The buck converter calculator takes maximum ripple current (iripple), input voltage (vin), output voltage (vout) and switching frequency (fsw) and returns duty cycle (d) and inductance (l). It is built for quick answers, for checking somebody else’s arithmetic, and for the moments when a formula book is not within reach.
What Is the Buck Converter Calculator?
This buck converter calculator is for the kind of problem where you know the physical quantities but not the number you need. It turns maximum ripple current (iripple), input voltage (vin), output voltage (vout) and switching frequency (fsw) into duty cycle (d) and inductance (l).
Physics calculations go wrong in predictable ways, usually through mixing units or dropping a digit. Work through the result one step at a time and check that the figures are the size you would expect at each stage.
How the Buck Converter Physics Works
The relationship is applied step by step, and each step is a standard piece of physics rather than a single opaque formula. That means you can check the intermediate values against what the theory predicts, which is usually faster than checking only the final answer.
Keep every value in the same unit system throughout the calculation. Mixing metres and feet part way through is the single most common reason a correct formula gives a wrong answer.
Units, Assumptions and the Limits of the Model
The calculation assumes ideal conditions: no air resistance, no heat loss, and dimensions that do not change while you work. Those assumptions are reasonable for most classroom and engineering estimates, and unreasonable for anything more precise.
Where a value is a rate, it has to be quoted for the same period as everything else. A per-hour figure cannot be combined with a per-day figure without converting one of them first.
A Worked Example
Working through an example, with maximum ripple current (iripple) set to 10, input voltage (vin) set to 5, output voltage (vout) set to 2, the calculator returns duty cycle (d) of 0.4, and inductance (l) of 0.0012. Substitute your own figures and the same steps produce the same kind of answer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to work out duty cycle (d)?
Enter maximum ripple current (iripple), input voltage (vin), output voltage (vout) and switching frequency (fsw). The calculator then works through the relationship and reports duty cycle (d) and inductance (l).
What does the buck converter actually calculate?
It takes maximum ripple current (iripple), input voltage (vin), output voltage (vout) and switching frequency (fsw) and converts them into duty cycle (d) and inductance (l) using the standard relationship for this problem. Each step is applied in turn, so every output is traceable back to the numbers you typed in.
How should I enter maximum ripple current (iripple)?
Use the value you actually have, in the unit shown next to the field. Enter every value in the same unit system. The calculator assumes the figures you supply are consistent, so it cannot correct a mistake that happens before the calculation starts.
Does anything you type get stored?
No. The whole calculation runs inside your browser, and nothing you enter is uploaded, logged or sent anywhere.
Is the answer exact?
It is as exact as the formula and the inputs allow. The method itself is the standard one for this problem, so the only sources of error are the figures you enter and the precision you ask for.