PWE4A21 Practical 2 –

Flyback Converter Project

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree

Baccalareus Ingeneriae
in
Electrical and Electronic Engineering Science
at the
University of Johannesburg
02 June 2021

Siyabonga Banele Magagula Muteba Kanku

216022700 201596595
Student, University of Johannesburg Senior Lecturer, University of Johannesburg
PWE4A21 Power Electronics 4A21 PWE4A21 Power Electronics 4A21
02 June 2021 02 June 2021
 Assignment Anti-Plagiarism Declaration
University of Johannesburg
Electrical and Electronics Engineering Science

Title: Flyback Converter Project

Course: Power Electronics (PWE4A21) Instructor: Dr. D.C. Pentz
Due date: 02 June 2021

1. Plagiarism is to present someone else’s ideas as my own.

2. Where material written by other people has been used (either from a printed source or
from the internet), this has been carefully acknowledged and referenced. I have used
the Geneva Convention for citation and referencing. Every contribution to and
quotation from the work of other people in this essay has been acknowledged through
citation and reference.
3. I know that plagiarism is wrong.
3.1.I understand what plagiarism is and am aware of the University’s policy in this
regard.
3.2.I know that I would plagiarize if I do not give credit to my sources, or if I copy
sentences or paragraphs from a book, article or Internet source without proper
citation.
3.3.I know that even if I only change the wording slightly, I still plagiarize when using
someone else’s words without proper citation.
3.4.I declare that I have written my own sentences and paragraphs throughout my essay
and I have credited all ideas I have gained from other people’s work.
4. I declare that this assignment is my own original work.
5. I have not allowed, and will not allow, anyone to copy my work with the intention of
passing it off as his or her own work

Date: 02 June 2021

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Flyback Converter Project
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................... 4
LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................................... 5
1. AIM .................................................................................................................................... 7
2. INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 8
3. LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................... 8
4. APPARATUS ................................................................................................................... 10
5. EXPERIMENTAL SETUP .............................................................................................. 10
6. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE ................................................................................... 11
7. DESIGN............................................................................................................................ 11
8. SIMULATION ................................................................................................................. 14
8.1. PWM Output ................................................................................................................. 14
8.2. Amplified Gate Voltage ................................................................................................ 14
8.3. Output Voltage .............................................................................................................. 14
9. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS ......................................................................................... 15
9.1. Arduino Output ............................................................................................................. 15
9.2. Gate Voltage ................................................................................................................. 16
9.3. Drain Voltage ................................................................................................................ 16
9.4. Secondary Winding output ........................................................................................... 17
9.5. Output Voltage .............................................................................................................. 17
10. DISCUSSION ............................................................................................................... 18
11. CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................. 18
References ................................................................................................................................ 18

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Flyback Converter Project
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Derivation of the flyback converter from the buck-boost converter topology. [2] .... 8
Figure 2: Operation of the flyback converter when the switch is closed. [5] ............................ 9
Figure 3: Operation of the flyback converter when the switch is opened. [5] ........................... 9
Figure 4: Simulated circuit....................................................................................................... 11
Figure 5: Octave Code snippet for the flyback design part 1. ................................................. 12
Figure 6: Octave Code snippet for the flyback design part 2. ................................................. 13
Figure 7Octave Code snippet for the flyback design part 3..................................................... 13
Figure 8: Octave Code snippet for the flyback design part 4. ................................................. 14
Figure 9: Generated PWM to simulate the Arduino output. .................................................... 14
Figure 10: Simulated gate voltage. .......................................................................................... 14
Figure 11: Simulated Output voltage. ...................................................................................... 14
Figure 12: Un-amplified Arduino voltage. .............................................................................. 15
Figure 13: Amplified arduino voltage observed on the gate of the MOSFET......................... 16
Figure 14: The drain output of the MOSFET. ......................................................................... 16
Figure 15: Secondary winding output of the coupled inductor................................................ 17
Figure 16: Output waveform of the circuit. ............................................................................. 17

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Flyback Converter Project
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Flyback Converter design values based on student number. ....................................... 7

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 1. AIM

This practical was aimed at designing and implementing the Flyback Converter. The design
involved the calculation of different parameters and simulations. On the other hand,
implementation involved building the converter on a breadboard.
Initial design values were derived from the students’ student numbers based on certain rules as
per the practical manual issued by the course instructor [1]. The student number that was used
was 216022700. The following values were then obtained based on the aforementioned student
number.
20 | 00 | XX | YY | Z
XX = 22
YY = 70
Z=0
The design values were then found to be;
Table 1: Flyback Converter design values based on student number.

Design parameter Value

1. Output power 10W

2. Efficiency 90%

3. Maximum duty cycle 37.5%

4. Input voltage 12V

5. Output voltage 6V

6. Frequency 15kHz

7. Voltage and current ripple 10% of the nominal value

Based on the design specifications above, the flyback converter had to be designed and
implemented to step-down the voltage from 12V to 6V at 90% efficiency. A 15kHz frequency
was the imposed as the switching frequency of the MOSFET at 37.5% duty cycle. The output
voltage and current ripple could only be within 10% of the nominal values. The output power
of the converter was expected to be 10W.
Therefore, the ultimate aim was to design and implement the flyback converter under the above
design specifications.

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Flyback Converter Project
 2. INTRODUCTION
The flyback converter is meant to conduct any type of conversion, such as AC to DC and DC
to DC, in the same way that switch mode power supplies have been for the previous 70 years.
In the early 1930s and 1940s, the design of flyback gave the advantage of developing television
for communication. It makes use of a non-linear switching power supply concept [2].
The flyback converter is a power supply topology that employs mutually connected inductors
to store energy when current flows through them and release it when the power is turned off
[3]. Flyback converters are based on the buck-boost converters. A secondary winding is added
to achieve electrical isolation [4].

Figure 1: Derivation of the flyback converter from the buck-boost converter topology. [2]

Flyback converters have many advantages which improve the switch mode power supply
design. These advantages include,
 The input stage is isolated from the output stage.
 Can supply many outputs, all of which are isolated from the input stage.
 A single control can regulate many output voltages.
 They require fewer components compare to the other Switch Mode Power Supplies.

3. LITERATURE REVIEW

The flyback transformer, unlike a non-flyback version where the transformer is solely used for
voltage step-up or step-down, is also utilized as an inductor, a magnetic energy-storage device.
Beyond being a standard two-winding (primary/secondary) transformer, this transformer has
additional windings (essential to the flyback action). The transformer's turns-ratio performs
two functions: it determines the output vs input voltage ratio and offers galvanic (ohmic)
isolation. The flyback design can produce numerous outputs at the same time by employing
additional windings.
As the primary-side circuit is supplied by the source, closing the primary-side switch increases
the primary current and magnetic flux in the transformer/inductor in the basic flyback cycle as

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Flyback Converter Project
shown in figure 2. Because of the relative relationship between the primary and secondary
windings, the voltage in the secondary-side winding is negative. As a result, the diode is
reverse-biased and inhibits current flow during operation, while the secondary-side capacitor
feeds current to the load [5].

Figure 2: Operation of the flyback converter when the switch is closed. [5]

On the following phase of the cycle, the switch is opened, causing the primary-side current to
drop to zero and the magnetic flux to collapse. The secondary-side voltage is now positive, the
diode is forward-biased, and current flows from the secondary side of the transformer to the
capacitor, replenishing the capacitor [5].

Figure 3: Operation of the flyback converter when the switch is opened. [5]

Many converters can be designed under one of two operation modes, the continuous conduction
mode (CCM) or the discontinuous conduction mode (DCM). The following are the attributes
of the CCM mode of operation;
 During all working conditions, the primary current never decreases to zero.
 The primary inductance value is higher than the secondary inductance value.
 Current ripples are low.
 The core losses are generally lower.
 The flux swing is smaller.

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Flyback Converter Project
  The EMC properties are improved.
The DCM on the other hand has the following properties.
 The primary current is reduced to zero.
 The primary inductance value is much lower.
 It's possible that the capacitance will need to be increased.
 At zero current, MOSFETs turn on.
 An increased peak current is experienced.
 High current ripple may be observed.
For the purpose of this project, the CCM mode of operation of the flyback was considered, thus
the converter was designed and implemented in the CCM mode of operation [6].

4. APPARATUS

The following apparatus were used to complete the project.

 Breadboard
 IRF510 MOSFET
 1N5819 diode
 Heat sink
 EE core
 Copper wires
 2R7 5W Power resistor
 Arduino Uno
 DC power supply
 Digital oscilloscope.
 BNC probes and Banana to crocodile probes
 PC (for simulation the design and generating the PWM using the Arduino IDE)
 68µC 100V Capacitor

5. EXPERIMENTAL SETUP

The circuit was implemented as the shown by the simulated circuit below.

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Flyback Converter Project
Figure 4: Simulated circuit.

6. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

 The design values were calculated based on the students’ student number as per table
1.
 An octave code was generated to simplify the calculations. .
 The generated octave design was then simulated on LTSpice to confirm the design.
 The components were then procured from the lab and some were bought as per the
design.
 The components were then assembled on the breadboard.
 The results (gate voltage, drain voltage, primary voltage, secondary voltage and output
voltage) were then measured using the oscilloscope.

7. DESIGN
The students opted for programming approach to design the flyback converter. Appropriate
formulas and design considerations were followed to design the converter. The full code is
shown below.

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Flyback Converter Project
 Figure 5: Octave Code snippet for the flyback design part 1.

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Flyback Converter Project
 Figure 6: Octave Code snippet for the flyback design part 2.

Figure 7Octave Code snippet for the flyback design part 3.

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Flyback Converter Project
 Figure 8: Octave Code snippet for the flyback design part 4.

8. SIMULATION

The circuit in figure 4 was simulated and the following results were obtained.

8.1. PWM Output

Figure 9: Generated PWM to simulate the Arduino output.

8.2. Amplified Gate Voltage

Figure 10: Simulated gate voltage.

8.3. Output Voltage

Figure 11: Simulated Output voltage.

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Flyback Converter Project
 9. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

One channel was used to measure the results at different points on the circuit. The following
results were then obtained.

9.1. Arduino Output

Figure 12: Un-amplified Arduino voltage.

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Flyback Converter Project
9.2. Gate Voltage

Figure 13: Amplified arduino voltage observed on the gate of the MOSFET.

9.3. Drain Voltage

Figure 14: The drain output of the MOSFET.

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9.4. Secondary Winding output

Figure 15: Secondary winding output of the coupled inductor.

9.5. Output Voltage

Figure 16: Output waveform of the circuit.

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Flyback Converter Project
 10. DISCUSSION

According to the design values, 12V was supposed to be stepped down to 6V. It can be seen
from the results that this was achieved.
The Arduino posed a limitation by outputting only 5V voltage. However, this was counteracted
by using a common-emitter amplifier to boost the gate voltage.
Some noise was observed from the output, this could be because of stray inductance that could
originate from the circuit.
The simulated values were seen to be alighned with the experimental values since they
produced good results.

11. CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that the practical was a success since the required values were obtained
based on the designed values and the simulated values.

References

[1] D. Pentz, “Power Electronics 4APractical 2: Fly-back Converter Project Guidelines and
Specifications,” University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, 2021.

[2] Elprocus, “What is a Flyback Converter : Design & Its Working,” Elprocus, [Online].
Available: https://www.elprocus.com/what-is-a-flyback-converter-design-its-working/.
[Accessed 31 May 2021].

[3] S. Ltd, “Flyback Converter,” Sunpower Group Holdings Ltd, 2019. [Online]. Available:
https://www.sunpower-uk.com/glossary/what-is-a-flyback-converter/. [Accessed 31 May
2021].

[4] T. N. Mohan, Power Electronics Converters, Applications and Design, New York: John
Wiley & Sons, Inc,, 1995.

[5] B. Schweber, “The Flyback Power-Supply Architecture and Operation,”

ElectronicDesign, 19 December 2019. [Online]. Available:
https://www.electronicdesign.com/power-management/power-
supply/whitepaper/21808957/the-flyback-powersupply-architecture-and-operation.
[Accessed 31 May 2021].

[6] A. D. Gruttola, “Flyback Transformer,” in Flyback Transformer, 2018.

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