Formulation of buffer energy and experimental results of energy factor of DC–DC converters

Two concepts of buffer energy and energy factor for switched‐mode power converters are proposed and examined. They can describe the nonactive power as well as predict and evaluate the performance of DC–DC converters. The concepts can also find usage in both DC and AC systems. The energy factors of six basic topologies of DC–DC converter have been studied, and they can be used to compare the performance of different topologies. It can be shown that both buffer energy and energy factor provide an alternative understanding of the energy processes in DC–DC converters. Experimental results demonstrate that energy factors and buffer energy can be measured. The measured results for some basic converters are consistent with the theoretical values. Buffer energy, energy factor, and their related concepts proposed in this article have promising application in the design of DC–DC converters. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.