Estimating DC/DC Converter Efficiency with Different Input Voltage

Wahyu Pamungkas, S.T

Background:
A DC/DC converter is usually fed by constant voltage battery charger in parallel with associated battery
when the load is categorized as critical and a regulated voltage is required. It means, when main supply
is failed, the battery will take over to energize the critical load. In its autonomy time duration, the
batterys voltage is going lower. The voltage reduction will impact to DC/DC converters efficiency

Defining the limitation
As we are understood, the best efficiency of DC/Dc converter can be achieved when input voltage is
closest with output voltage
[1]
.
At this condition the Dc/Dc converters manufacturer is sometimes
confident to warranty efficiency until 95%. Commonly, the efficiency at the best is high as 90%. The ideal
condition cant be always maintained especially when load shall be fed by battery. This situation is
illustrated by figure 1.

Figure 1: A modeled regulated output Dc/Dc converter with dual input
In figure 1, the converter is fed by a constant current DC source, such as battery charger in parallel with
battery banks. In this configuration, battery charger is set at floating charge voltage of the battery;
therefore the output voltage (V out) shall set closest to input voltage (V in) to get the best efficiency of
the converter. In practical application, the setting of Vout shall also consider the range of loads input
voltage. The setting of Vin will impact the number of batterys cells. In this very early design, these
factors shall be considered.
In scenario where constant voltage DC source is failure, the critical load is fed by battery. Depend on the
rate of discharged current; the battery terminal will be drop soon. Usually during battery sizing, we have
set the lowest battery voltage base on required autonomy. In this point we must define the efficiency of
the converter and define its impact to the heat dissipation and then to temperature increase.
The equation of efficiency can be described as below

p
0
=
Pout
Pin
0
(1)

p
1
=
Pout
Pin
1
(2)

Where Pin
0
is power input when DC/DC converter is fed by floating charge voltage (Vin
0
) of constant
voltage DC source. This is ideal situation, where the highest efficiency can be achieved. The input
current associated with Pin
0
is Iin
0
.
Pin
1
is power input when DC/DC converter is fed by the lowest voltage from battery (Vin
1
). The input
current associated with Pin
1
is Iin
1

The losses power in both situations,
Ploss
0
= Pin
0
Pout
0
(3)
Ploss
1
= Pin
1
Pout
0
(4)
In both conditions the critical load is always kept the same; so Pout is same in both conditions.
The dissipative component, resistance, of the input part of converter can be calculated.

Rin =
Ploss
0
Iin
0
2
(5)
From equation 1 and 3, the input resistance can be described as

Rin =
Pout
0
(
1
p
0
, 1)
Iin
0
2

(6)
In this step we have succeeded to develop the internal characteristic of dissipative component of the
converter.
Now, when we feed the converter from lowest voltage from battery, Vin
1
, the Ploss
1
can be represented
as combination of equation (5) and (6)

Ploss
1
= Iin
1
2
.
Pout
0
(
1
p
0
, 1)
Iin
0
2

(7)

Ploss
1
=
Pout
0
2
p
1
2
. Iin
1
2
.
Pout
0
(
1
p
0
, 1)
Iin
0
2

(8)

Ploss
1
=
p
0
2
Iin
0
2
p
1
2
. Iin
1
2
. Pout
0
(
1
p
0
, 1) (9)

Suppose the ratio of floating charge voltage and battery lowest voltage is depicted as

[ =
Iin
0
Iin
1
(10)

Equation (9) now can be simplified

Ploss
1
=
p
0
2
p
1
2
. [
2
. Pout
0
(
1
p
0
, 1) (11)
In equation (11), we have defined Ploss
1
as function of Pout
0
, or Ploss
1
=f(Pout
0
). Now, It is turn to define
new efficiency at lowest batterys voltage (1) as a function of Pout
0
. We know that
=Pout/(Pout+Ploss), so
1
can be described as below

p
1
=
1
1 +
p
0
2
p
1
2
. [
2
(
1
p
0
, 1)

(12)
To simplify, we assume

K = p
0
2
. [
2
(
1
p
0
, 1) (13)
Then, equation (12) become

p
1
=
1
1 +
1
p
1
2
. K

(14)
And it is a simple quadratic equation
0 = p
1
2
p
1
+ K (15)
The solution for above equation (15),

p
1
=
1 + 1
2
4K
2

(16)
Equation (16) will have solutions, when K < . This limitation will help us to define maximum limit .

p
0
2
. [
2
(
1
p
0
, 1) <
1
4

(17)

[ <
1
2p
0
_[
1
p
0
1

(18)

Defining System
As we have knew the limitation factor, now we can develop flowchart for sizing the system

Conclusion
In this document, a proper estimating efficiency of DCDC converter at final voltage is presented. A
flowchart to define battery sizing calculation, load balance and temperature increase inside DCDC
converter is also introduced.
Note:
1. The complement of equation (16), p
1
=
1-1
2
-4K
2
, is not applied, since it will result lower value
than 50%. A value that hardly to exist when ratio input voltage is limited at .

Source
1.

Source Resistance: The Efficiency Killer in DC-DC Converter Circuits, Maxim, 2004