Understanding Buck-Boost Power Stages in Switchmode …

1 Application ReportSLVA059A - March 1999 Revised November 20021 Understanding Buck-Boost Power Stages in Switch ModePower SuppliesEverett RogersSystem PowerABSTRACTA switching Power supply consists of the Power stage and the control circuit. The Power stageperforms the basic Power conversion from the input voltage to the output voltage and includesswitches and the output filter. This report addresses the Buck-Boost Power stage only anddoes not cover control circuits. Detailed steady-state and small-signal analysis of thebuck- boost Power stage operating in continuous and discontinuous mode is in the standard Buck-Boost Power stage and a discussion of Power stagecomponent requirements are included.

2 Contents1 Introduction2.. 2 Buck-Boost stage Steady-State Analysis3.. Buck-Boost Steady-State Continuous Conduction Mode Analysis3.. Buck-Boost Steady-State Discontinuous Conduction Mode Analysis7.. Critical Inductance11.. 3 Buck-Boost Power stage Small Signal Modeling12.. Buck-Boost Continuous Conduction Mode Small-Signal Analysis13.. Buck-Boost Discontinuous Conduction Mode Small-Signal Analysis16.. 4 Variations of the Buck-Boost Power Stage21.. Flyback Power Stage21.

3 5 Component Selection24.. Output Capacitance24.. Output Inductance26.. Power Switch27.. Output Diode28.. 6 Summary29.. 7 References31.. Trademarks are the property of their respective Buck-Boost Power Stages in Switch Mode Power Supplies1 IntroductionThe three basic switching Power supply topologies in common use are the buck , boost , andbuck- boost . These topologies are nonisolated, , the input and output voltages share acommon ground. There are, however, isolated derivations of these nonisolated Power supply topology refers to how the switches, output inductor, and output capacitorare connected.

4 Each topology has unique properties. These properties include thesteady-state voltage conversion ratios, the nature of the input and output currents, and thecharacter of the output voltage ripple. Another important property is the frequency responseof the duty-cycle-to-output-voltage transfer Buck-Boost is a popular nonisolated, inverting Power stage topology, sometimes calleda step-up/down Power stage . Power supply designers choose the Buck-Boost Power stagebecause the output voltage is inverted from the input voltage, and the output voltage can beeither higher or lower than the input voltage.

5 The topology gets its name from producing anoutput voltage that can be higher (like a boost Power stage ) or lower (like a buck Power stage )in magnitude than the input voltage. However, the output voltage is opposite in polarity fromthe input voltage. The input current for a Buck-Boost Power stage is discontinuous or pulsatingdue to the Power switch (Q1) current that pulses from zero to IL every switching cycle. Theoutput current for a Buck-Boost Power stage is also discontinuous or pulsating.

6 This isbecause the output diode only conducts during a portion of the switching cycle. The outputcapacitor supplies the entire load current for the rest of the switching report describes steady state operation of the Buck-Boost converter in continuous-modeand discontinuous-mode operation with ideal waveforms given. The duty-cycle-to-output-voltage transfer function is given after an introduction of the PWM switch 1 shows a simplified schematic of the Buck-Boost Power stage with a drive circuit blockincluded.

7 The Power switch, Q1, is an n-channel MOSFET. The output diode is CR1. Theinductor, L, and capacitor, C, make up the effective output filter. The capacitor ESR, RC,(equivalent series resistance) and the inductor DC resistance, RL, are included in theanalysis. The resistor, R, represents the load seen by the Power stage +VIDriveCircuitpRLIL = icCRCRVOLF igure 1. Buck-Boost Power stage SchematicDuring normal operation of the Buck-Boost Power stage , Q1 is repeatedly switched on andoff with the on- and off-times governed by the control circuit.

8 This switching action gives riseto a train of pulses at the junction of Q1, CR1, and L. Although the inductor, L, is connectedto the output capacitor, C, only when CR1 conducts, an effective L/C output filter is filters the train of pulses to produce a DC output Understanding Buck-Boost Power Stages in Switch Mode Power Supplies2 Buck-Boost stage Steady-State AnalysisA Power stage can operate in continuous or discontinuous inductor current inductor current mode is characterized by current flowing continuously in theinductor during the entire switching cycle in steady-state operation.

9 Discontinuous inductorcurrent mode is characterized by the inductor current being zero for a portion of the switchingcycle. It starts at zero, reaches a peak value, and returns to zero during each switching two different modes are discussed in greater detail later and design guidelines for theinductor value to maintain a chosen mode of operation as a function of rated load are is very desirable for a converter to stay in one mode only over its expected operatingconditions because the Power stage frequency response changes significantly between thetwo different modes of this analysis.

10 An n-channel Power MOSFET is used and a positive voltage, VGS(ON), isapplied from the Gate to the Source terminals of Q1 by the drive circuit to turn ON the advantage of using an n-channel FET is its lower RDS(on) but the drive circuit is morecomplicated because a floating drive is required. For the same die size, a p-channel FET hasa higher RDS(on) but usually does not require a floating drive transistor Q1 and diode CR1 are drawn inside a dashed-line box with terminals labeleda, p, and c. This is explained fully in the Buck-Boost Power stage Modeling Steady-State Continuous Conduction Mode AnalysisThe following is a description of steady-state operation in continuous conduction mode.