AN ENERGY TRANSMISSION-SYSTEM FOR AN ARTIFICIAL-HEART USING LEAKAGE INDUCTANCE COMPENSATION OF TRANSCUTANEOUS TRANSFORMER

A power supply system using a transcutaneous transformer to power an a rtificial heart through intact skin has been designed and built. In or der to realize both high-voltage gain and minimum circulating current, compensation of leakage inductances on both sides of a transcutaneous transformer is proposed. A frequency region which realizes the robust ness against coupling coefficient and load variation is identified. In this region, the converter has inherent advantages such as zero-volta ge switching (ZVS) or zero-current switching (ZCS) of the switches, hi gh-voltage gain, minimum circulating current, and high efficiency.