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DC TO DC CONVERTERS
INTRODUCTION

A DC to DC converter is a conversion device or an electronic circuit which converts a source of direct current from one voltage to other.
Offer a method of generating multiple controlled voltages from a single battery voltage.
Maintain a stable voltage when battery voltage declines as its stored power is drained.
Saving space instead of using multiple batteries.


Applications

Power supplies for personal computers.
170v or 340v are regulated to 5v or 3.3v required by the processor ICs.
Portable electronic devices such as Cell phone laptops etc.
To convert the single supply voltage to multiple dc voltages required on the same chip.


Voltage regulator vs. DC to DC converters

Linear regulators drop the input voltage to a lower output voltage.
They are inefficient, as they convert the dropped voltage into heat dissipation.
Linear regulators are inexpensive, reliable, and much simpler than DC-DC Converter.
Linear regulators also can provide a very quiet output voltage, and are much more suited to powering sensitive analog circuits.
However, unlike DC-DC converters, linear regulators cannot generate:
Higher voltages than their input.
Large currents (due to excess heat).