1

EE462L, Spring 2012

DCDC SEPIC Converter
2
Boost converter
+
V
out


I
out

C
V
in

i
in


L1
+ v
L1


SEPIC converter
+
v
L2


C1


+ v
C1


L2
V
in

i
in


L1
+ v
L1


+
v
L2


C1


+ v
C1


L2
+
V
out


I
out

C
!
3
SEPIC converter
This circuit is more unforgiving than the boost converter, because the
MOSFET and diode voltages and currents are higher
Before applying power, make sure that your D is at
the minimum, and that a load is solidly connected
Limit your output voltage to 90V
V
in

i
in


L1
+ v
L1


+
v
L2


C1


+ v
C1


L2
+
V
out


I
out

C
!
SEPIC = single ended primary inductor converter
4
+
V
out


I
out

C
V
in
I
in


L1
+ 0


+
0


KVL and KCL in the average sense
0
0
I
out
I
in
C1


L2
I
out
+ V
in


KVL shows that V
C1
= V
in
Interestingly, no average current passes from the source side, through
C1, to the load side, and yet this is a DC - DC converter
5
Switch closed
V
in

i
in


L1
+ V
in


+
v
L2


C1


+ V
in


L2
+
V
out


I
out

C
assume constant
+ v
D


KVL shows that v
D
= (V
in
+ V
out
),
so the diode is open
Thus, C is providing the load power when the switch is closed
V
in

i
in


L1

V
in

+
C1


+ V
in


L2
+
V
out


I
out

C
(V
in
+ V
out
) +
I
out
i
L1
and i
L2
are ramping up (charging). C1 is charging L2.
C is discharging.
+ V
in


6
Switch open (assume the diode is conducting because,
otherwise, the circuit cannot work)
V
in

i
in


L1
V
out

+
C1


+ V
in


L2
+
V
out


I
out

C
C1 and C are charging. L1 and L2 are discharging.
+
V
out


KVL shows that V
L1
= V
out
( ) ( ) 0 1
1
= - + - =
out in avg L
V D V D V
in out
V D D V - = - ) 1 (
D
DV
V
in
out

=
1
The input/output equation comes from recognizing that the average
voltage across L1 is zero
assume constant
Voltage can be stepped-up or
stepped-down
!
7


+
V
in



V
out
+

i
L
L C
i
C

I
out

i
d
i
in

D
DV
V
in
out

=
1
Voltage can be stepped-up or
stepped-down
The buck-boost converter
Inverse polarity
with respect to
input
Compared with SEPIC:
+ Fewer energy storage components
+ Capacitor does not carry load current
+ In both converters isolation can be easily
implemented
- Polarity is reversed
!
8
Inductor L1 current rating
in rms L
I I
3
2
1
=
Use max
During the on state, L1 operates under the same conditions
as the boost converter L, so the results are the same
9
Inductor L2 current rating
( )
2 2 2 2
2
3
4
2
12
1
out out out rms L
I I I I = A + =
out rms L
I I
3
2
2
=
2I
out
0

I
avg
= I
out
I
i
L2
Use max
+
V
out


I
out

C
V
in
I
in


L1
+ 0


+
0


0
0
I
out
I
in
C1


L2
I
out
+ V
in


Average values
10
MOSFET and diode currents and current ratings
0

2(I
in
+ I
out
)
0

Take worst case D for each
V
in

i
in


L1
+ v
L1


+
v
L2


C1


+ v
C1


L2
+
V
out


I
out

C
MOSFET Diode i
L1
+ i
L2
( )
out in rms
I I I + =
3
2
Use max
switch
closed
switch
open
2(I
in
+ I
out
)
i
L1
+ i
L2
11
Output capacitor C current and current rating
in Crms
I I
3
2
=
out Crms
I I =
2I
in
+ I
out
I
out
0

As D 1, I
in
>> I
out
, so
i
C
= (i
D
I
out
)

As D 0, I
in
<< I
out
, so
( )
D
I D
I
D
DI
I
in
out
out
in

=

=
1
,
1
|
.
|

\
|
=
out in Crms
I I I ,
3
2
max
switch
closed
switch
open
12
Series capacitor C1 current and current rating
Switch closed, I
C1
= I
L2
V
in

i
in


L1

V
in

+
C1


+ V
in


L2
+
V
out


I
out

C
(V
in
+ V
out
) +
I
out
+ V
in


V
in

i
in


L1
V
out

+
C1


+ V
in


L2
+
V
out


I
out

C
+
V
out


Switch open, I
C1
= I
L1
13
Series capacitor C1 current and current rating
in rms C
I I
3
2
1
=
2I
in
2I
out
0

As D 1, I
in
>> I
out
, so
i
C1
As D 0, I
in
<< I
out
, so
|
.
|

\
|
=
out in rms C
I I I
3
2
,
3
2
max
1
switch
closed
switch
open
out rms C
I I
3
2
1
=
Switch closed, I
C1
= I
L2
Switch open, I
C1
= I
L1
The high capacitor current rating is a
disadvantage of this converter
!
14
Worst-case load ripple voltage
Cf
I
C
T I
C
Q
V
out out
=
-
=
A
= A
The worst case is where D 1, where output capacitor C
provides I
out
for most of the period. Then,
I
out
0

i
C
= (i
D
I
out
)

15
Worst case ripple voltage on series
capacitor C1
2I
in
2I
out
0

i
C1
f C
I
V
out
-
= A
1
switch
closed
switch
open
( )
1
1
1 1 C
T D I
C
DT I
C
Q
V
in out
-
=
-
= =
A
A
Then, considering the worst case (i.e., D = 1)
16
Voltage ratings
MOSFET and diode see (V
in
+ V
out
)

Diode and MOSFET, use 2(V
in
+ V
out
)
Capacitor C1, use 1.5V
in
Capacitor C, use 1.5V
out
V
in



L1
C1


+ V
in


L2
+
V
out



C
(V
in
+ V
out
) +
V
in



L1
V
out

+
C1


+ V
in


L2
+
V
out



C


17
Continuous current in L1
sec /
1
A
L
V
out

( ) ( )
f L
D V
T D
L
D
DV
T D
L
V
I
boundary
in
boundary
in
boundary
out
in
1
1
1
1
1
1
2 = -

= - =
f I
D V
L
in
in
boundary
2
1 =
2I
in
0

I
avg
= I
in
i
L
(1 D)T
f I
V
L
in
in
2
1> guarantees continuous conduction
Then, considering the worst case (i.e., D 1),
use max
use min
18
Continuous current in L2
sec /
2
A
L
V
out

f L
D V
T D
L
V
I
boundary
out
boundary
out
out
2
) 1 (
) 1 (
2
2

= - =
2I
out
0

I
avg
= I
out
i
L
(1 D)T
f I
D V
L
out
out
boundary
2
) 1 (
2

=
f I
V
L
out
out
2
2 > guarantees continuous conduction
Then, considering the worst case (i.e., D 0),
use max
use min
19
Impedance matching
out
out
load
I
V
R =
equiv
R
( )
( )
load
out
out
out
out
in
in
equiv
R
D
D
I
V
D
D
D
DI
D
V D
I
V
R
2 2
1 1
1
1
|
.
|

\
|

= -
|
.
|

\
|

=

= =

DCDC Boost
Converter

+
V
in

+


I
in
+
V
in

I
in
Equivalent from
source perspective
Source
D
DV
V
in
out

=
1
( )
D
D I
I
in
out

=
1
20
Impedance matching
( )
( )
load
out
out
out
out
in
in
equiv
R
D
D
I
V
D
D
D
DI
D
V D
I
V
R
2 2
1 1
1
1
|
.
|

\
|

= -
|
.
|

\
|

=

= =
For any R
load
, as D 0, then R
equiv
(i.e., an open circuit)
For any R
load
, as D 1, then R
equiv
0 (i.e., a short circuit)
Thus, the SEPIC converter can sweep the entire I-V curve
of a solar panel
!
21
Example - connect a 100 load resistor

PV Station 13, Bright Sun, Dec. 6, 2002
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
V(panel) - volts
I

-

a
m
p
s
D = 0.80
D = 0.50
D = 0.88
With a 100 load resistor attached, raising D from 0 to 1 moves the solar
panel load from the open circuit condition to the short circuit condition
22
Example - connect a 5 load resistor

PV Station 13, Bright Sun, Dec. 6, 2002
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
V(panel) - volts
I

-

a
m
p
s
D = 0.47
D = 0.18
D = 0.61
23
Worst-Case Component Ratings Comparisons
for DC-DC Converters


Converter
Type

Input Inductor
Current
(Arms)
Output
Capacitor
Voltage

Output Capacitor
Current (Arms)

Diode and
MOSFET
Voltage
Diode and
MOSFET
Current
(Arms)
Buck/Boost
in
I
3
2

1.5
out
V
|
.
|

\
|
out in
I I ,
3
2
max
) ( 2
out in
V V +
( )
out in
I I +
3
2


5.66A p-p 200V, 250V 16A, 20A
Our components
9A 250V
10A, 5A 10A 90V 40V, 90V
Likely worst-case SEPIC situation
10A, 5A
MOSFET M. 250V, 20A
L1. 100H, 9A
C. 1500F, 250V, 5.66A p-p
Diode D. 200V, 16A
L2. 100H, 9A
C1. 33F, 50V, 14A p-p
SEPIC DESIGN
24
Comparisons of Output Capacitor Ripple Voltage

Converter Type Volts (peak-to-peak)
Buck/Boost
Cf
I
out


5A
1500F 50kHz
0.067V
MOSFET M. 250V, 20A
L1. 100H, 9A
C. 1500F, 250V, 5.66A p-p
Diode D. 200V, 16A
L2. 100H, 9A
C1. 33F, 50V, 14A p-p
SEPIC DESIGN
25
Minimum Inductance Values Needed to
Guarantee Continuous Current

Converter Type For Continuous
Current in the Input
Inductor
For Continuous
Current in L2
Buck/Boost
f I
V
L
in
in
2
1
>
f I
V
L
out
out
2
2
>

40V
2A 50kHz
200H
90V
2A 50kHz
450H
MOSFET M. 250V, 20A
L1. 100H, 9A
C. 1500F, 250V, 5.66A p-p
Diode D. 200V, 16A
L2. 100H, 9A
C1. 33F, 50V, 14A p-p
SEPIC DESIGN
26
Additional Components for Buck/Boost Converter


Series Capacitor
Voltage

Series Capacitor (C
1
)
Current (Arms)
Series
Capacitor (C
1
)
Ripple Voltage
(peak-to-peak)
Second
Inductor (L
2
)
Current (Arms)
1.5
in
V
|
|
.
|

\
|
out in
I I
3
2
,
3
2
max
f C
I
out
1

out
I
3
2


MOSFET M. 250V, 20A
L1. 100H, 9A
C. 1500F, 250V, 5.66A p-p
Diode D. 200V, 16A
L2. 100H, 9A
C1. 33F, 50V, 14A p-p
10A 5A 40V
Likely worst-case SEPIC situation
5A
5A
33F 50kHz
3.0V
SEPIC DESIGN
Our components 9A 14A p-p 50V
Conclusion - 50kHz may be too low
for SEPIC converter
SEPIC converter