How Switch Mode Power Supply (SMPS) Work

SMPS is the acronym of the word Switch Mode Power Supply. The name clearly suggests that
the concept has something or entirely to do with pulses or switching of the employed devices.
Let's learn how SMPS adapters work for converting mains voltage to a lower DC voltage.
Yes in SMPS adapters the idea is to switch the mains input voltage into the primary winding of a
transformer so that a lower value DC voltage may be obtained at the secondary winding of the
transformer.
However the question is, the same can be done with an ordinary transformer, so what is the
need of such complicated configuration when the functioning can be simply implemented though
ordinary transformers?
Well, the concept was developed precisely for eliminating the use of heavy and bulky
transformers with much efficient versions of SMPS power supply circuits.
Though the principle of operation is quite the similar, the results are hugely different.
Our mains voltage is also a pulsating voltage or an AC which is normally fed into the ordinary
transformer for the required conversions, but we cannot make the transformer smaller in size
even with current as low as 500 mA.
The reason behind this is the very low frequency involved with our AC mains inputs.
At 50 Hz or 60 Hz, the value is tremendously low for implementing them into high DC currents
outputs using smaller transformers.
This is because as the frequency decrease, the eddy current losses with the
transformer magnetization increases, which results in huge lose of current through heat and
subsequently the whole process becomes very inefficient.
To compensate the above loss, relatively larger transformer cores are involved with relevant
degree of wire thickness, making the entire unit heavy and cumbersome.
A switch mode power supply circuit tackles this issue very cleverly.
If lower frequency increases eddy current losses, means an increase in the frequency would do
just the opposite.
Meaning if the frequency is increased, the transformer could be made much smaller yet would
provide higher current at their outputs.

That's exactly what we do with an SMPS circuit. Let's understand the functioning with the
following points:

How SMPS adapters work

In a switch mode power supply circuit diagram, the input AC is first rectified and filtered to
produce relevant magnitude of DC.
The above DC is applied to an oscillator configuration comprising a high voltage transistor or a
mosfet, rigged to a well dimensioned small ferrite transformer primary winding.
The circuit becomes a self oscillating type of configuration which starts oscillating at some
predetermined frequency set by other passive components like capacitors and resistors.
The frequency is usually above 50 Khz.
This frequency induces an equivalent voltage and current at the secondary winding of the
transformer, determined by the number of turns and the SWG of the wire.
Due the involvement of high frequencies, eddy current losses become negligibly small and high
current DC output becomes derivable through smaller ferrite cored transformers and relatively
thinner wire winding.
However the secondary voltage will also be at the primary frequency, therefore it is once again
rectified and filtered using a fast recovery diode and a high value capacitor.
The result at the output is a perfectly filtered low DC, which can be used effectively for operating
any electronic circuit.
In modern versions of SMPS, hi-end ICs are employed instead of transistors at the input.
The ICs are equipped with a built in high voltage mosfet for sustaining high frequency
oscillations and many other protection features.
These ICs have adequate built in protection circuitry like avalanche protection, over heat
protection and output over voltage protection and also a burst mode feature.
Avalanche protection ensures that the IC does not get damaged during power switch ON
current in rush.
The over heat protection ensures that the IC is automatically shuts off if the transformer is not
wound correctly and draws more current from the IC making it dangerously hot.
The burst mode is an interesting feature included with the modern SMPS units.
Here, the output DC id fed back to a sensing input of the IC. If due to some reason, normally
due to wrong secondary winding or selection of resistors the output voltage rises above a
certain predetermined value, the IC shuts off the input switching and skips the switching into
intermittent bursts.
This helps to control the voltage at the output and also the current at the output.

The feature also ensures that if the the output voltage is adjusted to some high point and the
output is not loaded, the IC switches to burst mode making sure that the unit is operated
intermittently until the output gets adequately loaded, this saves power of the unit when in
standby conditions or when the output is not operative.
The feedback from the output section to the IC is implemented via an opto-coupler so that the
output remains well aloof from the input high voltage mains AC, avoiding dangerous shocks.

Switched Mode Power Supply uses a switching regulator to convert electric power efficiently. SMPS transfers
electric power from a source ( AC mains) to the load by converting the characteristics of current and voltage. SMPS
always provide a well regulated power to the load irrespective of the input variations. SMPS incorporates a Pass
transistor that switches very fast typically at 50Hz and 1 MHzbetween the on and off states to minimize the energy
waste. SMPS regulates the output power by varying the on to off time using minimum voltage so that efficiency is very
higher compared to the linear power supply.
What is inside?

Block diagram of SMPS

The SMPS essentially has
1.

Input rectifier

2.

Inverter

3.

Voltage converter

4.

Output regulator

Input rectifier
The AC input from mains is first rectified in the SMPS using a rectifier to convert it into DC. The rectifier consisting of
a full wave diode bridge or module that produces an unregulated DC voltage to the Smoothing capacitor. The input
AC passing into the rectifier has AC voltage pulses that may reduce the power factor. So control techniques are used
to force the average input current to follow the sine wave.
Inverter

This stage converts the rectified DC into AC using a power oscillator. The power oscillator has a small output
transformer with a few windings at the frequency 20-100 kHz. Switching is controlled by a MOSFET amplifier. The
output AC voltage is usually isolated optically from the input AC by using anOptocoupler IC for safety reasons.

Voltage converter
This stage has a high frequency transformer and the inverted AC drives its primary windings. This creates the up
and down voltage at the output. If DC is required, the output AC is converted to DC using a rectifier circuit using
Silicon diodes or Schottky diodes( fast recovery and minimum loss of current and low forward voltage drop) . The
rectified output DC is then filtered using the filter sectionconsisting of inductors and capacitors. Some non isolated
SMPS contains an inductor instead of the transformer and the circuit act as boost converter or buck converter. In
high voltage SMPS,Capacitor-Diode multiplier is used instead of inductors or transformer.
Output regulator
The output stage always monitors the output voltage by comparing with a reference voltage using
afeedback system. For safety reasons, the output stage is isolated by an optoisolator as seen in the SMPS of
computers. In some SMPS, Open loop regulation is used without feedback circuit and constant voltage is fed to the
transformer input.
The feedback circuit needs power to run before it can generate power, so an additional non-switching power-supply
for stand-by is added.

SMPS Mobile Charger

Added advantages of SMPS over the conventional linear power regulators are:
1.

Light weight since the transformer is too small and it it operates at high frequency of 50Hz-1MHz.

2.

Output voltage is well regulated and controlled by duty cycle and there is little resistive loss since the
transistor fully on or off during switching.

3.

Greater efficiency since the switching transistor dissipates very little heat. The SMPS can fail and can cause
very high output voltage that destroys the equipment.

Trouble shooting
Breakdown of SMPS can cause the PC either restarts automatically or shutdown instantly. Confirm the SMPS
complaint as follows:

Pin
No

1.

Wire Color
Orange

Output
+3.3 V

Confirm whether the power cord is tight in the socket

of SMPS and is connected well in the UPS.

2.

1.

Orange

+3.3 V

Black

GND

Red

+5 V

Black

GND

Red

+5 V

Remove the 4 pin connector and connect a 10 Ohms

10 Watt resistor across the yellow (+ 12V) and black
(Gnd) pins of the connector.

Connect the power code to UPS and connect the 24

pin cord to the Mother board.

1.

Black

Gray

GND

Short the pin 16 (Green) with the adjacent black pin

(pin17) using a short wire.

2.

If the Fan runs normally, SMPS is working normally.

3.

Purple

+5 V
Standby

If not, unplug the fan and check it with 12 volt supply. If

the fan is OK, then the check the voltage at the output
pins of the connecter. Voltage levels in the 24 pin

10

Yellow

+12 V

11

Yellow

+12 V

12

Orange

+3.3 V

13

Orange

+3.3 V

14

Blue

-12 V

15

Black

GND

16

Green

17

Black

GND

18

Black

GND

connector are shown below.