Introduction to DC/DC Converters

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
ECE Department

Power Electronics
7-1
 Summary
• Non-isolated (i.e. no transformer) DC/DC converters

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-2

 Block Diagram of Typical AC Input,
Regulated DC Output System

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-3

 Stepping Down a DC Voltage
• In this example, the average value of the output voltage =
DVin where D is the DUTY CYCLE in PWM (pulse-width
modulation) control
• D = ton/Ts

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-4

 Step-Down (Buck) DC-DC Converter

• Add LC filter to reduce

switching ripple
• Flyback diode also
needed

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-5

 Buck Converter: Waveforms
• Steady state; inductor current flows continuously
• Waveform below for buck in continuous conduction mode

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-6

 Buck Converter: SPICE Circuit
• Circuit shown: fsw = 200 kHz, D = 0.5

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-7

 Buck Converter: Startup Waveforms

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-8

 Analysis for DC/DC Converter in
Continuous Conduction and Steady State
• In steady state, the inductor current returns to the same
value every switching cycle, or every T seconds
• Therefore, the inductor ripple current UP equals ripple
DOWN
• Several assumptions to simplify analysis:
• Periodic steady state --- all startup transients have
died out
• Small ripple --- ripple is small compared to average
values

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-9

 Buck Converter in Continuous Conduction
• In continuous conduction, buck converter has 2 states ---
switch OPEN and switch CLOSED iL
D
Vcc L Vo

+
C R
vc

Switch closed (for time DT) Switch open (for time (1-D)T)
iL iL

Vcc L Vo L Vo

+ +
C R
vc vc

- -

di L VCC − v o di L vo
= =−
dt L dt L
Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-10
 Buck Converter in Continuous Conduction
• The inductor ripple current UP equals ripple DOWN
(VCC − Vo ) DT Vo (1 − D)T
− =0
L L
Vo = DVCC

• We already knew this result from first principles, but this

methodology of inductor Volt-second balance can be used
to evaluate other more complicated DC/DC converters

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-11

 Buck Converter: Waveforms at the Boundary
of Cont./Discont. Conduction
• ILB = critical current below which inductor current becomes
discontinuous

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-12

Buck Converter: Discontinuous Conduction Mode
• Steady state; inductor current discontinuous (i.e. it goes zero
for a time)
• Note that output voltage depends on load current

Vo D2
=
Vd 0.25I o
D2 +
I LB,max

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-13

 Buck: Limits of Discontinuous Conduction
• The duty-ratio of 0.5 has the highest value of the critical current
• For low output current, buck goes discontinuous

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-14

 Buck: Limits of Cont./Discont. Conduction
• In regulated power supply, Vd may fluctuate but Vo is kept
constant by control of D

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-15

 Buck Conv.: Output Voltage Ripple
• ESR is assumed to be zero; continuous conduction mode

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-16

 Buck Conv.: Output Voltage Ripple
• ESR is assumed to be zero

Vo (1 − D )T Vo (1 − D )
iL , pp = =
L f sw L

 1  T  iL, pp  Vo (1 − D )
Q =     =
 2  2  2  8 f sw2 L

Q Vo (1 − D )
vo , pp = =
C 8 f sw2 LC

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-17

 Buck Conv.: Calculations
• Shown for SPICE example with fsw = 200 kHz, D = 0.5, L =
33 µH, C = 10 µF, Io = 1A

Vo (1 − D ) (5)(1 − 0.5)
iL , pp = = −6
= 0.38 A
f sw L ( 2  10 )(33  10 )
5

Q Vo (1 − D ) (5)(1 − 0.5)
vo , pp = = = −6 −6
= 24 mV
C 2
8 f sw LC 8( 2  10 ) (33  10 )(10  10 )
5 2

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-18

 Buck: SPICE Result in Periodic Steady State
• Analysis shows inductor ripple = 0.38 A-pp, output voltage
ripple = 24 mV-pp, confirmed by SPICE

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-19

 Pulse-Width Modulation (PWM) in DC-DC
Converters
vcontrol
D=
Vˆst

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-20

 Step-Up (Boost) DC-DC Converter
• Output voltage must be greater than the input

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-21

 Boost Converter Waveforms
• Continuous current conduction mode
Switch closed:
di L VCC
=
dt L

Switch open:
di L VCC − v o
=
dt L

Inductor Volt-second balance:

VCC DT (VCC − Vo )(1 − D)T
+ =0
L L
V
 Vo = CC
1− D

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-22

 Boost: Limits of Cont./Discont. Conduction
• The output voltage is held constant
• For low load current, current conduction becomes
discontinuous

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-23

 Boost Converter: Discont. Conduction
• Occurs at light loads

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-24

 Boost: Limits of Cont./Discont. Conduction

• The output voltage is held constant

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-25
 Boost Converter: Effect of Parasitics
• The duty-ratio D is generally limited before the parasitic
effects become significant

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-26

 Boost Converter Output Ripple
• ESR is assumed to be zero
• Assume that all the ripple component of diode current flows
through capacitor; DC component flows through resistor

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-27

 Step-Down/Up (Buck-Boost) Converter
• The output voltage can be higher or lower than the input
voltage
• Note output phase inversion

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-28

 Buck-Boost Converter: Waveforms
• Continuation conduction mode
Switch closed:
di L VCC
=
dt L
Switch open:
di L v o
=
dt L
Inductor Volt-second balance:

VCC DT Vo (1 − D) T
+ =0
L L
DVCC
 Vo = −
1− D

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-29

Buck-Boost: Limits of Cont./Discont. Conduction
• The output voltage is held constant

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-30

 Buck-Boost: Discontinuous Conduction
• This occurs at light loads

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-31

 Buck-Boost Converter: Limits of
Cont./Discont. Conduction

• The output voltage is held constant

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-32
 Buck-Boost Converter: Effect of Parasitics
• The duty-ratio is limited to avoid these parasitic effects
from becoming significant

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-33

Buck-boost Converter: Output Voltage Ripple
• ESR is assumed to be zero

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-34

 Cuk DC-DC Converter
• The output voltage can be higher or lower than the input
voltage
• Capacitor C1 is primary means of storing and transferring
energy from input to output
• When switch is ON, C1 discharges through the switch and
transfers energy to the output
• When switch is OFF, capacitor C1 is charged through the
diode by energy from the input and L1

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-35

 Cuk DC-DC Converter: Waveforms
• The capacitor
voltage is assumed
constant (very large)
• Note phase inversion
at the output

Vo D
=−
Vd 1− D

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-36

 SEPIC Converter
• Single-ended primary inductance converter (SEPIC)
• Can buck or boost the voltage
• Note that output is similar to buck-boost, but without a
phase inversion
Vo D
=
Vd 1 − D

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-37

 Converter for DC-Motor Drives
• Four quadrant operation is possible
• For:
• DC motor drives
• DC to AC inverters for UPS

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-38

Converter Waveforms
• Bi-polar voltage switching

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-39

Converter Waveforms
• Uni-polar voltage switching

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-40

 Output Ripple in Converters for DC-Motor
Drives
• Bi-polar and uni-polar voltage switching

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-41

 Switch Utilization in DC-DC Converters
• It varies significantly in
various converters
• PT = VTIT where VT and IT
are peak switch voltage and
current
• In direct converters (buck
and boost) switch utilization
is good; in indirect converter
(buck-boost and Cuk) switch
utilization is poor

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-42

 Equivalent Circuits in DC-DC Converters
• Replacing inductors and capacitors by current and voltage
sources, respectively

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-43

 Reversing the Power Flow in DC-DC Conv.
• For power flow from right to left, the input current
direction should also reverse

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-44

 Real-World Issue: Capacitor ESR
• Real-world capacitors have equivalent series resistance (ESR)
• This ESR may have dominant effect on output ripple

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-45

 Effects of Capacitor ESR
• Without ESR, output ripple is 24 mV-pp
• ESR has increased ripple to approximately 30 mV-pp

Power Electronics Chapter 7 Introduction to DC/DC Converters 7-46