DN-62
Design Note
Switching Power Supply Topology
Voltage Mode vs. Current Mode
by: Robert Mammano
Unitrode IC Corporation has, since its inception,
been active in the development of leading-edge
control circuits to implement state-of-the-art pro-
gressions in power supply technology. Over the
years many new products have been introduced to
allow designers to readily apply new innovations in
circuit topologies. Since each of these new topolo-
gies purports to offer improvements over that which
was previously available, it is reasonable to expect
some confusion to be generated with the introduc-
tion of the UCC3570 - a new voltage-mode
controller introduced almost 10 years after we told
the world that current-mode was such a superior
approach.
The truth, however, is that there is no single topol-
ogy which is optimum for all applications. Moreover,
voltage-mode control - if updated with modern cir-
cuit and process developments - has much to offer
designers of today’s high-performance supplies and
is a viable contender for the power supply de-
signer’s attention.
To answer the question as to which circuit topology
is best for a specific application, one must start with
a knowledge of both the advantages and disadvan-
tages of each approach. The following discussion
attempts to do this in a consistent way for these two
power supply control algorithms.
Voltage Mode Control
This was the approach used for the first switching
regulator designs and it served the industry well for
many years. The basic voltage mode configuration
is shown in Figure 1.
The major characteristics of this design are that
there is a single voltage feedback path, with pulse-
width modulation performed by comparing the
voltage error signal with a constant ramp waveform.
Current limiting must be done separately.
The advantages of voltage-mode control are:
1. A single feedback loop is easier to design and
analyze.
Figure 1. Voltage Mode Control
10/94
Design Note
2. A large-amplitude ramp waveform provides
good noise margin for a stable modulation
process.
3. A low-impedance power output provides better
cross-regulation for multiple output supplies.
Voltage-mode’s disadvantages can be listed as:
1. Any change in line or load must first be sensed
as an output change and then corrected by the
feedback loop. This usually means slow re-
sponse.
2. The output filter adds two poles to the control
loop requiring either a dominant-pole low fre-
quency roll-off at the error amplifier or an
added zero in the compensation.
3. Compensation is further complicated by the
fact that the loop gain varies with input voltage.
Current Mode Control
The above disadvantages are relatively significant
and since all are alleviated with current-mode con-
trol, designers were highly motivated to consider
this topology upon its introduction. As can be seen
from the diagram of Figure 2, basic current-mode
control uses the oscillator only as a fixed-frequency
clock and the ramp waveform is replaced with a sig-
nal derived from output inductor current.
DN-62
The advantages which this control technique offers
include the following:
1. Since inductor current rises with a slope deter-
mined by Vin-Vo, this waveform will respond
immediately to line voltage changes, eliminat-
ing both the delayed response and gain
variation with changes in input voltage.
2. Since the Error Amplifier is now used to com-
mand an output current rather than voltage,
the effect of the output inductor is minimized
and the filter now offers only a single pole to
the feedback loop (at least in the normal re-
gion of interest). This allows both simpler
compensation and a higher gain bandwidth
over a comparable voltage-mode circuit.
3. Additional benefits with current-mode circuits
include inherent pulse-by-pulse current limiting
by merely clamping the command from the Er-
ror Amplifier, and the ease of providing load
sharing when multiple power units are paral-
leled.
While the improvements offered by current-mode
are impressive, this technology also comes with its
own unique set of problems which must be solved
in the design process. A listing of some of these is
outlined below:
Figure 2. Current Mode Control
2
Design Note
1. There are now two feedback loops, making cir-
cuit analysis more difficult.
2. The control loop becomes unstable at duty cy-
cles above 50% unless slope compensation is
added.
3. Since the control modulation is based on a sig-
nal derived from output current, resonances in
the power stage can insert noise into the con-
trol loop.
4. A particularly troublesome noise source is the
leading edge current spike typically caused by
transformer winding capacitance and output
rectifier recovery current.
5. With the control loop forcing a current drive,
load regulation is worse and coupled inductors
are required to get acceptable cross-regulation
with multiple outputs.
So from the above we can conclude that while cur-
rent-mode control will ease many of the limitations
of voltage-mode, it also contributes a new set of
challenges to the designer. However, with the
knowledge gained from more recent developments
in power control technology, a re-evaluation of volt-
age-mode control indicated that there were
alternative ways to correct its major weaknesses
and the result was the UCC3570.
Voltage-Mode Revisited
The two major improvements to voltage-mode con-
trol offered by the UCC3570 are voltage
feed-forward to eliminate the effects of line voltage
variations, and higher frequency capability which al-
low the poles of the output filter to be placed above
the range of normal control loop bandwidth.
Voltage feed-forward is accomplished by making
the slope of the ramp waveform proportional to in-
put voltage. This provides a corresponding and
correcting duty cycle modulation with no action
needed by the feedback loop. The result is a con-
stant control loop gain and instantaneous response
to line voltage changes. The higher frequency capa-
bility is accomplished through the use of BiCMOS
processing for this IC which yields smaller parasitic
capacitance and lower circuit delays. Thus many of
the problems of voltage-mode have been alleviated
without incurring the difficulties of current-mode.
Choosing Circuit Topologies
None of the above discussion should leave the im-
pression that there is no longer a place for
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current-mode control - only that both topologies are
viable choices in today’s environment. There are
considerations which could point to one or the other
as more optimum for each particular application.
Some of these are outlined below:
Consider the use of current-mode if:
1. The power supply output is to be a current
source or very high output voltage.
2. The fastest dynamic response is needed with
a given switching frequency.
3. The application is for a DC/DC converter
where the input voltage variation is relatively
constrained.
4. Modular applications where parallelability with
load sharing is required.
5. In push-pull circuits where transformer flux bal-
ancing is important.
6. In low-cost applications requiring the absolute
fewest components.
Consider voltage-mode (with feed-forward) if:
1. There are wide input line and/or output load
variations possible.
2. Particularly with low line - light load conditions
where the current ramp slope is too shallow for
stable PWM operation.
3. High power and/or noisy applications where
noise on the current waveform would be diffi-
cult to control.
4. Multiple output voltages are needed with rela-
tively good cross-regulation.
5. Saturable reactor controllers are to be used as
auxiliary secondary-side regulators.
6. Applications where the complexities of dual
feedback loops and/or slope compensation is
to be avoided.
In line with these considerations, the UCC3570 has
been optimized for low-to-medium power, off-line,
primary-side control applications with isolated feed-
back. It features many performance enhancements
for this task in addition to the control characteristics
described above but, since that is not the purpose
of this document, the reader is referred to the prod-
uct data sheet for further information.
Reprinted with permission from Electronic Design,
June 27, 1994. Copyright 1994, Penton Publishing
Inc.
UNITRODE CORPORATION
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TEL. (603) 424-2410
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