Bidirectional flyback converter with multiple series connected outputs for high voltage capacitive charge and discharge applications

This paper evaluates two different implementations of a bidirectional flyback converter for driving a capacitive electro active actuator, which must be charged and discharged from 0 V to 2.5 kV DC and vice versa, supplied from a 24 V battery. In one implementation, a high voltage MOSFET (4 kV) in series with a high voltage blocking diode is added, in parallel with a high voltage freewheeling diode of a conventional flyback topology, to enable bidirectional operation. Experimental result from a digitally controlled bidirectional flyback converter shows that the discharge energy efficiency is limited by the parasitics of the high voltage active components, which also prevent full utilization of valley switching during discharge process. A second implementation is therefore proposed, where the secondary of flyback transformer winding is split into multiple windings which are connected in series by lower voltage rating MOSFETs driven by a gate drive transformer. Simulation results to compare the operation of conventional and proposed converters are provided. The advantages of proposed implementation are improved energy efficiency and lower cost. Experimental results with two series connected secondary windings are provided to validate the proposed implementation.