Nonlinear Exact Analysis and Solution of Power
Stage of DC-DC PWM Boost Converter
A. Reatti, F. Corti, A. Tesi, and A. Torlai
Department of Information Engineering
University of Florence
Florence 50139, Italy
alessio.torlai@stud.unifi.it,
{alberto.reatti, fabio.corti, alberto.tesi}@unifi.it
Abstract—DC-DC pulse-width modulated (PWM) converters
are nonlinear systems that require control circuits to obtain the
desired output voltage. These control circuits are often designed
using linearized models of the converters, so modeling is a relevant
topic for the design of performing closed-loop converters. In this
paper, the nonlinear nature of DC-DC PWM converters operated
under continuous conduction mode (CCM) is considered. It is first
shown how the exact periodic solutions can be analytically
computed for the nonlinear converter model in the high-frequency
steady-state operating condition. Also, a nonlinear variation
model, which characterizes the closed-loop dynamics, induced by
perturbations of the steady state, is provided. The nonlinear
models and the analytical periodic solutions are implemented in
MATLAB and SIMULINK and applied to a boost converter
subject to parasitic components. In particular, the behavior to step
changes in duty cycle, input voltage, and load resistance are
compared with the results obtained using small-signal circuit
averaging techniques.
Index Terms—Pulse-width modulated (PWM) converters,
continuous-conduction mode, periodic solution, nonlinear
converter modeling, boost converter.
I. INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, we are surrounded by electronic devices that need
a power source constituted by one or more batteries, power line,
or renewable energy sources. The voltage provided by these
sources of energy is often not suitable to supply the components
that make up the devices. The linkage between these power
sources and the power grids is made via power converters,
which are mainly built by using a non-regulated AC-DC
rectifier supplying a DC-DC PWM converter, providing the
load voltage regulation [1]-[5].
The DC-DC pulse-width modulated (PWM) converter
circuits are often modeled as piece-wise linear networks, where
the topology changes at the boundary of subsequent
subintervals within the switching cycle. The state variables are
associated with the energy storage components. Appropriate
state-space equations are established by the topological state of
each switching element such as the transistor and diode [6].
There has been intensive research on modeling and analysis
of the power stage of DC-DC PWM converters [7]-[20].
Among different modeling approaches, circuit averaging
methods [24]-[28] are the most popular, but they do not capture
the orbital nature of operating condition, which is taken into
account in nonlinear approaches, including the sampled-data
one [21]-[23] and state-space averaging [24]-[28].
In this paper, the power stage of DC-DC PWM converters
operated under CCM is analyzed in its nonlinear nature and the
978-1-7281-0397-6/19/$31.00 ©2019 IEEE
Marian K. Kazimierczuk
Department of Electrical Engineering
Wright State University
Dayton, OH 45435, USA
marian.kazimierczuk@wright.edu
steady-state periodic solutions are analytically computed via
standard tools [21]-[23]. This differs from the averaging
method [29]-[32], which averages the periodic steady state of a
PWM converter at the operating point [24]-[32]. The periodic
steady state in high-frequency switching operation has a small
amplitude, and averaging is, therefore, a reasonable approach.
However, the periodic nature of the steady-state operating
condition should be considered to obtain more accurate results.
This issue is quite often neglected in most power electronics
literature [21].
Indeed, nonlinear models can be fruitfully employed to
design closed loop converters able to tackle control issues that
cannot be accurately considered via linear models. Based on
this motivation, the paper provides a MATLAB and
SIMULINK implementation of the converter nonlinear model
based on the analytical steady state periodic solutions and a
variation model for evaluating the converter dynamics under
various perturbation sources. The proposed nonlinear approach
is applied to a boost converter with parasitic components and
its dynamical behavior is compared with that obtained by
considering circuit-averaging techniques [26]-[32].
II. EXACT SOLUTION OF DC-DC PWM CONVERTERS
OPERATED UNDER CCM
A. Nonlinear Modeling
In CCM, the switching interval Ts is divided into two
subintervals that depend on the switching function. The state-
space nonlinear model of the switched converters in CCM is
x˙ t    q  t  A1  1  q  t   A2  x  t 
, (1)
  q  t  B1  1  q  t   B2  u  t 
where x(t) ∈Rn is the state vector, q(t) ∈R is the switching
function, Ai ∈Rnxn and Bi ∈Rnxm are the system matrices, and u(t)
∈Rm is the input. So, the nonlinear system is
x˙ t   A  q  t   x  t   B  q  t   u  t  , (2)
where A(q(t)) and B(q(t)) are, respectively,
A  q  t    q  t  A1  1  q  t   A2 , (3)
 B  q  t    q  t  B1  1  q  t   B2 . (4) Aɶ q  t    A  q*  t   q  t    A  q*  t  
(14)
B. Analytical Periodic Solution Bɶ q  t    B  q*  t   q  t    B  q*  t   .
It is assumed that the switching function q(t) is given by the
The variation model expressed by (13)-(14) makes it possible
periodic function q?(t) such that q?(t) = q?(t + Ts), ∀t > 0, and
to evaluate the closed loop performance of DC-DC converters
 1 for t   0, dTS  by considering their intrinsic non-linear nature, i.e., without
q* (t )   , (5)
0 for t   dTS , TS  resorting to any linear approximation.
where d is the duty cycle. III. EXACT SOLUTION FOR BOOST CONVERTER
The solution of the system of differential equations (1) is
A. Nonlinear Modeling
usually obtained by first considering the time interval [0, dTs]
with initial condition x(0), then the time interval [dTs,Ts], with A DC-DC boost converter is analyzed. The circuit is shown
initial condition x(dTs), and finally applying the periodicity in Fig. 1(a) and consists of switch S (here assumed to be a power
condition x(Ts) = x(0) [21]-[23]. It turns out that the sought MOSFET), diode D inductor L, a filter capacitor C, and load
periodic solution of the state x*(t) has the following form resistor R. The inductor, MOSFET, diode, and filter capacitor
parasitic resistances are rL, rDS, rF, and rC, respectively. They
 A1t t
A1  t   are considered in the model along with the diode threshold
e x  0    e B1 u   d for t  0, dTS 
voltage VF.
 0

 e A1 t  dTS  e A1dTS x 0  e A1  dTS   B u  d 
dTS

     1    , (6)
  0 
 t v v v
  e A2 t   B u   d for t   dT , T 
 dT 2 S S
 S

where x(0) is given by (a)

VF
x  0  M 1N (7) iL L rL D rF iO
+
with matrices M and N such that S vC +
A2 1 d TS C
M  I e e A1dTS vin - R vO
rDS rC -
dTS TS
A2 1 d TS A1  dTS   A2  dTS   . (8)
N e  e B1u  d   e B2u  d
0 dTS
(b)
C. Nonlinear Variation Model VF
iL L rL D rF iO
Perturbations of the periodic switching function q*(t), the +
corresponding periodic solution x*(t) and the input u*(t) are S vC +
now considered vin C - R vO
-
qɶ  t   q*  t   q  t  , (9) rDS rC

xɶ  t   x*  t   x  t  , (10)
(c)
uɶ  t   u  t   u  t  ,
*
(11)
Fig. 1. DC-DC boost converter. (a) Ideal circuit. (b) Circuit including
where ∆q(t) ∈ R, ∆x(t) ∈ Rn , and ∆u(t) ∈ Rm represent the parasitics when S is ON and D is OFF. (c) Circuit including
deviation of the switching function, the state vector and the parasitics when S is OFF and D is ON.
input vector, respectively. The perturbed system can be derived
by imposing that q˜(t), x˜(t), and u˜(t) solve the state-space non- Two modes are possible in CCM as shown in Fig. 1(b) and
linear model in (2), i.e., (c). The equations of the system are found applying the
xɺ*  t   x  t   A  q*  t   q  t    x*  t   x  t   Kirchhoff Voltage and Current Laws (KVL and KCL) in the two
(12) possible operational modes:
 B  q*  t   q  t    u*  t   u  t  
from which the sought variation model is got • switch S ON, diode D OFF
xɺ  t   A  q  t   x  t   B  q  t   u  t 
* * diL  t 
L    rL  rDS  iL  t   vin
, (13) dt
ɶ *  t   Bu
  Ax ɶ *  t  q  t   Aɶ x  t  q  t   Bɶ u  t  q  t  , (15)
 dv  t  1
C C  vc  t 
where Aɶ and Bɶ are such that dt R  rC

• switch S OFF, diode D ON

 diL  t   RrC  where a1 , d1 , a2 , b2 , c2 , and d 2 are given in (17) and (18).
L    rL  rDS   iL  t 
dt  R  rC  The analytical periodic solution of a boost converter in CCM
. (16) can be obtained using the steps reported in Section II-B. Thus,
dvC  t  R 1
C  iL  t   vc  t  the periodic solutions and are
dt R  rC R  rC

 x1  0  e   e  1 a L for t  0, dTS 
a1t a1t vin
To obtain the matrices A1, B1, A2, B2 of the system (1), the state
 1
is chosen as and the input is   t  dTS 
e  cos   t  dTS    sin   t  dTS   (24)
. It turns out that the systems in the two 
v 
 in F d2 for t  dT ,T
V
operational modes for boost converter with parasitic   2   2 L  s S
components are given by, respectively,
and
 rL  rDS 
 L 0   x2  0  ed1t for t   0, dTS 
xɺ  t     x t    t  dTS 
 1 1  e  cos   t  dTS    sin   t  dTS 
0   (25)
 R  rC C   vin  VF c2
 (17) for t   dTs , TS 
 2
1    2 L
0
L u  t   A1 x  t   B1u  t  with
 
 0 0  a2  d 2
 , (26)
and 2
 a2  d2 
2
 RrC 
 rL  rF  R  r R 1
  a2d2  b2c2   , (27)
  4
C

xɺ  t    L R  rC L  x  t  vin vin  VF d 2
    x1  0  ea dT   ea dT  1
1 S 1 S
 , (28)
 R 1 1 1 a1L  2   2 L
 . (18)
 R  rC C R  rC C 
1 1  v 
L
 
L u  t   A2 x  t   B2u  t 
 x1  0  e
a1 dTS

 e a1dTS  1 in     d 2 
a

1L 
   , (29)
 0 0  
Consequently, the state-space non-linear model of the boost c2 vin  VF
  x2  0  e a dT  1 S
, (30)
converter is obtained as in (2) where A(q(t)) and B(q(t)) are 2   2 L
given by, respectively,
  RrC    v 
 rL  rDS q  t    rF   1  q  t  
R  rC 

R 1  q  t   1 
c2  x1  0  ea1dTS  ea1dTS  1 in 
a1L 
 
    
 L R  rC L  (19) 
  (31)
 R 1  q  t   1  c2 vin  VF
1 1  x2  0  e d1 dTS
   a2  
   2   2 L .
 R  rC C R  rC C  

and The initial conditions x1(0) and x2(0) are computed using the
1 1  q t   expressions in (7)-(8) and they are substituted into (26)-(31) to
  
L L . (20) obtain the analytical periodic solution of boost converter with
 0 0  parasitic components in CCM. The explicit calculation of the
periodic solution x*   x1*  t  x2*  t   has been implemented in
T
The output voltage vO(t) and current iO(t) are
RrC
vO  t  
R  rC
1  q  t   x1  t   R R r x2  t  (21) MATLAB.
C
IV. COMPARISON BETWEEN EXACT ANALYTICAL MODEL AND
rC 1
iO  t  
R  rC
1  q  t   x1  t   R  r x2  t  . (22) AVERAGED SMALL-SIGNAL MODEL
C
In this section, the open-loop responses to step changes in
duty cycle, input voltage, or load resistance are evaluated for a
B. Analytical Periodic Solution
boost converter. A MATLAB and SIMULINK implementation
is provided to compute the step responses of both linear [31]
Note that the matrices A1 and A2 have the following form and nonlinear converter models. In particular, for the linear
a 0  a2 b2  model, the control-to-output transfer function Tp(s), the input-
A1   1  A2   c , (23)
 0 d1  2 d2  to-output transfer function Mv(s), and the output impedance
Zo(s) are as in [7]. The behavior of linear and nonlinear models
are compared for small and large step changes. The 70
d=0.85 LINEARIZED d=0.85 EXACT
d=0.90 LINEARIZED d=0.90 EXACT
specifications used for the boost converter simulation are given d=0.92 LINEARIZED d=0.92 EXACT
60
in Table I.
TABLE I: Boost Converter Parameters 50

Description Parameter Value

40
Inductance L 156 µH
Inductor Resistance rL 0.190 Ω 30

Capacitance C 68 µF
20
Capacitor Resistance rC 0.111 Ω
MOSFET On-resistance rDS 0.180 Ω 10

Diode Forward Resistance rF 0.072 Ω

Diode Threshold Voltage VF 0.70 V 0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
t (ms)
Nominal Duty Cycle d 0.4
Nominal Input Voltage VI 12 V Fig. 3. Step responses for a step change in duty cycle from 0.4
Nominal Load resistance R 40 Ω to 0.85, to 0.9, and to 0.92 0.8 at VI = 12 V and R = 40 Ω.
Switching Frequency fS 100 kHz
50

Vin=13 V LINEARIZED Vin=13 V EXACT

The step responses to different step changes in duty cycle are 45
Vin=24 V LINEARIZED Vin=24 V EXACT

shown in Fig. 2, while the step responses for large change in

duty cycle are reported in Fig. 3. It can be noticed, as expected, 40

that the linear model is accurate for small step changes, while 35

for large step changes the two plots have a different behavior.
30
60
d=0.5 LINEARIZED d=0.5 EXACT
55 d=0.7 LINEARIZED d=0.7 EXACT 25
d=0.8 LINEARIZED d=0.8 EXACT

50
20

45
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
t (ms)
40

35
Fig. 4. Step responses for a step change in input voltage from 12 V to
30 13 V and to 24 V at D = 0.4 and R = 40 Ω.
25

20

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4

t (ms)

Fig. 2. Step responses for a step change in duty cycle from 0.4 to 0.5,
to 0.7 and to 0.8 at VI = 12 V and R = 40 Ω.

The step responses to different variations of input voltage from

12 V to 13 V and 24 V are considered. As it can be seen in Fig.
4, the step response for a linearized model is a very good
approximation of the actual behavior obtained with the
analytical solution, either for large and small variations. At the
end, the step responses to a variation in load resistance are
considered and the plots are shown in Fig. 5.
V. CONCLUSION
A MATLAB and SIMULINK implementation of a nonlinear
model of DC-DC PWM converters, which is based on the
analytical expressions of the periodic solutions in steady state
operating conditions and a variation model for evaluating the
converter dynamics induced by different perturbation sources,
is proposed. Such an implementation allows for an efficient
analysis of the dynamical behavior of DC-DC PWM boost
converters with parasitic elements induced by step variations of
different sources, such as duty cycle, input voltage and load
Fig. 5. Step responses for a step change in load resistance from
40 Ω to 33 Ω, to 5 Ω, and to 200 Ω at VI = 12 V and D = 0.4.
resistance. The step responses to different perturbations of the
linear small-signal averaged model [31] have been obtained in
order to compare linear and non-linear approaches. Such a
systematic comparison makes it possible to evaluate the limits
of linear models for the design of converter controllers. This
can be useful for the designer called to improve some control
aspects, which are not captured by linear models.
The nonlinear and linear models lead to similar transient
response when the input voltage or the load resistance has a step
change. On the other hand, the linear model results in a lower
output voltage than the nonlinear model over the entire transient
time interval when the duty cycle has a step change.
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