International Journal of Management, Technology And Engineering ISSN NO : 2249-7455

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF MULTIPHASE

INTERLEAVED BUCK CONVERTER FOR HIGH STEP
DOWN VOLTAGE

P. Anand1 , N. C. Koushik2, R. Prabhu3

1,2,3 UG Student, Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering
Pragati Engineering College, Surampalem
anand.pvr9999@gmail.com1, nckrjy@gmail.com2, saiprabhu1408@gmail.com3

Abstract
This paper proposes a new interleaved buck converter (IBC) having low switching
losses and improved step-down conversion ratio, which is suitable for the applications
where the input voltage is high and the operating duty is below 50%. The proposed IBC
shows that since the voltage stress across all the active switches is half of the input
voltage before turn-on or after turn-off .when the operating duty is below 16%, the
capacitive discharging and switching losses can be reduced considerably. This allows the
proposed IBC to have higher efficiency and operate with higher switching frequency. In
addition, the proposed IBC has a higher step-down conversion ratio and a smaller output
current ripple compared with a conventional IBC. The Multiphase Modified Interleaved
Buck Converter (MIBC) has higher step-down conversion ratio and low voltage stress.
Interleaving technique reduces output current ripples and also increases the power ratings.
The converter design, modes of operation, and corresponding simulation results of the
proposed multiphase MIBC are presented in this paper. The performance analysis is
carried out for a multi-phase modified interleaved buck converter, four phase interleaved
buck converter and six phase interleaved buck converter.

Keywords: Multiphase Modified interleaved buck converter, low output current ripple,
high step down voltage, low voltage stress, automatic uniform current sharing technique.

1. Introduction
In recent years, the step — down direct current (dc) converters have received
increasing interests in high output current applications, such as voltage regulator modules
(VRMs) for computer central processing unit (CPU) boards, battery chargers, and
distributed power system1. DC-DC buck conversion is required in Renewable energy
sources based on photovoltaic and electric vehicle power conditioning to rivet the load
requirements2. In applications where non isolation, step down conversion ratio, and high
output current with low ripple are required, an interleaved buck converter (IBC) has
gained a lot of attention due to its structure and low control complexity. The use of much
higher number of phases in parallel together with digital control opens new possibilities
since changes in the technology are possible.
The interleaving technique allows the output slew rate of the buck- based current
source to be improved due to the existence of the paralleled inductors at the start of
discharge, buck conversion units are operated with out of phase control to transit the
current between the active power switches smoothly at zero voltage and adopting the
active clamp circuits3, energy trapped in the leakage inductance can be recovered and
voltage spike can be suppressed effectively. By replacing the conventional voltage source
bya renewable one and the circuit consisting of voltage divider circuit with closed loop
control will enhance its reliability, step down conversion ratio, reduces voltage stresses on
active switches and also provides good regulated output voltage. Literature represents the

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International Journal of Management, Technology And Engineering ISSN NO : 2249-7455

interleaved buck converters with switches in series along with coupling capacitors and
inductors for high conversion ratio and low switchinglosses4.

2. Modified Four Phase Interleaved Buck Converter

The circuit diagram of a modified four phase interleaved buck converter is
shown in Fig. 1. In conventional interleaved buck converter, switches are connected in
parallel and active switches suffer from the input voltage, hence, high voltage devices
rated above the input voltage should be applied.
High voltage rated devices are generally with poor characteristics such as high
cost, large on resistance, large voltage drop, severe reverse recovery etc. These limit the
switching frequency of the converter and impact the power density improvement. For
high input and low output voltage regulation applications, pursuing higher power density
and better dynamics, it is required operating at higher switching frequencies that will
increase both switching and conduction losses.

Fig.1:Simulink diagram of four phase interleaved buck converter.

3. Six Phase Interleaved Buck Converter

The proposed six phases modified interleaved buck converter shown in the fig 2.
achieves further reduced voltage stresses, increased conversion ratio and reduced output
voltage and its performance is compared with four phase interleaved buck converter and
conventional interleaved buck converter of two phase and three phase.
Multiphase interleaved buck converters have been used for a long time as voltage
regulation modules for microprocessors. In the multi-phase interleaved buck we are using
six MOSFETS in series along with the coupling capacitors. By using this six phase
interleaved buck converter we can step down the DC voltage up to 7V. But as we know
that all that electronic devices such as microprocessors, transistors, diodes, sensors etc.
requires a very low amount of voltage which is in between 5V-7V.
To overcome the above stated disadvantages we are proposing six phase interleaved buck
converter for high step down of DC voltage. The six phase interleaved buck converter is
capable to give low DC voltage which is up to 7V.

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International Journal of Management, Technology And Engineering ISSN NO : 2249-7455

3.1PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION OF PROPOSED

CONVERTER
To achieve high step down conversion ratio, the conventional six phase buck converter is
modified and an expanded six phase interleaved buck converter is proposed in addition
the proposed converter possess 2 N (N is an integer) multiphase extension capability,
which shows the following features:
 Low output current ripple.
 Automatic uniform current sharing of interleaved phases without extra circuitry.
 Reduces the input voltage as well as the switching voltage stresses
When the converter operates under the continuous conduction mode with the duty
cycle smaller than 0.166, then the automatic current sharing occurs. The function of the
DC blocking capacitors is to reduce the voltage stress on the switches and diodes and also
the output current is evenly distributed among the six phases. In the proposed converter
circuit, no two switches are turned on at a time, only one switch will be closed at a
particular duration and one goes off when the other switch is turned on.
To analyse the steady state characteristics of the proposed converter, some conditions are
assumed as:
Duty cycle D < 0.166 in continuous conduction mode(CCM) operation to achieve
automatic current sharing among six phases and high step down conversion ratios.
All the components used in this converter are ideal.
The blocking capacitors are identical and large enough to make voltage across them
constant without voltage ripples.

Fig.2: Diagram for six phase interleaved buck converter.

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International Journal of Management, Technology And Engineering ISSN NO : 2249-7455

3.2 Modes of Operation

Mode 1:
In this mode the switch S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, are opened and the switch S1 is turned
on. At the same time, the diode D1 is turned off, but the diodes D2 , D3, D4, D5, and D6
are turned on. The currents iL2 ,iL3, iL4,iL5 and iL6 are freewheeling through to the diodes D2,
D3, D4, D5 and D6 respectively , this makes the inductor demagnetized. The input
voltage appears across the capacitor C1, the inductor L1,and the output load this charges
the capacitor C1 and the inductor L1 is magnetized. Therefore the voltage across S2 is
Vin –VC2, on S3 is VC2 – VC3, on S4 is VC3-VC4, on S5 is VC4 – VC5, and on S6 is clamped
at Vc5 the voltage across the diode D1, VD1 is given by VIN-VC1.
Mode 2, 4,6,8,10,12:
In this stage all the switches are turned off, the inductors L1, L2, L3, L4, L5 and
L6 are demagnetized because the inductors currents iL1, iL2 , iL3, iL4, iL5 and iL6 freewheeling
through the diodes D1, D2, D3,D4,D5 and D6 respectively. Hence the voltage across the
switch S1 is Vin-VC1 , on the switch S2 is VC1-VC2, on S3 is VC2 – VC3, on S4 is VC3-VC4,
on S5 is VC4 – VC5, and on S6 is clamped at VC5
Mode3:
In this stage switch S2 is turned on and the remaining are turned off. The
capacitor C1 releases the energy to the capacitor C2, inductor L2 and the load, this
charges the capacitor C2 and the inductor L2 is magnetized. The diode D2 is turned off,
but the remaining diodes are turned off. The currents iL1 ,iL3, iL4,iL5 and iL6 are freewheeling
through to the diodes D1, D3, D4, D5 and D6 respectively , this makes the inductor
demagnetized.
Mode 5:
In this stage switch S3 is turned on and the remaining are turned off. The
capacitor C2 releases the energy to the capacitor C3, inductor L3 and the load, this
charges the capacitor C3 and the inductor L3 is magnetized. The diode D3 is turned off,
but the remaining diodes are turned off. The currents iL1 ,iL2, iL4,iL5 and iL6 are freewheeling
through to the diodes D1, D2, D4, D5 and D6 respectively , this makes the inductor
demagnetized.
Mode 7:
In this stage switch S4 is turned on and the remaining are turned off. The
capacitor C3 releases the energy to the capacitor C4, inductor L4 and the load, this
charges the capacitor C4 and the inductor L4 is magnetized. The diode D4 is turned off,
but the remaining diodes are turned off. The currents iL1 ,iL2, iL3,iL5 and iL6 are freewheeling
through to the diodes D1, D2, D3, D5 and D6 respectively, this makes the inductor
demagnetized.
Mode 9:
In this stage switch S5 is turned on and the remaining are turned off. The
capacitor C4 releases the energy to the capacitor C5, inductor L5 and the load, this
charges the capacitor C5 and the inductor L5 is magnetized. The diode D5 is turned off,
but the remaining diodes are turned off. The currents iL1 ,iL2, iL3,iL4 and iL6 are freewheeling
through to the diodes D1, D2, D3, D4 and D6 respectively , this makes the inductor
demagnetized.
Mode 11:
In this stage switch S6 is turned on and the remaining are turned off. The
capacitor C5 releases the energy to the capacitor C6, inductor L6 and the load, this
charges the capacitor C6 and the inductor L6 is magnetized. The diode D6 is turned off,

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International Journal of Management, Technology And Engineering ISSN NO : 2249-7455

but the remaining diodes are turned off. The currents iL1 ,iL2, iL3,iL4 and iL5 are freewheeling
through to the diodes D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5 respectively , this makes the inductor
demagnetized.

4. Simulation Results

Fig.3: voltage across mosfet for 4-phase

Fig.4: voltage across mosfet for 6-phase

Fig.5:Currents through inductor for 4-phase

Fig.6: Currents through inductor for 6-phase

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International Journal of Management, Technology And Engineering ISSN NO : 2249-7455

Fig.7:Output voltage waveform of 4-MIBC

Fig.8:Output voltage waveform of 6-MIBC

Table No.1:Comparision results of 4-phase MIBC & 6-Phase MIBC

Interleaved Buck Converter Four Phase Six Phase

Input voltage 200V 200V

Duty cycle 0.24 0.166

Switching frequency 65KHz 65KHz

Output Voltage 12V 7V

CONCLUSION
The operating principles, design and analysis of the proposed six phase
modified interleaved buck converter is discussed in detail. The presence of dc
blocking capacitors adds an advantage to the circuit by reducing the voltage stress on
the switches and diodes and thereby enables the use of low voltage rating MOSFETs.
The proposed circuit carries some of the merits like; automatic uniform current
sharing characteristic without any extra circuitry, the number of phases can be
expanded to reduce the inductor ripple current. The proposed circuit is investigated
using MATLAB simulink. From the simulation results, it is observed that the
proposed converter achieves high step down voltage, low voltage stress and low
inductor ripple current. The comparative analysis is presented for the proposed
converter with the modified four phases MIBC and six phases MIBC.

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