DC-DC BUCK CONVERTER OPERATED IN BOOST MODE FOR
HIGH VOLTAGE APPLICATIONS
P. Sanjeevikumar
Abstract-The voltage lift technique is a
popular method that is widely applied in
electronic circuit design. Because of the
effect of parasitic elements the output
voltage and power transfer efficiency of DC-
DC converters are limited. The voltage lift
technique opens a good way to improve
circuit characteristics. In this paper the
voltage lift technique has been successfully
applied for DC-DC buck converters to
operate as boost. This converter performs
positive DC-DC voltage increasing
conversion with high power density, high
efficiency, low cost in simple structure.
They are different from other existing DC-
DC step-up converters and possess many
advantages including a high output voltage
with small ripples. Therefore, these
converters will be widely used in computer
peripheral equipments [1-3] and industrial
applications, especially for high output
voltage projects.
I. INTRODUCTION
VOLTAGE LIFT (VL) technique is a
popular method widely used in electronic
circuit design. It has been successfully
employed in DC/DC converter applications
in recent years, and opened a way to design
high voltage gain converters. The output
voltage increases stage-by-stage along the
geometric progression. This paper
introduces positive output boost converters
that implement the output voltage increase
in a simple geometric progression. They also
effectively enhance the voltage transfer gain
as per power-law terms. The circuit has only
one switch S, two inductors, and two
capacitors and diodes. The conduction duty
ratio is k, switching frequency is f,
switching period is T = 1/f, the load is
resistive R. The input voltage and current
are V1 and I1, out voltage and current are VO
and IO. Assuming no power losses during
the conversion process V1 x I1 = VO x IO.
The voltage transfer gain is M, where
M=VO/V1. In case of conventional boost
converter it requires two controllers, hence it
becomes non economical for high voltage
applications whereas the proposed DC-DC
boost converter requires only one closed
loop controller.
In this paper a new series of DC-DC
converter topology analyzed which is
different from conventional converter. The
performance of this DC-DC converter is
superior to conventional DC-DC with
reduced control scheme.
ƒ It performs similar to conventional
DC/DC boost converter with
comparatively high voltage transfer
ratio.
ƒ Wide range of control with smooth
ripple at the output voltage is an added
advantage of this proposed converter.
ƒ High power density with high efficiency
than conventional boost converter.
ƒ Closed Loop controller requires only
one sensor.
In this paper, the basic operation of this
topology is first described. A PWM
algorithm is developed for the P-channel
MOSFET switch is illustrated for the boost
operation. Finally system level simulation
study is conducted using
MATLAB/SIMULINK to verify its output
voltage performance with line and load
disturbances.
II. PROPOSED TOPOLOGY
Fig. 1 illustrates the proposed Boost
Converter which is derived from Cuk or
Zeta Converter and Luo-converter of
previous topology. The new series of DC-
DC boost converter provides better voltage
transfer ratio compared to the previous
topologies.
The circuit essentially consists of a P-
channel MOSFET switch triggered using the
PWM switching pulse with variable
frequency and duty ratio k. The switch is
operated in two modes with the incorporated
passive components C and L at the input
side. The purpose of capacitor C is to lift
the voltage of the Co during the switch ON
time. The voltage across Co will be the
voltage across the load under steady
condition. Purpose of providing L is to lift
the voltage across C. During the charging
period the voltage across Co will be V1+Vc
and this voltage is maintained even when
switch is off. The switching equivalent
circuit of the fig.1 is shown in fig2&3.
FIG. 2 EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT WHEN SWITCH ON
FIG. 3 EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT WHEN SWITCH OFF
During the switch OFF condition voltage
across Co, Vo=V1+Vc will appear across R
for short duration of time. The inductor Lo
maintains the current direction even during
switch OFF. Thus the new series of DC-DC
converter maintains current and high voltage
at the output.
Elementary equations of conventional DC-
DC converter are given below for the
performance comparison of the proposed
topology.
K
O u t p u t V o lt a g e V o = V1
1 -K
1 -K
O u tp u tC u rre n t I O = I1
K
K
V o lta g e T r a n s f e r G a in M =
1 -K
A v e ra g e V o lta g e V C = V O
A verage C urrent I LO = I O
K
I LO = IO
1-K
III. ANALYSIS OF PROPOSED
CONVERTER
Under Steady state the average inductor
voltage over a period is zero hence,
VC 1 =VC O =VO
IL – increases when switch is ON-
corresponding Voltage across L =V1
IL – decreases when switch is OFF-
corresponding Voltage across L = -VC
Therefore KV1 = (1-K) VC
K
VC =
1-K V 1
During switch ON period the voltage across .
V1 + X 2 − X 4
CO is equal to the source voltage V1 plus the X3= (1)
voltage across C LO LO LO
.
X3 − X4
VCO = V1 +VC X4 =
C O RC O
K
V V O = V1 + V
1 -k 1
Similarly when the switch is open the State
1
VC O = V Space equation are:
1 -K 1 .
-X 2
Voltage transfer gain of Continuous
X1=
LO
Conduction Mode .
X1
VO VCO 1 V1 1
X2 =
M = = = = C
V1 V1 1 -K V 1 1 -K
(2)
Summary of Analysis .
X4
X3= −
Output Voltage V O = 1 LO
V1
1 -K .
Output Current X3 − X4
I O
= (1 -K ) I 1 X4 =
1 C O RC O
Voltage transfer gain M=
1 -K By using State Space averaging method, the
Average Voltage VC = K VO state space averaging equation of the
converter are given as
VC1 = VO
Average Current I LO = I O ⎡ 1-k ⎤
1 ⎢ 0 0 0 ⎥
⎡k⎤
IL = I ⎢ L1 ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
1-K O
⎢ -(1-k) k ⎥ ⎢ L1 ⎥
IV. MODELING OF PROPOSED . ⎢ C 0 C 0 ⎥ ⎢0⎥
CONVERTER X= ⎢⎢ -k
⎥+
-1 ⎥ ⎢ k ⎥
X (3)
0 0 ⎢ ⎥
⎢ Lo Lo ⎥ ⎢ L0 ⎥
State Space Modeling of the proposed ⎢ ⎥
converter is [4] done for the design of PI ⎢ 0 1 -1 ⎥ ⎢⎣ 0 ⎥⎦
0
controller under closed loop operation for its ⎢ ⎥
⎣ Co RCo ⎦
stability analysis with disturbances and the VO = X 4
analysis is given below:
T
Where X= ⎡⎣X1 X2 X3 X4⎤⎦ is the state vector
The State Variables X1, X2, X3 and X4 are
chosen as the current iL1, the voltage Vc, the Equation 3 represents the state space model
Current iLO and the voltage VO respectively. of the proposed DC-DC converter for
When the switch is closed, the State Space obtaining the optimum PI controller
equations are: parameter and hence the converter
. performance can be validated for the various
V1
X1= disturbance conditions. Generally, the
L1 control for DC-DC converters is to regulate
. the output voltage at desired level. Sliding
X3
X2 = mode controller often uses a sliding surface
C which ensures that output voltage reaches
the desired level once the system gets onto
the sliding surface [3]. [3] Derivative
function S and state variable utilized for this
converter is utilized are given below.
In steady state, the system is kept on the
sliding surface.
Let the derivative of S as
S=G*X+V (1 1)
Where G = [g, g... gn]
V is a constant.
In this paper for the above model of the
converter [3-9] using the Ziegler-Nichols
method 1 is (S-shaped curve technique)
applied to design the PI controller. Step
input is applied to the plant model above
equation [3] and the response is the S shaped
curve. By drawing the tangent to the S-
shaped curve at its inflection point with
reference to X-axis, the time delay L and
time constant T is calculated. Using [10]
Ziegler-Nichols chart the value of the Kp and
Ti are calculated. The PI controller
designed by the above method is tested
under different disturbance conditions and
results are provided for the feasibility.
V. CLOSED LOOP CONTROLLER
FIG. 5 CLOSED LOOP CONTROLLER
Closed Loop control scheme for the
proposed DC-DC boost converter is shown
in the above figure consisting of only one
voltage sensor with simple control structure
when compared with conventional DC-DC
boost converter which requires both voltage
and current sensors.
DC voltage of the load is fed back and
compared with Vdc reference voltage and
the error is given to the PI controller to
stabilize the error and the signal obtained
from the controller is the modulating signal
for the PWM scheme.
Signal from the PI controller is compared
with high frequency ramp signal to produce
required pulse for the P-channel MOSFET
switch to obtain the reference DC voltage at
the load.
VI. SIMULATION RESULTS
Simulation results are given below for the
performance characteristics of the proposed
DC-DC Boost Converter. Inductance and
Capacitance values are same for both load
and lift part of the circuit.
Simulation Parameters:
Input Voltage V1 = (10-11) volts
Inductance = 100µH
Capacitance =5µF
Load Resistance = (5-6) ohms.
Switching Frequency = 50 KHz.
FIG. 6 PI CONTROLLER OUTPUT
 FIG. 11a & 11b PWM PULSE AT STEADY STATE

FIG. 7 OUTPUT DC VOLTAGE

FIG. 12a & 12b CAPACITOR VOLTAGE, VCO DURING

FIG. 8 OUTPUT DC CURRENT SWITCING

Fig 6 shows the PI controller response to the

load and line variations. The PI controller
quickly responds to the line and load
disturbances to stabilize the output voltage
with maximum peak over shoot less than
20%.

Fig 7 shows the DC output voltage of the

proposed DC-DC boost converter
maintaining 30V under both line and load
disturbance. Hence the converter provides
FIG. 9 OUTPUT DC VOLTAGE high efficiency and stabilizes even under
distortion conditions. Line disturbance is
applied at 0.04 sec and Load disturbance is
applied at 0.06 sec.
Fig 8 shows the DC output current of the
proposed DC-DC boost converter
maintaining 5A under line disturbance and
increases to 6A as the load varies from 6Ώ
to 5Ώ.

Fig 9 shows the DC output voltage of the

proposed DC-DC boost converter
FIG. 10 OUTPUT DC CURRENT maintaining 30V under both line and load
disturbances at same instant. The converter
provides high efficiency and stabilizes the
output even under such distortion
conditions. Line disturbance and load
disturbance both are applied at 0.04 sec to
prove feasibility of the converter. The
corresponding current variations are shown
in Fig 10.
Fig 11a shows the modulating signal
provided PI by the controller and carrier
signal for PWM generation. Fig 11b shows
PWM pulse for the P-channel MOSFET
switch.
Fig 12a shows switch ON and OFF instant
of the P-channel MOSFET correspondingly
the charging and discharging of the
Capacitor (Vco) are shown in fig 12b
illustrating even when the switch OFF the
average of 30V is maintained at the load.
VII. CONCLUSION
Since the effect of parasitic elements of
DC-DC converters limit their output
voltage and power transfer efficiency,
the conduction duty ratio k usually
should not be higher than 0.9. The paper
provides successful application of the
Voltage lift technique in a DC-DC buck
converter to be operated in Boost mode
with a simple closed loop technique. The
close controller has only one sensor
which makes more suitable for high
voltage applications. The technique
overcomes the effects of parasitic
elements and greatly increases the output
voltage of the DC-DC converters. It has
the characteristics of high efficiency,
high power density and simple topology
with low cost and wide range of control
with smooth current ripples. These
converters can be used in computer
peripheral circuits, medical equipments
and industrial applications with high
output voltage.
VIII. REFERENCE
1. MEDLEY, K.M., and CUK, S.:
‘Dynamics of one cycle controlled Cuk
converter’, IEEE Trans. Power Electron.,
1995, 10, (6), pp. 634-639.
2. LUO, F.L.: ‘Re-lift converter: design,
test, simulation and stability analysis’,
IEE Proc. Electr. Power Appl. 1998,
145, (4), pp. 315-325.
3. LUO, F.L.: ‘Luo converters - voltage
lift technique’. Proceedings ofthe IEEE
Power Electronics Special conference
IEEE-PESCP8, Fukuoka, Japan, 17-22
May 1998, pp. 1783-1789.
4. Y. He, LUO. F.L.”Study of Slide
mode Controller for DC-DC converter”.
International conference 2004,
POWERCON 2004, Singapore
5. LUO, F.L.: ‘Luo converters, a series
of new DC-DC step-up (boost)
conversion circuits’. Proceedings of the
IEEE international conference PEDS’97,
Singapore, 26-29 May 1997, pp. 882-
888.
6. LUO, F.L.: ‘Re-lift circuit, a new DC-
DC step-up (boost) converter’, Electrun.
Lett. 1997, 33, (I).
7. LUO, F.L., LEE, W.C., and LEE,
G.B.: ‘Self-lift circuit, a new DCDC
converter’. Proceedings of the 3rd
National Undergraduate Research
Programmed (NRRP), Congress 97,
Singapore, 13 Sept. 1997.
8. RASHID, M.H.: ‘Power electronics:
circuits, devices and applications’
prentice-Hall, USA, 1993, 2nd edn.).
9. Katsuhiko Ogata “Modern Control
Engineering” Second Edition Prentice-
Hall of India private Limited @New
Delhi, 1996.
 BIOGRAPHIES

P.Sanjeevikumar received Bachelor of

Engineering (Electrical & Electronics)
from the University of Madras and
Master of Technology (Electrical Drives
& Control) from Pondicherry University
in 2002, 2006. He worked as a Lecturer
in the Department of Electrical &
Electronics Engineering in IFET College
of Engineering, Tamilnadu, India (2002
– 2007). He also worked as Manager
Training at Edutech LLC, Dubai, Middle
East, UAE. His area of interest includes
alternate topology for Matrix converter,
Luo converters, soft switching PWM
schemes and power electronics
application towards power systems. He
has published papers in national,
international conferences and journals in
the field of power electronics.
Email ID: sanjeevi_12@yahoo.co.in.