DC-DC Switch-Mode Converters

dc-dc converters for switch-mode dc power

supplies and dc-motor drives
these dc-dc converters are studied:
step-down (buck)
step-up (boost)
step-up/ step-down (buck-boost)
Ck
Full-bridge
7-1

Block Diagram of DC-DC Converters

Copyright 2008 by Jose

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7-2

Stepping Down a DC Voltage

switching at constant frequency:
pulse-width modulation (PWM) switching

vo

Ts ton toff
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7-3

Pulse-Width Modulation (1)

signal-level control voltage vcontrol generated by amplifying

the difference between actual output voltage and desired
output voltage
switch control signal generated by comparing
repetitive waveform
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vcontrol with
7-4

Pulse-Width Modulation (2)

switch

duty-cycle D is

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ton vcontrol
D

Ts
Vst
7-5

Step-Down (Buck) DC-DC Converter (1)

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7-6

Step-Down (Buck) DC-DC Converter (2)

average output voltage Vo

1
Vo
Ts

t on

Ts

t on

dt 0 dt

ton
Vd D Vd
Ts

or
Vd
Vo
vcontrol k vcontrol
Vst

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Bastos

7-7

R L C low-pass filter

1
40 log
40 log
LC

fc
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1
2

LC
7-8

Continuous conduction mode (1)

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7-9

Continuous conduction mode (2)

Ts

t on

Ts

t on

v
dt

v
dt

v
dt

0
L
L
L

(Vd Vo ) ton Vo (Ts ton )

or
Vo ton

D
Vd Ts
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7-10

Continuous conduction mode (3)

input power equals output power:

Pd Po
Vd I d Vo I o
I o Vd 1

I d Vo D
step-down converter is equivalent to a dc
transformer where the turns ratio is in the range 0-1

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Bastos

7-11

Edge of Cont./Discont. Conduction

Critical current below which inductor current becomes discontinuous:

I LB

1
1 ton
1 D Ts
1 D Ts
Vo
iL , peak
(Vd Vo )
(Vd Vo )
Vd (1 )
2
2 L
2 L
2 L
Vd

1 D Ts
Vd (1 D )
2 L

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I LB ,max

TsVd
8L

7-12

Discontinuous Conduction Mode

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7-13

Discontinuous Conduction Mode (2)

Vo/Vd in the discontinuous mode
integrating the inductor voltage over one time period,
(Vd Vo ) DTs (Vo )1Ts 0
Vo
D

Vd D 1

(1)

From the figure,

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7-14

Discontinuous Conduction Mode (3)

I LB ,max

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TsVd
8L

7-15

Limits of Cont./Discont. Conduction with

constant D
TV
I LB ,max

s d

8L
I LB / I LB ,max 4 D (1 D)

The duty-ratio of 0.5 has the highest value of the critical

current
The boundary between the cont/discont mode is shown by
the dashed curve
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7-16

Discont. Conduction mode with constant V o

in regulated dc power supplies Vo is kept constant by
adjusting the duty ratio D
since Vd=Vo/D the average inductor current at the edge
of cont/discont mode is

DTs
I LB
Vd (1 D)
2L
TsVo

(1 D)
2L

when D=0 the maximum ILB,max is

I LB ,max
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TsVo

2L
7-17

Discont. Conduction mode with constant V o

I LB ,max

TsVo

2L

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Vo
D
Vd

I o / I LB ,max

1 Vo / Vd

1/ 2

7-18

Step-Down Conv.: Output Voltage Ripple (1)

Peak-peak voltage ripple:

Q 1 1 I L Ts
Vo

C
C2 2 2

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7-19

Step-Down Conv.: Output Voltage Ripple (2)

Computing

I L :

I L
Vo L
t
During toff:
1
I L Vo toff
L
1
I L Vo (Ts ton )
L

ton
D
Ts

1
I L Vo Ts (1 D)
L
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7-20

Step-Down Conv.: Output Voltage Ripple (3)

1
I L Vo Ts (1 D)
L
substituting I L into
Q 1 1 I L Ts
Vo

C
C2 2 2
gives
fc
Vo 1 Ts (1 D)

(1 D)
Vo
8
LC
2
fs
2

fc

1
2 LC

ripple can be minimized by making fc of the low pass

filter fc << fs
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7-21

Step-Up (Boost) DC-DC Converter

Output voltage is greater than the input

main application: regulated dc power supplies

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7-22

Step-Up DC-DC Converter Waveforms (1)

Vd ton (Vo Vd )toff
Vd

ton
T t
(Vo Vd ) s on
Ts
Ts

Vd D (Vo Vd )(1 D)
Vd D Vo (1 D) Vd Vd D
Vd Vo (1 D )
Vo
1

Vd 1 D

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7-23

Effect of Parasitics

The duty-ratio is generally limited before the

parasitic effects become significant
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7-24

Step-Up DC-DC Converter Waveforms (2)

Assuming a lossless circuit Pd=Po

Vd I d Vo I o
Io
(1 D)
Id
Thus:
power remains the same
voltage increases
current decreases
equivalent to a DC transformer
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7-25

Edge of Cont./Discont. Conduction (1)

1
I LB iL , peak
2
1 Vd

ton
2 L
using
Vo
1

Vd 1 D
I LB

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ton
and D
Ts

TsVo

D(1 D)
2L

7-26

Edge of Cont./Discont. Conduction (2)

I LB

TsVo
D(1 D)
2L

recognizing that the inductor current IL and the input

current Id are the same Id= IL
and I o I d (1 D)
TsVo
2
I oB
D 1 D
2L
highest ILB at D=0.5
I LB ,max

highest IOB at D=1/3

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I oB ,max

TsVo
8L

2 TsVo

27 L

(1)
7-27

Edge of Cont./Discont. Conduction (3)

I oB

TsVo
2

D 1 D
2L

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I LB

TsVo

D(1 D )
2L

7-28

Discont. Conduction (1)

Occurs at light loads

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7-29

Discont. Conduction (2)

Vd DTs (Vd Vo )1Ts 0

Vo 1 D

Vd
1

( 2)

and since power remains constant

Io
1

I d 1 D

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(3)

7-30

Discont. Conduction (3)

Vd
DTs
L

iL , peak
and
1
Id
Ts

DTs

iL , peak
DTs

t dt

1Ts

iL , peak
1Ts

t dt

2
iL , peak 1Ts 2
1 iL , peak DTs

Ts DTs
2
1Ts
2
D 1
iL , peak
2
substituting iL , peak

Vd Ts
( D 1 ) D
2L
and using (3)
Id

I0
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Vd Ts
D 1
2L
7-31

Discont. Conduction (4)

Vo 1 D

Vd
1

Solving Io in order to 1
2 LI o
1
Vd Ts D
Substituting above
2 LI o
D2
Vo Vd Ts

2 LI o
Vd
Vd Ts
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7-32

Edge of Cont./Discont. Conduction with

Vd constant
2 LI o
D2
Vo Vd Ts

2 LI o
Vd
Vd Ts
TsVo
2
I oB
D 1 D
27
2L

I
/
I

D
1

D
oB oB ,max
2 TsVo
4

I oB ,max

27 L
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7-33

Discont. Conduction with constant Vo (5)

substituting IoB,max

I oB ,max

2 TsVo

27 L

We get

4 Vo I o
D2
Vo 27 Vd I oB ,max

4 Vo I o
Vd
27 Vd I oB ,max

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7-34

Discont. Conduction with Vo constant (6)

Solving for D
4 Vo
D
27 Vd

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Vo I o

Vd
I oB ,max

1/ 2

7-35

Boost Converter Output Ripple (1)

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7-36

Boost Converter Output Ripple (2)

the ripple current flows through the capacitor and
the average through R
idiode
Io

Q I o DTs
Vo

C
C
Vo DTs
Vo
R C
Vo DTs
Ts

D
Vo
RC

(where =RC is the time const)

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7-37

Step-Down/Up (Buck-Boost) Converter

The output voltage can be higher or lower than the input

voltage
The output voltage is negative
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7-38

Buck-Boost DC-DC Converter: Waveforms

equating the integral of inductor
voltage over one period:
Vd DTs (Vo )(1 D)Ts 0
Vo

D
Vd
1 D

D>0.5 means Vo>Vd

D<0.5 means Vo<Vd
power is conserved Pd=Po:
Io

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Bastos

1 D
Id
D
7-39

Limits of Cont./Discont. Conduction (1)

The average inductor current is

1
I LB iL , peak
2
1 TsVd

D
2 L
1 TsVo

(1 D)
2 L
Noting that average capacitor current
is zero:
D

I oB I LB I d I LB

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re-arranging:

I oB I LB (1 D )

Substituting:

I oB

1 D

I oB

TsVo
(1 D ) 2
2L
7-40

Limits of Cont./Discont. Conduction (2)

Maximum values obtained
when D=0

TsVo
2L
TsVo
I oB ,max
(1)
2L
TsVo
I LB
(1 D)
2L
TsVo
I oB
(1 D) 2
2L
I LB ,max

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7-41

Discontinuous Conduction Mode (1)

integrating the inductor
voltage over one period
Vd DTs (Vo )1Ts 0
Vo D

Vd 1

and since Pd=Po

I o 1

(2)
Id D

This occurs at light loads

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7-42

Discontinuous Conduction Mode (2)

iL , peak

Vd
DTs
L

and
1
IL

Ts

DTs

iL , peak
DTs

t dt

1Ts

iL , peak
1Ts

t dt

2
iL , peak 1Ts 2
1 iL , peak DTs

Ts DTs
2
1Ts
2
D 1
iL , peak
2
substituti ng iL , peak

IL

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Bastos

Vd Ts
( D 1 ) D
2L

7-43

Limits of Cont./Discont. Conduction

Vd
Io Id I L
DTs ( D 1 )
2L
TsVo
Io
I oB ,max
(1) 1 D
( 2)
2L
Id
Io Id

I oB ,maxVd
Vo

Io
D( D D )
Id

I oB ,maxVd D 2
(Io Id )
(Io I d )
Vo
Id
I oB ,maxVd D 2
1
Vo
Id

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; I d Vo I o / Vd

Vo D Vd

I oB ,max
Io
7-44

Limits of Cont./Discont. Conduction with Vo

constant

Vo
D
Vd
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Io
I oB ,max

I oB ,max

TsVo

2L
7-45

Buck-Boost Converter: Effect of Parasitics

The duty-ratio is limited to avoid these parasitic

effects from becoming significant
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7-46

Buck-Boost Converter:
Output Voltage Ripple
Q I o DTs
Vo

C
C
Vo DTs
Vo
R C
Vo DTs
Ts

D
Vo
RC

(where =RC is the time const)

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7-47

Cuk DC-DC Converter

The output voltage can be higher or lower than the input

voltage
The output voltage is negative
Capacitor C1 stores and transfers energy
in steady state average inductor voltages VL1, VL2 are zero
VC1 is larger than Vd and Vo:
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VC1 Vd Vo

7-48

Cuk DC-DC Converter: Waveforms (1)

when switch T is off

VL1=Vd-VC1
VL2=-Vo

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7-49

Cuk DC-DC Converter: Waveforms (2)

when switch T is on

VL1=Vd
VL2=VC1-Vo

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7-50

Cuk DC-DC Converter: Waveforms (3)

equating the integral voltages of L1, L2
over one period:

L1 :

(Vd VC1 )(1 D )Ts Vd DTs 0

1
Vd
(1 D )
L 2 : (Vo )(1 D )Ts (VC1 Vo ) DTs 0

VC1

VC1
thus

1
Vo
D
Vo
D

Vd 1 D

and since Po=Pd

Io 1 D

Id
D
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7-51

Cuk DC-DC Converter: pros and cons

Advantages
input current and output current have small ripple

Disadvantages
requirement of capacitor C1 with large ripple current
capability

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7-52

Full-Bridge DC-DC Converter

Four quadrant operation is possible

(TA+,TB-) (TA-,TB+) are switch pairs
bipolar voltage switching: switches in each pair are
activated simultaneously
unipolar voltage switching: switches are activated
independently
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7-53

Bipolar voltage switching

vtri (t ) Vtri

t
Ts / 4

at t t1 vtri vcontrol
thus

vcontrol Ts
t1
Vtri 4
ton of switch pair (TA+,TB-) is

1
v
T 1
ton 2t1 Ts control s Ts
2
Vtri 2 2
D1

ton 1 vcontrol

1
Ts 2 Vtri

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7-54

Bipolar voltage switching (2)

Duty-rate of pair (TA+,TB-)

ton 1 vcontrol

D1

1
Ts 2 Vtri

Duty-rate of pair (TA-,TB+)

D2 1 D1
noting that

Vo V AN VBN D1Vd D2Vd (2 D1 1)Vd

Vo (2 D1 1)Vd
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D1 can vary between 0 and 1

Vo can vary between -Vd and +Vd
7-55

unipolar voltage switching

TA , TB on if vcontrol vtri vcontrol
TA , TB on if vtri vcontrol
TA , TB on if vtri vcontrol

Duty-rate of switch TA+

ton 1 vcontrol
D1

1

Ts 2 Vtri

Duty-rate of switch TB+

D2 1 D1
noting that

Vo VAN VBN (2 D1 1)Vd

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D1 can vary between 0.5 and 1

Vo can vary between 0 and Vd
7-56

Output Ripple in full-bridge DC converters

unipolar voltage switching vs
bipolar voltage switching:
switching frequency is
doubled
ripple is reduced

ripple
bipolar
unipolar

better frequency response

better output voltage
more complex switch control

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7-57

Converter Comparison
Buck, Boost, Buck-Boost, Cuk transfer energy in only one
direction
full-bridge is capable of bi-direccional power flow
in Buck, Boost, switch utilization is good
in Buck-Boost, Cuk, full-bridge switch utilization is poor
CONCLUSION
Prefer Buck, Boost converters
If higher and lower voltages needed, use Buck-Boost, Cuk
If four-quadrant operation needed, use full-bridge

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Bastos

7-58