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Practical considerations to make when choosing a DC-to-DC Converter

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Rima Chandra
Practical considerations to make when choosing a DC-to-DC Converter

DC converters are among the most used components in portable devices. They are used in high voltage power supplies in order to disseminate controlled amounts of voltage in a system board. All portable devices have system boards. These boards may contain several switching converters. In order to meet this demand, there has been a need for having an equally abundant supply of the converters.

 The converters vary in components. Some are big with external components, while others consist of tiny packed parts. How do you know you are getting the right converter? Well, it is pretty simple; there are practical considerations that you should make, and they include:

1. PCB (Printed Circuit Board) Area

A printed circuit board offers support to all the components and holds the electronic circuit together. While choosing a converter, it is essential to evaluate the elements of the printed circuit board. You should know how much the off-chip components cost, their values, and sizes. Note that the different PBC designs available come with their constraints. It is worth checking out what the design constraints are. 

2. External EMI Reduction Circuits

Some portable devices have special requirements for off-chip circuit components. These are needed to reduce EMI. EMI is the electromagnetic interference which is a result of electromagnetic emission, which causes disturbance to other electrical components in a device. The off-chip components are essential as they reduce the interference, which alters the way portable devices work. For instance, electromagnetic interference in a hard drive may cause data degradation.

This may happen either by hindering the transfer of data from one medium to another or causing data loss. It is crucial to confirm from the supplier if a device would need off-chip components to reduce EMI.

3. Input voltage ripples

It is essential to verify if the minimum value is suitable for your device. When you talk of input ripples, you are talking about the pulsed current that comes about as a result of switching converters draining current from their voltage input source. Capacitors are used to reduce the voltage ripples to a minimum value.

The converter you choose should be able to suppress the input voltage ripples to the minimum value depending on your application.

4. Failure rate

To determine the reliability of a converter, you have to come to terms with the failure rate of a converter. The lower the failure rate, the higher the performance and ease of maintenance of an electrical appliance. If the failure rate is in line with your reliability requirements, then you should be good to go.

5. Operating temperature

Converters change one voltage level to another, by temporarily storing energy. You need to know the device’s thermal resistance, package type, and maximum operating temperature. With this information, you will be able to tell if there is a need to employ other heat dissipation techniques and how much it will cost you. 

 The five are the practical considerations you need to make when choosing converters. It is also important to source them from a reliable supplier.

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Rima Chandra
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