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SMPS Topologies Overview

Non-isolated

Isolated

Push-Pull

  • MOSFETs are required to

Half-Bridge

Facts

  • Voltage applied to the primary is half the rectified and smoothed input voltage. So, for 230V main, the primary voltage will be about 162V peak or 325V peak-to-peak.
  • SMPS can be built to output up to 500 watts normally. However, it can be increased up to 650-750 watts if front-end PFC is used.1
  • Power is transferred by normal transformer action.

Cons

  • Secondary winding require more turns, increasing copper loss.

Power Rating Considerations

0-100 W,
Iout<10 A
0-100 W,
Iout>10 A
100-400 W 400-1200 W 1200-3000 W
Single-switch flyback ✔
2-switch flyback ✔
Active clamp flyback ✔
Single-switch forward ✔ ✔
2-switch forward ✔ ✔ ✔
Active clamp forward ✔ ✔ ✔
Half bridge ✔ ✔ ✔1
LLC Half Bridge ✔ ✔ ✔
Full bridge ✔
Phase shifted ZVT full bridge ✔ ✔

  1. Half-bridge topology is best suited for applications up to 500 watts. However it can be increased up to 650-750 watts if front-end PFC is used. Ref: Microchip AN1114: Switch Mode Power Supply (SMPS) Topologies (Part I), page 21 ↩↩

  2. https://www.smps.us/topologies.html ↩