SDU Electrical Engineering

Lecture 2
DC-DC topologies

Wulf-Toke Franke
September 8, 2020
 Fundamental types of converters
AC DC
ACDC: Rectifier
DCDC: Buck/Boost converter
DCAC: Inverter
ACAC: AC-converter

AC DC

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 DC/DC Converter
Assumptions:
• Input voltage is constant
• Power devices are ideal
• Resistances and inductances of wires are neglected

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 Buck Converter
Control Characteristic Buck
1,2

𝑉𝑉𝑜𝑜 𝐼𝐼𝑖𝑖 𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 1

= = = 𝐷𝐷
𝑉𝑉𝑖𝑖 𝐼𝐼𝑜𝑜 𝑇𝑇 0,8

V_o/V_i
0,6

With 0 < 𝐷𝐷 < 1 0,4

0,2

0
0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1 1,2
D

T L T L T L
Vi D Vo Vi D Vo Vi D Vo

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 Buck Converter
Current waveform
• For T=on
1
𝑖𝑖𝐿𝐿 = 𝑉𝑉𝑖𝑖 − 𝑉𝑉𝑜𝑜 𝑡𝑡 +𝑖𝑖𝐿𝐿 0
𝐿𝐿
• For T=off A
1
𝑖𝑖𝐿𝐿 = − 𝑉𝑉𝑜𝑜 (𝑡𝑡 − 𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 ) + 𝑖𝑖𝐿𝐿 𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 B
𝐿𝐿

T L T L T L
Vi D Vo Vi D Vo Vi D Vo

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 Buck Converter
Current ripple

𝑉𝑉𝑖𝑖 𝑇𝑇
Δ𝑖𝑖𝐿𝐿 = 𝐷𝐷 − 𝐷𝐷 2
𝐿𝐿
A
Maximal current ripple B

𝑉𝑉𝑖𝑖 𝑇𝑇
Δ𝑖𝑖𝐿𝐿,𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚 =
4 𝐿𝐿

T L T L T L
Vi D Vo Vi D Vo Vi D Vo

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 Buck Converter with resistive load
• A resistive load reflects the reality often
better
• Resistor could be the parasitic winding T L R
resistance of the inductor or cable Vi D
resistance
• It could also be a load with resistive
behaviour
• The R L network will lead to exponential
waveforms

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 Buck Converter with resistive load
• A resistive load reflects the reality often
better
• Resistor could be the parasitic winding T L R
resistance of the inductor or cable Vi D
resistance
• It could also be a load with resistive
behaviour
• The R L network will lead to exponential
waveforms

𝐷𝐷𝐷𝐷 1−𝐷𝐷 𝑇𝑇 𝑇𝑇
− − −
𝑉𝑉𝑖𝑖 1 − 𝑒𝑒 𝜏𝜏 − 𝑒𝑒 𝜏𝜏 + 𝑒𝑒 𝜏𝜏
Δ𝑖𝑖𝐿𝐿 = 𝑇𝑇
𝑅𝑅 −
1 − 𝑒𝑒 𝜏𝜏

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 Boost Converter
• Converter that produces an output voltage higher than
the input voltage L D
• The Transistor T can be either turned on or turned off Vi
T Vo
• The current through the inductor L cannot stop
immediately
• This leads to two different states of the circuit
• While T is conducting, D is blocking: L D
Vi Vo
T

• While T is blocking, D is conducting

L D
Vi Vo
T

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 Boost Converter
• For steady state the voltage-time areas A
and B must be equal to ensure that the
current in the beginning of a time period
is the same as at the end of time period
A
• That means that the integral of the inductor B
voltage over a time period must be zero

L D L D L D
T Vo Vi Vo Vi Vo
Vi T T

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 Boost Converter
• For steady state the voltage-time areas A
and B must be equal to ensure that the
current in the beginning of a time period
is the as at the end of time period
• That means that the integral of the inductor
A
voltage over a time period must be zero B

𝑉𝑉𝑜𝑜 𝐼𝐼𝑖𝑖 𝑇𝑇 1
= = =
𝑉𝑉𝑖𝑖 𝐼𝐼𝑜𝑜 𝑇𝑇 − 𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 1 − 𝐷𝐷
With 0 < 𝐷𝐷 < 1

L D L D L D
T Vo Vi Vo Vi Vo
Vi T T

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 Boost Converter
Control Characteristic
Booster
16
𝑉𝑉𝑜𝑜 𝐼𝐼𝑖𝑖 𝑇𝑇 1 14
= = =
𝑉𝑉𝑖𝑖 𝐼𝐼𝑜𝑜 𝑇𝑇 − 𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 1 − 𝐷𝐷 12

10

V_o/V_i
8

With 0 < 𝐷𝐷 < 1

6

0
0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1
D

L D L D L D
Vi Vo Vi Vo Vi Vo
T T T

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 Discontinuous Conduction Mode (DCM)
• The inductor current is propoartional to the
output load.
• For constant switch duty-ratio, a decline in
the output load results in the inductor average
current to decrease until a critical load value
is reached
• Where the inductor current waveform reaches
zero at the end of the turn-off intervale
• For loads below this critical value, the
inductor current cannot reverse through the
diode in any of the converters and enters
DCM where the inductor current remains zero
for a finite interval, until the transistor is
turned on, beginning the next switching cycle.

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 Discontinuous Conduction Mode (DCM)
• In DCM during the interval when the inductor
current remains zero, there is no power
drawn from the input source, and there is no
energy in the inductor to transfer to the output
stage.
• This interval of inactivity generally results in
increased device stresses and the ratings of
the passive components.
• DCM also results in noise and EMI, although
the diode reverse recovery problem is
minimized. Based on these considerations,
converters above a few tens of watts are
generally designed to operate in CCM.

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 Buck Converter disc. Mode
Current through the inductor reaches 0 A

A
B

T L T L T L
Vi D Vo Vi D Vo Vi D Vo

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 Other DC/DC Converter
Beside the basic converters buck and boost, there are a couple of other topologies:
Non-isolated:
 Buck-boost converter
 Cuk Converter
 Sepic Converter

Isolated:
 Flyback-converter
 Push-pull converter
 Single ended push-pull converter

Beside the galvanic isolation, these topologies have the advantage that they can
provide much higher boost and buck ratios
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 Buck boost converter
This converter can have an output voltage that can D
be lower, the same or higher than the input voltage. Vi
T L Vo
Control Characteristic:

𝑉𝑉𝑜𝑜 𝐼𝐼𝑖𝑖 −𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 −𝐷𝐷

= = =
𝑉𝑉𝑖𝑖 𝐼𝐼𝑜𝑜 𝑇𝑇 − 𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 1 − 𝐷𝐷

With 0 < 𝐷𝐷 < 1

Output voltage is inverted

Switches need to block 𝑉𝑉𝑖𝑖 + 𝑉𝑉𝑜𝑜

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 Cuk converter
This converter can have an output voltage that can
be lower, the same or higher than the input voltage.
Instead of an inductor a capacitor is used for energy
storage
The additional inductors act as a current source
continuous current flow at the input and output
Control Characteristic:

𝑉𝑉𝑜𝑜 𝐼𝐼𝑖𝑖 −𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 −𝐷𝐷

= = =
𝑉𝑉𝑖𝑖 𝐼𝐼𝑜𝑜 𝑇𝑇 − 𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 1 − 𝐷𝐷

With 0 < 𝐷𝐷 < 1

Output voltage is inverted

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 Sepic converter
This converter can have an output voltage that can
be lower, the same or higher than the input voltage.
Instead of an inductor a capacitor is used for energy
storage
The additional inductors act as a current source
continuous current flow only at the input
Control Characteristic:

𝑉𝑉𝑜𝑜 𝐼𝐼𝑖𝑖 𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝐷𝐷

= = =
𝑉𝑉𝑖𝑖 𝐼𝐼𝑜𝑜 𝑇𝑇 − 𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 1 − 𝐷𝐷

With 0 < 𝐷𝐷 < 1

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 Flyback converter
This converter is a buck-boost converter with the
inductor split to form a transformer, so that the
voltage ratios are multiplied with an additional
advantage of isolation
Control Characteristic:

𝑉𝑉𝑜𝑜 𝐼𝐼𝑖𝑖 𝑁𝑁2 𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑁𝑁2 𝐷𝐷

= = =
𝑉𝑉𝑖𝑖 𝐼𝐼𝑜𝑜 𝑁𝑁1 𝑇𝑇 − 𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑁𝑁1 1 − 𝐷𝐷

With 0 < 𝐷𝐷 < 1

𝑁𝑁1
Switches need to block 𝑉𝑉𝑖𝑖 + 𝑉𝑉
𝑁𝑁2 𝑜𝑜

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 Flyback converter (function)
This converter can have an output voltage that can be lower,
the same or higher than the input voltage.
• When the switch is closed, the primary of the transformer
is directly connected to the input voltage source.
• The primary current and magnetic flux in the transformer
increases, storing energy in the transformer.
• The voltage induced in the secondary winding is negative,
so the diode is blocked.
• When the switch is opened, the primary current and
magnetic flux drops.
• The secondary voltage is positive, forward-biasing the
diode, allowing current to flow from the transformer.

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 Flyback converter
Critical:
• The magnetic coupling between the two coils should be
ideal to avoid over-voltages during switching due to stray
inductance.

Advantages:
• Provides a galvanic isolated DC voltage
• With additional secondary winding additional voltage level
can be created (proportion to winding ratio)

Typical power rating: few 100 W

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 Full-bridge converter
This converter produces an AC voltage for the
transformer.
The rectifier and the inductor act as a buck
converter.
Control Characteristic:

𝑉𝑉𝑜𝑜 𝐼𝐼𝑖𝑖 𝑁𝑁2 𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑁𝑁2

= = = 𝐷𝐷
𝑉𝑉𝑖𝑖 𝐼𝐼𝑜𝑜 𝑁𝑁1 𝑇𝑇 𝑁𝑁1

With 0 < 𝐷𝐷 < 1

Switches need to block 𝑉𝑉𝑖𝑖

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 Full-bridge converter (function)
• Full-Bridge converters consist of four transistors
and a transformer with center-tapped secondary
winding.
• The voltage 𝑣𝑣1 is generated by switching T1 / T2
and T3 / T4 simultaneously
• This waveform applies equal positive and
negative volt-seconds to the transformer primary.
• The switch duty-ratio 𝐷𝐷 < 0,5 is controlled to
achieve the output voltage regulation by means
of zero intervals between the positive and the
negative applied voltages

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 Full-bridge converter
Critical: high number of switches

Advantages:
• Small core without air gap
• Magnetic coupling not critical
• Full utilization of magnetic core

Typical power rating: several kW

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 Half-Bridge converter
Two transistors are replaced by capacitors.
Both transistors need to be turned on for exactly the
same time to ensure voltage balancing across the
capacitors.
Control Characteristic:

𝑉𝑉𝑜𝑜 𝐼𝐼𝑖𝑖 𝑁𝑁2 𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑁𝑁2

= = = 𝐷𝐷
𝑉𝑉𝑖𝑖 𝐼𝐼𝑜𝑜 𝑁𝑁1 𝑇𝑇 𝑁𝑁1

With 0 < 𝐷𝐷 < 1

Switches need to block 𝑉𝑉𝑖𝑖

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 Half-Bridge converter
Critical:

Advantages:
• Small core without air gap
• Magnetic coupling not critical
• Full utilization of magnetic core

Typical power rating: few kW

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 Thank you for attention!

Wulf-Toke Franke
September 8, 2020

SDU Electrical Engineering