Application Note

ONCORE TECHNICAL APPLICATION NOTE

Buck Switching Voltage Regulator Application

Abtract

This application note describes the Buck Switching Regulator that follows the
specification given by Engr. Daryl Vincent Cruzada and it contains the Ramp
Generator, Pulse Width Modulator Comparator, Power Stage, and Error Amplifier,
which are required for consructing switching regulator systems.

Introduction

Since the birth of voltage regulators with the breakthrough of Alessandro Volta in
1800, the voltage regulator has become a basic circuit required by the system for
optimal performance. Voltage regulation is a function that produces an output
voltage of constant value all the while ignoring the changes in line voltage, load
requirements, ambient temperature and other factors.

A voltage regulator is the preferred device to be utilized as a steady source of

voltage and regulate it. The fixed output voltage it produces maintains an ideally
constant value for any kind of changes in the input or outputs of the circuit. It has
the ability to act as a buffer to protect passive and active components from
overloading and irrepairable damage. It is also a simple feed- forward design and it
uses negative feedback control loops.

Voltage regulators that have been consistent through the years have reduced its
own complexity, improving reliability, and increasing the ease of maintencance to
get a simpler power supply design. Linear volage regulators have lead in the golden
age of regulator systems due to their excellent performance, trust-worthy reliability,
low external component count and relatively low cost.

Unfortunately, the Linear regulator has its own disadvantages like it only steps
down and produces high waste heat. This forces the user to use a more complex
system, such as the switching regulator called the Buck Switching Regulator.
Due to the technological advancements made through history, the switching-
regulators have proliferated and the emergence of the inexpensive, high-speed
switching power transistors, low-loss ferrites for inductor cores, and low-cost LSI
circuits containing all necessary control circuitry has significantly expanded the
range of switching regulator application.

Switching voltage regulator switches on and off rapidly to alter the output. It requires
a control oscillator and also charges storage components. In a switching regulator
with Pulse Rate Modulation varying frequency, constant duty cycle and noise
spectrum imposed by PRM vary; it is more difficult to filter out that noise.

A switching regulator with Pulse Width Modulation, constant frequency, varying duty
cycle, is efficient and easy to filter out noise. In a switching regulator, continuous
mode current through an inductor never drops to zero. It allows highest output power.
It gives better performance. In a switching regulator, discontinuous mode current
through the inductor drops to zero. It gives better performance when the output
current is low.

Figure 1: Example of Switching Regulator Circuit

Principle of Operation
 Figure 2: Block Diagram of the designed Buck Converter

Ramp Generator

A ramp generator is a function generator that increases its output voltage up to a

specific value, called a ramp. Among multitude of other uses, it is used in electrical
generators or electric motors to avoid joltswhen changing a load. Some ramp
generators present also the possibility to change the start-up and return flow time.

Comparator - Pulse Width Modulator

The many applications for pulse-width modulation include voltage regulation,

power-level control, and fan-speed control.

Analysis- Buck Converter Design: Power Stage

One of the objectives of designing the Voltage Regulator is to comply with the
following specifications:

 A voltage input of 9V - 32V

 A voltage output of 5V
 A current load of 2A

In finding for the Switching Frequency, D represents (Y) wherein:

 𝑉𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝐷=
𝑉𝑖𝑛

5𝑉
𝐷=
32 𝑉

Therefore, 𝐷 = 0.15625. – Duty Cycle

In ripple current,

𝐼𝑟𝑖𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑒 = 0.3 𝑥 𝐼𝑙𝑜𝑎𝑑 typical for medium to high frequencies

Equation 1: The basic topology of a simple buck converter.

For the design of the component values, the team followed the following steps.

Step One. Determine the Switching Frequency to be used.

In this step, the switching frequency is based on a commercially-available inductor

wherein 33uH is the inductor available in the market to be readily bought.
 Equation 2: The Formula for an Inductor

0.15625
5𝑉 ( )
Therefore, in 33𝑢𝐻 = 𝑥
, X = 39.457 kHz, which is the Switching
0.3(2)
Frequency (Fsw).

For the capacitor values, the team used the equation below.

Equation 3: The Formula for the change in voltage

The designer defined the ripple voltage as 50 mV while current ripple as 0.6 A.

But the equation still asks for ESR, C and ESL, which are multiple unknowns. The
reasonable approach here is to remove the terms that are not that significant. The
designer made approximations in this calculation.

Since ESL specification is usually not specified by the capacitor vendor, the designer
neglects this and set it as zero. However, it important to remember that as the Fsw is
increased, the ESL specification will become more important.

Meanwhile, ESR = 0.03 Ohms, which is selected from vendors catalog of SPS rated
capacitors.

Now, given that:

Ripple current = 0.6A

ESR = 0.03 Ohms
ESL = 0
 0.15625
𝛥𝑇 =
39.457 𝑘𝐻𝑧

𝜟𝑻 = 𝟑. 𝟗𝟔 𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒄

In selecting the capacitors in the output,

Equation 4: Change in Voltage

Through re -arranging:

Equation 5: Isolating C in Equation 00

Wherein,
(0.6 𝐴 𝑥 3.96 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑐 )
𝐶𝑜𝑢𝑡 =
50 𝑚𝑉 − (0.6𝐴 𝑥 0.03)
𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒕 = 𝟕𝟒. 𝟐𝟔 𝒖𝑭 − 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒎𝒖𝒎

The ESR dominates voltage ripple and the output capacitor selection. The ESL is
rarely specified by manufacturers and becomes significant at high frequencies. When
ESR requirement is met, the capacitor’s capacitance is usually adequate.

In selecting for the capacitor in the input,

Equation 6

The defined acceptable input ripple voltage is 200mV and the selected capacirtor
ESR value is 0.12 ohms.
 Equation 7
𝟑.𝟗𝟔𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒄
Therefore, C = 𝟐𝟎𝟎𝒎𝑽
−𝟎.𝟏𝟐 𝒐𝒉𝒎𝒔
𝟏𝑨

C = 49.5 uF

But for the consult catalog 470uF electrolytic capacitors meets ESR and capacitance
requirements.

The team then used 470uF – 50 V input capacitor.

In selecting the Diode to be used,

Equation 00: The Formula for Diode current

Therefore, ID = (1-0.15625)(2A)
ID = 1.6875 A

The team basically select 1N5822 Schottky diode since it meets the current
requirements with max rating of 3A.

A PMOS transistor– IRF9530 as replacement for IRF9540 and used a PMOSFET –

since it will simplify the design. Using NMOS of PMOS is also a possibility however,
the choice will depend on cost and complexity issues.
 Block Diagram – Initial Flow of the whole circuit

DESIGN OF THE CONTROLLER

Figure 3: Three op-amp circuit which produces both a triangular wave and a
variable pulse-width output.

First design that was configured: To test the functionality of the ERROR AMP
 Figure 4

This circuit is seen to be a linear voltage regulator. But as required, it is simply put
that the designer needs to make a PWM control for the PMOS, thus acting as a
switching voltage regulator.

The circuit gave a result which is an initial concept on how an ERROR Amplifier
works.

PREDESIGN STAGE: DESIGN FOR THE RAMP GENERATOR:

Figure 5
The ramp generator’s component was simulated through multisim. It gave us
desirable results (giving an output of a ramp as portrayed on the virtual oscilloscope.

Combining the principles of the Error Amp and the triangle wave generator: we were
able to combine both inputs to a comparator that gives a PWM output.

Final circuit design

Simulation results. – @ 2.5 Ohms
INPUT VOLTAGE OUTPUT
9 5.08 V
10 5.088 V
11 5.107 V
12 5.111 V
13 5.113 V
14 5.1 V
15 5.1 V
16 5.101 V
17 5.116 V
18 5.134 V
19 5.134 V
20 5.142 V
21 5.152 V
22 5.169 V
23 5.2 V
24 5.233 V
25 5.353 V
26 5.36 V
 27 5.338 V
28 5.342 V
29 5.534 V
30 5.542 v
31 5.587 V
32 5.598 V

VOLTAGE OUTPUT
5.7

5.6

5.5

5.4

5.3

5.2

5.1

5
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Load current stayed at 2 Ampere. At varying Loads, the output current also varies.
Load Current @ 2.5 Ohms
2.023
2.034
2.045
2.047
2.043
2.037
2.042
2.043
2.044
2.048
2.052
2.059
2.057
2.064
2.065
2.071
2.082
2.103
2.13
2.117
2.119
2.124
2.161
2.182
2.261
 Figures 5, 6, 7: Circuit, PWM output and Triangle Wave Output

Efficiency Calculation:
𝑷𝒐𝒖𝒕
𝒙 𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝑷𝒊𝒏
@ 2.5 Ohms load
@ max 32 V = Idc = 625 mA
Pin = 32 x 625 mA =
𝟏𝟎. 𝟓 𝑾
𝒙 𝟏𝟎𝟎 = 𝟓𝟐. 𝟓 %
𝟐𝟎 𝑾

@ 5 Ohms Load
@ 32 V – Idc = 250 mA

𝟓. 𝟑𝟐 𝑾
𝒙 𝟏𝟎𝟎 = 𝟔𝟔. 𝟓 %
𝟎. 𝟐𝟓𝟎(𝟑𝟐)

@ 10 Ohms Load
@ 32 V - Idc = 150 mA
𝟐. 𝟕𝟖 𝑾
𝒙 𝟏𝟎𝟎 = 𝟓𝟕. 𝟗𝟐 %
𝟎. 𝟏𝟓𝟎(𝟑𝟐)

Load Pin Pout Efficieny

2.5 R 0.625 A 10.5 W 52.5%
5R 0.250 A 5.32 W 66.5 %
10R 0.150 A 2.78 W 57.92%

CONCLUSION/ RECOMMENDATION/s:
The design of a switching regulator with the use of discrete components and Op-
Amps was then achieved. Reasonable equation estimations are sometimes handy when
dealing with multiple unknowns. It is also observed that at higher loads, the efficiency
becomes much higher, which is desirable when we are dealing with heat and power wasted.
This design is not perfect at all. The output voltage regulation can be further improved in
handling the output ripple voltage. For a simpler circuitry, one can use PWM ICs.

REFERENCES

https://www.elprocus.com/types-of-voltage-regulators-and-working-principle/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramp_generator
https://www.maximintegrated.com/en/app-notes/index.mvp/id/3201