CPLD based switching power supply

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Currently learning verilog in digital design courses in school and would like to design a simple switching power supply and need some guidance for choosing the type of circuit to use. I've seen examples of solar inverters using transformers and the CPLD to generate sine wave. Also seen examples of Arduino/MATLAB Simulink based boost converter circuits. In car audio transformer based designs are prevalent for pre amp and amplifier supplies. Discrete IC's use boost converter and flyback converters. What are the benefits to each type of circuit for audio use?
 
There are two types of designs being considered

1. Using CPLD to control a mosfet switch in a boost converter/buck boost converter circuit to generate +/- power supply

2. Using CPLD to generate sinewave to be buffered and input into toroidal transformer and full wave bridge rectifier circuit to generate +/- power supply


here is the link to the cpld breakout board
CoolRunner-II CPLD breakout board - DP
 
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Many thanks. I then understand your question as how feasible is the use of a CPLD in forming the control circuit for an SMPS?
I have only very basic knowledge of PLDs. I believe you can form an SMPS control circuit with a CPLD but a priori I see no real economical or technical advantage of doing it. SMPS ICs with almost any functionality included, apart from capacitive and inductive elements, have been optimized for decades. That means you can form a powerful SMPS with a single IC and a minimum of external components for an unbeatably low price.
A CPLD is a complex logical circuit that will need you to add almost any power component including capacitive and inductive elements to the CPLD before you have an SMPS circuit. I can only imagine this to be more expensive than using a single dedicated SMPS IC.
The CPLD solution will allow you to implement weird and non-linear regulation characteristics but I see little benefit from that. An ATTiny13A micro-controller can do many such tricks, though perhaps at lower speed.
You are clever when you ask yourself what new elements you learn about can be used for also outside of the obvious use. You know much more about CPLDs than I so try to relate the advantages of a CPLD with the features needed for an SMPS control circuit. My immediate impression is that the overlap is limited, in particular when you take the vast number of SMPS ICs into account as alternatives.
 
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Yes there are no advantages technically other than the learning involved. Yes I realize there are ICs, but not much knowledge would be gained by putting a chip and components according to a data sheet vs. learning the programming and designing an appropriate circuit.

If all things in DIYAudio were decided by cost and existence of a previously established design, there wouldn't be very many posts on this forum. Many things are built which are unique that aren't cost effective or the highest performance. This is the nature of DIY. :cool:
 
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