DC-DC converters part 3

Anandarup Das
Associate Professor
Room-402A, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Delhi.
anandarup@ee.iitd.ac.in
Content
• Transformer isolation
• Isolated DC-DC converters: Flyback, push pull, forward, full bridge

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Why is isolation needed?
• Isolation is needed because of
• safety by regulatory standards e.g., IEC standard.
• Sometimes it may be easier to introduce a transformer where large gain of the dc-dc
converter is involved. Multiple outputs are also possible.
• reduction of common mode noise.
• The easiest form of isolation is through a transformer. Isolated dc-dc
converters have a transformer inside the circuit.
• Generally high frequency transformers are used because 50Hz transformer
causes higher volume & weight.

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 Why is isolation needed?

• We plan to measure voltage across Z1 in the circuit using an oscilloscope.

• In first circuit, the oscilloscope body is connected to earth and hence Z2 becomes accidentally shorted. High
current will flow and if a person touches Z2 he will get a shock.
• In second circuit, voltage across Z1 can be measured without any risk of shock since the secondary circuit is
galvanically isolated.

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Transformer model
• In an ideal transformer,
𝑣1 𝑡 𝑣2 𝑡 𝑣3 𝑡
• = =
𝑁1 𝑁2 𝑁3
• 𝑖1 𝑡 𝑁1 = 𝑖2 𝑡 𝑁2 + 𝑖3 𝑡 𝑁3

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Transformer
• In a practical transformer, various non
idealities are present.
• The magnetizing inductance Lm plays a
major role in isolated dc-dc converter.
• The leakage inductance and resistance
has a minor role to play during
transients and losses; however, their
effect is not significant.

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Transformer model
• The transformer model that is fairly accurate to
use in DC-DC converter is shown.
• 𝑖𝑝 𝑡 = 𝑖𝑚 𝑡 + 𝑖1 𝑡 and 𝑖1 𝑡 𝑁1 = 𝑖2 𝑡 𝑁2
• The magnetizing inductance branch represents
the energy/flux in the core. It has several
properties like a normal inductance :
𝑑𝑖𝑚 𝑡
• 𝑣1 𝑡 = 𝐿𝑚 provided the core is not saturated.
𝑑𝑡
• When Lm is very high, then im is very small.
• The input voltage should have zero average value
otherwise the non-zero DC in the voltage will see a
zero impedance and very high DC will flow and may
saturate the transformer.

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Dot convention
• Current flowing into one dot terminal causes a
mutually induced voltage on the other dot
terminal, with positive voltage polarity at the
dotted terminal.
• Current flowing out of one dot terminal causes a
mutually induced voltage on the other dot
terminal, with negative voltage polarity at the
dotted terminal.

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Transformer with switches
• Let S1 and S2 are used in
complementary fashion.
• If S1 is ON, then only 𝑖𝑚 𝑡 can flow.
Current is flowing in the physical
primary winding with no current in
physical secondary winding.
• If S2 is ON, 𝑖2 𝑡 can flow due to load
and hence 𝑖1 𝑡 flows. Since S1 is OFF,
so 𝑖𝑚 𝑡 = −𝑖1 𝑡 . No current is
flowing in the physical primary
winding.

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Flyback converter
• Flyback converter is an isolated buck
boost converter.
• It is derived from buck boost converter.
Note the output voltage polarity.

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Basic operation

• The transformer model can be introduced in the circuit.

• The transformer is not operating like a conventional grid connected
transformer, rather it is behaving like a coupled inductor because energy is
stored in the magnetizing inductor branch (or, the core of the transformer).
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Basic operation

• The two circuits show how the converter behaves when the switch is
conducting and when the diode is conducting.
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 S=on

• When S=on, voltage across diode is 𝑛𝑉𝑖𝑛 + 𝑉𝑜 .

Hence it will turn off.
• Secondary current does not flow, primary current
flows through Lm.
• Energy from the DC source charges Lm i.e.,
energy is stored in the core of the transformer.
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 S=on

𝑑𝑖𝑚 𝑡
• 𝑉𝑖𝑛 = 𝑣1 𝑡 = 𝐿𝑚
𝑑𝑡
• If the switch is on for DTs period, then
𝑉𝑖𝑛 𝐷𝑇𝑠
Δ𝑖𝑚 𝑡 =
𝐿𝑚
• Current will increase linearly in primary
winding.
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 S=on

𝑣𝑜
• 𝑣2 𝑡 = 𝑛𝑉𝑖𝑛 and 𝑖𝑐 𝑡 = − .
𝑅

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S=off

• When the switch is turned off, no current can flow

from source. The stored energy in Lm should
discharge. Flux in the core reduces.
• The current im flows out of the dot terminal and
hence D will get forward biased.
𝑣2 𝑡 𝑉𝑜 𝑑𝑖𝑚 𝑡
• 𝑣2 𝑡 = −𝑉𝑜 and 𝑣1 𝑡 = = − = 𝐿𝑚
𝑛 𝑛 𝑑𝑡

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S=off

• When the switch is turned off, voltage

across the switch is:
𝑉𝑜
• 𝑉𝑖𝑛 − 𝑣1 𝑡 = 𝑉𝑖𝑛 +
𝑛

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 S=off

𝑉𝑜 (1−𝐷)𝑇𝑠
• The inductor current ripple is : Δ𝑖𝑚 𝑡 = −
𝑛𝐿𝑚
• Since the net inductor current is zero in a switching
cycle (volt second balance), so
𝑉𝑖𝑛 𝐷𝑇𝑠 𝑉𝑜 1−𝐷 𝑇𝑠 𝑉𝑜 𝐷
• − = 0 hence, = 𝑛
𝐿𝑚 𝑛𝐿𝑚 𝑉𝑖𝑛 1−𝐷

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 S=off

𝑣𝑜
• The capacitor current is 𝑖𝑐 𝑡 = 𝑖2 𝑡 − =
𝑅
𝑖𝑚 𝑣𝑜
−
𝑛 𝑅

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Observation
𝑉𝑜
• The voltage across switch when off: 𝑉𝑖𝑛 − 𝑣1 = 𝑉𝑖𝑛 + .
𝑛
• The voltage across diode when off: 𝑉𝑜 + 𝑣2 = 𝑉𝑜 + 𝑛𝑉𝑖𝑛
• The voltage across devices is high.

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Observation
𝑣𝑜 𝑣𝑜 𝑖𝑚
• Apply charge balance on capacitor: − 𝐷𝑇𝑠 + − + 1 − 𝐷 𝑇𝑠 = 0.
𝑅 𝑅 𝑛

• Assuming the output voltage and inductor currents are fairly constant, then
𝑉𝑜 𝑉𝑜 𝐼𝑚
− 𝐷𝑇𝑠 + − + 1 − 𝐷 𝑇𝑠 = 0 .
𝑅 𝑅 𝑛
𝑛𝑉𝑜 𝑛𝐼𝑜 𝐼𝑚 (1−𝐷)
• Hence 𝐼𝑚 = = . Stated otherwise, 𝐼𝑜 =
𝑅 (1−𝐷) 1−𝐷 𝑛

• The above expression gives the magnitude of the magnetising current.

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Observation
• The magnetising current can be expressed
both in terms of input and output currents.
• Average input current: 𝐼𝑖𝑛 = 𝐷𝐼𝑚 +
0. 1 − 𝐷 = 𝐷𝐼𝑚
𝐼𝑖𝑛 𝐼𝑜 𝑛
• So, 𝐼𝑚 = =
𝐷 1−𝐷

𝐼𝑖𝑛 𝑛𝐷 𝑉𝑜
• Observe that, = =
𝐼𝑜 1−𝐷 𝑉𝑖𝑛
• Hence, 𝑉𝑖𝑛 𝐼𝑖𝑛 = 𝑉𝑜 𝐼𝑜 .

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CCM operation
• The maximum and minimum value of input
Δ𝑖𝑚 𝑡
current is: 𝐼𝑚 ±
2
Δ𝑖𝑚 𝑡
• For CCM operation, 𝐼𝑚 > . Thus,
2
𝑛𝑉𝑜 𝑉𝑜 (1−𝐷)𝑇𝑠
>
𝑅 (1−𝐷) 2𝑛𝐿𝑚

𝑅 1−𝐷 2
• Hence, 𝐿𝑚 > for CCM.
2𝑛2 𝑓𝑠

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Output voltage ripple
• Like a buck boost converter, the output
voltage ripple can be computed.
Δ𝑉𝑜 𝐷
Hence, =
𝑉𝑜 𝑅𝐶𝑓𝑠

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Uses and advantages of Flyback converter
• Wide variety of applications for less than 150W.
• Output voltage can be less than ten volt to hundreds of volts. Input current
should not be excessively high as it may saturate the transformer. So, the
flyback converter is used where input voltage is high and output voltage is
low.
• Very suitable for multi output supply e.g., a 300V input and 5V, 3.3V and
15V output converter. One additional winding, capacitor and diode is
needed only.
• There is only one transformer and no inductor hence it is sometimes
preferred.

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Drawbacks of Flyback converter
• High voltage on devices is a drawback of flyback converter.
• One concern of flyback transformer is the saturation problem of the core
that happens because the primary and secondary mmfs do not cancel each
other. The solution is to use gapped core or use powdered cores which
have an inherent internal gap (low permeability).
• One quadrant of B-H loop is used.

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