Power Supply Design

Question: Can you provide me information on the Weinberg Converter?

Original Question: I am writing an information and trouble shooting guide for upkeep of power supplies that are currently flying. The DC-DC converters are a Weinberg topology. I would like to include theory of operation and maybe some history of Weinberg. Do you know who Weinberg is and what he did? I have a little information on the theory of operation, but I would like to have a little more depth on this type of converter. Do you have some thing I could I include?

Answer: Alan H. Weinberg, now retired, spent 23 years working as a Senior Power Electronics Engineer at the European Space Agency. During this period, he invented many new concepts in power electronics, the most important being conductance control voltage regulation and the sequential switching shunt regulator (S3R) for the control of solar cell arrays. He is also perhaps better known for the "Weinberg Converter". Source: IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, Vol. 14, No. 6, November 1999, p. 1077.

R. P. Severns and Gordon E. Bloom, Modern DC-to-DC Switchmode Converter Circuits, Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1985. Page 121 and surrounding describes the topology. The references are given on page 326 with the earliest reference being 1974.

In my original SMPS Technology Knowledge Base of IEEE Power Electronic Specialists Conference papers from 1970 to 1985 the coding for the Weinberg topology is 29C. Searching on 29C yielded three papers discussing this topology.

G. Bloom, and R. Severns, The Generalized Use of Integrated Magnetics and Zero-Ripple Techniques in Switchmode Power Converters, IEEE Power Electronics Specialists Conference - 1984 Record, pp. 15-33.

Methods are presented that allow the discrete transformers and inductors of switchmode power converters to be unified in single magnetic structures. It is demonstrated that unified magnetics and zero ripple operation are general phenomena applicable to all types of switchmode power converters. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)

R. Redl, and N. O. Sokal, Push-Pull Current-Fed Multiple-Output Regulated Wide-Input-Range DC/DC Power Converter with only one Inductor and with 0 to 100% Switch Duty Ratio: Operation at Duty Ratio Below 50%, IEEE Power Electronics Specialists Conference - 1981 Record, pp. 204-212.

The circuit has only one inductor for any number of outputs, one transformer and low sensitivity to transformer volt-second unbalance, only two power switches, and no need for two power switches in cascade. It is suitable for operation from 0 to <100% switch duty ratio (buck-like or boost-like action), accommodating a very wide range of input voltage. A previous paper [2] gave design equations for operation at duty ratios of 50% or more (boost-like operation). That analysis is extended here to include duty ratios below 50% (buck-like operation). Unusual features of the circuit are described and the most- important design equations are presented. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)

J. J. Biess, D. L. Cronin, and W. Dudley, Power Processing Module For Military Digital Equipment Power Subsystem, IEEE Power Electronics Specialists Conference - 1977 Record, pp. 200- 206.

A 28 V 75 A DC-DC Converter has been developed as a Standard Primary Power Module for application in the U. S. Army Electronics Command digital equipment power systems. A new power stage concept, Series Inductor/Parallel Inverter, was mechanized into a phase displaced four power stage configuration that provides the necessary protection of the power transistors from overstress during transformer saturation, during overlap of the two switching transistors due to storage time, during startup and during output overload. The application of the dual loop control feedback system to this multi stage system provides precision regulation and good dynamic response for the DC output. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)

One interesting thing about the Weinberg Converter is that if you do an integrated magnetics design of a buck converter integrating the inductors with the transformer and do the same with a Weinberg Converter, the integrated magnetics versions are identical.