BOOST-BUCK PUSH-PULL CONVERTER

FOR VERY WIDE INPUT RANGE SINGLE STAGE POWER CONVERSION

Jonathan J. Albrecht
Jason Young,
William A. Peterson
Martin Marietta Control Systems
Johnson City, New York

ABSTRACT

pull converter that has both buck and boost regulator

characteristics. At low input voltage the push-pull converter acts as a boost, and at high input voltages it acts
as a buck converter. For power factor correction applications, this push-pull converter, by transitioning between
the boost and buck operating modes, is able to shape the
input current.

In many avionics systems, the power supply is required

to operate over a very wide input voltage range. In these
aircraft systems the power supplies are powered off a
Permanent Magnet Generator (PMG). The PMG, which
is typically mounted via gear box to the engine of the aircraft, outputs a voltage proportional to the speed of the
engine. It is usually required to have the avionics start
at very low engine speeds and operate up to the maximum engine speeds. To operate over this large input
range, power converter stages are cascaded to reduce the
input range down to manageable levels. The last converter stage then provides the filtering, isolation, scaling
and regulation for the avionics system. Additionally, aircraft power sources are provided for backup power and
typically require power factor correction. Active power
factor correction is also performed with a separate cascaded pre-regulator converter. Multiple power conversion stages reduce efficiency, increase cost, and increase
size of the power supply system. The power converter
described herein combines the aforementioned functions
into a single conversion stage. The converter is a push-

OPERATION
To describe the operation of the new push-pull converter, both modes of operation, boost and buck, will be ascussed separately. A simplified circuit schematic of the
Boost-Buck Push-Pull Converter is shown in Figure 1.
The circuit consists of a Push-Pull converter with an inductor placed between the input source and the PushPull center tap. The Boost-Buck Inductor is referred to
as an inductor, rather than a transformer, since most of its
characteristics in both operational modes are that of an
inductor. The primary to secondary turns ratios (N) of
both magnetics, the Boost-Buck Inductor and the PushPull Transformer, are the same.
N
D3

IPl

BOOST-BUCK
INDUCTOR

N:l

g-f
D'

PWM-1

INPUT
SOURCE

vo

D2

PWM-2

Figure 1.Boost-Buck Push-pull Converter

303

0-7803-2482-X/95 $4.000 1995 IEEE

BUCK OPERATION
The converter will operate in the Buck Mode when the
input voltage is greater than NVo. Operating in this
mode, switches Q1 and Q2 will be run at less than 50%
duty-cycle and 180" out-of-phase with each other, as
shown in figure 2. This means that there will be two segments of time in each cycle in which both Q1 and Q2 will
be in the off state. This is typical of the Push-Pull converter.
Referring to figure 2, the discussion of the buck mode
operation begins at time to when Q1 turns on and Q2 is
off. With Q1 on, current Ipl flows through transformer
winding P1 and inductor winding P3. The Boost-Buck
Inductor stores energy due to a VIN-NVO voltage across
it, and the primary current Ip1 begins to ramp up through
winding P3. The current Ipl through winding P1 causes
a secondary current to flow in winding S2 via transformer action. This secondary current flows out to the load
through diode D2. At time tl, Q1 turns off, Ipl falls to
zero and D2 stops conducting. The energy stored in the
boost-buck inductor during the time Q1 was on now discharges as a current flow through the secondary winding
S3 and out to the load through diode D3. The magnitude
of the current is NIpl. At time t2, Q2 switches on while
Q1 remains off. Now primary current Ip2 flows through
windings P2 and P3. The current through winding P2
causes a secondary current to flow in winding S1 via
transformer action. This secondary current flows out to
the load through diode D 1. Ip2 begins to ramp up through
the boost-buck inductor winding P3 and again energy is

stored in the inductor. At time tg, 42 turns off, Ip2 falls

to zero and D1 stops conducting. The energy stored in
the boost-buck inductor when Q2 was on now discharges as a current flow through the secondary winding
S3 and out to the load through diode D3. The magnitude
of this current is NIp2. This cycle is repeated at time t4
at a constant frequency ( l / ~ ) . The turn-on times of Q1
and Q2 (to and t2, respectively) are always a constant
half-period apart.
From this description and the waveforms of Figure 2,
this converter acts as a Buck converter by storing excess
input energy in an inductor during the switch on times
and transfemng this stored energy to the output during
the switch off times. Additionally, while operating in
this mode the converter exhibits discontinuous input current and continuous output current, just as a buck converter does.
The integral of the Boost-Buck inductor voltage over
one time period (T) must be zero. Therefore, from figure
2

The variable b g can be expressed in terms of T and to,,

a,
T - ton
to, -(2)
Using (1) and (2) the input to output transfer characteristic for Buck mode operation is

v,
PWM-1

2avIN
N

(3)

where
a = Duty Cycle of one switch (bn/T)
Vo = Output Voltage
VIN= Input voltage
N = Turns Ratio (of both transformers)

PWM-2

From figure 2, the peak voltage across each of the

switches occurs when both switches are off and the
boost-buck diode, D3, is conducting. At this point, the
drain-t+source voltage, V&, is VIN+ NV,. This is less
than the 2vIN voltage normally seen across the switches
in a classical push-pull converter. This allows the designer to select lower rated switches.

BOOST-BUCK
INDUCTOR
VOLTAGE

PRIMARY
CURRENT
(IP1 + In)
OUTPUT
CURRENT

Figure 2. Buck Mode Simplified Converter

Waveforms

304

BOOST-BUCK
INWCTOR

BOOST OPERATION
The Push-Pull converter will operate in the Boost Mode
when the input voltage is less than NVo. In Boost mode
the duty-cycle of both switches is increased to greater
than 50%. This means that Q1 and Q2 will be on at the
same time for portions of the switch period (T). The
switch period (T) and the delay time (T/z) are kept
constant for both the boost and buck operational modes.
Typical PWM-1 and PWM-2 gate drive signals are
shown in Figure 3.

V 1 N - ~ ~ j [ " '
D2

Figure 4. Boost Mode - Flux Cancellation

Energy is now transferred to the secondary via transformer action. The magnitude of this energy is equal to
the input voltage (Vin) plus the energy stored in the
Boost-Buck Inductor. During this portion of the switch
period, the voltage polarity on winding P3 reverses at a
magnitude of NVCJ-VIN and current begins to ramp
down. Diode D2 is forward biased and provides current
flow from secondary winding S2 to the output load. At
time t2, Q2 turns back on while Q l remains in the on
state. Again, equal but opposite fluxes are developed in
the transformer and both primary windings, P1 and P2,
form a short to ground. The Boost-Buck Inductor stores
input energy, and no energy is transferred to the outputs.
At time t3, Q1 turns off while Q2 remains on. With Q1
off, Ipl stops flowing through winding PI and the flux
cancellation across the transformer primaries ceases.
Energy is now transferred to the secondarythrough diode
D1. Again, the magnitude of this energy is equal to the
input voltage (Vin) plus the energy stored in the BoostBuck Inductor. During this portion of the switch period,
the voltage polarity on winding P3 reverses and current
begins to ramp down. This completesthe switchingperiod. This cycle is repeatedat time t4 at a constant frequency ( l / ~ ) .The turn-on times of Q1 and Q2 (to and t2, respectively) are always a constant half-period apart, just
as in the buck mode of operation.
From this description and the waveforms of Figure 3, the
Push-Pull converter in this mode of does act as a Boost
converter by storing excess input energy in an inductor
during the switch on times (b,) and transferring this
stored energy plus Vin to the output during the switch off
times (toff). Additionally, while operating in this mode,
the converter exhibits continuous input current and discontinuous output current, just like a boost converter. It
should be noted that winding S3 and diode D3 do not
supply current to the load during boost operation.
Since the integral of the Boost-Buck inductor voltage
over one time period (T) must be zero, the equation for
the inductor voltage is,

Referring to figure 3, the discussion of the boost mode

operation begins at time to when Q 1 is turning on and Q2
is already on. During this time, current Ipl flowsthrough
transformer winding PI and current Ip2 flows through
transformer winding P2. A redrawn circuit of the time
interval is shown in Figure 4. With Ip2 flowing into the
"dotted" side of the P2 winding, and Ipl flowing out of
the "dotted" side of the P1 winding, equal but opposite
fluxes are developed in the transformer core. These
fluxes cancel and form an effective short circuit across
the transformer primaries. With this short circuit across
the transformer, a voltage equal to VIN is placed across
the winding P3 of the Boost-Buck Inductor. This voltage causes the current to ramp up in the inductor and the
inductor begins to store energy, as seen in figure 3. Next,
at time t l , Q2 turns off while Q1 remains on. With Q2
off, Ip2 stops flowing through winding P2 and the flux
cancellation across the transformer primaries ceases.
W

*'/e:
,

to

tl

tz t3

14

bntonbnh

BOOST- BUC
INDUCTOR
VOLTAGE

PRIMARY
CURRENT

OUTPUT
CURRENT

Figure 3.Boost Mode Simplified Converter

Waveforms

305

1.25

1 .oo

Since a is the duty-cycle of each switch, it can be expressed as

Y0

2
Using (4),(S), and (6) the input to output transfer characteristic for Boost mode operation is

v,

CONDITIONS:
Vout = 3 5 DC
~
N = 1 (tums ratios)

2toff(wO - VpJ)

(4)
Variable toffcan be expressed in terms of T and ton as,
T
(5)
toff = 3 - ton
2V&OII

'IN

2(1

0.50

0.25

(7)

- a)N

0.75

0
0

From figure 3, the peak voltage across each of the

switches in boost mode occurs when one switch is off
and one is on. At this point, v d s is just NV,.

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

INPUT VOLTAGE (VDC)

Figure 5. Boost and Buck Transfer

Characteristics

BOOST-BUCK TRANSITION
The novel aspect of this converter is that it exhibits the
transfer characteristics of two different power converter
topologies, boost and buck, by changing only the duty
cycle of the power switches Ql and Q2. Using both the
boost and buck modes, operation over very large input
voltage swings are achievable. Depending on the type of
control method used, transitioning between the two
modes is smooth and unnoticeable to down stream circuitry. Part of this can be seen graphically by plotting
both transfer equations (equations 3 and 7) on the same
axis. Duty-Cycle verses Input Voltage for both modes
is shown in figure 5 . Both transfer characteristics converge at the 50% duty cycle point. This allows for a
smooth transfer from one mode to the other.

During this transition, the inductor current has no ripple

because there is no voltage across it. The input voltage
VINis exactly equal to NV,. Although this condition is
desirable, difficulty arises when using peakcurrent mode
control to control the converter since there is no slope.
This easy transition characteristic also lends itself to

power factor correction applications where the converter

must transition between the boost and buck modes, at the
frequency of the input voltage source, to force the input
current to follow the input voltage.
If a negative voltage rail is required for a given application, a negative windmg can be added to the Boost-Buck
Inductor with an additional diode as shown in Figure 6.
ht

PWM-1

+vo

BOOSTBUCK
INDUCTOR

-vo

Figure 6. Boost - Buck Push-Pull Converter With Negative Output

306

WEINBERG'S CONVERTER
A.H. Weinberg developed apower converter in the 1970s

for satellite applications that used a similar concept.

Weinberg's goal was to develop a boost converter that
provided continuous output current. Continuous output
current allowed output filters to be smaller thus achieving weight savings.

PWM-1

.
)

L1

Weinberg's converter, shown in Figure 7, as the converter described herein is based on a push-pull converter.
Additionally, Weinberg uses a tapped inductor in the
Push-Pull centertap. The inductor tap ratio and transformer turns ratio are equal.

Vnr-N(Vo-yln)

INDUCTOR
VOLTAGE

PRIMARY
CURRENT

To describe the operation of Weinberg's converter the

condition of Q1 switching on with Q2 off will be considered first. When Q1 turns on a voltage equal to Vin N(Vo - Vin) is place across the L1 inductor. This cause
the primary current to ramp up and the inductor begins
to store energy. The current through the Q1 switch
causes a current to flow through transformer winding
T/3, diode D1, and out to the output capacitor and load.
When Q1 is switched off, the voltage on the L1 inductor
reverses and the stored energy is discharged as a current
through the L2 inductor tap through D3, and out to the
load. This sequence repeats for the second half of the
cycle when Q2 turns on. The simplified converter waveforms for Weinberg's boost converter are shown in Figure 8.

Figure 8. Weinberg's Converter Waveforms

converter can not operate over a wide input voltage

range.
EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
A 150W converter was breadboarded using this design.
The output voltage was regulated to 25 V whle the input
voltage varied from 10 to 200 V. A 2:1 turns ratio was
used for both magnetics. A switching frequency of
5OoKhz for each switch was selected to reduce the size
of the magnetics.
Figure 9 shows typical converter waveforms in buck
mode when the input voltage is at 100 V. The top two
waveforms show the duty cycle of the switches to be at
25%. The next waveform shows the input current
through the boost-buck inductor on the primary side
while the next waveform shows the current through the
same inductor on the secondary side. These two waveforms show energy being stored in the primary side during switch on time, and that same energy being transferred to the secondary during the off time.
Figure 10 shows typical converter waveforms at the
boost-buck transition point when the input voltage is at
50 V. The top two waveforms once again show the duty
cycle of the switches to be at 50%. The next waveform
shows the primary side boost-buck inductor current. As
was stated earlier, the ripple current at this point is nearly
zero. The final waveform shows the output current.
Figure 11 shows typical converter waveforms in boost
mode where the input voltage is at 25V. The top two waveforms show the duty cycle of the push-pull switches
to be 75%. The next waveform shows the current
through the buck-boost inductor (primary side), and the

Although similar, Weinberg's converter is non-isolated

and runs only in a single conversion mode, similar to the
buck mode discussed herein. Weinberg's converter never has both switches on at the same time (ie. duty cycles
above 50%),therefore does not transition between conversion modes. With only one conversion mode, the

Figure 7. Weinberg's Boost Converter

307

,,

Figure 9. Converter Waveforms in

Buck Mode

...
!

Figure 11. Converter Waveforms in

Boost Mode

REFERENCES
1. A.H. Weinberg, "A Boost Regulator With A New
Energy-Transfer Principle," Proceedings of

the Spacecraft Power Conversion Electronics

Seminar, 1974

Figure 10. Converter Waveforms at the

Boost-Buck Transition
final waveform shows the current through the output rectifying diodes.

308