Maurizio Granato

The ZetaBoost: A step-up DC/DC topology derived from the Zeta converter

This work investigates a step-up topology derived from the Zeta converter: the ZetaBoost. A ZetaBoost converter design for consumer applications is presented and its steady-state performances are compared to a classical Boost converter with the support of computer simulations and measurements. The results presented include the efficiency and output voltage ripple.

Modeling Hysteresis Losses in Magnetic Core Inductors for DC–DC Conversion

This article proposes the implementation of a method for modeling hysteresis loops and related losses in magnetic core inductors used for power converters applications. The method has been applied to some commercially available ferrite materials in order to verify the accordance of B–H loops and power losses density estimation with acceptable results. Once correctly calibrated, the model could help to characterize magnetic materials hysteresis losses and to optimize the inductor core material choice and dimensioning in high-power density converters design.

A novel methodology for electronic design exchange

This paper presents a novel methodology to exchange schematic and simulation information between Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools. The schematic, symbol, model and simulation settings are described using standard extensible markup language (XML) format proposed first time in this paper. The standardization process is discussed and algorithm to generate the standard XML format is described. The proposed algorithm is implemented to exchange designs between WEBENCH, Tina-TI, Altium Designer and Allegro Design Entry CIS and conversion results are presented. The proposed methodology has enabled the design exchange a single click error free process and saved several engineering hours.

A reduced output ripple step-up DC-DC converter for automotive LED lighting

This works presents the design and test of a switching power supply intended for powering LED tail lights in automotive applications. The design is proposed as an alternative to an existing Boost reference design, and is based on a different step-up topology, the ZetaBoost, with the objective of reducing the output ripple, and therefore ease the compliance with automotive electromagnetic interference regulations.

Integrated high step-down multiphase buck converter with high power density

A novel integrated implementation of a high step-down multiphase buck for low voltage power supply is presented. The design and test chip measurements of a [10.8, 16]V to [0.65, 2]V, 2A, 10 MHz, 25.6 mW/mm2, four-phases single-chip solution are presented with considerations on architecture, passive components, problems related to high frequency integration and relative improvements on power density with respect to previous solutions.

Automated setup for magnetic hysteresis characterization based on a voltage controlled current source with 500 kHz full power bandwidth and 10 A peak-to-peak current.

This paper describes the design of a system for the characterization of magnetic hysteresis behavior in soft ferrite magnetic cores. The proposed setup can test magnetic materials exciting them with controlled arbitrary magnetic field waveforms, including the capability of providing a DC bias, in a frequency bandwidth up to 500 kHz, with voltages up to 32 V peak-to-peak, and currents up to 10 A peak-to-peak. In order to have an accurate control of the magnetic field waveform, the system is based on a voltage controlled current source. The electronic design is described focusing on closed loop feedback stabilization and passive components choice. The system has real-time hysteretic loop acquisition and visualization. The comparisons between measured hysteresis loops of sample magnetic materials and datasheet available ones are shown. Results showing frequency and thermal behavior of the hysteresis of a test sample prove the system capabilities. Moreover, the B-H loops obtained with a multiple waveforms excitation signal, including DC bias, are reported. The proposal is a low-cost and replicable solution for hysteresis characterization of magnetic materials used in power electronics.