A voltage regulator that converts an input voltage to a regulated or a lower voltage by using a switching element is known as a high-frequency step-down switching regulator. So this voltage regulator can change the voltage from a power source to the voltage necessary by other systems within an electronic device. These regulators are more efficient than linear regulators in decreasing high input voltage to a lower or regulated voltage. A high switching frequency reduces the size of the components like resistors, inductors, capacitors, transformers, etc. So it can also decrease the necessary space on the board, case, and output voltage ripple. Thus, the examples of step-down switching regulators are; MP4560DN, MP1584, MP1586, LT1676, LT1776, TLF50201EL, LM5005, etc. This article discusses an overview of MP1584 IC, its working, and its applications.
What is MP1584 IC?
The MP1584 IC is a high-frequency-based step-down switching regulator, available in a SOIC8E thermally enhanced package. So this IC has high-voltage power MOSFET which provides 3Amps output with current mode control for quick loop response & easy compensation. Its input voltage supply ranges from 4.5V to 28V, so used in different step-down applications. Thus, its 100µA operational quiescent current supply allows use within battery-powered applications.
High power conversion efficiency above a wide load range can be achieved by scaling down the switching frequency at light load conditions to decrease the gate-driving & switching losses. So the frequency foldback assists in avoiding inductor current runaway throughout startup & thermal shutdown giving consistent fault-tolerant operation. The MP1584 IC prevents EMI noise problems when it is switched at 1.5MHz like those found within AM radio & ADSL applications.
How MP1584 IC Work?
The MP1584 regulator IC works by reducing voltage while enhancing current. This is a step-down switching regulator that works with PWM control & a fixed frequency to control the output voltage. So this IC is integrated with high-side high voltage power MOSFET by providing 3A output through current mode control for easy compensation and quick loop response. The internal CLK of this IC starts a PWM cycle to enable the power MOSFET. So this MOSFET turns on until the current supply attains the value set through the COMP voltage.
Pin Configuration:
The MP1584 IC pin configuration is shown below. So this IC includes 8 pins which are discussed below.
MP1584 IC Pin Configuration
- Pin-1 (SW): It is a switching node pin.
- Pin-2 (EN): It is an enable pin of IC that turns on/off the regulator.
- Pin-3 (COMP): It is a compensation node which is the output of the error amplifier.
- Pin-4 (FB): It is a feedback pin of the IC that sets the output voltage.
- Pin -5 (GND): It is a ground reference pin.
- Pin-6 (FREQ): It is a switching frequency program input of the IC.
- Pin-7 (VIN): It is an input voltage pin of a high-frequency step-down switching regulator IC.
- Pin-8 (BST): It is a bootstrap pin of IC.
Features & Specifications:
The features and specifications of MP1584 IC include the following.
- MP1584 IC is a high-frequency step-down switching regulator IC.
- It is available in SOIC8E thermally enhanced package.
- This IC includes 8 pins.
- Synchronous rectification is mainly for high-efficiency
- Its output voltage is adjustable.
- This IC is stable by ceramic capacitors.
- It is available with over-current, over-temperature, and short-circuit protection.
- Input voltage ranges from 4.5V to 28V DC.
- Output voltage ranges from 0.8V to 20V DC.
- Its maximum output current is 3A.
- Programmable switching frequency ranges from 100 kHz to 1.5 MHz.
- It has one output.
- The mounting style is SMD or SMT.
- The function is step-down.
- Topology is buck
- The mounting type is surface mount.
- It is Halogen-free, Lead-free & RoHS-compliant.
- Operating temperature ranges from -20°C to 85°C.
Equivalents & Alternatives:
Equivalent to MP1584 DC-DC Buck Module IC is MP2307. So alternative MP1584 DC-DC buck modules are; LM2596, LM2576, XL7015, TPS613223ADBVT, etc.
Step-down DC-DC Converter Circuit with MP1584 IC
The step-down DC-DC converter circuit with MP1584 IC is shown below. So this is a step-down high-frequency and synchronous DC-DC buck converter, used widely in applications that require a compact form factor and high efficiency like IoT modules, operating portable devices, low-power electronics, etc. The main purpose of this converter circuit is to change an input voltage from large to smaller.
The required components of this circuit are; MP1584 IC, capacitors like 8uF and 130pF, resistors; 10K and 8.2K, inductor 4.7uH, SS34 diode, and RV1 12K. Thus, connect this circuit according to the simple circuit diagram shown below.
Step-down DC-DC Converter Circuit with MP1584 IC
Working
The input voltage pin (VIN) provides the input voltage to the IC from the input voltage source that ranges from 4.5Volts to 28Volts and reduces to the required output value.
The switching node pin or SW pin can be interfaced with an inductor to store and discharge energy during the switching operation. So the inductor is a significant component of the IC internal control loop which helps in the output voltage regulation.
The ground pin of this IC is connected to the GND terminal of your both input & output circuits. So the feedback or FB pin is utilized to regulate the output voltage. So connect a voltage divider network in between the FB pin and output voltage to build up the desired output voltage,
The compensation pin of this IC changes the strength of the feedback loop. Here, a capacitor must be arranged in between the COM pin & GND terminal to stabilize the feedback loop. Thus, the enable pin is useful in powering ON and OFF the IC, so this pin must be connected to a logic signal or a switch to change the output voltage.
The output load can be connected to the output voltage pin of this IC which provides up to 3A output current & voltage ranges from 0.8Volts to 20V for electric vehicle accessories.
Thus, the above MP1584 converter circuit is designed with an inductor, a control loop, and a feedback network that regulates the output voltage. So the different pins of this IC help control the switching frequency, enabling or disabling the chip, and regulating the stability of the feedback loop & output voltage ramp-up time. Thus, this application circuit is a fundamental building block used in different DC-to-DC converter circuits which can be customized easily for different I/O voltage supplies.
Advantages & Disadvantages
The advantages of MP1584 IC include the following.
- This IC handles a wide range of input voltages which is used in different power sources.
- It has higher power conversion efficiency above a wide load range.
- Its output voltage can be adjusted through an external resistor divider network.
- This IC has built-in protection from extreme output currents.
- It has a thermal shutdown feature that prevents it from overheating.
- It is available in compact size.
- This IC can switch at 1.5MHz to avoid EMI noise issues.
The disadvantages of MP1584 IC include the following.
- The output voltage can be adjusted with a potentiometer which needs measuring the output voltage through a voltmeter & adjusting the potentiometer for every project.
- The enable pin cannot be exposed on the module, so modifying the module to adjust it can be hard & prone to error.
- The connection pinout does not line up with 0.1-inch spacing so it is hard to utilize on a perforated prototype board.
- Quick switching can establish EMI so that affects near components.
- Switching operations can cause noise & ripples, which may be not required in applications that are responsive to noise.
- These regulators are more expensive than linear regulators.
Applications
The applications of MP1584 IC include the following.
- MP1584 ICs are used in battery-powered devices.
- These are used within voltage regulator modules for microcontrollers, sensors, etc.
- It is used in LED driver circuits to provide stable & regulated power.
- These ICs are used in automotive systems, IoT devices, distributed power systems, industrial power systems, high-voltage power conversion, etc.
- It is used in DIY projects for Raspberry Pi, Arduino, AVR, PIC, 8051, ARM, etc.
- This IC is used in robotics, breadboard power supply, speed adjustment manually for tiny DC motors, etc.
- They can be used as a power supply mainly for RC project planes, cars, helicopters, etc.
- They can be utilized as a UBEC (Universal Battery Elimination Circuit) for 2S-6S lipo battery pack.
- It can be used as a receiver or servo power supply mainly for communications equipment, mobile equipment, etc.
Please refer to this link for the MP1584 IC Datasheet.
Thus, this is an overview of MP1584 IC, pinout, features, specifications, circuit, working, pros, cons, and its uses. This is a step-down voltage regulator which is very popular because of its compact size, high efficiency & wide input voltage range. This IC has high power conversion efficiency above a wide load range. So it utilizes synchronous rectification to improve efficiency by using a high-side & a low-side MOSFET. Extreme heat affects this IC performance, thus sufficient heat sinking (or) airflow must be provided within high-power applications. The 1.5MHz switching frequency of this IC helps avoid Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) noise issues. Here is a question for you, what is LM2576 IC?