Simulation of Buck Converter by using Saber

1 Objectives The purpose of the experiment is to understand a circuit simulation package - Saber, and use the programs to study and analyse power electronic circuits. Saber is a mix-mode Analog and Digital software package that includes various Windows applications for circuit simulation. The following sections will show you how to construct a buck converter and how to use Saber to study its performance. The buck converter is a kind of DC-DC converter for which the output voltage can be stepped down. One of the most useful applications is the switch-mode power supply that has the advantages of high efficiency and small size. 2 Apparatus/Software (1) IBM PC or compatible computer (2) Windows NT (3) Saber 3 Procedures The workstation is an IBM PC or compatible computer with Windows NT installed. Before the Saber can be started, you should log in to the NT workstation. The user name and password can be obtained from laboratory technician. 3.1 Circuit Design The simulation is divided into two parts - a buck converter with open-loop control and that with close-loop control. The circuits are constructed using the graphical editor called SaberSketch. You can get and place library components, select, copy, move and erase components and connect parts. To invoke the schematic editor, you should enlarge the program group named SaberDesigner and click the program item called SaberSketch. From the main menu on the top of the window, you can find out a menu item that is called Schematic. Click it to show the pop-up menu. To get components from the libraries, select the Get Part function from the menu and you can browse all the libraries in the Part Gallery to make the selections. Once a component is selected, click the Place button to put it into the schematic diagram and then move it to the desired location with the mouse. Repeat the Get Part procedure until all the components are placed on the diagram. To delete a component, move the cursor to it and click the left mouse button. Then press

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the Delete key on the keyboard. To make the connection of components, click the terminal of a component and then move the cursor to the terminal of another component. Click mouse button again and a wire connected the two terminals will be created automatically. To enter parameters of a component is simply by changing the values (parameter) next to a component. You can also double-click a component and then use the property editor to enter. 3.2 Simulation After you have finished the schematic diagram, save your work before running the simulation. To run the simulation, select the Simulate function from the pop-up menu, Design. To set appropriate transient simulation conditions like time interval and time elapsed for the simulation, click the Time-Domain function from the Analyses menu, and then the operating transient. Before you perform the transient analysis, you should run the DC Operating Point which can be found in the Operating Point menu. In case of any error, the error message will be stored in an output file named xxx.out and xxx is the same as the file name you used to save your schematic diagram. Open the output file to read the error message and make the correction. Alternatively, you can click the >cmd icon and look at the message in the SaberGuide Transcript. 3.3 Analysis After the simulation has been completed, invoke the SaberScope of the Saber to observe the waveform. You can simply click the View Plotfiles in Scope in the Results menu. The extension of the data file is tr, the file can be opened with the open (plotfiles) function of SaberScope. Once the appropriate file has been selected, the names of all the nodes will be shown. Click the name of a desired node and the waveform will be displayed. Any differential voltage can be viewed by using the calculator which will subtract one voltage with another. The Calculator icon is located in the bottom of the Scope window. 4. Buck Converter The major components of a buck converter includes semiconductor switch (e.g. power MOSFET), free-wheeling diode, inductor and output capacitor. The control circuits include pulse source, op-amp and voltage control voltage source. All these components can be found in the Electronic libraries of Analog Parts Library, namely passive elements, power electronics, electronics source and analog IC. 4.1 Open-loop Control of buck converter Construct the open-loop control buck converter as shown in Fig 1. The specification is: Input voltage is 30V. Switching frequency is 20kHz.

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Output voltage is 12V.

The gate drive signal is a pulse source with parameters as following: Voltage Initial is 12. Voltage pulse is 0. Period is 50u. Rise time tr and falling time tf are 1ns. Pulse width is user-defined.

Perform the transient analysis with time step and final time that are 0.1u and 5ms respectively.

Fig 1. A Buck Converter 4.1 Closed-loop Control of buck converter Construct the closed loop control buck converter as shown in Fig 2. The specification is the same as the open-loop control converter except the gate drive signal is replaced by a feedback control circuit. The voltage control voltage source, E, is used to isolate the output voltage from the control circuit. It can be found in the library file named electronic source and the gain of this voltage should be set to 0.5. Change the final time to an appropriate value for transient analysis to obtain a steady state output voltage.

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What are the output voltage and the output ripple voltage? How is this compared with the open loop buck converter? What is the settle time of the output voltage? Observe the gate signal and explain? If the output voltage of 18V is required and input voltage is still 30V, suggest the component value(s) and perform the simulation again.

Figure 2 Closed loop control of a buck converter 5. The Report Your report should include hardcopy of output voltage, inductor current, MOSFET current of each case. Explain the observations. Suggest how the circuit can be improved and if time permit, perform a simulation to confirm. ---- END ----

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