Power Electronics Lab

Experiment: 03
Buck Converter
Group Members:
Nakul: 2022EEB1192
Sonu Koli: 2022EEB1215
Aman Bhagat: 2022EEB1152

Aim:
To analyse the working principle of a Buck Converter and verify its performance
using MATLAB/Simulink simulations and a PCB implementation.

Apparatus / Components Used:

● DC input source
● Power MOSFET (IRFP450)
● Gate Driver IC (TLP250)
● Fast recovery diode
● Inductor
● Capacitor
● Load resistor
● PCB board
● Soldering iron
● DSO

Theory:
A Buck Converter is a type of DC–DC power converter designed to step down a
higher DC voltage to a lower one, with high efficiency. The basic operation relies
on high-frequency switching of a MOSFET and the use of passive filter
components (inductor and capacitor) to regulate the output voltage.
 ● (S1) Switch ON (MOSFET conducting): Current flows from the input
source through the inductor and load. The inductor stores part of the energy
in the form of a magnetic field while the capacitor supports the voltage
across the load.

● (S1) Switch OFF (MOSFET not conducting): The inductor releases its
stored energy, supplying current to the load through the diode. This ensures
that the current through the load does not suddenly drop to zero.

By adjusting the duty cycle (D)—the ratio of the ON time of the MOSFET to the
total switching period—the average output voltage can be controlled. For an ideal
converter:

Modes of Operation:

❖ Continuous Conduction Mode (CCM):

➢ The inductor current never reaches zero during the entire switching
cycle.
➢ This mode is achieved when the load current is sufficiently high.

➢ Condition:

where Icrit is the boundary current below which the operation shifts to
DCM.

❖ Discontinuous Conduction Mode (DCM):

➢ 1.The inductor current falls to zero during part of the switching cycle.
➢ 2.This typically occurs when the load demand is low or the inductance
is smaller than the required critical value.

Design Equations:
 ❖ Inductor Selection:
The inductance is chosen based on the allowable inductor current ripple (ΔiL
):

❖ Capacitor Selection:

The capacitance is determined by the acceptable output voltage ripple (ΔVo):

Where:
Vin = Input voltage,
Vo = Output voltage,
Ts = Switching period,
I0= Output current.

Procedure

Simulation in MATLAB/Simulink

1. A new Simulink workspace was created, and the circuit for the Buck
Converter was built by arranging the basic elements: DC supply, MOSFET,
diode, inductor, capacitor, and resistive load.

2. A pulse generator block was configured to generate a PWM signal at

20 kHz, with an initial duty ratio of about 0.33, and connected to the
MOSFET gate.

3. Measurement blocks were added at the input and output to monitor voltages
and currents.
 4. The simulation was executed, and waveforms of input voltage, output
voltage, inductor current, and other parameters were observed.

5. The experiment was repeated for different operating conditions by varying

the duty ratio and changing the load resistance to analyse the effect on the
output.

Hardware Implementation

1. The Buck Converter was assembled on a generalized DC–DC converter

PCB. The MOSFET, driver IC, diode, inductor, capacitor, and load resistor
were properly connected according to the designed circuit.
2. A regulated DC source was connected as the input supply.

3. The MOSFET was driven using a PWM signal generated from an external
controller (function generator), set to 20 kHz with a duty ratio around 0.33. A
gate driver circuit (TLP250) was used to provide isolation and level shifting.

4. An oscilloscope was used to measure the required parameters. The probes

were connected carefully with the ground reference taken at the common star
point. The output voltage across the load and inductor current were
monitored using voltage and current probes.

5. Readings were taken in steady state and compared for different test cases by
altering the duty ratio and varying the load resistance.

Simulation in MATLAB/Simulink
 Fig1: Simulation Model of the Buck convertor

Result Obtain form Simulink

Fig 2: voltage across S1(IGBT) for Vin =12.6v

Fig 2: voltage across Diode

Fig3: Voltage across Inductor

 Fig4: Current
across Inductor
Fig5: Voltage
across
Capacitor

Fig6: Current
Flowing
Through Capacitor
Fig7: Output voltage

Fig 8: Output current

Results (Simulation in MATLAB/Simulink) From

the simulation of the Buck Converter:

❖ Input Voltage (Vin):

➢ The DC source provides an input of 12.6 V.
❖ Output Voltage (Vout):
➢ The measured steady-state output voltage across the load is
approximately 5.0 V.
➢ This matches the theoretical expectation since the duty ratio D≈0.4
(5/12.6 ≈ 0.397).

The load current and inductor current obtained in the simulation also agree with the
theoretical calculations. The inductor current was observed around 0.1246 A, and
the load current was close to 0.2 A, both consistent with design expectations. The
capacitor value of 1.325 µF ensured that the output ripple remained minimal,
validating the design equation for capacitor sizing. The diode and MOSFET
waveforms also reflected the expected switching behaviour: the MOSFET
conducted during ON time, while the diode provided current continuity during OFF
periods.

Hardware Experiment result

Fig10: Voltage across load that is coming 4.24v

Fig11: Voltage
waveform coming
across mosfet
 Fig12: Voltage
across the
inductor

Fig13: voltage across Diode Fig 14: Voltage across the capacitor
 Fig15: Current
across Mosfet

Fig16: Current across the capacitor Fig17: Current across the inductor
Waveform of the experiment in the discontinuous mode

Fig 18: current and voltage in discontinuous mode for the buck convertor.
Reading for the various different duty cycles and the calculator
Conclusion

For hardware

We are successfully implement the buck convertor on the PCB board and all the
voltages and currents are measured on the oscilloscope where we are not able to get
exact value of the voltages and the current values as we got in simulink may be
because of the loose connection and the other factor like connecting wire have
some voltage drop and the cables that we are using to measurement that would be
one of the reason, while keeping these think in our mind we did the experiment and
achieve 4.23V at the output end

From simulation

From the simulation, it is evident that the theoretical predictions of voltage and
current values across each component match closely with the Simulink results. The
converter successfully stepped down the input from 12.6 V to 5 V, and the
operation remained stable in Continuous Conduction Mode. This validates both
the analytical design and the simulation model.