Lecture 3a

Analysis of a buck converter

• Basic operating principles
• Small ripple approximation
• Steady-state analysis and waveforms
• Calculation of ripple in iL and vc
 Schematic and basic principles of operation
iin

qA +
Vin S1
+ vL _ Io
A
+ L +
D D iL C
1
vA iC Vo
RL
_ _

qA(t)
1 • S1 ON D1 reverse biased, and OFF
• When S1 is turned OFF, inductor current
0 T forces D1 to conduct
ON
TS t
• Average of the switching waveform vA
vA(t)
controlled by duty-ratio control to
Vin
regulate output voltage
• LC filter removes high frequency content in vA
0 t
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 Input-output voltage relationship
iin qA(t)
1
qA +
Vin S1 0 T
+ vL _ Io ON
TS t
A vA(t)
+ L +
D D1 iL C Vin
vA iC Vo
RL
_ _ 0 t

1 TS V0
vA   v A t  dt  D Vin
TS 0 Vin

Vo  v A since, vL = 0  DVin

Vo Input-output
D relationship for
Vin Buck converter 0 1 D
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 Equivalent circuits in different intervals
iin
qA 1 qA  D
qA + 0 DTs (1-D)Ts
Vin S1 Vin v A  DVin
vA
+ vL _ Io
0 t
A
+ L iL +
D D
1
vA iC Vo
_ _

Equivalent circuits

+ +
vA vA
_ _
Switch ON interval Switch OFF interval
D TS (1-D) TS

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 Small ripple approximation
vo ( t=
) Vo + vo,ripple ( t ) Peak-peak vo,ripple designed to be less than 1% of Vo

vo ( t ) ≈ Vo
vo (t ) vo (t )
5.025
5V 5.0 50mV
4.975
Vo = 5V
0
t t
• For resistive loads as considered here initially,

io ( t ) ≈ I o
i.e., the high frequency component of inductor current flows only in
the output capacitor, and negligible amount through the load

• Characteristics of practical loads such as processors can be quite different

Raja Ayyanar, ASU
 Buck converter – waveforms (CCM)
iin

qA + qA 1 qA  D
Vin S1 0 DTs (1-D)Ts t
+ vL _ Io vA
Vin v A  DVin
A 0
+ L iL +
D D
1
vA iC Vo Small ripple approximation
_ _
Vo
0
vL Vin-Vo
Equivalent circuits vL  0
0
+ vL _ + vL _ -Vo

Volt-sec balance across L

ON interval OFF interval Vin Vo  DTs Vo 1 DTs  0
Vo  DVin

Raja Ayyanar, ASU

 Buck converter – waveforms (CCM)
Small ripple approximation
qA + qA 1 qA  D
Vin S1 0 DTs (1-D)Ts t
+ vL _ Io Vin v A  DVin
vA
A 0
+ L iL +
D D Vin-Vo
1
vA iC Vo vL
vL  0
_ _ 0
t -Vo
iL ( t ) iL ( to ) + ∫ vL (τ ) dτ
= iL iL  I o
to Vin  Vo Vo
m1  m2 
1. ON interval 0 L L
V −V iC  0
vL (=
t ) Vin − Vo Slope of iL : m1 = in o iC 0
L
2. OFF interval iin
−Vo
vL ( t ) = − Vo Slope of iL : m2 = 0 t
L
3. Average of iL obtained by KCL at output node Instantaneous i obtained by KCL
C
(
iL = I o + ic = I o since ic = 0 )at output node i=t i t −I c () L () o

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 Input current
iin I
Io 
2
I
Io  iin  DI o
2
0

2 ways to calculate average input current

1. apply definition of CCA directly to above waveform
(may simplify above waveform by assuming iin to be
constant at Io during ON period)
2. Apply power balance principle
p in  avg vin iin   Vin iin  Po Vo I o
Vo
 iin  I o  DI o
Vin
Input current (same as switch current) is pulsating; normally, an input
side filter is required
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 Peak-peak ripple in inductor current
vL Vin-Vo

0
-Vo
iL Io
 I L Peak-peak ripple
in inductor current
di
L  vL 0
dt
Consider the TON interval Or consider the TOFF interval
 IL 1 
L 
 Vin Vo Vo  1  IL
DTS  D  L  Vo
1  D  S
T
Vo 1 D 

D Vo 1 D Ts
L
Vo 1 D TS  IL
L
 IL
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 Peak-peak ripple in capacitor voltage (ideal)
Based on capacitive impedance alone (ideal capacitor)
iC
Q 1 I L Ts 1
0
Vo  
C 2 2 2 C
vC I L
Vo 
Vo 8C f s

TS TS
iC 2 2  IL
2
0
Area  Q

dTS / 2 1 d TS / 2

Presence of capacitor ESR (equivalent series resistance) significantly changes

the capacitor ripple voltage magnitude and waveshape

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