How to Design and Implement an Adapter Power Supply With Active Clamp Flyback: An All Silicon Design Methodology

Designing power supplies, especially for power adapters, requires that the designer possess a particular level of expertise and insight into implementing the best architecture. This level of expertise is especially relevant when using a power architecture known as Active Clamp Flyback (ACF). This article will demonstrate, to designers, a practical design method to obtain a reliable, robust, efficient, and high power density, ACF architecture with the bonus of fast time-to-market. Designers can eliminate that conventional Resistor Capacitor Diode (RCD) snubber circuit in their flyback converter design and learn the more efficient ways of active clamp operation. The ultimate solution is an all-Silicon design in a single package which also includes continuous advanced adaptive cycle-by-cycle digital control circuit for im proved performance over varying line/load/temperature as well as component tolerances. The outcome of the proposed design is high efficiency and power density, low EMI, and stringent line/load regulation.