TIDUFD2 May 2025
The dual active bridge has a variation of different control methods with several degrees of freedom. Two popular methods are the Single Phase Shift (SPS) method and the Extended Phase Shift (EPS). The SPS uses only external phase shift to control output power while EPS uses both external and internal phase shift.
In SPS control, primary side legs are switching with fixed 180 degree internal phase shift and the voltage formed on the primary side is +VDC or –VDC.
The single phase control is very simple and can be efficient for high load, but ZVS cannot be achieved on light loads and significant circulating currents across the inductor cause increased losses. The ZVS range can vary, depending on load and input/output voltage ratio.
To extend ZVS range and reduce circulating current, use the EPS control. The main difference for EPS is that the internal phase shift is not fixed to 180 degrees. By controlling the internal phase shift, the controller can apply three voltage levels: +VDC, 0, and –VDC, and manipulate the width of voltage pulses across the primary side of the inductor.
This approach can increase ZVS range and decrease circulating power, but adds control complexity due to two degrees of freedom for the controller.