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Understand two-switch
forward/flyback converters
By Youhao Xi and
Robert Bell
National Semiconductor
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is normally accomplished with a
tertiary reset winding. Generally
the reset winding has the same
number of turns as the primary
winding. Thus, the core will always
reset with a reset time equal to the
on-time of the transistor. The volt-
age stress on the MOSFET switch
will be twice the input voltage
plus the spike caused by the leak-
age energy.
By limiting the duty cycle of
the MOSFET switch to less than
50 per cent the transformer core
will always reset each cycle. The
two-switch forward converter
resets the transformer in exactly
the same way without the ad-
ditional reset winding, because
the conduction of D3 and D4 ef-
fectively applies the input voltage
in reversed polarity to the power
transformer primary winding to
reset the core. Figure 3. Block diagram of high side gate drive circuit
Since the maximum drain to
source voltage across the MOSFETs
is clamped to VIN, there is no un-
certainty as to what the peak volt-
age stress will be. This benefit can
not be overstated. Peak voltage
stress in a single switch approach
is proportional to the value of
leakage inductance, switching
speed and circuit layout. Leakage
inductance is difficult to control
and can often vary even after the
design goes into production.
At first glance, the series
conduction loss of the high side
MOSFET appears to be additional
power dissipation. However, a
study of MOSFET process char-
acteristics reveals that the two-
switch topology can actually re-
sults in a reduction of conduction Figure 4: Two-switch flyback converter topology
losses. For a single-switch forward
converter with a 36V to 75V input higher with two switches, but with increase with increasing input the block diagram of the high side
application, a 200V MOSFET is of- the lower Rds(ON) and the elimi- voltage, but lower input voltage gate drive implementation.
ten required provided the leakage nation of leakage inductance loss applications can often benefit as The advantages of two-switch
inductance spike is controlled. often results in a gain of conver- well. forward become more remarkable
The die size, and hence the sion efficiency. The elimination of Historically, driving the high in an integrated solution where
cost of a MOSFET, are proportional snubber components and control side MOSFET has been a chal- the complete control circuit, gate
to both the on-resistance (RdsON) of the leakage inductance effects lenge for the two-switch topol- drive for both high side and low
and the voltage rating. While the are big benefits of the two-switch ogy since the high side MOSFET side switches, and even the two
two-switch approach requires topology especially at higher in- requires a floating gate driver. New high voltage MOSFETs, can all be
two MOSFETs in series, the total put voltages. monolithic IC regulators eliminate integrated in the same IC.
resistance of the two MOSFETs Higher input voltage applica- the headache of the high side By clamping voltage stress
usually can be smaller than a sin- tions often have more primary MOSFET gate drive through the on the MOSFETs, the maximum
gle switch with twice the voltage turns which tend to increase leak- use of a boot-strap capacitor tech- input voltage range of the power
capability, for a given die size. age inductance and loss. The ben- nique controlled by a high speed converter can approach the rated
Gate drive losses are obviously efits of the two-switch approach level shift circuit. Figure 3 shows voltage of the MOSFETs, making
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full use of the MOSFET process ca- Both MOSFET switches are All of the same benefits are switch approach, the leakage en-
pability. In contrast, the maximum turned on and off simultaneously, realised in the two-switch flyback ergy is recycled back to the input
input voltage range for a single- as in the two-switch forward as in the two-switch forward. The to improve efficiency and there is
switch forward converter is limited converter. The operation of the voltage stresses on the MOSFET no need for dissipative snubber
to less than half the rated voltage Flyback transformer is best de- switches are clamped to VIN, and circuit that is often required in the
of the MOSFET. scribed as two-winding coupled the leakage inductance energy single switch converters.
A typical example of the fully inductor. Energy is supplied to is returned to the input instead The added complexity and
integrated Two-Switch DC-DC reg- the inductor in the primary circuit of being dissipated in snubbers part count of the two-switch for-
ulator is National Semiconductor’s when the primary MOSFETs are ac- that are normally required in the ward and flyback converters can
LM5015, which provides a high tive, then the energy is released to single switch approach. be a small price to pay for the
performance low cost DC-DC the secondary when the primary The same techniques as shown benefits received. The advan-
regulator solution capable of a MOSFETs turn off. in Fig. 3 can be used for the high tages of two-switch approach
very wide input voltage range The coupling between side MOSFET gate drive. The Two- become more remarkable in an
from 4.25V to 75V. the primary and secondary Switch Flyback can be operated in integrated solution in which the
windings is never perfect; this either discontinuous or continu- gate drive for both switches, and
Two-switch flyback converter leakage inductance can de- ous conduction mode just like the even the two MOSFET switches
Figure 4 shows a Two-Switch stroy the primary MOSFET in a Single-Switch Flyback converter. can be integrated in the same
Flyback converter topology, which single switch approach if left IC with the control circuit. The
consists of two MOSFET switches unchecked. The clamp diodes Conclusion integrated solution allows the
Q1 and Q2, the power transformer in the Two-Switch Flyback are By adding a high side MOSFET input voltage range to approach
T1, two clamp diodes D1 and D2, used to recover the leakage switch, the two-switch forward or the rating of the MOSFET pro-
the secondary rectifier diode DO, energy back to the input, and to flyback topology clamps the volt- cess capability providing a small
the input filter capacitor CIN and clamp the turn-off peak voltage age stress on each MOSFET switch form factor, high performance
the output filter capacitor CO. across each MOSFET at VIN. to the input voltage. With the two- solution.
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