Dc/dc converter efficiency revisited

摘要

The modest power semiconductor doesn't often garner a lot of attention, but humble transistors can make a dramatic improvement in energy efficiency. The ongoing trend for "green" systems means employing environmentally friendly components, but more importantly, perhaps, it places a significant challenge upon the electronics industry to embrace power conservation and increase system-level efficiency. From this, power silicon products such as power MOSFETs are now very much in vogue, as these devices create and dissipate the vast majority of any low-voltage power conversion in-circuit losses. There have been spectacular improvements in efficiency in computing and consumer electronic products. A strong emphasis has been placed on the ac/dc "silver box" conversion. However, with the emergence of legislation such as 80 PLUS, Climate Savers, and EnergyStar 5, designers are realizing that both the ac/dc and dc/dc power systems are in need of improvement.