Advantage of ZVS (Zero-Voltage Switching) Technology
In simple terms, zero-voltage switching can be described as the power to the device is turned off or on only when the output voltage is zero volts. This technique functions on pulse width modulation-based (PWM) operations like most other contemporary switching voltage regulators. But the ZVS operation comes into play due to an additional separate phase to the PWM timing.
With zero-voltage switching, the voltage regulator can engage in “soft switching,” which help avoid switching losses that are normally seen during conventional PWN operations. When you turn to soft switching, the voltage drops to zero instead of just minimum before the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFET) is turned off or on, which helps eliminate any overlap between current and voltage. This helps minimize losses. Another advantage with soft switching is that these waveforms minimize electromagnetic interference (EMI).
Using this technique, zero-voltage switching can effectively reduce losses and this technique can be applied to create the most power-conversion designs. This technique is, however, most beneficial to those operating using high-voltage inputs. Using ZVS, you can see significant improvements in efficiency using high voltage compared to their equivalents that use PWN-controlled techniques.
Another advantage is that this technology uses lower-voltage rating switches, which allows engineers to use other components with higher characteristics such as lower driving currents, higher energy density, and lower conduction losses.
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