Power Converter Design Basics

#power, #buck-converters #converters #power-supply #power-conversion #networking

When designing an electronic product, one of the areas that often gives the designer trouble is how to properly provide power for it. The designer is often faced with design constraints such as voltage regulation, current load, isolation, size, weight, and cost to name a few.

That’s where power converters come in. Simply put, power converters are the means of taking an input voltage and providing the desired output voltage, current, and frequency.

This entry level seminar will provide a practical introduction to the design and testing of power converters. We’ll discuss the various types of power converters, their typical applications, and their main advantages and disadvantages. Power conversion concepts that will be explored include:

• AC vs DC inputs and outputs
• Linear regulators vs. switching power converters
• Common topologies, including:
  o Buck Converters
  o Boost Converter
  o Buck-Boost Converters
  o Flyback Converters
• Theory of operation of buck & flyback converters
• Pulse Width Modulation
• Current mode control vs. voltage mode control
• Power supply feedback loops

After covering the basics of power converters, this presentation will then go step by step through the design process of a flyback converter.

This detailed design example will cover the motivating application, design parameters, component selection, control loop compensation, circuit board layout, and hardware testing/results.

We will start our meeting at 7:00 pm. For the next 15 minutes or so, we will introduce ourselves, handle any LICN business and do a little networking. We will then start our presentation. After the presentation, feel free to stick around and chat with others to network or to further discuss our lecture topic.