The Case for Soft Switching in Four-Quadrant Power Converters

This article discusses the use of soft-switching techniques in isolated and non-isolated converters, showing that the new range of grid-connected applications require higher performance power conversion than traditional voltage source converters can provide. The article begins with a review of soft-switching techniques, discusses the challenges of achieving soft switching in four-quadrant converters, and shows the impact that soft switching can have on the next generation of multi-port converter applications, such as energy storage, photovoltaic (PV)/battery/grid systems, and microgrids.