DC-DC Power Converters: Buck Converter

Step/down converter

Steady-state is assumed (VLAV=0, ICAV=0)

Output voltage v0 MUST BE quasi-constant (very small ripple)
Do not short-circuit voltage sources
Do not open current sources

Buck Converter: operation

vp ILAV =I0AV
+U iL
+ILAV
T1 ON D ON
0
T T t
T (1- )T

Consider U >0, U >V0AV and v0=V0AV=V0

U-V0AV vL
v0=V0AV=V0=const, 0< <1 VLAV=0
0
T T t
0<t< T T1 ON -V0AV
iU
vCE 0 vp +U vL +U - V0 iL +ILAV
-U+vCE -vAK =0 vCE -vAK =U vCE 0
vAK = -U <0 D OFF iU = i L 0
T T t

T<t<T T1 OFF D ON Is the duty-cycle

vAK 0 vp 0 vCE =U vL -V0AV iL
iD =iL iU = 0 ILAV = I0AV = IUAV+ IDAV
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 Buck Converter: input output voltage gain
vp ILAV =I0AV
+U iL
+ILAV
T1 ON D ON
0
T T t
T (1- )T

v0=V0AV=V0
vL
U-V0 VLAV=0
0
T T t
-V0
Average value of vL is Zero VLAV=0
iU
+ILAV

0
T T t

V0AV = U V0AV U

Voltage step-down (redutor de tensão)

Power control using duty-cycle ]0,1[
DC to DC conversion
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Buck Converter: input and power

vp ILAV =I0AV
+U iL
+ILAV
S ON D ON
0
T T t
T (1- )T

v0=V0AV=V0
Conservative converter vL
U-V0 VLAV=0
Output Power = Input Power 0
T T t
-V0
V0 I0 = U IUAV U I0 = U IUAV
iU
+ILAV
IUAV = I0
PM=VCEM ICM=U I0 ; PDM=|VKAM| IDM=U I 0
T T t
Non-conservative Converter: Pi = P0

The calculated IUAV is independent of

The input voltage U is multiplied by

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 Buck Converter: inductor current calculation
vp
+U iL ILmax
ILAV =I0AV
ILmin iL
T1 ON D ON
0
T T t
T (1- )T

iU
ILAV

0
T T t

The iL current when T1 is ON at t= T is:

The iL current when D is ON (from t= T to t=T) at t= T is:

Buck Converter: inductor current ripple

vp
+U iL ILmax
ILAV =I0AV
ILmin iL
T1 ON D ON
0
T T t
T (1- )T
iU
ILAV

0
T T t
The inductor current variation iL from t =0 to t = T, and from t = T to t =T is:

The iL current maximum ILmax and minimum ILmin values are:

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 Buck Converter

Output Inductor L and Capacitor C Design

Buck Converter: Inductor self inductance L

vp
+U iL ILmax
ILAV =I0AV
ILmin iL
T1 ON D ON
0
T T t
T (1- )T
iU
ILAV
V0
The inductor current variation iL is: 0
T T t

Given the allowed iL the inductor self-inductance L is:

The required inductor self-inductance L is max for =1/2, at constant U:

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 Buck Converter: Sizing L for CCM
vp
+U ILmax
iL
ILAV =I0AV
ILmin T1 ON iL D ON
0 T
T T (1- )T t

For Continuous Conduction Mode (CCM), the

minimum current ILmin >0, then:

In the limit of CCM, I0AVmin iL/2 :

Discontinuous Conduction Mode (DCM) will occur if:

Buck Converter: Output capacitor C

vp iL
+U ILmax
ILAV =I0AV iL
ILmin T/2
T1 ON D ON
0
T T t
T/2 (1- )T/2

Capacitor C Design V0
v0
From the capacitor charge Q = C v0 v0
0
(C = const) T T t

Replace iL by

For U =V0=cte

Replace iL by Dual of the L inductor

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 Buck Converter

Semiconductor Ratings

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Buck Converter: Semiconductor ratings

vp
+U iL ILmax
ILAV =I0AV
ILmin iL
T1 ON D ON
0
T T t
T (1- )T
iU
Semiconductor Maximum Voltages ILAV

0
T T t

Semiconductor Maximum Currents

iCE=iL(T1 ON)=iU

iD=iL(D ON)

Semiconductor Max Power PT1M=VCEM ICM=U I0=V0 I0/

Big when 0
PDM=VRRM IDM=U I0=V0 I0/ 12
 Buck Converter: Non ideal effects

Non-Ideal Effects

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Buck Converter: Effect of inductor series resistance rL

Without rL the vL volt second across L

With rL, being IL=I0 the volt second across L is

Buck equivalent model (internal

resistance voltage drop) Making I0=V0/R, voltage V0 is

Ideal if rL/R 0
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 Buck Converter: Effect of rL

Vo/U
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Buck Converter: Effect of capacitor series resistance rC

Extra ripple rC iC will be added by rC, being iC= iL

Knowing tV ,
0 assume a smaller V0 (to determine C), giving
room for the extra ripple rC iC

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 Buck Converter

Efficiency

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Buck Converter efficiency: rL and rC losses

ICAV= I0 ILAV=I0

Output voltage considering losses Pi=P0

U2AV= = U

IDAV= (1- )I0

Converter Efficiency knowing the INPUT power

Converter Efficiency knowing the OUTPUT power

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Buck Converter: Efficiency ON state and switching losses
ICAV= I0 ILAV=I0

IDAV= (1- )I0

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Buck Converter: Efficiency

ICAV= I0 ILAV=I0

IDAV= (1- )I0

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 Buck Converter in DCM

Discontinuous Conduction Mode (DCM)

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Buck Converter in DCM

vp
+U
V0
iL ( + D)T
0
T DT
T t
VL
U-V0 DT
U>0 0
T T t
0<t< T T1 is ON vp =U vL = U-V0
(1- )T
T < t < ( + D)T D is ON vp =0 vL = -V0 -V0
( + D)T
( + D)T < t <T S, D are OFF vp =V0 vL=0

Inductor voltage average value is zero (in steady-state) VLAV= 0

D is a new degree of freedom !

Output current average value ILAV is the area of the iL triangle

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 Buck Converter in DCM: CCM limit
vp
+U
V0
iL ( + D)T
0
T DT
T t
Output current average value I0 VL
U-V0 DT
0
T T t
(1- )T
Replacing + D from the Input to output ratio -V0
( + D)T

CCM

Control using and T

Io/(UT/Li)

DCM

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Buck Converter

Buck converter applications: power supplies

Multi-phase DC/DC converter

Advantages of multi-phase paralleling:

Current output capability is increased;
Ripple in the output voltage and current is reduced;
Ripple in the input current is reduced.

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 DC-DC Power Converters: Buck Converter
Input filter design

Steady-state:

When:

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DC-DC Power Converters: Buck Converter

Input filter design - Capacitor Cf design

When:

Cf is maximum at =1/2:
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 DC-DC Power Converters: Buck Converter
Input filter design - Capacitor Lf design

L inductor flux :
(Dual of output capacitor
filter design)

Area of triangle:

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DC-DC Power Converters: Buck Converter

Input filter design - Capacitor Lf design

As:

Then:

Damping is required. See filter design for power converters, J. F. Silva (online)
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