DC-to-DC Two-Quadrant Converter A dc-to-dc converter in which the power can flow from the source to the load

and vice a versa while the load voltage maintains the same polarity is referred to as a twoquadrant converter. In simple words, the two-quadrant converter operates in the 1st and the 4th quadrant. Keep in mind that the power can only flow from the load toward the source when the load has an active component such as a battery (battery charger circuit) or the back emf of a dc motor.

Figure 1: Two-quadrant dc-to-dc converter

A simplified version of a two-quadrant converter is given in Figure 1. It has two switches: S1 and S 2 . The on-time (TON ) is the time for which the switch S1 is closed and

S 2 is open. The off-time ((TOFF ) is the time when the switch S1 is open and S 2 is closed.
The ratio of the on-time to the off-time is the duty cycle. The time-period is the sum of the on-time (TON ) and the off-time ((TOFF ) such that T = TON + TOFF . Thus, the duty cycle is
D= TON T

The on-time and the off-time in terms of the duty cycle are TON = D T and TOFF = (1 D)T We have already talked about these equations. They are reproduced here for brevity. Let us assume that the two-quadrant converter has been operating for a long time and the switch S1 is closed at t = 0. At the same time the switch S 2 is opened. At the

Guru/PEDC2DC/2Quad/ February 22, 2006

Two-Quadrant dc-to-dc Converter

closing of S1 , the current in the inductor is at its minimum value, I min . With the closing of switch S1 , we expect the current in the inductor to increase. The differential equation that describes the operation of the circuit while S1 remains closed, for 0 t TON = DT , is given as

di( t ) + R i( t ) = Vs E a dt

(1)

Its general solution is of the form i( t ) = Vs E a + A e R t / L R (2)

where A is the constant of integration and is determined by applying the initial condition. We have already stated that the initial current in the inductor is I min at the closing of switch S1 at t = 0. Applying this condition, we obtain A = I min + E a Vs R (3)

Consequently, the current in the circuit during the time S1 remains closed is i( t ) = Vs E a E Vs R t / L + I min + a e R R (4)

The current in the inductor is increasing exponentially from its minimum value at t = 0. Let us assume that at t = TON = DT , the current in the inductor is at its maximum, I max . Then, from (4), the expression for the maximum current in the inductor is I max = Vs E a E Vs R DT / L + I min + a e R R

The above equation can also be written as I max = Vs (1 e R DT / L ) E a (1 e R DT / L ) + I min e R DT / L R R (5)

After the current has reached its maximum value as given by (5), the switch S1 is opened and the switch S 2 is closed. The current now maintains its continuity through S 2 and or D 2 . This situation prevails from DT t T . During this time, the differential
equation for the current is

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Two-Quadrant dc-to-dc Converter

L Its general solution is

di( t ) + R i( t ) = E a dt

(6)

i( t ) =

Ea + B e R t / L R

(7)

The constant of integration, B, is determined by applying the initial condition. The current in the inductor is maximum, I max at t = TON = DT . Applying this condition, we get E B = I max + a e RDT / L R Thus, the current expression during the time the switch S 2 remains closed is i( t ) = Ea E + I max + a R R (8)

R t / L RDT / L e e

(9)

From (9) we obtain an expression for the minimum current at t = T as I min = Ea E + I max + a e R (1 D ) T / L R R (10)

We have two equations, (5) and (10), in terms of the two unknowns I max and I min . From these equations, we obtain

I max
and

Vs 1 e RDT / L E a = R 1 e RT / L R

(11)

I min =
Or

Vs 1 e RDT / L R (1 D ) T / L E a e R 1 e RT / L R

(12a)

I min =

Vs e RDT / L 1 E a R e RT / L 1 R

(12b)

The following examples show the plots of currents during the opening and closing of the two switches.

Guru/PEDC2DC/2Quad/ February 22, 2006

Two-Quadrant dc-to-dc Converter

Example 1: _________________________________________________________
A 24-V battery with an internal resistance of 0.5 is connected to the two-quadrant dcto-dc converter. If the source voltage is 48 V, the inductance in the circuit is 10 mH, the switching frequency is 20 kHz, and the duty cycle is 0.75, determine (a) the on time, (b) the off time, and (c) the minimum and maximum values of the currents in the inductor. Sketch these currents.

Solution:
For a switching frequency of 20 kHz, the time period is T = 50 s. (a) For a duty cycle of D = 0.75, the on time is TON = DT = 0.75 50 = 37.5 s (b) The off time is TOFF = (1 D)T = (1 0.75)50 = 12.5 s Prior to computing the minimum and maximum currents in the circuit, let us first compute the following quantities: Vs 48 = = 96 A R 0 .5 Ea 24 = = 48 A R 0 .5 RDT 0.5 0.75 50 10 6 = 1.875 10 3 = 3 L 10 10 e RDT / L = 998.1268 10 3 e RDT / L = 1.001877 RT 0.5 50 10 6 = 2.5 10 3 = 3 L 10 10 e RT / L = 997.5031 10 3 R (1 D)T 0.5 0.25 50 10 6 = = 625 10 6 3 L 10 10 e R (1 D ) T / L = 999.3752 10 3

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Two-Quadrant dc-to-dc Converter

(c)

From (11) and (12), the maximum and minimum currents are I max = Vs 1 e RDT / L E a R 1 e RT / L R

1 0.9981268 = 96 48 = 24.02 A 1 0.9975031

I min = Vs 1 e RDT / L R (1 D ) T / L E a e R 1 e RT / L R

1 0.9981268 = 96 0.9993752 48 = 23.975 A 1 0.9975031

The expressions for the currents, from (4) and (9), are

i( t ) =

Vs E a E Vs R t / L + I min + a e R R 48 24 24 48 0.5 t / 1010 3 = + 23.975 + e 0 .5 0 .5 = 48 24.025 e 50 t A

for 0 t Ton = DT

and

i( t ) =

Ea E + I max + a e R t / L e RDT / L R R 24 24 0.5 t / 1010 3 = + 24.02 + 1.001877 e 0 .5 0 .5 = 48 + 72.155 e 50 t A, for TON t T

Guru/PEDC2DC/2Quad/ February 22, 2006

Two-Quadrant dc-to-dc Converter

Example 2: _________________________________________________________
A 24-V battery with an internal resistance of 0.5 is connected to the two-quadrant dcto-dc converter. If the source voltage is 48 V, the inductance in the circuit is 10 mH, the switching frequency is 20 kHz, and the duty cycle is 0.25, determine (a) the on time, (b) the off time, and (c) the minimum and maximum values of the currents in the inductor. Sketch these currents.

Solution:
For a switching frequency of 20 kHz, the time period is T = 50 s. (a) For a duty cycle of D = 0.25, the on time is TON = DT = 0.25 50 = 12.5 s (b) The off time is TOFF = (1 D)T = (1 0.25)50 = 37.5 s Let us compute the useful quantities first as Vs 48 = = 96 A R 0 .5 Ea 24 = = 48 A R 0 .5 RDT 0.5 0.25 50 10 6 = = 0.625 10 3 3 L 10 10 e RDT / L = 999.3752 10 3 e RDT / L = 1.001877 RT 0.5 50 10 6 = = 2.5 10 3 3 L 10 10 e RT / L = 997.5031 10 3 R (1 D)T 0.5 0.75 50 10 6 = = 1.875 10 3 3 L 10 10 e R (1 D ) T / L = 998.1268 10 3

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Two-Quadrant dc-to-dc Converter

(c)

From (11) and (12), the maximum and minimum currents are I max = Vs 1 e RDT / L E a R 1 e RT / L R

1 0.9993752 = 96 48 = 23.978 A 1 0.9975031

I min = Vs 1 e RDT / L R (1 D ) T / L E a e R 1 e RT / L R

1 0.9993752 = 96 0.9981268 48 = 24.023 A 1 0.9975031

The expressions for the currents, from (4) and (9), are

i( t ) =

Vs E a E Vs R t / L + I min + a e R R 48 24 24 48 0.5 t / 1010 3 = + 24.023 + e 0 .5 0 .5 = 48 72.023 e 50 t A for 0 t Ton = DT

and

i( t ) =

Ea E + I max + a e R t / L e RDT / L R R 24 24 0.5 t / 1010 3 = + 23.978 + 1.001877 e 0 .5 0 .5 = 48 + 24.067 e 50 t A, for TON t T

23.96 23.968 23.976 23.984 Current ( A) 23.992 24 24.008 24.016 24.024 24.032 24.04 0 5 10

Current through the inductor

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Time in microseconds

Guru/PEDC2DC/2Quad/ February 22, 2006

Two-Quadrant dc-to-dc Converter