DC-to-DC Converters - Introduction

DC/DC converters in general perform two functions: change the voltage level (elevate or decrease) and regulate voltage.
The electronic conversion is at the interface between the battery (power source in general) and all building blocks of the considered system, analog and digital electronic circuits, displays, actuators, keyboards, etc.

They are required in many applications of power electronics like harnessing solar energy using photovoltaics, use of fuel cells and energy storage in batteries.
They are used to convert voltages and currents from one DC level to another and to operate these systems optimally.

In addition to these direct applications, DC/DC converters form the basic block of conversion between AC and DC voltages, required in applications such as harnessing of wind energy and efficiently adjusting the speed of drives in transportation and compressor systems for increasing energy efficiency.

In this courseware, students will study several examples of DC-to-DC converters, namely Boost, Buck, and Buck-Boost operating in continuous conduction mode (CCM).

Figure 1: DC-DC Converters