DC-DC Converter Calculator
A buck converter from 24 V at 50 % duty gives 12 V, with 0.6 A inductor ripple and 7.5 mV output ripple at 100 kHz.
12 V
- Average inductor current
- 2 A
- Inductor ripple ΔI_L (peak-to-peak)
- 0.6 A
- Peak inductor current
- 2.3 A
- Output ripple ΔVₒ (peak-to-peak)
- 7.5 mV
- Critical inductance for CCM
- 15 µH
- Conduction mode
- continuous (CCM)
Step-by-step solution
- Vₒ = D Vᵢₙ, D = 0.5 → Vₒ = 12 V
- ΔI_L = Vₒ(1 − D) ÷ (fₛL) = 0.6 A
- ΔVₒ = ΔI_L ÷ (8fₛC) = 7.5 mV
DC-DC Converter Formula
Buck Vₒ = DVᵢₙ, boost Vₒ = Vᵢₙ/(1 − D), buck-boost |Vₒ| = DVᵢₙ/(1 − D)
buck ripple ΔI = Vₒ(1 − D)/(fL), ΔV = ΔI/(8fC)
Worked Example
A buck converter from 24 V at 50 % duty, 2 A load, 100 kHz, 100 µH, 100 µF:
- Vₒ = D Vᵢₙ, D = 0.5 → Vₒ = 12 V
- ΔI_L = Vₒ(1 − D) ÷ (fₛL) = 0.6 A
- ΔVₒ = ΔI_L ÷ (8fₛC) = 7.5 mV
Inductor ripple ΔI_L (peak-to-peak): 0.6 A · Peak inductor current: 2.3 A · Output ripple ΔVₒ (peak-to-peak): 7.5 mV · Critical inductance for CCM: 15 µH · Conduction mode: continuous (CCM)
GATE tip
Every ideal-converter formula comes from volt-second balance: the average inductor voltage over a cycle is zero. For a buck, (Vᵢₙ − Vₒ)D = Vₒ(1 − D) gives Vₒ = DVᵢₙ.
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semi-converter (Vₘ/π)(1 + cos α); half-wave R load (Vₘ/2π)(1 + cos α)
Example: A single-phase full converter on 230 V with α = 30° and continuous current: Average output voltage V_dc = 179.33 V.
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V_dc = 2Vₘ/π (no filter), V_r ≈ I/(f_r C)
f_r = f (half-wave) or 2f (full-wave); with a capacitor V_dc ≈ Vₘ − V_r/2
Example: A bridge rectifier on 12 V RMS, 0.7 V diodes, 50 Hz, 0.5 A load and 2200 µF: DC output voltage = 14.4342 V.
Frequently asked questions
What is continuous conduction mode?
The inductor current never falls to zero. Below the critical inductance (or at light load) it does, and the output depends on load too.
Why is the boost ripple larger?
In a boost converter the output capacitor alone supplies the load while the switch is on, so ΔV = IₒD/(fC), much larger than a buck’s.
Sources
- The International System of Units (SI), 9th edition (SI Brochure), Bureau International des Poids et Mesures .
Last reviewed: . Factors are stored exactly and computed with 50-digit decimal arithmetic. See how we verify conversion factors.
Cite this page
APA
Scientific Converters. (2026, October 15). DC-DC Converter Calculator. Retrieved October 25, 2026, from https://scientificconverters.com/calculators/dc-dc-converter-calculator/
IEEE
Scientific Converters, "DC-DC Converter Calculator," scientificconverters.com. Accessed: Oct. 25, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://scientificconverters.com/calculators/dc-dc-converter-calculator/