EFFICIENT POWER SUPPLY DESIGN USING SIMPLORER/PEXPRT

摘要

Traditionally, power supply design has taken two approaches. The first approach is a fullycustom power supply design that yields precisely what is needed for the program but atsignificant engineering development costs. The second is to use Commercial Off-The-Shelf(COTS) modules (“bricks”). The selection of a custom design path is usually driven bysignificant technical requirements, space constraints or high volumes. The COTS path is drivenmore by quick-turn, low-risk, low volume demands or prototypes. However, COTS quickreactionprototypes often become “don’t-change-the-design” deliverables down the road thataren’t cost effective for production.Traditionally engineers use hand calculations and general purpose modeling and simulationtools, coupled with inefficient build and test methods in an attempt to optimize the efficiency,size and performance of the power supply. Advances in modeling tools specifically intended forpower supply simulation permit much more accurate circuit simulations resulting in cheaper,smaller, and more efficient power supplies. These tools enable the creation of accurate models ofmagnetic components; minimizing losses and significantly reducing design cycle time. A moreefficient power supply results in a smaller, lighter, and more reliable system. The improvementsin system performance and the overall cost and design cycle reduction allow the custom designapproach to be deployed over much smaller projects.