Design and implementation of power factor corrected circuits without using inductor‐current sensors

Abstract This paper investigates the design and implementation of a new single‐phase sensorless power factor corrected (PFC) circuit. Here, the inductor‐current sensor and its sensing circuit are removed. As a result, the cost and volume of the PFC circuit are effectively reduced. Two different methods, including an inductor‐voltage estimation method and an inductor‐current estimation method, are proposed and compared. To improve the dynamic responses of the PFC circuit, predictive voltage control and predictive current control are implemented here. A digital signal processor, type TMS‐320F‐2808, manufactured by Texas Instruments, is used here as the control centre to execute the sensorless methods and control algorithms. A 400 W, 50 kHz switching frequency, single‐phase alternating current (AC) 110 V /DC 300 V PFC circuit is implemented. The measured results validate the feasibility and correctness of the proposed methods. This proposed sensorless PFC circuit can be widely applied in industry due to its simplicity.