Control and Electronic Systems Design

Assignment 3: Design of a Multivariable Control System

A single inductor multiple output DC-DC converter is a common topology used to develop DC power
supplies. The advantage of this topology over multiple single-input single-output power supplies is
that here a single inductor is shared across the outputs and the component count comes down. The
schematic of a two-output (SITO) converter is given below:

The main disadvantage of this topology is that if there is a load disturbance in one of the outputs,
the voltage at the other output channel also gets affected. This is known as the cross-regulation
effect. So the challenge is to design suitable controllers so that the cross-regulation effect is
minimized.

The tasks in this assignment are as follows:

1. Qualitatively explain the operation of the SITO converter (as shown in the figure above)
considering a standard pulse-width-modulation (PWM) switching scheme and derive the
steady-state relationships among the duty cycles (D0, D1, D2) and the output voltages (V1,
V2). Draw the timing waveforms of the duty cycles and corresponding inductor current and
output voltages. (This has to be done free-hand, without using simulation tools).
2. Design the power stage of the SITO converter to satisfy the following specifications: Input
Voltage: 4.8 V, Output V1=3.3 V; Output V2=1.2 V; Maximum Output Current in Channel 1 =
200 mA; Maximum Output Current in Channel 2 = 500 mA. Compute suitable values of all
passive components (namely, L, C1 and C2) with a PWM switching frequency of 500 kHz.
Consider all switches to be ideal at this point. Using a simulation tool, draw the current and
voltage waveforms under open-loop, steady state conditions.
3. Write down the differential equations governing the behaviour of the circuit under different
conditions of the switches (namely, ON and OFF). Considering that the switching is
sufficiently fast, such that the currents and voltages over each interval can be assumed to
vary in a linear fashion, derive the relations between the average values of these quantities.
4. Apply small-signal analysis and hence derive a linearized model of the system around a given
steady-state operating point. Obtain the transfer functions between the various inputs and
outputs of the system. Comment on the location of zeros and poles of each of the transfer
functions.
5. Propose a suitable control scheme to ensure voltage regulation within 2% of the nominal
values and a cross regulation of 1%. The settling time for the system is desired to be 0.2 ms.
The control scheme shown below is given as a guidance but you should feel free to propose
any other, including state feedback control.

6. Draw the Bode plots of the various control loops and confirm that all the loops have a
minimum phase margin of 55 degrees.
7. Design the complete control system using electronic components. Use appropriately sized
MOSFET devices for all the switches and simulate the system using a circuit simulator like
PSPICE/SIMPLIS/SABER. Suggest an implementation of the control system using analog
hardware or an embedded platform of your choice.
8. Provide simulation results for the complete system under the following conditions:
a. Load disturbance in output channel 1 from 100 mA to 200 mA and back to 100 mA
after 1 ms
b. Load disturbance in output channel 2 from 100 mA to 500 mA and back to 100 mA
after 1 ms
c. Line disturbance of a drop in the supply voltage from 4.8 V to 4.0 V.

(Ref: P. Patra, J. Ghosh and A. Patra, Control Scheme for Reduced Cross Regulation in Single-
Inductor Multiple-Output DC-DC Converters, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, Vol. 60
(11), pp. 5095-5104 (2013))