EIectronics & Communicution Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati

Department of
Electronics & Electrical Engineering
EIectronics & Communicution Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati

DC DC Converlers
y
Dr. Iraveen Kumar
Assislanl Irofessor
Dearlmenl of IIeclronics & IIeclricaI Ingineering
EIectronics & Communicution Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
DC DC Converters
Figure 1:General Configuration of a Electric Vehicle
EIectronics & Communicution Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
DC DC Converter
In Figure 1 the general configuration of the EV and HEV is shown. Upon
examination of the general configurations it can be seen that there are two major
power electronic units
DC-DC converter
DC-AC inverter
Usually AC motors are used in HEVs or EVs for traction and they are fed by
inverter and this inverter is fed by DC-DC converter (Figure 1).
The most commonly DC-DC converters used in an HEV or an EV are:
Unidirectional Converters: They cater to various onboard loads such as sensors, controls,
entertainment, utility and safety equipments.
Bidirectional Converters: They are used in places where battery charging and regenerative
braking is required. The power flow in a bi-directional converter is usually from a low voltage end
such as battery or a supercapacitor to a high voltage side and is referred to as boost operation.
During regenerative braking, the power flows back to the low voltage bus to recharge the batteries
know as buck mode operation
EIectronics & Communicution Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Objective to efficiently reduce DC voltage
DCDC
Buck
Converter
+
V
in

+
V
out

I
out
I
in
Lossless objective: P
in
= P
out
, which means that V
in
I
in
= V
out
I
out
and
The DC equivalent of an AC transformer
out
in
in
out
I
I
V
V
=
EIectronics & Communicution Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Here is an example of an inefficient DCDC
converter
2
1 2
out in
R
V V
R R
=
+
+
V
in

+
V
out

R
1
R
2
in
out
V
V
R R
R
=
+
=
2 1
2

If V
in
= 39V, and V
out
= 13V, efficiency is only 0.33
The load
Unacceptable except in very low power applications
EIectronics & Communicution Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Another method lossless conversion of
39Vdc to average 13Vdc
If the duty cycle D of the switch is 0.33, then the average voltage to
the expensive car stereo is 39 * 0.33 = 13Vdc. This is lossless
conversion, but is it acceptable?
Rstereo
+
39Vdc

Switch state, Stereo voltage

Closed, 39Vdc
Open, 0Vdc
Switch open
Stereo
voltage
39
0
Switch closed
DT
T
EIectronics & Communicution Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Convert 39Vdc to 13Vdc, cont.
Try adding a large C in parallel with the
load to control ripple. But if the C has
13Vdc, then when the switch closes, the
source current spikes to a huge value
and burns out the switch.
Rstereo
+
39Vdc

C
Try adding an L to prevent the huge
current spike. But now, if the L has
current when the switch attempts to
open, the inductors current momentum
and resulting Ldi/dt burns out the switch.
By adding a free wheeling diode, the
switch can open and the inductor current
can continue to flow. With high-
frequency switching, the load voltage
ripple can be reduced to a small value.
Rstereo
+
39Vdc

C
L
Rstereo
+
39Vdc

C
L
A DC-DC Buck Converter
lossless
EIectronics & Communicution Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Cs and Ls operating in periodic steady-state
Examine the current passing through a capacitor that is operating in
periodic steady state. The governing equation is
dt
t dv
C t i
) (
) ( = == =
which leads to

+ ++ +
+ ++ + = == =
t o
t
o
t
o
dt t i
C
t v t v ) (
1
) ( ) (
Since the capacitor is in periodic steady state, then the voltage at time t
o
is the same as the voltage one period T later, so
), ( ) (
o o
t v T t v = == = + ++ +
The conclusion is that

+ ++ +
= == = = == = + ++ +
T o
t
o
t
o o
dt t i
C
t v T t v ) (
1
0 ) ( ) ( or
0 ) ( = == =

+ ++ +T o
t
o
t
dt t i
the average current through a capacitor operating in periodic steady
state is zero
which means that
EIectronics & Communicution Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Now, an inductor
Examine the voltage across an inductor that is operating in periodic
steady state. The governing equation is
dt
t di
L t v
) (
) ( = == =
which leads to

+ ++ +
+ ++ + = == =
t o
t
o
t
o
dt t v
L
t i t i ) (
1
) ( ) (
Since the inductor is in periodic steady state, then the current at time t
o
is the same as the current one period T later, so
), ( ) (
o o
t i T t i = == = + ++ +
The conclusion is that

+ ++ +
= == = = == = + ++ +
T o
t
o
t
o o
dt t v
L
t i T t i ) (
1
0 ) ( ) ( or
0 ) ( = == =

+ ++ +T o
t
o
t
dt t v
the average voltage across an inductor operating in periodic steady
state is zero
which means that
EIectronics & Communicution Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
KVL and KCL in periodic steady-state
, 0 ) (

= == =

loop Around
t v
, 0 ) (

= == =

node of Out
t i
0 ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (
3 2 1
= == = + ++ + + ++ + + ++ + + ++ + t v t v t v t v
N

Since KVL and KCL apply at any instance, then they must also be
valid in averages. Consider KVL,
0 ) ( ) ( ) ( ) (
3 2 1
= == = + ++ + + ++ + + ++ + + ++ + t i t i t i t i
N

0 ) 0 (
1
) (
1
) (
1
) (
1
) (
1
3 2 1
= == = = == = + ++ + + ++ + + ++ + + ++ +

+ ++ + + ++ + + ++ + + ++ + + ++ +
dt
T
dt t v
T
dt t v
T
dt t v
T
dt t v
T
T o
t
o
t
T o
t
o
t
N
T o
t
o
t
T o
t
o
t
T o
t
o
t

0
3 2 1
= == = + ++ + + ++ + + ++ + + ++ +
Navg avg avg avg
V V V V
The same reasoning applies to KCL
0
3 2 1
= == = + ++ + + ++ + + ++ + + ++ +
Navg avg avg avg
I I I I
KVL applies in the average sense
KCL applies in the average sense
EIectronics & Communicution Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Capacitors and Inductors
In capacitors:
dt
t dv
C t i
) (
) ( = == =
Capacitors tend to keep the voltage constant (voltage inertia). An ideal
capacitor with infinite capacitance acts as a constant voltage source.
Thus, a capacitor cannot be connected in parallel with a voltage source
or a switch (otherwise KVL would be violated, i.e. there will be a
short-circuit)
The voltage cannot change instantaneously
In inductors:
Inductors tend to keep the current constant (current inertia). An ideal
inductor with infinite inductance acts as a constant current source.
Thus, an inductor cannot be connected in series with a current source
or a switch (otherwise KCL would be violated)
The current cannot change instantaneously
dt
t di
L t v
) (
) ( = == =
EIectronics & Communicution Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
DC DC Converter Classification
The converter topologies are classified as:
Buck Converter: In Figure 2a a buck converter is shown. The buck
converter is step down converter and produces a lower average output
voltage than the dc input voltage.
Boost converter: In Figure 2b a boost converter is shown. The output
voltage is always greater than the input voltage.
Buck-Boost converter: In Figure 2c a buck-boost converter is shown. The
output voltage can be either higher or lower than the input voltage.
EIectronics & Communicution Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
DC DC Converter Classification
Figure 2a: General Configuration Buck Converter
EIectronics & Communicution Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
DC DC Converter Classification
Figure 2b: General Configuration Boost Converter
EIectronics & Communicution Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
DC DC Converter Classification
Figure 2c: General Configuration Buck-Boost Converter
EIectronics & Communicution Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Principle of Step Down
The principle of step down operation of DC-DC converter is explained using the circuit
shown in Fig. 3.
When the switch is closed for time duration , the input voltage appears across the
load.
For the time duration switch remains open and the voltage across the load is zero.
The waveforms of the output voltage and current across the load are shown in Fig.4. The
average output voltage is given by
(1)
1
S
1
T
2
T
1
S
1
1
1
0
1
T
oavg out in in in
T
V v dt V fTV DV
T T
= = = =

EIectronics & Communicution Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Principle of Step Down
Fig.3: Step down converter
1
S
in
V
out
v
R
+
-
+
-
out
v
in
V
in
V
1
T
2
T
T
1
T
t
Fig.4: Output voltage waveform
EIectronics & Communicution Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Principle of Step Down
The average load current is given by
(2)
The rms value of the output voltage is given by
(3)
1
is the chopping period
is the duty ratio
is the chopping frequency
oavg
in
oavg
V
DV
I
R R
where
T
T
D
T
f
= =
=
1/ 2
2
0
1
DT
orms out in
V v dt DV
T

= =

EIectronics & Communicution Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
Principle of Step Down
In case the converter is assumed to be lossless, the input power to the converter will be
equal to the output power. Hence, the input power ( ) is given by
(4)
The effective resistance seen by the source is
(5)
The duty cycle can be varied from 0 to 1 by varying , or . Thus, the output
voltage can be varied from 0 to by controlling and eventually the power flow can be
controlled.
in
P
2 2
0 0
1 1
DT DT
out in
in out out
v V
P v i dt dt D
T T R R
= = =

in
eff
oavg
V R
R
I D
= =
D
1
T T
f