Voltage converters for every application

Manufacturer: TOPPOWER | QUEROM

A DC/DC voltage converter is an electrical circuit that converts one direct current (DC) voltage to another direct current (DC) voltage by transferring energy from a power source to a load. There are essentially two basic types of DC/DC converters: buck and boost.

Buck converter vs boost converter

A buck converter lowers the input voltage to a lower output voltage. The input voltage is applied to a coil that is switched on and off perio­dically with a switch. The switching on and off of the switch generates an alter­nating voltage, which is smoothed to the output voltage by a capacitor. The frequency of the switch deter­mines the efficiency of the converter.

A boost converter, on the other hand, increases the input voltage to a higher output voltage. In this case, the switch is switched differently: The input voltage is applied to a coil, which is periodically charged and discharged by the switch. In the process, a higher output voltage is generated by passing the voltage via a capacitorr into a load resistor.

There are also other types of DC/DC converters, such as the buck-boost converter, which can produce both a higher and a lower output voltage. However, all these con­verter types have in common that they use energy transfer from one DC voltage to another by using switches and coils or condensers.

Efficient use of the converter with the right frequency

The recommended frequency for a DC/DC voltage converter depends on various factors, such as

• type of converter
• power
• efficiency
• size of components
• application in which the converter is used

In general, a higher frequency is advantageous as it allows for smaller components and increases the efficiency of the transducer. For most applications, fre­quences in the range of a few 10 kHz to a few MHz are recom­mended. A typical value for modern DC/DC converters is about 1 MHz. However, higher frequencies can also result in higher switching losses, which can lead to reduced efficiency.

The choice of frequency can also be influenced by other factors such as electro­magne­tic inter­ference (EMI) and noise. In some applications, therefore, a lower frequency may be more advantageous to mini­mise these problems.

Therefore, it is important to know the requirements and limitations of your specific application before choosing a frequency. We can advise you on this!

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