A line-frequency-commutated rectifier complying with IEC 1000-3-2 standard

Consumer and household appliances require low-cost AC/DC power supplies complying with EMC standards. The commonly employed passive solutions are bulky and do not provide output voltage stabilization. Active solutions, based on power-factor correctors with high-frequency switching, provide compactness and regulation capability, but are generally expensive due to the need for fast-recovery diodes and complex EMI filters. This paper presents a high-power-factor rectifier, based on a modified conventional rectifier with passive L-C filter, which improves both the harmonic content of the input current and the power factor by means of a low-frequency-commutated switch and a small line-frequency transformer, and allows compliance with IEC 1000-3-2 standard with reduced overall inductive components´ volume