Power Electronics

Chapter 5
DC to DC Converters
(Choppers)
 Outline
Power Electronics

5.1 Basic DC to DC converters

5.2 Composite DC/DC converters and

connection of multiple DC/DC converters

5.3 Isolated DC to DC converters (Indirect DC

to DC converters )

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 5.1 Basic DC to DC converters
Power Electronics

5.1.1 Buck converter (Step-down converter)

5.1.2 Boost converter (Step-up converter)

5.1.3 Buck-Boost converter (Step-down/step-

up converter) and Cuk converter

5.1.4 Sepic converter and Zeta converter

3
 5.1 Basic DC to DC converters
Power Electronics

Introduction—Buck converter

SPDT switch changes

dc component

Switch output
voltage waveform

Duty cycle D:
0 D 1
complement D’:
D’ = 1 - D

4
 Dc component of switch output voltage
Power Electronics

Fourier analysis: Dc component = average value

5
 Insertion of low-pass filter to remove switching
harmonics and pass only dc component
Power Electronics

6
 Basic operation principle of buck converter
Power Electronics

Buck converter
with ideal switch

Realization
using power
MOSFET and
diode

7
 Thought process in analyzing basic
DC/DC converters
Power Electronics

Basic operation principle (qualitative analysis)

– How does current flow during different switching states
– How is energy transferred during different switching states

Verification of small ripple approximation

Derivation of inductor voltage waveform during different
switching states
Quantitative analysis according to inductor volt-second
balance or capacitor charge balance

8
 Actual output voltage waveform of
buck converter
Power Electronics

Buck converter
containing practical
low-pass filter

Actual output voltage

waveform
v(t) = V + vripple(t)

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 The small ripple approximation
Power Electronics

v(t) = V + vripple(t)

In a well-designed converter, the output voltage

ripple is small. Hence, the waveforms can be
easily determined by ignoring the ripple:

10
 Buck converter analysis:
inductor current waveform
Power Electronics

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 Inductor voltage and current
subinterval 1: switch in position 1
Power Electronics

12
 Inductor voltage and current
subinterval 2: switch in position 2
Power Electronics

13
 Inductor voltage and current waveforms
Power Electronics

14
 Determination of inductor
current ripple magnitude
Power Electronics

15
 Inductor current waveform
during start-up transient
Power Electronics

16
 The principle of inductor
volt-second balance: Derivation
Power Electronics

17
 Inductor volt-second balance:
Buck converter example
Power Electronics

18
 The principle of capacitor charge
balance: Derivation
Power Electronics

19
 Boost converter example
Power Electronics

20
 Boost converter analysis
Power Electronics

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 Subinterval 1: switch in position 1
Power Electronics

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 Subinterval 2: switch in position 2
Power Electronics

23
 Inductor voltage and capacitor current
waveforms
Power Electronics

24
 Inductor volt-second balance
Power Electronics

25
 Conversion ratio M(D) of
the boost converter
Power Electronics

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 Determination of inductor current
dc component
Power Electronics

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 Continuous-Conduction-Mode (CCM) and
Discontinuous-Conduction-Mode (DCM) of buck
Power Electronics
L io R
V
iG +
E EM
VD uo M
-

iG
toff iG
ton toff
O T t ton
io i1 iG O Tt t
i2 io x
i1
I10 I20 i2

O t1 t O t1 I20 t2 t
uo uo E E
E

O EM t
O t
CCM DCM
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 Continuous-Conduction-Mode (CCM) and
Discontinuous-Conduction-Mode (DCM) of boost
Power Electronics

L V D

M E V uo E
M

a)

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 5.2 Composite DC/DC converters and
connection of multiple DC/DC converters
Power Electronics

5.2.1 A current-reversible chopper

5.2.2 Bridge chopper (H-bridge DC/DC

converter)

5.2.3 Multi-phase multi-channel DC/DC

converters

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 5.2.1 A current reversible chopper
Power Electronics

V 1
V D 2
E L R io
V 2
V D u M
1 o E M

Can be considered as a
combination of a Buck and
a Boost
Can realize two-quadrant ( I & II)
operation of DC motor:
forward motoring,
forward braking
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 Bridge chopper (H-bridge chopper)
Power Electronics

V1 V3
uo
VD1 VD3
E L R io
M
V2
VD2 + - VD4
EM
V4

Can be considered as the combination of two

current-reversible choppers.
Can realize 4-quadrant operation of DC motor.

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 Multi-phase multi-channel
DC/DC converter
Power Electronics
V1 i1 L1 u1
L V2 i2 L2 io
O t
V3 i3 L3 u2

C VD3 VD2 VD1 M uo O t

E
u3
u3 u2 u1
O t
uo
Current output capability is
O t
increased due to multi-channel i1

O t
paralleling. i2

O t
Ripple in the output voltage and i3

O t
current is reduced due to multi- io

channel paralleling. O t

Ripple in the input current is 33

 5.3 Isolated DC to DC converters
(Indirect DC to DC converters )
Power Electronics

DC input High frequency DC output

AC AC
Inverter Transformer Rectifier Filter
Isolation

Reasons to use indirect DC to DC structure

Necessary isolation between input and output
In some cases isolated multiple outputs are needed
The ratio of input and output voltage is far away from 1

Power semiconductor devices usually used

Inverter part: Power MOSFETs, IGBTs
Rectifier part: Fast recovery diodes, Schottky diodes, Synchronous r
ectifiers

34
 Classification of isolated DC to DC converters
Power Electronics

According to whether transformer current is

uni-direction or bi-directional

Single-ended converters
• Forward converter
Isolated DC to DC • Flyback converter
converters
Double-ended converters
• Half bridge
• Push-pull
• Full bridge

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 5.3.1 Forward converter
Power Electronics

VD 1
S
N N N L +
3 1 2
O t
Ui + W W VD
U o uS
1 2 2
W 3
Ui
VD S t
3 O
iL
Uo N 2 t on
 O t
Ui N1 T iS

t
Simple, low cost O
Uni-polar transformer current, low power applications

36
 5.3.2 Flyback converter
Power Electronics

S t on t off
O t
N 1
N 2 VD + uS
+ U o Ui
U W W
i 1 2 t
O
S iS
t
O
Uo N 2 t on i VD

Ui N 1 t off
t
Simple, low cost O
Uni-polar transformer current, low power applications
37
 5.3.3 Half bridge converter
Power Electronics

S 1 t on
t
O
S 2
t
O T
+
S1 W 2 VD 1
+
u S1 U
C 1
i

N ud L t
N 2 + u SO2 U
U 1 U i

i N 3
o
t
O
+ W 1 W iS1
C S2 3 VD
2 2 t
O
iS2

t
O
Uo N 2 ton iD 1
iL

 t
Ui N1 T iS2
O iL

t
O

Cost higher than forward and flyback converter

Bi-polar transformer current, up to several kilowatts 38
 5.3.4 Push-pull converter
Power Electronics
S 1
t on
t
O
S 2
S1 O T
t
VD 1 u S1 2U i

L
+ N 1
N 2 + u S O2
t

U ' '
U o
2U i
i N 1
N 2 t
O
iS1
VD 2
S2 O
t
iS2

t
O
iD 1
iL
Uo N 2 2t on
 O
iL
t

Ui N1 T iS2

O t

Cost higher than forward and flyback converter

Center-tapped transformer
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 5.3.5 Full-bridge converter
Power Electronics
S 1(S 4) t on
O t
S 2(S 3)
ud O t
+ T
VD L
S 1 S 3
1
VD u S1 (u S4 ) U i
3
+ + + t
U i
uT N 1
N 2 U
O
u S2(u S3) U
o i
-
W 1
W 2 VD O
t
S S 4 VD 4 iS1(iS4)
2 2
-
O t
iS2(iS3)

Uo N 2 2t on O
t
 iD 1(iD 4) iL

Ui N1 T O
t
iS2(iS3) iL

Cost is even higher O

t

Bi-polar transformer current, up to several hundreds of

kilowatts 40
 5.3.6 Rectifier circuits in
the isolated DC to DC converters
Power Electronics
VD L
1
VD VD L
1 3

+ +

VD 2 VD VD 4
2

Full-wave rectifier
Full-bridge rectifier
V 1 L

V2
Synchronous rectifier 41
 5.3.7 Configuration of switching power suppl
y
Power Electronics

Linear power supply

Line Line frequency
frequency Regulated
AC input DC Series Pass DC output
Transformer Rectifier Filter
Regulator
Isolation

Switching power supply

High High
Line frequency frequency
frequency AC Regulated
AC
AC input DC DC output
Rectifier Filter Inverter Transformer Rectifier Filter

Isolation

Indirect DC to DC converter
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