EEE 241 GWF

31 October 2014

EE 241 Experiment 5:
Boost Converter
Michael Joseph B. Armamento, 2009-29257
Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute
University of the Philippine Diliman

AbstractThe objective of this experiment is to provide students more knowledge about the characteristics of a simple boost
converter in open loop condition .
In this experiment, the operations of a Boost Converter where examined and also studied its configuration from different
simulation results. Parameters such as varying the duty cycle, switching frequency, and input voltage disturbance were also
analyzed. Also the boundary between CCM (Continuous Conduction Mode) and DCM (Discontinuous Conduction Mode) were
also determined.

I. INTRODUCTION
Buck converter, is a type of a dc-dc PWM switching regulator, often called as a chopper. It is a step-down dc-dc
voltage regulator, wherein the output voltage is lower than the input voltage. This type of converter is often used in
applications that needs low voltage input. Transistors, diodes or MOSFETS were usually used in this converter as switches,
this is further explained by Figure 1. [1]

Figure1: Buck Converter Topology [1]

II. ANALYSIS OF RESULTS

The Buck converter schematic diagram used in this experiment is shown in Figure 2.

irf 150
47
R4

Vgs

Q1

Ids

IL

12
V1

100u

5m

L1

R5

Vo

V2
C1
200u

5
RL

Id
mbr6045wt
D1

50m
R2

Figure 1: Schematic Diagram of a Buck Converter

EE 241 GWF

Buck Converter Operation

9
6
3
-0
6
3
-0
20
14

8
5
2
-1
8
5
2
-1

Il / A

Ids / A

6
-0

Id / A

V2-P / V

Vgs / V

Vo / V

1.

6
2
-2
4.4

4.45

4.5

4.55

4.6

4.65

4.7

4.75

4.8

Time/mSecs

50uSecs/div

Figure 2. Transient Analysis of Different Parameters on a Buck Conveter

Given V2 as a pulse generator with 8V amplitude, 4V offset. fs = 100kHz with 50% duty. Seen at Figure 3 are the
waveforms of parameters such as plot of switching voltage (V GS), inductor current (I L), switch current (IDS), and diode
current (ID) in steady state (t>5ms).
By looking at these waveforms the operation of a Buck Converter can be explained.
At t =0, the MOSFET is ON, and the Diode is OFF:
This is because the voltage across the diode will be VD = Vin, it will cause the diode to be reverse biased. The current
through the inductor will be increased by this equation:
. We can see that IL will be equal to IS (current
flowing through the switch) because the diode is off. In this time interval, the energy from Vin will be transferred to the
inductor, capacitor and the load.
At t = DT, the MOSFET is OFF, and the Diode is ON:
Since the inductor current I L does not instantaneously change in time, the inductor will produce a current that will flow
through the diode turning it on. When the switch is on, the voltage across the diode will be Vout. Therefore the IL will
decreased by
. When the voltage source is disconnected the capacitor and inductor will provide the voltage and the
current to the load respectively.
At t = T, the MOSFET is ON and the Diode is OFF again, thus repeating the cycle.
The DC Vin will be converted to a square wave by the MOSFET and Diode switching network. Then the L-R-C network
will act as a low pass filter converting the square wave into a low DC voltage ripple, through this the voltage is chopped
down. [1] We can see through Figure 3, that the graphs are consistent with the idealized current and voltage waveforms of the
buck converter. Also we can say that the convert is operating in CCM, because throughout the whole cycle I L is continuously
flowing.
2.

Varying Duty Cycle

a.

Average output voltage of the circuit, using SIMetrix measure function, V out = 6.1218931V.

EE 241 GWF

Vo (Duty = 20
Vo (Duty = 30
Vo (Duty = 40

14

Vo (Duty = 50
Vo (Duty = 60
Vo (Duty = 70

Vo (Duty = 80

12

Vo / V

10

-0

Time/mSecs

2mSecs/div

Figure 4. Vo plot with varying Duty Cycle

Duty Cycle
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%

Vo (average)
2.4646319V
3.6831574V
4.9019683V
6.1219058V
7.3417902V
8.55398V
9.7376348V

Table 1. Average Vo with varying Duty Cycle

Shown at Table 1, is the measure average Vo while varying the duty cycle. Since the pulse width of the square wave is
equal to the on-time period of the MOSFET switch and this can be controlled while varying the duty cycle of the V GS,
therefore Vo is directly proportional to the Duty Cycle. This is consistent with the theoretical relationship of Vo and Duty
Cycle, Vo = DVin. Through this equation the output voltage will be always less than the input voltage (Buck Operation).
100% Duty Cycle is impossible to achieve in real life.
3.

Varying Switching Frequency

a.
b.

The measured pk to pk value of the ripple of output voltage and inductor current is, Vo,ripple = 1mV and
IL,ripple = 296.652mA.
While changing the duty cycle and frequency, shown in Table 2, is the measured pk to pk value of the
voltage out ripple and inductor current ripple .
Frequency
100kHz
80kHz
60kHz
40kHz

Duty Cycle
50%
50.75%
51%
51.6%

Vo ripple (pk to pk)

14.627mV
18.3392mV
21.94694mV
27.1422mV

IL,ripple (pk to pk)

296.652mA
367.172mA
502.096mA
753.37mA

Table 2. Peak to peak Vo,ripple and IL,ripple while varying Frequency and Duty Cycle
Therefore decreasing the switching frequency will increase the voltage output ripple and inductor current
ripple.
4.

Input Voltage Disturbance

REFERENCES
[1]

Power Supply Coodbock (2nd Edition) - Marty Brown

EE 241 GWF
[2]

DC Power Supply Handbook. Available: http://powersupplyblog.tm.agilent.com/2013/01/types

of-current-limits-for-over.html