Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Switchers

A switching power supply is a device transforming the voltage from one level to another. Typically it is taken from the mains and transformed to the DC levels that logic requires in a PC or a battery loader. The main differences between the linear and switched-mode regulator are in the size, weight and efficiency.
Since a switched-mode converter can operate at significantly high frequencies, then a smaller transformer using ferrite cores can be used. Also since the high rectified mains voltage is chopped, then energy storage for hold-up can be accomplished on the primary side of the step-down transformer and so much smaller capacitors than the linear counterpart can be used. A switching-mode power supply (SMPS) is a power supply that provides the power supply function through low loss components such as capacitors, inductors, and transformers -- and the use of switches that are in one of two states, on or off. The advantage is that the switch dissipates very little power in either of these two states and power conversion can be accomplished with minimal power loss, which equates to high efficiency. Usually a switching-mode power supply is circuit that operates in a closed loop system to regulate the power supply output. Although the benefits of switched-mode techniques are great, there is a penalty paid in the increased noise present at both input and output of the supply due to the power switching techniques. Also the associated control circuitry is much more complicated than its linear counterpart.
The switching mode power supply contains a transformer/coil and to make this as small as possible, the internal switching frequency has to be quite high, something typically in the range between 20KHz and 1MHz. This also makes the device noiseless to human ears. The oscillator noise is often conducted onto the input and output lines with a frequency that varies with the load.
There are many different types of withing power supplies. Off Line Switching Mode Power supply is a power supply in which the ac line voltage is rectified and filtered without using a line frequency isolation transformer. After rectifications and filtering the voltage is converted to the needed voltage using a swithing regulator circuit, which usually provides also isolation function (power goes though high frequency transformer). The typical PC power supplies (AT and ATX power supplies for example) are built in this way.
For DC/DC type conversion there are many alternatives. One option is to use switched capacitor converter (usullay used for voltage doubling or negative voltage generation). Switched capacitor type converters are generally used only for low power applications. More often used technique for low and high power is switched inductor converter. This converter type can be used for converting voltage up, voltage regulation and for current regulation.
Designers often categorize power converters into two basic types: isolated and nonisolated. These categories refer to the relationship between the input power ground and the output power ground. Many applications require isolation between the two grounds. The isolation requirement often stems from various safety agencies, and the main purpose of isolation is to protect personnel from exposure to dangerous voltage levels. In some cases, the grounds must have sufficient isolation so that applying a potential of 1500V or more between them shows no indication of breakdown. An isolated power-converter design imposes several extra design challenges on a power-supply designer.
Switchers are suitable for many applications, but not to all. Unless you're willing to spend a great deal of blood, sweat, and tears on the job, it's a bad idea to try to use a switching power supply to power a sensitive analog circuit. Switch-mode power supplies tend to generate impressive amounts of noise - conducted through the power supply rails, radiated, induced, etc. - and this noise can quite easily cross-couple onto your analog signal lines. For some analogue applications switchers are suitable, but then you need to use a very "quiet" switcher type.

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