KF-based estimation of diode turn-off power loss using datasheet information

In this Letter, an effective method for estimation of turn-off power losses of power diodes using datasheet information is proposed. An effective regression method with non-linear least-squares algorithm is used to obtain approximate representations of the reverse-recovery charge and softness factor of the diode using datasheet information. Kalman Filter (KF) algorithm is then used to accurately acquire the value of diode forward current at the turn-off instant. Finally, the obtained information is used to estimate the turn-off power losses with simple calculations, based on approximated reverse-recovery equations. Despite the simplicity of the proposed technique, the results demonstrate that the estimation error does not exceed 4% in the worst case.