Two‐switch flyback PWM DC–DC converter in discontinuous‐conduction mode

The two‐switch flyback DC–DC converter is an extended version of the conventional single‐switch flyback converter. An additional switch and two clamping diodes serve as a simple, but an effective way to limit the switch overvoltages, which occur in the conventional single‐switch flyback converter due to the ringing of the resonant circuit formed by the transformer leakage inductance and the transistor output capacitance. The clamping diodes in the two‐switch flyback topology clamp the maximum voltage across each switch equal to the DC input voltage. This paper presents a detailed analysis and design procedure of the diode‐clamped two‐switch flyback converter operated in discontinuous‐conduction mode (DCM). A comparison of power losses of the two‐switch and the single‐switch flyback converters is given. The two‐switch flyback converter was bread‐boarded to validate the theoretical analysis. Experimental results from a 20‐V/30‐W, 100‐kHz laboratory prototype verified that the maximum switch voltage is limited to the DC input voltage. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.