On the Performance and Design of Self-Oscillating DC-to-DC Converters

Simplified design equations are presented based on a general and exact analysis of self-oscillating dc-to-dc converters. Converters with and without transformer coupling can be designed using these simplified equations. A discussion is presented which shows the relationship between circuit parameters and such performance characteristics as switching frequency, duty cycle, regulation, and peak-to-peak ripple bounds. The general performance and inherent limitations are then predicted for various circuit configurations. It is shown that most of the disadvantages usually ascribed to this class of circuit can be eliminated by proper circuit design. An approximate design procedure is presented and illustrated with a comparison of calculated and measured performance data.