SNVSB95 July 2019 LM3421-Q1 , LM3423-Q1
PRODUCTION DATA.
The inductor (L1) is the main energy storage device in a switching regulator. Depending on the topology, energy is stored in the inductor and transfered to the load in different ways (as an example, buck-boost operation is detailed in the Current Regulators section). The size of the inductor, the voltage across it, and the length of the switching subinterval (tON or tOFF) determines the inductor current ripple (ΔiL-PP). In the design process, L1 is chosen to provide a desired ΔiL-PP. For a buck regulator the inductor has a direct connection to the load, which is good for a current regulator. This requires little to no output capacitance therefore ΔiL-PP is basically equal to the LED ripple current ΔiLED-PP. However, for boost and buck-boost regulators, there is always an output capacitor which reduces ΔiLED-PP; therefore, the inductor ripple can be larger than in the buck regulator case where output capacitance is minimal or completely absent.
In general, ΔiLED-PP is recommended by manufacturers to be less than 40% of the average LED current (ILED). Therefore, for the buck regulator with no output capacitance, ΔiL-PP should also be less than 40% of ILED. For the boost and buck-boost topologies, ΔiL-PP can be much higher depending on the output capacitance value. However, ΔiL-PP is suggested to be less than 100% of the average inductor current (IL) to limit the RMS inductor current.
L1 is also suggested to have an RMS current rating at least 25% higher than the calculated minimum allowable RMS inductor current (IL-RMS).