2.2.

Inductor volt-second balance, capacitor charge

balance, and the small ripple approximation
Actual output voltage waveform, buck converter
iL(t)

Buck converter
containing practical
low-pass filter

L
+ vL(t)

Vg

iC(t)

v(t)

Actual output voltage

waveform

Actual waveform
v(t) = V + vripple(t)

v(t)
V

v(t) = V + vripple(t)
dc component V
0

t
Fundamentals of Power Electronics

Chapter 2: Principles of steady-state converter analysis

The small ripple approximation

Actual waveform
v(t) = V + vripple(t)

v(t)

v(t) = V + vripple(t)

dc component V
0

In a well-designed converter, the output voltage ripple is small. Hence,

the waveforms can be easily determined by ignoring the ripple:

vripple < V
v(t) V

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

Chapter 2: Principles of steady-state converter analysis

Buck converter analysis:

inductor current waveform
iL(t)

L
+ vL(t)

original
converter

Vg

iC(t)

v(t)

switch in position 1
iL(t)

L
+ vL(t)

Vg

switch in position 2

+
iC(t)
C

Vg

v(t)

iL(t)

iC(t)
C

v(t)

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

+ vL(t)

Chapter 2: Principles of steady-state converter analysis

Inductor voltage and current

Subinterval 1: switch in position 1
iL(t)

Inductor voltage

L
+ vL(t)

iC(t)

vL = Vg v(t)
Vg

Small ripple approximation:

+
C

v(t)

vL Vg V

Knowing the inductor voltage, we can now find the inductor current via
vL(t) = L

diL(t)
dt

Solve for the slope:

diL(t) vL(t) Vg V
=

L
L
dt

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

The inductor current changes with an

essentially constant slope

10

Chapter 2: Principles of steady-state converter analysis

Inductor voltage and current

Subinterval 2: switch in position 2
L

Inductor voltage

+ vL(t)

vL(t) = v(t)

Small ripple approximation:

Vg

iL(t)

iC(t)
C

v(t)

vL(t) V

Knowing the inductor voltage, we can again find the inductor current via
vL(t) = L

diL(t)
dt

Solve for the slope:

diL(t)
V
L
dt

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

The inductor current changes with an

essentially constant slope

11

Chapter 2: Principles of steady-state converter analysis

Inductor voltage and current waveforms

vL(t)

Vg V
DTs

D'Ts
t

V
Switch
position:
iL(t)

iL(DTs)

I
iL(0)
0
Fundamentals of Power Electronics

vL(t) = L

diL(t)
dt

iL

Vg V
L

V
L

DTs
12

Ts

Chapter 2: Principles of steady-state converter analysis

Determination of inductor current ripple magnitude

iL(t)

iL(DTs)

I
iL(0)

iL

Vg V
L

V
L

DTs

Ts

(change in iL) = (slope)(length of subinterval)

Vg V
DTs
2iL =
L

Vg V
L=
DTs
2iL

Vg V
iL =
DTs
2L

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

13

Chapter 2: Principles of steady-state converter analysis

Inductor current waveform

during turn-on transient
iL(t)

Vg v(t)
L
v(t)
L

iL(Ts)
iL(0) = 0

0 DTs Ts

iL(nTs)

2Ts

nTs

iL((n + 1)Ts)

(n + 1)Ts

When the converter operates in equilibrium:

i L((n + 1)Ts) = i L(nTs)

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

14

Chapter 2: Principles of steady-state converter analysis

The principle of inductor volt-second balance:

Derivation
Inductor defining relation:
di (t)
vL(t) = L L
dt
Integrate over one complete switching period:
iL(Ts) iL(0) = 1
L

Ts

vL(t) dt
0

In periodic steady state, the net change in inductor current is zero:

Ts

0=

vL(t) dt
0

Hence, the total area (or volt-seconds) under the inductor voltage
waveform is zero whenever the converter operates in steady state.
An equivalent form:
T

s
1
0=
v (t) dt = vL
Ts 0 L
The average inductor voltage is zero in steady state.

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

15

Chapter 2: Principles of steady-state converter analysis

Inductor volt-second balance:

Buck converter example
vL(t)

Vg V

Inductor voltage waveform,

previously derived:

Total area
t

DTs
V
Integral of voltage waveform is area of rectangles:
Ts

vL(t) dt = (Vg V)(DTs) + ( V)(D'Ts)

0

Average voltage is
vL = = D(Vg V) + D'( V)
Ts
Equate to zero and solve for V:
0 = DVg (D + D')V = DVg V
Fundamentals of Power Electronics

16

V = DVg

Chapter 2: Principles of steady-state converter analysis

The principle of capacitor charge balance:

Derivation
Capacitor defining relation:
dv (t)
iC(t) = C C
dt
Integrate over one complete switching period:
vC(Ts) vC(0) = 1
C

Ts

iC(t) dt
0

In periodic steady state, the net change in capacitor voltage is zero:

0= 1
Ts

Ts

iC(t) dt = iC
0

Hence, the total area (or charge) under the capacitor current
waveform is zero whenever the converter operates in steady state.
The average capacitor current is then zero.

Fundamentals of Power Electronics

17

Chapter 2: Principles of steady-state converter analysis