EE270: Homework 2

Due: Oct. 11st, 2021 before class

Read FPE Chapter 3

Problem 1
A single-cell lithium-polymer battery is to be used to power a 3.3 V load. The battery voltage
can vary over the usable range 3.0 V ≤ Vbatt ≤ 4.2 V. It has been decided to use a buck–boost
converter for this application, as illustrated in Fig. 1 below. A suitable MOSFET transistor
has been found for Q1 , having an on-resistance of Ron = 50mΩ. A low-VF (low forward
voltage) Schottky diode is employed for D1 ; this diode can be modeled as a fixed voltage
drop of VD = 0.2V, in series with an effective resistance of RD = 0.1Ω. The inductor has
winding resistance RL . All other sources of loss can be neglected.

Figure 1: Nonideal buck–boost converter powering a 3.3 V load from a lithium-polymer

battery

(a) Derive an equivalent circuit that models the dc properties of this converter. Include the
transistor, diode, and inductor conduction losses as described above. Your equivalent
circuit model should correctly describe the converter dc input port. Give analytical
expressions for all elements in your model.
“Analytical expressions” are equations or expressions that are written in terms of vari-
able names such as D, Ron , VD , etc., and that do not have numerical values substituted.

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 (b) Solve your model to find analytical expressions for the converter output voltage and
efficiency.

(c) It is decided that the converter must operate with an efficiency of at least 70% under
the following operating condition:

Input voltage Vbatt = 4.2V

Output voltage V = 3.3V
Load current I = 2.5A

You should assume that a controller system (not shown in Fig. 1) adjusts the duty
cycle as necessary to regulate the output voltage to be V = 3.3V. To meet the above
requirements, how large can the inductor winding resistance RL be? At what duty
cycle will the converter then operate? Note: there is an easy way and a not-so-easy
way to solve this part.

(d) For your design of Part (c), compute the power loss in each element.

(e) Accurately plot the converter output voltage and efficiency over the complete range
0 ≤ D ≤ 1, using the value of inductor winding resistance RL computed in Part (c).

(f ) Discuss your plot of Part (e). Does it behave as your expect? Explain.

Problem 2
In the SEPIC converter of Fig. 2, the MOSFET has on-resistance Ron and the diode has a
constant forward voltage drop VD . All other losses can be neglected.

Figure 2: SEPIC converter

(a) Derive an equivalent circuit model for this converter. Suggestion: if you do not know
how to handle some of the terms in your dc equations, then temporarily leave them
as dependent sources. A more physical representation of these terms may become
apparent once dc transformers are incorporated into the model.

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 (b) Derive analytical expressions for the converter output voltage and for the efficiency.

(c) For VD = 0, plot V /Vg vs. D over the range 0 ≤ D ≤ 1, for (i) Ron /R = 0.01, and (ii)
Ron /R = 0.05.

(d) For VD = 0, plot the converter efficiency over the range 0 ≤ D ≤ 1, for (i) Ron /R =
0.01, and (ii) Ron /R = 0.05.

Read FPE Chapter 4

Problem 3
The converter illustrated in Fig. 3 is sometimes employed in low-power applications requiring
a wide range of conversion ratios. It is desired that all elements operate in the continuous
conduction mode (CCM) over the range 0 ≤ D < 1. This mode is defined as follows: each
switching period contains two subintervals numbered 1 and 2; in the schematic illustrated in
Fig. 3, switches labeled “1” conduct during subinterval 1 for time DTs , and switches labeled
“2” conduct during subinterval 2 for time (1 − D)Ts .

Figure 3: Double buck–boost converter of Problem 3

(a) Solve the converter in steady state, to find the dc components of both capacitor voltages
and both inductor currents. Your expressions should be functions of Vg , D, and R only.
Clearly label the polarity or direction of each of these quantities on your schematic.

(b) Show how to realize the switches using BJT’s and diodes, so that the converter operates
in CCM over the range 0 ≤ D < 1. Document all steps in your derivation.

(c) How does your switch realization change if the duty cycle is restricted to the range
0 ≤ D < 0.5? Sketch the circuit and switch realization for this case.

Read FPE Chapter 5

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Problem 4
DCM mode boundary analysis of themodified SEPIC of Fig. 4(a) The converter illustrated
in Fig. 4(a) is similar to the SEPIC, except that an additional diode is placed in series
with the input inductor L1 . The objective of this problem is to analyze the discontinuous
conduction mode associated with large ripple in the inductor current i1 (t).

(a)

(b)

Figure 4: (a) Modified SEPIC, (b) Inductor current waveform i1 (t)

For this problem, you may assume that the switching ripples in the current of inductor
L2 , the voltage of capacitor C1 , and the voltage of capacitor C2 , are negligible. Figure 4(b)
depicts the inductor current waveform i1 (t) and the sequence of conducting devices for the
discontinuous conduction mode that is the subject of this problem. Neglect all losses.
(a) Derive an expression for the boundary between the discontinuous conduction mode
illustrated in Fig. 4(b) and the continuous conduction mode. Express your result in
terms of the parameters K and Kcrit (D), in the usual manner, and give expressions
for K and Kcrit .
(b) Derive the system of equations that relate the dc components of the important wave-
forms of the circuit in the discontinuous conduction mode of Fig. 4(b). Solve to find
the conversion ratio:
V
M (D, K) =
Vg
Your result should be a function of D and K only, with other intermediate variables
eliminated.

Problem 5
An unregulated dc input voltage Vg varies over the range 35V ≤ V g ≤ 70V. A buck converter
reduces this voltage to 28 V; a feedback loop varies the duty cycle as necessary such that the

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converter output voltage is always equal to 28 V. The load power varies over the range 10W
≤ Pload ≤ 1000W. The buck converter elements are L = 22µH, C = 470µF, fs = 100kHz.
Losses may be ignored.

Figure 5: Vg vs. Pload axes

(a) Over what range of Vg and Pload does the converter operate in continuous conduction
mode? Sketch the mode boundary on the axes of Fig. 5, and identify the region over
which the converter operates in CCM.

(b) Determine the maximum and minimum values of the steady-state transistor duty cycle.

Read FPE Chapter 6

Problem 6
In the converter illustrated in Fig. 6, the transformer has magnetizing inductance LM referred
to the primary side, and has turns ratio 1 : n. It is desired that all elements operate in the
continuous conduction mode (CCM) over the range 0 ≤ D < 1. This mode is defined as
follows: each switching period contains two subintervals numbered 1 and 2; in the schematic
illustrated in Fig. 6, switches labeled “1” conduct during subinterval 1 for time DTs , and
switches labeled “2” conduct during subinterval 2 for time (1 − D)Ts .

(a) Solve the converter in steady state, to find the dc components of both capacitor voltages
and both inductor currents.

(b) Sketch both capacitor voltage waveforms and both inductor current waveforms, includ-
ing dc components and ripples.

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 Figure 6: Forward converter of Problem 6

(c) Show how to realize the switches using BJTs and diodes, so that the converter operates
in CCM over the range 0 ≤ D < 1.
(d) Does the transformer reset properly (i.e., do the volt-seconds balance on LM ) for D >
0.5? Explain.

Hint: You can simulate this circuit to help you understand the steady state.

Transients and simulation

Shown in Fig. 7 is a diagram of a circuit used to generate a large pulsed magnetic field. The
capacitor is pre-charged to a voltage Vx , which can be between 0 and 1000 V. At time t = 0,
the switch S is closed to trigger the magnetic pulse. The value of R is 85mΩ , C is 180µF,
and L is 13µH. The switch S and diode D are ideal.

Figure 7: A circuit used to generate a large pulsed magnetic field.

Calculate the following:

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 (a) The time response of the coil current (icoil ) after the switch S is closed, as a function
of the pre-charge voltage Vx .

(b) The peak coil current for Vx = 1000 V.

(c) The time t1 at which diode D turns on.

(d) The energy dissipated in the resistor R for Vx = 100 V.

(e) Simulate the circuit operation in Simulink. Plot the corresponding inductor current
and capacitor voltages versus time. Attach a print-out of these two state variables to
your problem set.

(f) Increase the resistor R until you observe an underdamped response of the system. Turn
in a plot of the inductor current and capacitor voltage.

In the Simulink simulation, use ”Simscape-SimPowerSystem-Specialized Technology” library

to build this circuit.