Switching-Mode Power Supply Design Tutorial; Part 1: Introduction to Power Supply Design

Focus:

Part 1 of this tutorial introduces the topic of switching power supply design (a.k.a. switching-mode or switched-mode power supply design) to the beginning power supply designer and to power supply users. "The treatment is mostly descriptive, using mathematics only as required and graphics only if they are needed to understand the concept being described," says Foutz. The focus of this tutorial is on dc-dc converters and offline power supplies, however it begins by defining the basic terms such as power supply, power converter, power conditioner, power electronics, switching power supply, and switching regulator. It then defines the basic goals of switching power supply design, identifies the four categories of power supplies (ac-ac, ac-dc, dc-ac, and dc-dc converters) and defines terms such as offline power supply, power factor, and power factor correction. Goals of the tutorial are outlined including the design and analysis techniques and skills that will be discussed in the subsequent parts of the tutorial. The tutorial's use of Foutz' "Knowledge Base of problems and solutions" is noted.

What you’ll learn:

• How to understand the basic concepts and terminology associated with switched-mode power supply (SMPS) design
• How to understand the different categories used to classify power supplies
• How to understand what design skills and techniques are associated with power supply design

Notes:

This section is Part 1 of 3. For a description of Part 2, see the How2Power Design Guide under "Power Supply Function" and "Voltage Regulators." For a description of Part 3, see the How2Power Design Guide under "Power Supply Function" and "DC-DC Converters."

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Author & Publication:

Jerrold Foutz, SMPS Technology, Oct 07 2007

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