engineering

Resonant converter

Resonant converter is a engineering topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Resonant converter rather than just read about it. In short: A resonant converter is a type of electric power converter, typically AC-to-DC or DC-to-DC, that is based around a circuit tuned to resonate at a specific frequency, called a resonant tank. As this circuit typically consists of two inductors and a capacitor, they are also referred to as LLC resonant converters.

Key takeaways

Resonant converter belongs to engineering; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Resonant converter to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Resonant converter from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

A resonant converter is a type of electric power converter, typically AC-to-DC or DC-to-DC, that is based around a circuit tuned to resonate at a specific frequency, called a resonant tank. As this circuit typically consists of two inductors and a capacitor, they are also referred to as LLC resonant converters. This resonant circuit is powered by the input, made to oscillate by a switching circuit, and one of the inductors is either part of or connected to a transformer, which magnetically couples to the output. The use of a resonant circuit allows higher switching frequencies (in the hundreds of kHz) than a typical switched-mode power supply (typically under 100 kHz), which result in several advantages. The high frequency results in reduced switching losses and therefore an increase in conversion efficiency (nearing 98%), and a reduction in component size and in the amount of electrical noise generated. This means they can be smaller, lighter and more efficient than a comparable switching supply, and they find use in applications requiring large amounts of power. Since the 2000s they have found applications in power demanding applications such as electric vehicle chargers, power conversion for solar energy, and hydrogen hydrolysis, as well as power supplies for consumer electronics where there is a high power requirement or a space constraint. There are multiple types of resonant converter, depending on the topology and the switching method:

Series resonant converter Parallel resonant converter Class E resonant converter Class E resonant rectifier Zero-voltage switching resonant converter Zero-current switching resonant converter Two-quadrant ZVS resonant converter Resonant DC-link inverter

See also Inverter Switched-mode power supply

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Resonant converter

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Resonant converter claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In engineering, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Resonant converter before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Resonant converter ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Resonant converter

In research: Resonant converter appears in engineering research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Resonant converter in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Resonant converter is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Electrical engineering, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Resonant converter outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Resonant converter in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Resonant converter means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Resonant converter out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Resonant converter in simple terms?

Why does Resonant converter matter?

Because it connects several engineering ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Resonant converter?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Resonant converter.