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C O V E R F E AT U R E

AN ELECTRONIC DESIGN EXCLUSIVE

AC-DC SWITCHER IC
A primary-based CC/CV design slashes parts count to achieve cost parity with 3- to 4-W linear power supplies.
DAVID G. MORRISON Power /Packaging /Components

YANKS THE PLUG ON LINEARS

INCREASINGLY POPULAR ALTERNATIVE TO LINear power supplies. Also commonly called switchers, they offer higher efficiency, smaller size, and lighter weight than linears. These advantages were initially exploited to build power supplies in the higher-power ranges, where the size and efficiency benefits of the switchers were most dramatic. But over time, improvements in switching power-supply design have boosted their performance even while reducing their cost. Those gains enabled switching power supplies to make steady inroads against linears at lower and lower power levels. Today, switchers dominate most of the power-supply spectrum. Only at the very low-power end of the range (up to a few watts of output) are very inexpensive linear transformers still popular. Despite a bulkiness from which their nickname bricks comes, these unregulated linears are still widely used as ac-dc adapters and battery chargers, as well as standby and auxiliary power supplies. With the introduction of its new ac-dc switching power-supply IC, Power Integrations hopes to change that situation by knocking linear power supplies out of that last low-power niche. The LinkSwitch family of constant-current/constant-voltage (CC/CV) switching power-supply ICs lets designers construct switchers that are cost-competitive with linear supplies and have outputs up to about 3 W. Such linears are commonly used to power applications like cellular and cordless phones, MP3 players, appliances, and even industrial systems. Within a monolithic device, the LinkSwitch IC (LNK501) integrates a 700-V power MOSFET, pulse-width modulation (PWM) control, high-voltage startup, current limit, thermal shutdown, and fault protection circuitry. This chip makes it possible to build a switching power supply with just 14 components (Fig. 1). In comparison, existing switching power-supply designs may require two to four times that number of parts. Of course, the comparison that counts is against linears, which typically contain eight to 10 parts and cost less than $1 (parts and assembly) to manufacture. For example, when LinkSwitch is used to build a 2.75-W, 5.5-V output switcher, the price for all external components excluding the IC comes to just under 32 cents when parts are purchased in million-piece volumes. Although the LinkSwitch design requires a few more pieces than a linear, the cost of manufacturing an
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VER THE PAST FEW DECADES, SWITCHING POWER SUPPLIES HAVE BECOME AN

AC-DC Switcher IC
Even over a limited, upper-voltage range such as 190 to 265 V ac, several DC S models of linears may be required to C3 BR1 satisfy regulation requirements. + C4 Line regulation for a LinkSwitch RF1 R3 design would be about 3.5% over the C1 C2 C5 VOUT VIN 85- to 265-V ac range, while a linear R4 might exhibit 20% regulation over T1 190 to 265 V ac. A look at load regulaD5 D6 tion shows even worse results for linears (Fig. 3). In addition to differences in load regulation, the LinkSwitch1. By employing a one-piece input diode bridge, the LinkSwitch IC (LNK501) can implement based switcher has a built-in current a complete ac-dc switching power supply with just 14 components for about the same limit that kicks in at around 500 mA. cost as a linear ac-dc adapter or charger. When developing LinkSwitch, Power Integrations relied on experience gained with its TOPSwitch and Tinytion Standards for external power supadapter or charger via LinkSwitch falls Switch series of switching power-supplies. No-load power for LinkSwitch is within a few cents of a linear. While this ply ICs. These products use more-stan196 mW at 115 V ac and 240 mW at 230 achievement alone is remarkable, the dard flyback circuit configurations. V ac. Even at the high-line condition of price of a LinkSwitch-based power supAlthough they provided low-compo265 V ac, the LinkSwitch draws only ply will be under a linear if the costs of nent-count solutions compared to oth260 mW. In contrast, no-load power packaging and shipping the power super switchers in the 0- to 250-W range, consumption for a 3- to 4-W linear is ply are considered. Thats because a even their designs couldnt match the normally 500 to 1000 mW at 230 V ac. LinkSwitch-based supply will be smallcost of a 3- to 4-W linear-transformerMeanwhile, typical efficiency under er and up to 75% lighter than a linear. based power supply. So the company standby operating conditions (10% With cost removed as a barrier, made a simple but fundamental modiload) is 60%, putting LinkSwitch-based LinkSwitch promises to bring the benefication to the standard flyback circuit adapters in harmony with the EPAs fits of switching power supplies to the configuration. It further simplified the Energy Star requirements for cordless numerous applications still reliant on design and reduced the number of telephones and answering machines. bricks. In many cases, the size reduction external components needed. By 2004, these consumer products of the switcher will be its greatest attracIn a standard flyback, the control must lower standby power consumption. Some linears are larger than the chip is positioned in the low-side section to levels ranging from less than 1 electronic devices they power. Also, tion of the primary, where it derives its W to below 2 W, depending on product LinkSwitch allows the switcher to operfeedback signal from a third winding category, to garner the Energy Star ratate off of a universal input voltage range on the isolation transformer, or from ing. LinkSwitch also satisfies Blue Angel (85 to 265 V ac), a feature not possible an opto-coupler along with an associatrequirements. with linears. ed current-sense resistor and other pasIn terms of regulation, comparisons Universal input voltage allows equipsives. Whether or not an optocoupler is between a LinkSwitch design and a linment makers to stock one adapter (not used, the third transformer winding is ear are difficult because the differences counting the ac plug in some instances) needed to efficiently provide low-voltare so dramatic. While the switcher for use anywhere in the world. A age supply current to the control chip. operates from 85 to 265 V ac with LinkSwitch switcher is rated for 3-W With LinkSwitch, the IC was moved acceptable line regulation, the linear output with operation over the univerto a high-side position within the voltsimply cant maintain any semblance sal input voltage range. This value can age-clamp circuit. Now the clamp cirof regulation over such a wide range. be increased to 4 W, though, when the cuit has the additional funcinput voltage is restricted to tions of supplying power to 230 V ac 15%. the chip and feedback from LinkSwitch also offers 80 70 the reflected output voltage higher efficiency. When meaacross the main transformer sured over the full, 85- to 60 primary winding. Clamp 265-V ac input range, the 50 energy that was normally full-load efficiency of a 40 VIN = 115 V ac wasted now supplies the IC LinkSwitch-based adapter is 30 VIN = 230 V ac operating current, helping to typically greater than 70% 20 improve system efficiency. (Fig. 2) . Thats more than Eliminating the third winddouble the efficiency of a lin10 ing on the transformer allows ear. Under the no-load con0 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 the use of a simpler, lessdition, the LinkSwitch IOUT (mA) expensive transformer, while switcher would consume less reducing the number of than 300 mW, in accordance 2. The efficiency of a LinkSwitch-based 3-W ac-dc adapter is twice external parts. The change with the pending require- that of a linear, enabling the adapter to satisfy green power stansacrifices some of the switchments of the European dards such as Blue Angel, Energy Star, and EU 2005 requirements. ers regulation, but that reguUnion No-Load ConsumpL1 LNK501
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Output efficiency (%)

AC-DC Switcher IC
IDCS, the chip begins to control the duty cycle of its switching frequency to LinkSwitch 85 V ac maintain an almost constant output 12 LinkSwitch 265 V ac voltage. When the control current reaches IDCS, duty cycle is about 77%. Linear 190 V ac 10 As the output voltage rises further in Linear 265 V ac response to changes in the load, I C increases until ILIM equals IDCT (corre8 sponding to a 30% duty cycle). While it does so, the chip reduces its duty cycle 6 to maintain a CV output. When the duty cycle falls below 3.8 %, the switch4 ing frequency decreases from 42 kHz to 30 kHz to lower energy consumption 2 under light loads. The LinkSwitch design differs from 0 the TOPSwitch implementation in a 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 few ways. The current limit in IOUT (mA) LinkSwitch is adjusted as a function of IC to ensure that the power supplys out3. A comparison of the V-I characteristics of a LinkSwitch switcher and a linear supply put current remains approximately conreveals much worse line and load regulation for the linear even when the linears input stant as the output voltage drops. Meanvoltage range is restricted. while, the gain of duty-cycle reduction (the slope of duty cycle versus IC) has been increased in LinkSwitch to boost creases. I C , in turn, determines the lation still exceeds that of the unreguthe chips line and load regulation. lated linear. At the same time, the chips internal current limit, ILIM (Fig. In addition, the gain of current limit switcher retains the ability to operate 4). That value is at a maximum when it reduction has been chosen to provide from a universal supply voltage. reaches IDCT. However, before it hits an approximately constant output curConceptually, the change was very that limit, it arrives at another value, rent as the output voltage drops. This simple. Primarily it demanded accepIDCS. The internal current limit characensures that the peak output current tance of less voltage regulation than teristic of the chip maintains an approxand the short-circuit current are well was provided by a typical switcher imately constant power-supply-output controlled, granting a further advantage while still satisfying the performance current until the control current reaches over linears. requirements imposed on the targeted the IDCS value. The LinkSwitch design eliminates the linear supplies. However, it also At that point, the chip switches to a need for secondary-side voltage or currequired some changes in the chips CV mode of operation. Once IC exceeds rent feedback, while maintaininternal control characteristics. ing regulation thats superior to A description of LinkSwitchs linear power supplies. For applioperation helps to explain the ILIM cations that require tighter load concept. regulation, LinkSwitch perforWhen VIN is applied at powCurrent mance can be improved with er-up, the control pin capacitor limit optocoupler feedback. Other (C3 in Figure 1) is charged Autofeatures include a low, 42-kHz through a switched high-voltrestart switching frequency that simpliage current source connected fies the design of the external internally between the chips Control current IC IDCT EMI filter (C1, L1, and C2 in Figdrain and control pins. The Approximate CC region of Approximate CV region of ure 1). The chips come in eightvoltage between the control power-supply output power-supply output pin DIP (LNK501P) and SMD and source pins then rises until (LNK501G) packages. The SMD it reaches 5.6 V. At that point, 75% version also is available in a the chips control circuitry Duty tape-and-reel format. begins operating and starts to cycle switch the internal high-volt30% age MOSFET. From then on, Price & Availability AutoC3 provides power to the chip. In quantities of 1000, unit pricing restart 3% Following power-up, the starts at $0.65. Samples are available 1.0 mA IDCS chip operates in a CC mode. In from stock and production quantities Control current IC this stage, the output voltage are available within six weeks ARO. rises and with it the reflected 4. As the control current, IC, changes to reflect shifts in the load, Power Integrations Inc., 5245 voltage across the primary the chips internal current limit, ILIM, changes. That in turn dictates Hellyer Ave., San Jose, CA 95138; transformer winding. As the whether LinkSwitch is operating in a CC or CV mode. Once in the Steve Micelli (408) 414-8821; reflected voltage rises, the feed- CV mode, the IC determines the duty cycle of the chips PWM. www.powerint.com. back control current, I C , inCIRCLE 459
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VOUT (V)

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