Zero-voltage and zero-current switching energy-recovery circuit for plasma display panel

A new zero-voltage and zero-current switching (ZVZCS) energy-recovery circuit (ERC) for a plasma display panel (PDP) is proposed. Since its auxiliary circuit is composed of 2 diodes and only 2 power switches compared with 8 diodes and 4 power switches of the prior circuit, it features a simpler structure, less mass, and lower cost of production. Furthermore, since all power switches are turned on or off under zero-voltage and zero-current switching, it has very desirable advantages such as a high efficiency, no serious EMI problem, and low switching losses, and the burden on the cooling system is reduced. In particular, since the current sources built in inductors compensates the plasma discharge current, it could solve the problem of the undesirable voltage drop, which enables the panel to light at lower voltage such as 140 V compared with about 165 V of the prior circuit. Therefore, this proposed circuit is expected to be well suited for the hang-on-the-wall PDP color TV.