CURRENT WAVEFORM DISTORTION IN

POWER FACTOR CORRECTION CIRCUITS EMPLOYING

DISCONTINUOUS-MODE BOOST CONVERTERS

Kwang-Hwa Liu and Yung-Lin Lin

ITT PowerSystems Corp.

Tucson, Arizona 85706

ABSTRACT A partial power processing PFC circuit is typically

implemented by employing a boost converter, as shown in
For active power factor correction circuits
employing discontinuous -mode boost converters, the Fig. 2 . Although incapable of providing an isolation option
line current will automatically follow the sinusoidal line and full control over the input power flow, a partial power
voltage waveform. However, due to the modulation of the processing PFC circuit normally achieves very high
input inductor current discharging time, there is certain efficiency, well in excess of 90%, since it has only to step up
distortion in the ac line current waveform. It is found the rectified ac voltage to the higher output dc (bus) voltage.
that the modulation of inductor current discharging time
is a function o f the line voltuge and the output voltage of
the boost converter. For practical design considerations,
the waveform distortion and the maximum power factor
achievable are derived and presented in a graph form as
jknctions of the ratio of line voltage to output voltage.
I I
I
I. INTRODUCTION
I
I 4 I

Most switching-mode power supplies use a peak I I

rectifying circuit to derive raw dc voltage from the utility ac

lines. This simple peak rectifying circuit draws power only
in small conduction angles, therefore, its input power factor
is poor, typically less than 0.65. The poor input
power factor and high r.m.s. value in the input current can
significantly degrade an ac power line from its full power Fig. 1 Power factor correction circuit with toal
capacity . power processing.
To correct the poor power factor and reduce high
harmonic current contents, passive circuits (using only
resistors, capacitors, and inductors) or active circuits
(typically switching-mode power conditioning circuits) can 1: DO

be used. In general, active circuit methods are more

efficient, lighter in weight, and less expensive than passive
circuit methods.
An active power factor correction (PFC) circuit can
process either total input power, or just a portion of input
power. Total power processing, typically achieved by using a
flyback converter as shown in Fig. I, provides the
advantages of full control over the input power flow and the CONTROLLE R

option of adding an isolation transformer. However, full

control of input power flow is achieved with a penalty of
higher power loss, and overall circuit efficiency is generally
much lower than that of a partial power processing PFC Fig. 2 Power factor correction circuit employing a
circuit. boost converter

825

CH2721-9/89/0000-0825 51.00 0 1989 IEEE

 There are two major approaches in implementing PFC Another point of caution is the input current waveform
circuits using boost converters: the multiplier achieved by using the voltage-follower approach is not
approach and the voltage-follower approach. The multiplier always purely sinusoidal. The input current will contain
approach operates the boost converter in certain distortion due to the modulation of inductor current
continuous mode, in which the input inductor current is dischargin time. This waveform distortion is found to be a
continuous and the current ripple is small compared with the function of the ratio of the peak line voltage to the output
line current. The input inductor current is constantly volta e of the PFC circuit. The cause and degree of this
monitored and controlled to follow a sinusoidal reference waveform distortion and the maximum power factor
signal proportional to the rectified ac line voltage (see Fig. achievable are presented in the following sections.
3). To provide output voltage regulation, a multiplier
circuit is used to control the amplitude of the sinusoidal
current reference signal, Iref,in accordance with the output L: DO
voltage error signal, V,, as shown in Fig. 3.
The voltage-follower approach, as shown in Fig. 4,
operates the boost converter in discontinuous mode. The on-
time of a switching cycle is controlled by the output voltage
error signal, Ve, and is essentially constant over each ac line
cycle (rectified 60 Hz or 50 Hz). Since the peak value of
input inductor current is determined by

I + $
Ii = (Vi,. T o n ) / L i , where line voltage, Vin is sinusoidal ( V i , =
V,. sin ut), Ton and input inductance Li are
constant, the inductor current, Ii, will naturally follow the
sinusoidal line voltage waveform. Compared with the
multiplier approach, the voltage-follower approach provides PW M CONTROLLER
a simpler control scheme, requiring only one (voltage)
control loop to modulate the on-time. Many existing PWM
ICs for switching-mode power supplies can readily be used
as the controllers for voltage-follower PFC circuits.
Furthermore, operating a boost converter in discontinuous Fig. 4 Power factor correction circuit - the
mode avoids the output diode reverse recovery problem and
alleviates the high switching loss in continuous-mode voltage follower approach
operation.
One drawback of the voltage-follower PFC approach is
that its input inductor current has a pulsating triangular
waveform. The higher ripple current requires an additional
II. CURRENT WAVEFORM DISTORTION
filter capacitor (Ci,) be placed between the input rectifier and
the input inductor. The r.m.s. current through the power
switch is also higher than in the case of the multiplier In a voltage-follower PFC circuit, the on-time, Ton, is
approach, therefore, its conduction loss is higher. designed to change slowly and is almost constant over an ac
line cycle. Assuming sinusoidal input voltage Vin = Vm- sin
ut, the peak inductor current, Ipk, is determined as:

r - - - - -- - i
isens e
Where T is the period of a switching cycle, and D is the duty
cycle. As shown in Fig. 5. the peak inductor current follows
an envelope of k- V, . sin wt.
At the end of on-time, the inductor current is discharged
to the output and is reset by a voltage of
Vo-Vin, where Vo is the output voltage of the boost converter.
The discharge time, Td, is:

The ac line, in effect, sees an averaged inductor current

waveform due to the presence of the input capacitor, Ci,, and
stray line inductance, Ls.
(3)
+
Iin = Ion(aUe) Id(ave)

Fig.3 Power factor correction circuit - the Where f i n is the line current, IOn(ave) is the average of
multiplier approach inductor current during on-time, and Id( ave) is the average
of inductor current during discharge time. From Eq. (l),
826
 III. MAXIMUM POWER FACTOR
The power factor can be defined as the ratio of real
input power, Pi,,,to the product of input r.m.s. voltage,
VrmS, and input r.m.s. current, Zrms.From Eq. (6),

From Eq. (6), it can be seen that when a is small, line

current is almost sinusoidal. As Q approaches 1, line current
is more and more distorted. Figure 6 shows the
normalized line current waveforms as a function of cy.
1.2

1.1
1 1
1
I (9)
0.9

0.8

0.7
where z is defined as:
0.6

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2
The integrations in Eqs. (8) and 4 10) have been worked out
in the Appendix. The values o y and z can be
0.1
solved directly from Eqs. (A4) and (A7). Alternately, they can be solved
0
b
by integrating Eqs. (8 and (10) numerically. The power factor, PF, can
0 20 40 LO 80 100
be then o tained as a function of
Fig. 5 Znput inductor current waveform i n voltage a:

follower approach
1
sine
0.9 -
The power factor is plotted in Fig. 7 as a function of a.
I It can be seen that, when Q is less than 0.8, power factor is
2 (Y = 0.3 always better than 0.95. When Q exceeds 0.9, the power
0.8 - 3 = 0.5
(Y
factor deteriorates rapidly.
0.7 - 4 Cr = 0.8
0.6
A 400W power factor correction circuit using the
0.5 voltage-follower method has been implemented. Input line
0.4
voltage varies from 90 Vac to 265 Vac. Measured rectified
line current waveforms and inductor current waveforms are
0.3
shown in Fig. 8 for Q = 0.3, 0.5, 0.8, and 0.9. It can be seen
that while the line current waveform becomes more distorted
0.2 as Q increases, the envelop of the peak inductor current
0.1
essentially follows a sinusoidal waveform.
0
0 20 10 LO 80 100 I20 Id0 160 180

Fig. 6 Normalized line current waveform (a half cycle)

827
 1
IV. CONCLUSION
0.9 The active power factor correction circuit employing a
0.8
discontinuous-mode boost converter (the voltage-follower
approach) provides a simple, economical way of improving
b
0
0.7
the input power factor for most switching-mode power
0.6
supplies. However, due to the modulation of inductor
5 U
0.5
discharging time, the input current waveform contains a
P) 2 certain amount of distortion, causing the maximum power
0.4 factor achievable by using this approach to be less than unity.
a, 0.3
The degree of input current waveform distortion and the
0.2 maximum power factor achievable are found to be functions
0.1 of the ratio of peak line voltage to the output dc
I voltage. Numerical results are obtained and presented in a
0
0 0.2 0.4 06 0.8 graph form. It is shown that, if a (the ratio of peak line
voltage to the output DC voltage) is kept under 0.8, the
power factor is always better than 0.95. When a exceeds
0.90, the power factor starts to deteriorate rapidly.
Fig. 7 Power factor as a .function o f a

(b) a = 0.5
(a) (Y = 0.3

(d) a = 0.9
(c) a = 0.8
Measured current waveforms:
Fig. 8 upper traces - rectified lane current
lower traces - input inductor current

828
 -- 2 2az-1 . ]de
APPENDIX +%+ J;[
From Eq. (8): a.(l-a2) a a2( 1-a2) l-asin8
A sin28 =- 2
+ 2L + 2a2-1.2[.E- tan"(%)]
yEjo1-mine
a.(l-aZ) a2a'( 1-a2) fiZ
Expand the integrant:
(A71
T s i n 81
+
]de
Y = I, [ - r --
a2 a2(l -asin8) REFERENCES
The integral of the first two terms in the integrant is: [ l ] D. Chambers and D. Wang, "Dynamic power factor
correction in capacitor anput off line converters, "
Powercon 6, q y 1979
[2] S. B. Dewan, Optimum input and output filters for a
single - phase rectifier power supply," IEEE Trans. on
The integral of the third term is, from the integration tables Indust y Applications, May/June 1981
in Ref. (61: [3] M. Kocher and R. Steagerwald, "An a:, to de
converter with high quality input waveforms, IEEE PESC'
conference, June 1982
I;: [ ]de
[4/ R. ,Keller and G. Baker, "Unity power factor off line
smtching power supplies," IEEE INTELEC
az(l- asin8) conference, Nov. 1984
[5] B. Carsten, "High speed control of sinusoidal input
current converters for minimal energy storage
requirements," PCI conference, Sept. 1987
[6] W . Beyer, "CRC Standard Mathematical Tables,"
25th Editaon, CRC Press, Inc., 1978

Therefore
From Eq. (10):

Expand the integrant :

z= p[----121 + ]de

O a2 a21 -asin8a2(1-asinO)'
The integral of the third term is, from Ref. [6] :
 - -.1 -a case
a2 (l-a2)(1-asin8)
= -.-
1 2 a A
1
a2(1-a2) l-asind ] d e ('46)
a2 I-a2 + I, -*-[
Equation ( A 5 ) becomes:
z = -.1- 2 a +J"['-Ll
a2 1-a2 O a2 a2 l -asin8
+-. 1 ]de

a2(1-a2)l -asin8

829