fig. 18 shows small signal characteristic of LLC current [9] T. Duerbaum, “First harmonic approximation including design
resonant converter when value of resonant capacitor has constraints” in Proc. IEEE INTELEC, 1998, pp321–328
changed as Cr=0.15F to Cr=0.22F. The output voltage is [10] H. Huang, “FHA-Based Voltage Gain Function with Harmonic
fixed to 30V. From the result, the resonant capacitor does Compensation for LLC Resonant Converter” in Proc. IEEE APEC,
2010, pp1770–1777
not affect small signal characteristic because gain and phase
do not change for resonant frequency.

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