Scribd
Upload
45 views2 pages

Sample Exam Part 2 Solution: ECE 320 Energy Systems I Session 34, Page 1/2 Fall 2003

This document contains sample exam questions and solutions related to dc-dc buck converters. The first question involves calculating the input current, output voltage, and duty ratio for a given buck converter circuit operating at a specific input voltage, output current, inductance, and switching frequency. The solution shows that the converter would not operate continuously and suggests two ways to modify it: increasing the inductance or increasing the switching frequency. The second question asks why it is important to provide an alternate current path when opening a switch in series with an inductor, and why the current through the inductor in a buck converter is not constant. The document provides short answers explaining that without an alternate path the inductor would cause a high voltage

Uploaded by

Michael Pantonilla
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
45 views2 pages

Sample Exam Part 2 Solution: ECE 320 Energy Systems I Session 34, Page 1/2 Fall 2003

This document contains sample exam questions and solutions related to dc-dc buck converters. The first question involves calculating the input current, output voltage, and duty ratio for a given buck converter circuit operating at a specific input voltage, output current, inductance, and switching frequency. The solution shows that the converter would not operate continuously and suggests two ways to modify it: increasing the inductance or increasing the switching frequency. The second question asks why it is important to provide an alternate current path when opening a switch in series with an inductor, and why the current through the inductor in a buck converter is not constant. The document provides short answers explaining that without an alternate path the inductor would cause a high voltage

Uploaded by

Michael Pantonilla
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

ECE 320 Session 34, Page 1/2

Energy Systems I Fall 2003

Sample Exam Part 2 Solution


Here are a few dc-dc converter related questions:

1. You are given a buck converter. You measure the input voltage to be 15 V from a 100W
source, and have an output current of 4 A. Assuming no power losses determine: average inp
current, output voltage, duty ratio. The filter inductance is 100 µH and the switching frequen
is 10 kHz. Will this converter be in continuous conduction. If not suggest two options to mo
it to continuous conduction.
Vd := 50V L := 100µH

fs := 10kHz
Io := 4A
1
Po := 100W Ts :=
fs

Therefore we find:

Po Vo
Vo := Vo = 25 V D := D = 0.5 Id := Io⋅ D Id = 2 A
Io Vd

As a check: Pd := Vd⋅ Id Pd = 100 W

D⋅ Ts
ILB := ⋅ ( Vd − Vo) ILB = 6.25 A
2⋅ L

This converter will not be in discontinuous conduction. Options to make it continuous:

1. Increase L
D⋅ Ts D⋅ Ts
Lmin := ⋅ ( Vd − Vo) Lmin = 156.25 µH ILBn := ⋅ ( Vd − Vo)
2 ⋅ Io 2 ⋅ Lmin

ILBn = 4 A

2. Increase switching frequency (keep the original L), recall: fs = 1/Ts

D 1
fsnew := ⋅ ( Vd − Vo) fsnew = 15.625 kHz Tsn :=
2 ⋅ Io⋅ L fsnew

D⋅ Tsn
ILBn2 := ⋅ ( Vd − Vo) ILBn2 = 4 A
2⋅ L
ECE 320 Session 34, Page 2/2
Energy Systems I Fall 2003

2. Short Answer:

A. Why is it important to always provide an alternate current path when opening a switch in ser
with an inductor? What happens if you don't?

Solution: The inductor will act as a current source in the short term (you can't change the curren
through an inductor instantaneously). Therefore, if you open a switch in series with an inductor
the switch in a buck converter), you need an alternate path (like the diode in the buck converter
will pick up the current.

If this is missing, there will be a large voltage from

d
v = L⋅ i
dt This will be large enough to cause insulation to fail, most likely the switc
itself.

B. Why isn't the current through the inductor in the buck converter constant (since the average
output current is constant)?

Solution: While the switch is on, the voltage across the inductor is Vd - Voave, while the swit
is open, it is -Voave. Since neither voltage is zero, the current will ramp up while the switch i
closed, and down while it is open. Increasing L or increasing the switching frequency will mak
the variations smaller, but not zero (unless the switch is always closed or always open).

You might also like