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This paper discusses the major issues that exist in the single-stage ac/dc converters with power factor correction (PFC) and presents a novel converter based on a quasi-active PFC scheme. Two additional windings wound in the transformer of a conventional dc/dc flyback converter are used to drive and achieve continuous current mode operation of an input inductor. In addition, direct energy transfer paths are provided through the additional windings to improve the conversion efficiency and to reduce the dc bus capacitor voltage below 450 V for universal line applications. The proposed converter can be easily designed to comply with IEC 61000-3-2 Class D requirement and to achieve fast output voltage regulation. By properly tuning the converter parameters, a good tradeoff between efficiency, dc bus capacitor voltage stress, and harmonic content can be achieved. Operating principles, analysis, and experimental results of the proposed method are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This letter presents a novel ac/dc converter based on a quasi-active power factor correction (PFC) scheme. In the proposed circuit, the power factor is improved by using an auxiliary winding coupled to the transformer of a cascade dc/dc flyback converter. The auxiliary winding is placed between the input rectifier and the low-frequency filter capacitor to serve as a magnetic switch to drive an input inductor. Since the dc/dc converter is operated at high-switching frequency, the auxiliary windings produce a high frequency pulsating source such that the input current conduction angle is significantly lengthened and the input current harmonics is reduced. It eliminates the use of active switch and control circuit for PFC, which results in lower cost and higher efficiency. In order to achieve low harmonic content, the input inductor is designed to operate in discontinuous current mode. Operating principles, analysis, and experimental results of the proposed method are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]