Analysis and design of a buck-boost converter

• Basic operating principles

• Steady-state analysis
• Average model
• Waveforms in buck and boost modes
• Design methods for L, C and switches
 Schematic of buck-boost converter

iin S1
A D1

+
+
+
qA iL
Vin vL C R
D Vo
L
_
_ iC Io +

• Step up as well as step down depending on D

• Negative output (with respect to input ground)
• Isolated version – flyback converter quite popular at
low (~100 W) power level
Raja Ayyanar, ASU
 Equivalent circuits in the sub-intervals

qA
DTS (1-D)TS
1 D
0
t

_ _
iin iL iL
+ +
Vin
Vin vL L C R Vo vL L
C R Vo
_ _ Io
iC Io + iC +
• vL = -Vo
• vL = Vin
• iL and energy stored in L decrease,
• iL and energy stored in L increase
energy fed to C and R
• C supports load and discharges
• iC positive and C charges up
• C large enough to maintain voltage
• C large enough to maintain voltage
almost constant (small ripple)
almost constant (small ripple)
Raja Ayyanar, ASU
 Input-output relationships
iin S1 D1
A
Buck operation for
_

+
+
+ D ≤ 0.5
qA
Vin vL C R Boost operation for
D Vo
_
L D ≥ 0.5
_ Io +

qA DTS (1-D)TS
1 Vin DTs  Vo 1 D Ts  0
0 t Vin D  Vo 1 D 
vL Vin
Vo D Input-output voltage
 relationship for
Vin 1 D buck-boost
0
-Vo

I in D
 Input-output current relationship
I o 1 D using power balance
Raja Ayyanar, ASU
 Comparison of vL in buck, boost and buck-boost
vL V − V
in o
Buck
Vo  Vin
t
−Vo
vL Vin
Boost
Vo  Vin
t
Vin − Vo
vL Vin
Buck-boost
Step-up and
t step-down
−Vo
Raja Ayyanar, ASU
 Input-output voltage relationship
10

8
Ideal

Vo 6

Vin 4

2
With resistance
Buck mode of L considered
0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
D
Vo D • Resistances of inductor and MOSFET, and voltage
 drop across diode affect voltage conversion ratio
Vin 1 D • Effect is dominant at high D
• Difficult to achieve large conversion ratios ( > 10)
Ideal input-output
relationship
• No power transfer at D = 1

Raja Ayyanar, ASU

 Salient waveforms: Buck mode, D<0.5
Vin
Vo
0
DTS (1 − D)TS t
vL
Vin

0 −Vo t
iL
iL = iS1 + iD1 = I in + I o i=
L I in + I o

0 t
D
I in = Io iS1 , iin iin= I=
D
Io
1− D in
1− D

 D 
0 t
Io
iL I o  =+ 1 iD1 iD1 = I o
1− D  1− D
0
iC t
I in < I o for buck mode
0
t
Raja Ayyanar, ASU
 Salient waveforms: Boost mode, D>0.5
Vo
Vin

0 DTS (1 − D)TS t
vL
Vin
0
t
−Vo

iL = iS1 + iD1 = I in + I o iL
i=
L I in + I o
D
=
0 t
I in Io iS1 or iin iin = I in
1− D
 D  Io iD10
=iL I o  =
+ 1 iD1 = I o
t
1− D  1− D
0 t
iC
I in > I o for boost mode
0 t
Raja Ayyanar, ASU
 Selection of L
vL Vin

0
DTS -Vo
iL
Peak-peak ripple
 I L in inductor current
Iin+Io
0

•L selected to limit peak-peak

inductor current ripple to a chosen value Consider the TOFF interval
• For example, 10-20% of max (Iin +Io)  IL
L  Vo
• CCM considerations 1 DTS

• Worst-case condition is minimum D Vo 1 D TS

L
 IL
• Choice of L does not significantly
affect capacitor selection
Raja Ayyanar, ASU
 Design parameters for inductor
iL

I
 IL
iL  Iin  I o  o
1 D
0

Vo 1 D TS I o,max

L DC bias : I o  I in 
 IL 1 Dmax

I o,max  IL  L

2
I L, peak   I L , RMS   I o  I in  
2 I
1 Dmax 2 12

Raja Ayyanar, ASU

 Selection of C
• Capacitor selection dictated mostly by the RMS current requirement
(which can be larger than the maximum load current)
iC Iin
0 t
-Io Considering the inductor current ripple
Neglecting the inductor current ripple
1 D I 2
2
D
IC ,RMS  I o 1
1 D D 12 I o2
I C , RMS  I o2 D  I in2 1 D  2
0% Iripp le
20% Iripp le
D 50% Iripp le
substitute, I in  I o
1.5

1 D I crms
1
Io
D
IC ,RMS  I o 0.5

1 D 0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6
D
Raja Ayyanar, ASU
 Selection of C
• Choose C based on RMS current requirement
• Worst case condition is max. load and max. D
• Verify if Vo specification is satisfied with the chosen C and ESR
iC Iin
0 t
-Io
Vo due to capacitive impedance
Consider the ON interval
I o DTS
Vo 
C
ESR limit
Vo Vo
ESR  
I Co , max I o  I in Voltage rating: Vo
Raja Ayyanar, ASU
 Switch ratings
iin S1
A D1

+
+
iL
Vin C R
D Vo
L
_ Io +

MOSFET Diode
Voltage rating: Vin  Vo
Voltage rating: Vin  Vo
Peak current rating:
I L Peak current rating:
isw, pk  iL, pk  I o,max  I in  I L
2 iD , pk  I o,max  I in 
RMS current rating: 2
Average current rating:
D
isw, RMS   I o  I in  D  I o,max iD ,avg  I o,max
1 D
Raja Ayyanar, ASU
 Other discussions

• Negative output may not be suitable for many applications;

other topologies with buck-boost characteristics (SEPIC)
provide positive output voltages

• Buck-boost is not a good choice if the application requires

only step-down or step-up function; in that case buck or
boost converter is the better choice in terms of efficiency,
size and cost

• Both input and output currents are pulsating which is a

main disadvantage of buck-boost

• Easy to obtain isolated outputs (flyback converter)

Raja Ayyanar, ASU