Application Note

ONCORE TECHNICAL APPLICATION NOTE

Buck Switching Voltage Regulator Application

Abtract

This application note describes the Buck Switching Regulator that follows the
specification given by Engr. Daryl Vincent Cruzada and it contains the Ramp
Generator, Pulse Width Modulator Comparator, Power Stage, and Error Amplifier,
which are required for constructing switching regulator systems.

Introduction

Since the birth of voltage regulators with the breakthrough of Alessandro Volta in
1800, the voltage regulator has become a basic circuit required by the system for
optimal performance. Voltage regulation is a function that produces an output
voltage of constant value all the while ignoring the changes in line voltage, load
requirements, ambient temperature and other factors.

A voltage regulator is the preferred device to be utilized as a steady source of voltage

and regulate it. The fixed output voltage it produces maintains an ideally constant
value for any kind of changes in the input or outputs of the circuit. It has the ability
to act as a buffer to protect passive and active components from overloading and
irrepairable damage. It is also a simple feed- forward design and it uses negative
feedback control loops.

Voltage regulators that have been consistent through the years have reduced its
own complexity, improving reliability, and increasing the ease of maintencance to
get a simpler power supply design. Linear volage regulators have lead in the golden
age of regulator systems due to their excellent performance, trust-worthy reliability,
low external component count and relatively low cost.

Unfortunately, the Linear regulator has its own disadvantages like it only steps down
and produces high waste heat. This forces the user to use a more complex system,
such as the switching regulator called the Buck Switching Regulator.

Due to the technological advancements made through history, the switching-

regulators have proliferated and the emergence of the inexpensive, high-speed
switching power transistors, low-loss ferrites for inductor cores, and low-cost LSI
circuits containing all necessary control circuitry has significantly expanded the
range of switching regulator application.

Switching voltage regulator switches on and off rapidly to alter the output. It
requires a control oscillator and also charges storage components. In a switching
regulator with Pulse Rate Modulation varying frequency, constant duty cycle and
noise spectrum imposed by PRM vary; it is more difficult to filter out that noise.

A switching regulator with Pulse Width Modulation, constant frequency, varying

duty cycle, is efficient and easy to filter out noise. In a switching regulator,
continuous mode current through an inductor never drops to zero. It allows highest
output power. It gives better performance. In a switching regulator, discontinuous
mode current through the inductor drops to zero. It gives better performance when
the output current is low.

Figure 1: Example of Switching Regulator Circuit

Principle of Operation

Figure 2: Block Diagram of the designed Buck Converter

Ramp Generator

A ramp generator is a function generator that increases its output voltage up to a

specific value, called a ramp. Among multitude of other uses, it is used in electrical
generators or electric motors to avoid joltswhen changing a load. Some ramp
generators present also the possibility to change the start-up and return flow time.
Comparator - Pulse Width Modulator

The many applications for pulse-width modulation include voltage regulation,

power-level control, and fan-speed control.

Analysis- Buck Converter Design: Power Stage

One of the objectives of designing the Voltage Regulator is to comply with the
following specifications:

 A voltage input of 9V - 24V

 A voltage output of 5V
 A current load of 2A

In finding for the Switching Frequency, D represents (Y) wherein:

Vout 5V
D= D=
Vin 24 V

Therefore, D=0. 20833 . – Duty Cycle

In ripple current,

0.2
ripple=¿ at ranges ( ¿0.4 )−estimated
I¿

Equation 1: The basic topology of a simple buck converter.

For the design of the component values, the team followed the following steps.
Step One. Determine the Switching Frequency to be used.

The switching frequency : 21 KHz (typical range 21 KHz – 50 KHz)

Equation 2: The Formula for Selecting the Inductor

24 (24−5)
Therefore, in L= , L = 471.230 uH , with a switching
0. 4 x 21 KHz x 24
frequency of 21 KHz

For the capacitor values, the team used the equation below.

Equation 3: The Formula for the change in voltage

ΔV = desired ripple voltage
0.4
Cout=
8 x 21 KHz x 100 mV
Cout=23.81 uF−minimum
At larger values, the ripple voltage output is much lower

In selecting the Diode to be used,

To reduce losses, use Schottky diodes. The forward current rating needed is equal to
the maximum output
current:
Therefore, ID = (1-0.208333)(2A)
ID = 1.58334 A

The team basically select 1N5822 Schottky diode since it meets the current
requirements with max rating of 3A.

A PMOS transistor– IRF9530 as replacement for IRF9540 and used a PMOSFET –

since it will simplify the design. Using NMOS of PMOS is also a possibility however,
the choice will depend on cost and complexity issues.
 Block Diagram – Initial Flow of the whole circuit

DESIGN OF THE CONTROLLER

Figure 3: The op-amp circuit which produces both a triangular wave and its
corresponding pulse-width modulated output.
The design of the controller is based on Figure 3.
Where an Error Amplifier with the Reference Voltage in non inverting terminal is
Compared to a feedback voltage (invertint input) and its error voltage is amplified.
By that it is then connected to the non-inv terminal of the PWM Comparatorand the
Ramp Generator Is then connected on the inverting terminal as shown to produce a
PWM.
According to Pulse-Width Modulated DC–DC Power Converters; MARIAN K.
KAZIMIERCZUK
Both the gate and the source of the MOSFET in the buck converter are connected to
two hot points. Therefore, it is difficult to drive the transistor. We also added a PNP
transistor for this case Between the GATE and the GROUND (it also gives out a longer
off time which is as desired for the design )
PREDESIGN STAGE: DESIGN FOR THE RAMP GENERATOR:

Figure 5
The ramp generator is a pre-configured circuit that can handle 6-24 V Input up to 40
KHz frequency.
The ramp generator’s component was simulated through multisim. It gave us
desirable results (giving an output of a ramp as portrayed on the virtual
oscilloscope.

Combining the principles of the Error Amp and the triangle wave generator: we
were able to combine both inputs to a comparator that gives a PWM output.

Final circuit design

PWM Output of PWM Comparator

Actual Output:
During Testing, these are the waveforms that we have gathered at varying input
voltage. We observed that for our design, the duty cycle of the PWM increases as the
input voltage is increased.

Measured Output Voltage

5.32
5.3
Output Voltage

5.28
5.26
5.24
5.22
5.2
8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26
Input Voltage

This is the actual result without loading condition.

We figured out that the reference voltage needs to be fine-tuned to give out the
nearest Output voltage to 5 V.
 OUTPUT VOLTAGE
10 Ohms 3 Ohms 2.5 Ohms

14
5.
Output Voltage

1
5.
06
5.
02
5.
98
4. 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26

Input Voltage

CONCLUSION/ RECOMMENDATION/s:
The design of a switching regulator with the use of discrete components and
Op-Amps was then achieved. Reasonable equation estimations are sometimes handy
when dealing with multiple unknowns. The minimum output capacitor affects the
desired ripple voltage. The higher it gets; the lower ripple voltage can be observed.
For better regulation, it is recommended to use parallel output capacitors of the
same value.

REFERENCES

https://www.elprocus.com/types-of-voltage-regulators-and-working-principle/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramp_generator
https://www.maximintegrated.com/en/app-notes/index.mvp/id/3201
Pulse-Width Modulated DC–DC Power Converters, 2nd Edition, MARIAN K.
KAZIMIERCZUK