D.C. to D.C. converters and D.C. to A.C.

Converters belong to the category

of Switched Mode Power Supplies (SMPS). The various types of voltage regulators,
used in Linear Power Supplies (LPS), fall in the category of dissipative regulator, as
they have a voltage control element usually transistor or zener diode which dissipates
power equal to the voltage difference between an unregulated input voltage and a fixed
supply voltage multiplied by the current flowing through it. The switching regulator acts
as a continuously variable power converter and hence its efficiency is negligibly affected
by the voltage difference. Hence the switching regulator is also known as nondissipative regulator. In a SMPS, the active device that provides regulation is always
operated in cut-off or in saturation mode.

The input D.C. Supply is chopped at a higher frequency around 15 to 50 kHz using an
active device like the BJT, power MOSFET or SCR and the converter transformer.
Here the size of the ferrite core reduces inversely with the frequency. The lower limit
is around 5 kHz for silent operation and an upper limit of 50 kHz to limit the losses in
the choke and in active switching elements. The transformed wave form is rectified
and filtered. A sample of the output voltage is used as the feedback signal for the drive
circuit for the switching transistor to achieve regulation.
Here, the primary power received from AC main is rectified and filtered as high voltage
DC. It is then switched at a huge rate of speed approximately 15 kHz to 50 kHz and fed
to the primary side of the step-down transformer. The step-down transformer is only a
fraction of the size of a comparable 50 Hz unit thus reliving the size and weight
problems. The output at the secondary side of the transformer is rectified and filtered.
Then it is sent to the output of the power supply. A sample of this output is sent back to
the switch to control the output voltage.

SMPS rely on PWM to control the average value of the output voltage. The average
value of the repetitive pulse waveform depends on the area under the waveform. As
load increases, output voltage tends to fall. Most switching power supplies regulate their
output using the method called Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). The power switch
which feeds the primary of the step-down transformer is driven by the PWM oscillator.
When the duty cycle is at 50%, then the maximum amount of energy will be passed
through the step-down transformer. As the duty cycle decreases the power transmitted
is less hence low power dissipation.

The Pulse Width signal given to the switch is inversely proportional to the output
voltage. The width or the ON time of the oscillator is controlled by the voltage feedback
from the secondary of the rectifier output and forms a closed loop regulator. Since
switching regulator is complex, modern IC packages like Motorola MC 3420/3520 or
Silicon General SG 1524 can be used instead of discrete components.
Characteristics of various rectifier circuits and factors governing their selection are given. It
is pointed out that in general, the double 3-phase circuit is most desirable from the
standpoint of transformer and tube capacity requirements for mercury pool type tubes, and
the 6-phase single Y for hot cathode mercury vapor tubes or high vacuum tubes, but that
other factors may make other circuits more desirable for particular cases. Data are given for
3-, 4-, 6-, and 12-phase rectifiers using T-connected transformers, so that fewer
transformers are required. Since it is cheaper to build two large transformers than three
smaller ones of approximately the same total capacity, the T-connection may permit a
saving in transformer cost. The voltage doubling circuit is discussed, its relation to other
single phase circuits shown, and its characteristics given as a function of the product, CR,
of condenser capacity and load resistance.