Modified on May 19, 2006

Boost Converter Boost converter is a dc-to-dc converter that steps up the dc voltage from its fixed low level to a desired high level. It is also called the fly-back converter because the energy transfer, from the source to the load, takes place only during the off period of the switch. Its circuit topology is given in Figure 1.

Figure 1: Boost Converter

The switch S is usually an electronic device that operates either in the conduction mode (on) or the cut-off mode (off). The on and off time-periods are controlled by the suitably designed gating circuits, which are usually not shown. The on time of the switch is a fraction of its time period T such that TON = D T , where D is the duty cycle. During the on time the inductor current increases from its minimum value toward its maximum value. In other words, the stored energy in the inductor increases during the time the switch is in the closed position. During the off time, TOFF = (1 D)T, the switch is open and the inductor current is directed toward the load via diode D. The inductor current therefore charges the capacitor and supplies the load current. The diode D blocks not only the current flow toward the source when the switch is in the closed position but also stops the output voltage from appearing across the closed switch. The inductor also helps control the percent current ripple and determines whether or not the circuit is operating in the continuous conduction mode. The capacitor C provides the filtering action by providing a path for the harmonic currents away from the load. In addition, its value is large enough so that the output voltage ripple is very small. Let us make an assumption that the circuit has been operating for a long time and the inductor current varies between its range of minimum and maximum values as a function of time.

Guru/DC2DC/Boost/ February 16, 2006

Boost Converter

Modified on May 19, 2006

We begin our analysis when the inductor current is at its minimum and the switch S is closed at t = 0. The differential equation for the inductor current, for 0 t TON = DT , and its solution are
L di L ( t ) = VS dt VS t + I L ,min L (1)

i L ( t) =

According to this equation, the inductor current increases linearly and attains its maximum value I L. max as t TON = DT such that I L,max = VS DT + I L ,min L (2)

Defining the change in the current from its minimum to maximum value as the peak-to-peak current ripple I L , the above equation yields an expression for I L as I L = I L,max I L,min = VS DT L (3)

As soon as the inductor current reaches its maximum value, the switch is opened. The inductor current now begins to supply the load current and charge the capacitor. The corresponding differential equation for TON t T is
L di L ( t ) = VS Vo dt

The solution of this equation yields i L ( t ) = VS Vo (t DT ) + I L,max L (4)

As per this equation, the inductor current decreases linearly form its maximum value at t = TON to its minimum value as t T, such that I L,min = VS Vo (1 D)T + I L,max L (5)

The peak-to-peak current ripple now is I L = I L,max I L,min = VS Vo (1 D)T L (6)

Guru/DC2DC/Boost/ February 16, 2006

Boost Converter

Modified on May 19, 2006

The current ripple as given by (3) must be the same as given by (6). Equating the two equations, we get VS V Vo DT = S (1 D )T L L This equation upon simplification yields Vo = VS 1 D (7)

Equation (7) states that the output voltage of the boost converter is indirectly proportional to (1-D) and directly proportional to the source voltage. Since the duty cycle is usually less than unity, the output voltage is greater than the applied voltage. This is the reason why a boost converter is commonly called the step-up converter. When the switch, the inductor, and the capacitor are treated as ideal elements, the average power dissipated by these components is zero. Consequently, the average power supplied by the source must be equal to the average power delivered to the load. That is, VS I S = Vo I o = VS Io 1 D

This equation helps us express the average source current in terms of the average load current as IS = Io 1 D (8)

Since the source current is exactly the same as the inductor current, the average inductor current is I L,avg = I S = Io 1 D (9)

Note that the average current in the inductor for the boost converter is not the same as the average load current, which was true for the buck converter.

Guru/DC2DC/Boost/ February 16, 2006

Boost Converter

Modified on May 19, 2006

The expressions for the maximum and minimum currents through the inductor may now be written as I L,max = I L ,avg + I L,min = I L,avg I L Vo V = + o (1 D ) D 2 R (1 D) 2 Lf I L Vo V = o (1 D) D 2 R (1 D) 2 Lf (10) (11)

We are now in a position to sketch the inductor current as shown in Figure 2. Keep in mind that it also represents the source current.

Figure 2: Inductor and the source currents

The peak-to-peak current ripple can be expressed in terms of the output voltage, from (3), as I L = VS V DT = o (1 D) D L Lf (12)

Figure 3: The diode current

The current through the diode is shown in Figure 3. Its average value is I D ,avg = I L max + I L ,min TOFF Vo = 2 T R (13)

Guru/DC2DC/Boost/ February 16, 2006

Boost Converter

Modified on May 19, 2006

Since the average current in the diode is equal to the average current through the load resistor R, the average current in the capacitor, as expected, is zero. When the switch is in its closed position, the capacitor supplies the load current. Hence, from 0 t TON = DT , the capacitor current is iC ( t) = I o = Vo R (14)

When the switch is opened, the inductor current supplies both the capacitor current and the load current. Thus, during the time interval from TON t T , the capacitor current is i C (t) = i L (t) I o (15)

The maximum and minimum values of the capacitor current when the switch is in its open position as I C,max = I L ,max I o = I C,min = I L ,min I o = It must be noted that I L = I C,max I C,min The capacitor current waveform is shown in Figure 4. (18) Vo D V + o (1 D) D R (1 D ) 2 Lf Vo D V o (1 D) D R (1 D) 2 Lf (16) (17)

Figure 4: Current through the capacitor

The current waveform of Figure 4 helps us determine the change in the voltage across the capacitor. During the time the switch is closed, the charge on the capacitor is decreasing because the capacitor is supplying the current to the load. The change in the charge is

Guru/DC2DC/Boost/ February 16, 2006

Boost Converter

Modified on May 19, 2006

Q = I o TON =

Vo DT R

(19)

The decrease in the charge will result in the decrease of the capacitor voltage from its average value of Vo . Therefore, the magnitude of the change in the capacitor voltage is Vo = Q Vo = DT C RC (20)

Note that during the time the switch is open, the component of the inductor current that flows through the capacitor will increase the capacitor voltage by the same amount. Hence, when we define the capacitor ripple as the ratio of the increase in the capacitor voltage to its average value, it can then be expressed as

Vo DT D = = Vo RC RCf

(21)

Note that the capacitor ripple define by (16) is not the same as the peak-to-peak voltage ripple for the rectifiers. The peak-to-peak voltage ripple for the boost converter will be twice of that given by (16). Equation (16) may be viewed as one-sided voltage ripple. The boost converter can operate either in its continuous conduction mode or discontinuous conduction mode. When it operates in the continuous conduction mode, there is always a current in the inductor. The minimum current in the continuous conduction mode can be zero at the time of switching. Consequently, there is a minimum value of the inductor that ensures its continuous conduction mode. It can be obtained from (11) by setting I L,min to zero as Vo Vo (1 D) D = 0 R (1 D) 2 L min f Hence, L min = R D(1 D) 2 2f (22)

From the peak-to-peak current ripple, we can also obtain an expression for the percent current ripple as

%CR =

I L 100R 2L 100 = D(1 D) 2 = 100 min I L,avg Lf L

(23)

Guru/DC2DC/Boost/ February 16, 2006

Boost Converter

Modified on May 19, 2006

Example: ___________________________________________________________
A boost converter operating at a frequency of 20 kHz is used to step-up a 120-V dc supply to 480-V so that it can provide the rated voltage to a 480-V, 1000-W heater. To ensure a reliable operation, inductor must at least be 20% greater than its minimum value and the voltage ripple should be within 1%. Design the boost converter. Solution: From the given data, the duty cycle, from (7), is D= Vo VS 480 120 = = 0.75 Vo 480

The time period, the on time and off times of the switch are T= 1 1 = = 50 s f 20,000

TON = DT = 0.75 50 10 6 = 37.5 s TOFF = (1 D)T = (1 0.75)(50 10 6 ) = 12.5 s The equivalent resistor of the heater is R= Vo2 480 2 = = 230.4 P 1000

The minimum value of the inductor for the continuous conduction mode, from (22), is L min = R 230.4 D(1 D) 2 = (0.75)(1 0.75) 2 = 270 H 2f 2 20,000

The minimum value of the inductor to satisfy the design requirement must be L = 1.2 L min = 1.2 270 10 6 = 324 H To allow for inductor-to-inductor variations, let us select L = 330 H The average current through the heater is Io = Vo 480 = = 2.083 A R 230.4

The peak-to-peak current ripple from (12) is I L = VS 120 DT = 0.75 50 10 6 = 13.636 A 6 L 330 10

The average source or the inductor current is

Guru/DC2DC/Boost/ February 16, 2006

Boost Converter

Modified on May 19, 2006

I L,avg = I S =

Io 2.083 = = 8.332 A 1 D 1 0.75

Hence, the maximum and minimum currents through the inductor, from (8) and (9), are I L,max = I L,avg + I L,min = I L ,avg I L 13.636 = 8.332 + = 15.15 A 2 2 I L 13.636 = 8.332 = 1.514 A 2 2

Let us now select the capacitor based upon the desired voltage ripple of 1%. Using (16), we determine C as

C=

D 0.75 = = 16.28 F Vo 230.4 20,000 0.01 Rf Vo

For this application, let us select a standard 20-F capacitor. The percent current ripple of the inductor current can be computed as

%CR =

I L 13.636 100 = 100 = 163.66% I L,avg 8.332

In some applications, such a high percent ripple may not be acceptable. We have to increase the value of the inductor to decrease the ripple.

Guru/DC2DC/Boost/ February 16, 2006

Boost Converter