60V, 4-Switch Synchronous Buck-Boost Controller Regulates

Voltage from Wide Ranging Inputs and Charges Batteries at

98.5% Efficiency at 100W+
Keith Szolusha

The LT®3791-1 is a 4-switch synchronous buck-boost DC/DC converter that regulates

both constant voltage and constant current at up to 98.5% efficiency using only a
single inductor. It can deliver well over a hundred watts and features a 60V input
and output rating, making it an ideal DC/DC voltage regulator and battery charger
when both step-up and step-down conversion is needed. In addition to the high
voltage, power and efficiency, it features short-circuit protection, a SYNC pin for
synchronization to an external clock, a CLKOUT pin for driving an external SYNC
pin or for parallel operation, OVLO (overvoltage lockout), SHORT output flag, C/10
detection and output flag for battery chargers, and a CCM pin for discontinuous or
continuous conduction mode. The inclusion of DCM (discontinuous conduction mode)
increases light load efficiency and prevents reverse current when it is undesirable.
120W, 24V 5A OUTPUT BUCK-BOOST operates from an input voltage range when there is a short circuit on the
VOLTAGE REGULATOR of 12V to 58V. Adjustable undervolt- output. It features DCM operation at
The buck-boost converter shown in age and overvoltage lockout protect light load for lowest power consump-
Figure 1 regulates 24V with 0A–5A load the circuit. It has short-circuit protec- tion and reverse current protection.
at up to 98.5% efficiency (Figure 2). It tion and the SHORT output flag indicates ROUT limits the output current during both

VIN 0.003Ω
12V TO Figure 1. 120W 24V 5A output buck-
58V 4.7µF
+ C1
VIN boost voltage regulator accepts a
INTVCC 100V 47µF
1µF 4.7µF 80V 12V–58V input
D1 D2
51Ω COUT
IVINN BST2 + 220µF
470nF 35V ROUT
0.1µF
IVINP ×2 7.5mΩ VOUT
BST1 24V
499k 499k 0.1µF 4.7µF 5A
TG1 M1 M4 50V
EN/UVLO ×2
SWI 715k
OVLO L1
BG1 M2 10µH M3
56.2k 27.4k INTVCC
13.7k
LT3791-1 SNSP
100k 200k
SHORT 0.004Ω LTspice IV
C/10 38.3k
circuits.linear.com/589
SNSN
CCM PGND
33nF
IVINMON
ISMON BG2
CLKOUT SW2
CTRL TG2
VREF ISP
18.7k 0.1µF PWM ISN
10k
100k FB
SS SYNC VC RT SGND

147k D1, D2: NXP BAT46WJ

33nF 1000pF 200kHz L1: COILCRAFT SER2915L-103KL 10µH
15k M1, M2: RENESAS RJK0651DPB 60Vds
M3, M4: RENESAS RJK0451DPB 40Vds
10nF C1: NIPPON CHEMICON EMZA800ADA470MJAOG
COUT: SUNCON 35HVT220M 35V 220µF ×2

22 | October 2012 : LT Journal of Analog Innovation

 design features

The LT3791-1 can regulate both constant voltage and constant current. Large
capacitive loads such as supercapacitors and batteries require constant current
charging until they are charged up to a termination voltage, at which point they
require constant voltage regulation. The LT3791-1 easily satisfies this requirement.

100 VIN = 14V

95 IIN = 8.87A
VOUT = 24V
90 IOUT = 5A
EFFICIENCY (%)

85

80

75

70
VIN = 12V
65 VIN = 24V
VIN = 54V
Figure 2. Efficiency and worst 60
case thermal results for the 24V 0 1 2 3 4 5
converter in Figure 1 LOAD CURRENT (A)

a short circuit and an overload situa-

tion, making this a robust application.

The 14V, 10A voltage regulator in Figure 3 VIN 0.002Ω

takes a slightly different approach. It runs 9V TO
36V + CIN2
CIN1 100µF
in CCM throughout its entire load cur- 470nF
51Ω
1µF
4.7µF 63V
499k 50V ×2
rent range 0A-10A to provide the lowest
EMI at light load. It is still very efficient. IVINP IVINN VIN INTVCC
4.7µF
EN/UVLO
The circuit retains short-circuit protection CCM D1 D2 10V
76.8k BST2
even though ROUT is replaced with a short.
0.1µF
The main switch sense resistor RSW limits C/10 BST1
VOUT
14V
0.1µF
the short-circuit current at a higher level IVINMON
TG1 M1 M4
COUT1 COUT2 10A
CLKOUT 4.7µF 270µF
than ROUT, but hiccup mode during short- ISMON SWI 50V 35V
L1 ×2 + ×2
circuit limits the power consumption of INTVCC
BG1 M2 3.3µH M3

the IC, maintaining a low temperature 200k LT3791-1 SNSP

100k
rise on the components during a short. SHORT SHORT 0.0025Ω

When DCM is not needed, ROUT may not 100k SNSN

VREF PGND 9.31k
be necessary and removing ROUT slightly
0.1µF PWM BG2
increases circuit efficiency. OVLO is tied CTRL SW2
M5 SS
to the output to limit the output voltage 22nF
TG2
FB
transient during a 10A to 0A transition. ISP
SYNC 499k
This protects both the output capacitors ISN
OVLO
and M3 and M4 switches from overvoltage. VC RT SGND
88.7k
D1, D2: NXP BAT46WJ
147k L1: COILCRAFT SER2915H-332L 3.3µH 48A
200kHz M1: RENESAS RJK0652DPB 60Vds
100pF 5.1k
M2: RENESAS RJK0651DPB 60Vds
10nF M3, M4: INFINEON BSC0904NSI 30Vds
M5: NXP NX7002AK
Figure 3. 140W (14V, 10A) CCM buck-boost voltage regulator with COUT2: SUNCON 35HVT270M
9V–56V input has output OVLO for transient protection. CIN2: NIPPON CHEMICON EMZA630ADA101MJAOG

October 2012 : LT Journal of Analog Innovation | 23

 VIN 0.003Ω
12V TO
58V 4.7µF
+ C1
Figure 4. Parallel LT3791-1s in a 240W application
51Ω 100V 47µF
470nF 1µF
499k 499k 80V

INTVCC1
IVINP IVINN VIN INTVCC
4.7µF
EN/UVLO CCM D1 D2 10V
OVLO 4.7µF
BST2 50V
56.2k 27.4k ×2
0.1µF
C/10 0.015Ω VOUT
BST1 24V
INTVCC1 0.1µF 10A
TG1 M1 M4 COUT1
220µF
PARALLEL CONVERTERS FOR HIGH
200k SWI
L1 51Ω 35V POWER USING CLKOUT AND SYNC
SHORT SHORT BG1 M2 10µH M3 + ×2
VREF The LT3791-1 has a CLKOUT output that
0.47µF
0.1µF PWM LT3791-1 SNSP
can be used to synchronize other con-
CTRL 0.004Ω
100k
verters to its own clock with a 180°
SNSN
SS PGND phase shift. By tying the CLKOUT of one
33nF
BG2 converter to the SYNC input of another,
IVINMON SW2 715k the maximum output power is doubled
CLKOUT TG2
ISMON ISP while the output ripple is reduced.
SYNC 13.7k
ISN

VC RT SGND
FB Figure 4 shows a 24V, 10A regulator
38.3k
formed by running two LT3791-1s in paral-
3.3k 147k

33nF
200kHz lel. By using two parallel circuits, the max-
INTVCC1 imum temperature rise seen on any one
+ LTC6240
discrete component is only 28°C on the M3
– and M7 MOSFETs at the lowest VIN . The top
10k 45k 10k converter (master) in Figure 4 commands
the current level provided by the bottom
0.003Ω
VIN (slave) converter. The ISMON output of the
+
51Ω
4.7µF
100V
C2 master indicates how much current the
470nF 47µF
1µF
499k 499k 80V master is providing, and by connecting
INTVCC2 ISMON to the CTRL input of the slave, the
10k IVINP IVINN VIN INTVCC
EN/UVLO CCM D3 D4
4.7µF slave is forced to follow the master. A sin-
10V
OVLO 4.7µF
BST2 50V
gle op amp is needed to provide the simple
56.2k 27.4k
C/10
0.1µF ×2
0.015Ω
200mV level shift needed to match the
BST1
0.1µF CTRL input to the ISMON output levels. The
INTVCC2
TG1 M5 M8 COUT2
220µF master converter runs in constant volt-
200k SWI 35V
SHORT SHORT M6
L2
M7
51Ω
+ ×2
age regulation while the slave converter
45k BG1 10µH
VREF
0.22µF is running in constant current regulation.
0.1µF PWM LT3791-1 SNSP
Note that the output voltage of the slave is
0.004Ω
100k set slightly higher (28V) so that the voltage
SNSN
SS PGND feedback loop of the slave is not in regula-
33nF
BG2 tion for it to be able to follow the master.
CTRL SW2 715k
10k IVINMON TG2
ISMON ISP
CLKOUT 13.7k
ISN
SYNC FB
VC RT SGND
38.3k
147k
D1–D4: NXP BAT46WJ
200kHz
1000pF 2.2k L1, L2: COILCRAFT SER2915L-103KL 10µH
M1, M2, M5, M6: RENESAS RJK0651DPB 60Vds
22nF M3, M4, M7, M8: RENESAS RJK0451DPB 40Vds
COUT1, COUT2: SUNCON 35HVT220M ×2
C1, C2: NIPPON CHEMICON EMZA800ADA470MJAOG

24 | October 2012 : LT Journal of Analog Innovation

 design features

The LT3791-1 features both continuous conduction mode (CCM) and

discontinuous conduction mode (DCM). CCM provides continuous switching
at light load and inductor current can be either positive or negative. When the
LT3791-1 enters DCM operation at light load, it prevents backward running current
(negative inductor current) and light load power dissipation is minimized.

100W+ 2.5A BUCK-BOOST 36V SLA
BATTERY CHARGER
The LT3791-1 can regulate both constant
voltage and constant current. Large
capacitive loads such as supercapacitors
and batteries require constant current
charging until they are charged up to a
termination voltage, at which point they
require constant voltage regulation. The
LT3791-1 easily satisfies this requirement.
As an example, the buck-boost converter
shown in Figure 5 charges a 36V 12Ah
SLA battery at 44V with 2.5A DC from a
9V-to-58V input. DCM operation prevents
reverse battery current when the out-
put load is overcharged, protecting the
circuit from large negative currents.
In some battery charger applications,
once termination voltage is reached and
charge current tails off, a standby or
float voltage regulation level is needed
that is different from the charge voltage.
The C/10 detection level of the LT3791-1
provides this capability. In the circuit
in Figure 3 the C/10 function drops the
battery voltage from charging (44V)
to float (41V) when the battery is near
full charge. When the battery voltage
is then pulled down from an increased
load, the voltage feedback loop returns
the charger to its charge state of 44V.
The LT3791-1 can be tailored to charge
a range of battery chemistries and
capacities from a variety of input sources
regardless of the voltage relationship
between them. Furthermore, a microcon-
troller can be used to create a maximum
power point tracking (MPPT) charger
from a solar panel. The output diag-
nostics ISMON and IVINMON and current
control pin CTRL make it easy to create a
high power solar panel battery charger.
DCM INCREASES EFFICIENCY AND
PREVENTS REVERSE CURRENT
The LT3791-1 features both continuous
conduction mode (CCM) and discontinuous
conduction mode (DCM). Figure 6 shows
the difference between CCM and DCM. The
mode is selected by simply connecting
the CCM pin to either the INTVCC or C/10
pin. CCM provides continuous switching

PVIN

Figure 5. SLA battery charger

9V TO 57V
RIN CIN1 + CIN2
0.003Ω VIN INTVCC 4.7µF 100µF
1µF 4.7µF 100V 63V
D1 D2
×2 ×2
50Ω BST2
IVINN BST1 0.1µF
470nF COUT1 + COUT2
TG1 M1 0.1µF M4 4.7µF 100µF
332k IVINP
50V 63V
SWI
EN/UVLO L1 ×2 ×3
OVLO BG1 M2 10µH M3
24.3k
LT3791-1 SNSP
19.6k INTVCC RSENSE RBAT 2.5A
0.004Ω 0.04Ω CHARGE
200k SNSN
+ 36V
SHORT PGND SLA BATTERY
IVINMON BG2 AGM TYPE
ISMON 41V FLOAT
SW2 44V CHARGE
CHARGE CURRENT CONTROL CTRL TG2 AT 25°C
CLKOUT ISP
SGND 0.1µF 50Ω
ISN
VREF FB
0.1µF PWM CCM 1.00M
C/10 INTVCC
100k 10k
SS SYNC VC RT
0.47µF 10k 402k 30.1k
D1, D2: BAT46WJ 84.5k
33nF 3k
L1: COILCRAFT SER2915L-103K 300kHz M5
M1-M4: RENESAS RJK0651DPB
M5: NXP NX7002AK 22nF
CIN2: ×2 NIPPON CHEMI-CON EMZA630ADA101MJA0G
COUT2: ×3 NIPPON CHEMI-CON EMZA630ADA101MJA0G

October 2012 : LT Journal of Analog Innovation | 25

Figure 6. Overview of continuous conduction 5000 100 2
mode (CCM) for low noise and discontinuous CCM VIN = 24V
90 VOUT = 24V 1.8
conduction mode (DCM) for light load efficiency 1000
80 1.6
POWER
CCM RISING THRESHOLD 70 LOSS 1.4
800

POWER LOSS (W)

EFFICIENCY (%)
EFFICIENCY
60 1.2

ILOAD (mA)
FOR DCM OPERATION FOR CCM OPERATION 600 50 1
AT IOUT < 10mV/ROUT OVER ALL IOUT DCM FALLING THRESHOLD
40 0.8
INTVCC 400
30 0.6
LT3791-1 100k LT3791-1 DCM
20 DCM 0.4
C/10 INTVCC 200
10 CCM 0.2
CCM CCM DCM (TG2 FOR M4 STAYS LOW) CCM
CCCM 0 0 0
OPTIONAL 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 0.001 0.01 0.1 1 10
VIN (V) IOUT (A)

a. DCM vs CCM setup b. DCM/CCM transition thresholds remain stable as c. DCM improves efficiency at light loads.
the LT3791-1 moves through boost, buck-boost and
buck modes of operation.

at light load and inductor current can DCM operation at light load, the TG2 driver 60V output range make it powerful and
be either positive or negative. Although for M4 stays low and M4 no longer runs versatile, and its built-in short-circuit
zero-load inductor current in CCM is both as a switch, but instead as a catch diode. capabilities make for robust solutions
positive and negative and more power This prevents backward running cur- in potentially hazardous environments.
is consumed than DCM, the switch node rent (negative inductor current) and light CCM and DCM operation make it use-
ringing associated with DCM is elimi- load power dissipation is minimized. ful for highest efficiency or lowest noise
nated for those that do not want it. operation at light load. Its multiple control
CONCLUSION
loops make it ideal for regulating constant
When DCM is selected, the converter The LT3791-1 synchronous buck-boost
voltage, constant current or both. This
remains in CCM until the load drops below controller delivers over 100W at up to
feature-rich IC easily fulfills buck-boost
about 10% of the programmed maximum 98.5% efficiency to a variety of loads. Its
requirements where other topologies fail. n
output current. When the LT3791-1 enters wide, 4.7V to 60V input range and 0V to

0.004Ω
VIN
18V TO 55V CIN1 + CIN2 Figure 7. 48V application
VIN 4.7µF 100µF
INTVCC
100V 80V
1µF D1 D2 4.7µF ×2
51Ω 10V
IVINN BST2
470nF 0.1µF
IVINP 0.0125Ω
BST1 VOUT
499k 499k 0.1µF COUT1 COUT2 48V
TG1 M1 M4 3A
4.7µF 330µF
EN/UVLO 100V 63V
SWI
OVLO L1 ×2 + ×3
BG1 M2 22µH M3
34.8k 28.7k INTVCC

LT3791-1 SNSP
100k 200k
SHORT 0.005Ω
C/10 SNSN
0.1µF CCM PGND
IVINMON
ISMON BG2
CLKOUT SW2 95.3k
VREF TG2
0.1µF PWM ISP
18.7k 2.15k
10k ISN
100k CTRL SS SYNC V FB
C RT SGND
2.49k
D1, D2: NXP BAT46WJ
105k
L1: WÜRTH ELECTRONICS 74435572200 22µH 11A
1µF 40k 250kHz
M1, M2, M4: RENESAS RJK0651DPB 60Vds
M3: RENESAS RJK0652DPB 60Vds
22nF 1000pF COUT2: YAGEO ST 330µF 63V ×3
CIN2: NIPPON CHEMICON EMZA630ADA101MJAOG 100µF 63V ×2

26 | October 2012 : LT Journal of Analog Innovation