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Power Electronics - Choppers

A chopper uses high speed to connect and disconnect from a source load. A fixed DC
voltage is applied intermittently to the source load by continuously triggering the power
switch ON/OFF. The period of time for which the power switch stays ON or OFF is referred
to as the choppers ON and OFF state times, respectively.

Choppers are mostly applied in electric cars, conversion of wind and solar energy, and DC
motor regulators.

Symbol of a Chopper

Classification of Choppers

Depending on the voltage output, choppers are classified as −

Step Up chopper (boost converter)

Step Down Chopper(Buck converter)

Step Up/Down Chopper (Buck-boost converter)

Step Up Chopper
The average voltage output (Vo ) in a step up chopper is greater than the voltage input
(Vs ). The figure below shows a configuration of a step up chopper.

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Current and Voltage Waveforms

V0 (average voltage output) is positive when chopper is switched ON and negative when
the chopper is OFF as shown in the waveform below.

Where

TO N time interval when chopper is ON

TO FF time interval when chopper is OFF

VL Load voltage

Vs Source voltage

T Chopping time period = TO N + TO FF

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Vo is given by −

TON
1
V0 = ∫ VS dt
T
0

When the chopper (CH) is switched ON, the load is short circuited and, therefore, the
voltage output for the period TON is zero. In addition, the inductor is charged during this
time. This gives VS = VL

di Δi VS
L = VS , =
dt TON L

VS
Hence, Δi =
L
TON

Δi = is the inductor peak to peak current. When the chopper (CH) is OFF, discharge occurs
through the inductor L. Therefore, the summation of the Vs and VL is given as follows −

V0 = VS + VL , VL = V0 − VS

But
di
L = V0 − VS
dt

Thus,
Δi
L = V0 − VS
TOF F

V0 −VS
This gives, Δi =
L
TOF F

Equating Δi from ON state to Δi from OFF state gives −

VS V0 −VS
TON = TOF F , VS (TON + TOF F ) = V0 TOF F
L L

T VS VS
V0 = =
TOF F (T +T )
ON

This give the average voltage output as,

VS
V0 =
1 − D

The above equation shows that Vo can be varied from VS to infinity. It proves that the
output voltage will always be more than the voltage input and hence, it boosts up or
increases the voltage level.

Step Down Chopper

This is also known as a buck converter. In this chopper, the average voltage output VO is
less than the input voltage VS . When the chopper is ON, VO = VS and when the chopper is
off, VO = 0

When the chopper is ON −

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di Δi
VS = (VL + V0 ) , VL = VS − V0 , L = VS − V0 , L = Vs + V0
dt TON

Thus, peak-to-peak current load is given by,

Vs −V0
Δi = TON
L

Circuit Diagram

Where FD is free-wheel diode.

When the chopper is OFF, polarity reversal and discharging occurs at the inductor. The
current passes through the free-wheel diode and the inductor to the load. This gives,

di
L = V0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (i)
dt

Rewritten as −
Δi
L = V0
TOF F

TOF F
Δi = V0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (ii)
L

Equating equations (i) and (ii) gives;

VS −V0 V0
TON = TOF F
L L

VS −V0 TOF F
=
V0 TON

VS TON −TOF F
=
V0 TON

The above equation gives;

TON
V0 = VS = DVS
T

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Equation (i) gives −

VS −DVS TON
Δi = DT , from D =
L T

VS −(1−D)D
=
Lf

=chopping frequency
1
f =
T

Current and Voltage Waveforms

The current and voltage waveforms are given below −

For a step down chopper the voltage output is always less than the voltage input. This is
shown by the waveform below.

Step Up/ Step Down Chopper

This is also known as a buck-boost converter. It makes it possible to increase or reduce
the voltage input level. The diagram below shows a buck-boost chopper.

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When the chopper is switched ON, the inductor L becomes charged by the source voltage
Vs . Therefore, Vs = VL .

di
L = VS
dt

VS VS TON DVS
Δi = TON = T =
L L T Lf

Because −

TON
and
1
D = f = . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (iii)
T T

When the chopper is switched OFF, the inductors polarity reverses and this causes it to
discharge through the diode and the load.

Hence,

V0 = −VL

di
L = −V0
dt

Δi V0
L = −V0 , thus Δi = − TOF F . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (iv)
TOF F L

Evaluating equation (iii) and (iv) gives −

DVS V0
= − TOF F , DVS = −DVS = −V0 TOF F f
Lf L

T −TON TON DVS

DVS = −V0 = −V0 (1 − ), V0 = −
T T 1−D

Chapters Categories
TON T −TOF F
Because D =
T
=
1−D

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This gives,

DVS
V0 =
1−D

D can be varied from 0 to 1. When, D = 0; VO = 0

When D = 0.5, VO = VS

When, D = 1, VO = ∞.

Hence, in the interval 0 ≤ D ≤ 0.5, output voltage varies in the range 0 ≤ VO < VS and we
get step down or Buck operation. Whereas, in the interval 0.5 D 1, output voltage varies in
the range VS ≤ VO ≤ ∞ and we get step up or Boost operation.

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