Selection Guide of SiC Schottky Diode in CCM PFC Applications

Focus:

In power supply applications of 300 W and above, power factor correction (PFC) boost converters typically operate in continuous conduction mode. In these applications, using a SiC Schottky diode instead of a silicon ultrafast recovery diode as the boost diode improves converter performance. But the process for selecting a SiC boost diode is different from that of selecting a silicon diode. Unlike the silicon diode, the SiC diode does not suffer reverse recovery energy loss. So the current rating on the SiC diode will be lower than that required of a silicon boost diode. In this article, a Mathcad file gives power supply designers step-by-step instructions on how to calculate power loss for a SiC Schottky boost diode for CCM PFC boost converters of different power levels.

What you’ll learn:

• How to calculate the power loss and necessary current rating of a SiC Schottky boost diode in CCM PFC boost converters
• How to replace a silicon boost diode with a SiC Schottky in CCM PFC boost converters

View the Source

Author & Publication:

Xu Huang, Cree, Vendor website, Aug 01 2006

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