SNVSCU2A August 2024 – August 2024 LM5137-Q1
ADVANCE INFORMATION
For most applications, choose a buck inductance such that the inductor ripple current, ΔIL, is between 30% and 50% of the maximum DC output current at nominal input voltage. Choose the inductance using Equation 11 based on a peak inductor current given by Equation 12.
Check the inductor data sheet to make suret hat the saturation current rating is well above the peak inductor current of a particular design. Ferrite-cored inductors have very low core loss and are preferred at high switching frequencies, so design goals can then concentrate on copper loss and preventing saturation. Low inductor core loss is evidenced by reduced no-load input current and higher light-load efficiency. However, ferrite core materials exhibit a hard saturation characteristic where the inductance collapses abruptly when the saturation current is exceeded. This action results in an outsized increase in inductor ripple current and higher output voltage ripple, not to mention reduced efficiency and compromised reliability. Note that the saturation current rating of an inductor generally decreases as the core temperature increases. Of course, accurate overcurrent protection is critical to avoiding inductor saturation.