A Single Phase Voltage Regulator Module (VRM) With Stepping Inductance for Fast Transient Response

• Published in: IEEE transactions on power electronics Vol. 22; no. 2; pp. 417 - 424
• Main Authors: Dylan Dah-Chuan Lu, Liu, J.C.P., Poon, F.N.K., Bryan Man Hay Pong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.03.2007; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Buck converter; Buck converters; Circuit properties; Circuits; Converters; Convertors; Electric currents; Electric power; Electric, optical and optoelectronic circuits; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical machines; Electronic circuits; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; fast transient; Inductance; Inductors; Joining processes; Magnetic devices; Modules; Personal computers; Power electronics, power supplies; Regulators; Root mean square; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Signal convertors; Steady-state; Topology; Transient loads; Transient response; Voltage; voltage regulator (VR); Voltage regulators; Dynamic response; Transient response; Power converter; Dynamic characteristic; Prototype; voltage regulator (VR); Direct current convertor; Power electronics; Experimental study; Inductor; DC-DC power convertors; Steady state; Implementation; Step down convertor; Inductance; Buck converter; Phase converter; fist transient; Computer system; Root mean square value; Cost lowering; Voltage regulators
• ISSN: 0885-8993; 1941-0107
• DOI: 10.1109/TPEL.2006.889909

A single-phase fast transient converter topology with stepping inductance is proposed. The stepping inductance method is implemented by replacing the conventional inductor in a buck converter by two inductors connecting in series. One has large inductance and the other has small inductance. The inductor with small inductance will take over the output inductor during transient load change and speed up dynamic response. In steady state, the large inductance takes over and keeps a substantially small ripple current and minimizes root mean square loss. It is a low cost method applicable to converters with an output inductor. A hardware prototype of a 1.5-V dc-dc buck converter put under a 100-A transient load change has been experimented upon to demonstrate the merit of this approach. It also serves as a voltage regulator module and powers up a modern PC computer system