Showing papers on "Converters published in 2022"

A Comprehensive Review of Power Converter Topologies and Control Methods for Electric Vehicle Fast Charging Applications

Abstract: Wide-scale adoption and projected growth of electric vehicles (EVs) necessitate research and development of power electronic converters to achieve high power, low-cost, and reliable charging solutions for the EV battery. This paper presents a comprehensive review of EV off-board chargers that consist of ac-dc and dc-dc power stages from the power network to the EV battery. Although EV chargers are categorized into two types, namely, on-board and off-board chargers, it is essential to utilize off-board chargers for dc fast and ultra-fast charging so that volume and weight of EV can be reduced significantly. Here, we discuss the state-of-the-art topologies and control methods of both ac-dc and dc-dc power stages for off-board chargers, focusing on technical details, ongoing progress, and challenges. In addition, most of the recent multiport EV chargers integrating PV, energy storage, EV, and grid are presented. Moreover, comparative analysis has been carried out for the topologies and the control schemes of ac-dc rectifiers, dc-dc converters, and multiport converters in terms of architecture, power and voltage levels, efficiency, bidirectionality, control variables, advantages, and disadvantages which can be used as a guideline for future research directions in EV charging solutions.

Sliding Mode Control in Power Converters and Drives: A Review

Abstract: Sliding mode control (SMC) has been studied since the 1950s and widely used in practical applications due to its insensitivity to matched disturbances. The aim of this paper is to present a review of SMC describing the key developments and examining the new trends and challenges for its application to power electronic systems. The fundamental theory of SMC is briefly reviewed and the key technical problems associated with the implementation of SMC to power converters and drives, such chattering phenomenon and variable switching frequency, are discussed and analyzed. The recent developments in SMC systems, future challenges and perspectives of SMC for power converters are discussed.

A Multichannel High-Frequency Current Link Based Isolated Auxiliary Power Supply for Medium-Voltage Applications

Abstract: The auxiliary power supply (APS) is one of the critical components inside medium-voltage (MV) power converters. Besides high insulation capability and small footprint, low common-mode (CM) coupling capacitance and multichannel output are the desired features of APS in the emerging silicon-carbide-based MV converters due to their fast switching speed. This article presents the design and optimization procedure of a high-density isolated APS using an LCCL-LC resonant topology with an operating frequency of 1 MHz. The proposed design procedure attains consistent soft-switching operation under a random number of output channels. The galvanic isolation is realized by a current-fed single-turn 1 MHz transformer that can achieve a breakdown voltage of over 20 kV while maintaining a small size. Design optimization on the insulation system of the current transformer is proposed to obtain both high partial-discharge inception voltage (PDIV) and low coupling capacitance. Finally, two versions of APSs are developed, using air and silicone as dielectric materials, which can reach PDIV of over 5 and 16 kV, respectively. The corresponding coupling capacitances are 1.86 pF and 3.6 pF. Both designs can provide a maximum power of 20 W on the receiving side, and 120 W on the sending side.

Model Predictive Control Using Artificial Neural Network for Power Converters

Abstract: There has been an increasing interest in using model predictive control (MPC) for power electronic applications. However, the exponential increase in computational complexity and demand of computing resources hinders the practical adoption of this highly promising control technique. In this article, a new MPC approach using an artificial neural network (termed ANN-MPC) is proposed to overcome these barriers. A power converter with a virtual MPC controller is first designed and operated under a circuit simulation or power hardware-in-the-loop simulation environment. An artificial neural network (ANN) is then trained offline with the input and output data of the virtual MPC controller. Next, an actual FPGA-based MPC controller is designed using the trained ANN instead of relying on heavy-duty mathematical computation to control the actual operation of the power converter in real time. The ANN-MPC approach can significantly reduce the computing need and allow the use of more accurate high-order system models due to the simple mathematical expression of ANN. Furthermore, the ANN-MPC approach can retain the robustness for system parameter uncertainties by flexibly setting the input elements. The basic concept, ANN structure, offline training method, and online operation of ANN-MPC are described in detail. The computing resource requirement of the ANN-MPC and conventional MPC are analyzed and compared. The ANN-MPC concept is validated by both simulation and experimental results on two kW-class flying capacitor multilevel converters. It is demonstrated that the FPGA-based ANN-MPC controller can significantly reduce the FPGA resource requirement (e.g., 2.11 times fewer slice LUTs and 2.06 times fewer DSPs) while offering a control performance same as the conventional MPC.

Battery-Supercapacitor Energy Storage Systems for Electrical Vehicles: A Review

Abstract: The current worldwide energy directives are oriented toward reducing energy consumption and lowering greenhouse gas emissions. The exponential increase in the production of electrified vehicles in the last decade are an important part of meeting global goals on the climate change. However, while no greenhouse gas emissions directly come from the operations of the electrical vehicles, the electrical vehicle production process results in much higher energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions than in the case of a classical internal combustion vehicle; thus, to reduce the environment impact of electrified vehicles, they should be used for as long as possible. Using only batteries for electric vehicles can lead to a shorter battery life for certain applications, such as in the case of those with many stops and starts but not only in these cases. To increase the lifespan of the batteries, couplings between the batteries and the supercapacitors for the new electrical vehicles in the form of the hybrid energy storage systems seems to be the most appropriate way. For this, there are four different types of converters, including rectifiers, inverters, AC-AC converters, and DC-DC converters. For a hybrid energy storage system to operate consistently, effectively, and safely, an appropriate realistic controller technique must be used; at the moment, a few techniques are being used on the market.

Sliding Mode Control of Grid-Connected Neutral-Point-Clamped Converters Via High-Gain Observer

Abstract: In this article, a nonlinear high-gain observer (NHGO)-based second-order sliding mode (SOSM) control strategy is proposed for the three-phase three-level neutral-point-clamped (NPC) converter. This controller applies the advanced SOSM algorithm both in the voltage regulation loop and in the power tracking loop, which provides a fast dynamic for the dc-link voltage, and also assures a good steady-state behavior for the NPC converter. Additionally, an NHGO technique is implemented in the voltage regulator combining with the SOSM algorithm. The conventional observer-based controllers suffer from the destructive effects of measurement noise, and it can only be addressed by diminishing the observer gain, which sacrifices the observer property. The NHGO technique adopts a time varying gain, that is, high gain in transient while low gain in steady state, which minimizes the adverse influence of measurement noise. The tuning method of the proposed NHGO-based SOSM controller is given to simplify the implementation process. Finally, the simulation and experimental results of the proposed control scheme for the NPC converter are given and compared with the conventional PI controller as well as the well-known linear extended state observer-based control method, which validates the feasibility and superiority of the proposed controller.

An Overview of Soft Open Points in Electricity Distribution Networks

Abstract: Soft open points (SOPs) are power electronic devices that are usually placed at normally open points of electricity distribution networks to provide flexible power control to the networks. This paper gives a comprehensive overview of both academic research and industrial practice on SOPs in electricity distribution networks. The topologies of SOPs as multi-functional power electronic devices are identified and compared, which include back-to-back voltage source converters, multi-terminal voltage source converters, unified power flow controllers, and direct AC-to-AC modular multilevel converters. The academic research is reviewed in three aspects, i.e., benefit quantification, control, and optimal siting and sizing of SOPs. The benefit quantification indices are categorized into feeder load balancing, voltage profile improvement, power losses reduction, three-phase balancing and DG hosting capacity enhancement. The control of SOPs is summarized as a three-level control structure, where the system-level and converter-level control are further discussed. For optimal siting and sizing of SOPs, problem formulation and solution methods are analyzed. Besides the academic research, practical industrial projects of SOPs worldwide are also summarized. Finally, opportunities of research and industrial application of SOPs are discussed.

Low Complexity Finite-Control-Set MPC Based on Discrete Space Vector Modulation for T-Type Three-Phase Three-Level Converters

Abstract: In this article, a low complexity finite-control-set model predictive control (FCS-MPC) based on the discrete space vector modulation (DSVM) is proposed for T-type three-phase three-level (3P-3L) converters. Different from the conventional FCS-MPC, 48 virtual voltage vectors (VVs) of the converter are constructed by real VVs based on the DSVM. Thus, the performance of 3P-3L converters is significantly improved and the peak amplitude of high-order harmonics concentrates at the sampling frequency. Furthermore, two-stage FCS-MPC based on virtual VVs is proposed to reduce the computation burden. Its first stage selects one of six virtual VVs that minimizes the current tracking error. Then, these candidate VVs located in the same sector as the optimal virtual VV selected in the first stage are evaluated in the second-stage optimization. Thus, the computational efficiency has been greatly improved. To verify the validity of the proposed control method and show its superiority over the conventional FCS-MPC, experimental results are presented.

Design and Implementation of an 18-kW 500-kHz 98.8% Efficiency High-Density Battery Charger With Partial Power Processing

Abstract: The demand for high-density, high-efficiency bidirectional battery chargers is driven by the fast development of energy storage system in renewable energy system, microgrid, and transportation electrification. Isolated dc–dc converter that interfaces a battery with a variable voltage range is one of the critical components. Input-parallel output-series (IPOS) partial power (PP) converter is considered a promising high-efficiency, high-density solution because only a fraction of power is processed via multistage converters to regulate the output voltage. However, due to the tight coupling between two dc transformers (DCXs), the design of PP converter is complicated. To solve this issue, an overall design procedure for a bidirectional soft-switching resonant-type PP converter is proposed. In the parameters design part, a decoupled design method is proposed to simplify the DCXs design. With this method, two DCXs can be designed separately, and a typical optimization method can be easily applied. As for the hardware design part, to minimize the ac loop inductance and resistance, a two-direction (2-D) flux cancellation method and an “intraleaving” winding structure are proposed for circuit layout and high-frequency (HF) transformer to obtain high operation efficiency and power density. Finally, the whole design procedure is verified by an 18-kW-rated, 25-kW peak, prototype operating at 500 kHz. The realized PP converter features a peak efficiency of 98. 8% and a power density of 142 W/in3. This article is accompanied by two videos demonstrating the dynamic voltage regulation test and the efficiency measurement.

Z-Source-Based High Step-Up DC–DC Converters for Photovoltaic Applications

Abstract: This article proposes three high step-up Z-source (ZS)-based dc–dc converters by integrating the conventional ZS network with switched-capacitor (SC) cells. The proposed converters offer a simple structure with a smooth input current, a high-voltage gain, and low voltage stress on the semiconductor devices. In addition, the proposed converters, unlike some existing ZS-based topologies in the literature, do not impose any limitation on the duty cycle of the power switch. These characteristics make the proposed converters excellent candidates to interface a low-voltage solar photovoltaic (PV) panel with a high-voltage dc bus in PV applications. Among the proposed three converters, the operating principles and steady-state analysis of the one with more components are presented in detail. However, the steady-state voltage and current relationships are also tabulated for two other proposed converters. In addition, design considerations are presented. The performance of the proposed converters is compared against similar existing high step-up dc–dc converters with regards to the component count, normalized voltage stress on the power switch and diodes, and voltage gain. Finally, the theoretical analyses and calculations are validated through experimental results using a 400-W/400-V laboratory prototype.

A Review of DC Shipboard Microgrids—Part I: Power Architectures, Energy Storage, and Power Converters

Abstract: Integrated power systems are popular in the shipbuilding industry. DC shipboard microgrids (dc-SMGs) have many advantages compared with ac ones in terms of system efficiency, operation flexibility, component size, and fault protection performance. Being in the exploring stage, dc-SMGs have several potential configurations with different system architectures and voltage levels. In a dc-SMG, functional blocks integrated include power generation modules (PGMs), propulsion system, high power loads, and pulsed loads specifically in naval ships. In modern ships, the PGMs include not only generators and fuel cells but also energy storage systems (ESSs), which cooperate with generators to improve the overall efficiency and reliability. High power electric converters are vital interfaces between the functional blocks and the dc distribution system. Rectifiers for generators take the tasks of dc bus voltage regulation and power sharing. Inverters for propulsion motors are responsible for the motor drive in different operating conditions. Bidirectional dc/dc converters for ESSs are used to provide supply-demand balance and voltage fluctuation mitigation. This article makes a comprehensive review of power architecture, functional blocks including electrical machines and energy storage, as well as power converters in dc shipboard power systems.

A 380-12 V, 1-kW, 1-MHz Converter Using a Miniaturized Split-Phase, Fractional-Turn Planar Transformer

Abstract: High step-down, high output current converters are required in many common and emerging applications, including data center server power supplies, point-of-load converters, and electric vehicle charging. Miniaturization is desirable but challenging owing to the high step-down transformer ubiquitously used in these converters. In this work, a miniaturized split-phase half-turn transformer is demonstrated, which leverages the well-established parallelization benefit of employing multiple phases, as in a matrix transformer, with the dramatic reduction in copper loss associated with the relatively new Variable Inverter/Rectifier Transformer (VIRT) architecture. While these techniques have been described in earlier studies, their combination has not been well explored. A detailed design procedure is described and is used to develop a 97.7% peak efficiency and 97.1% full-load efficiency prototype having a transformer that is 12%–36% smaller than best-in-class designs in the literature at the same power level while also being more efficient. This work showcases the miniaturization benefit of employing multiphase, fractional-turn transformers in high step-down, high output current applications and provides comprehensive guidance to designers interested in applying and extending these techniques.

Non-isolated high step-up DC/DC converters – An overview

Abstract: High step-up, high efficiency, low cost DC/DC converters have operated as an interface to make use of the renewable energy system generated power. In order to obtain desired output voltage, the DC/AC voltage conversion to AC mains voltage is an important consideration mainly achieved through inverters. Taking into acoount the performance of the non-isolated high step-up DC/DC converters for the renewable energy systems, the substantial amount of topologies studied in past years are the non-isolated high step-up DC/DC converters. Based on proposed and generalized configurations, the non-isolated high step-up DC/DC converters are classified into several categories and reviewed in this paper. So, to clarify the distinguishing solutions, the key features; topological variations, merits and demerits of these converters are discussed and compared. This review work aims to give a well-informed and a well-detailed general framework about these converters and facilitates to derive the new well topologies in the future.

Efficiency Improved Multi-Source Inverter for Hybrid Energy Storage Systems in Electric Vehicle Application

Abstract: Multisource inverters (MSIs) as a new approach for the integration of the energy and the power sources in electric vehicle applications have gained considerable attraction. Such structures offer the active control of the dc sources without using any dc/dc converters or magnetic elements, which reduces the weight, and the volume of the power electronics interface between the sources and the load. Moreover, high power density and improved efficiency due to the elimination of the magnetics are the other significant features of an MSI. This article proposes a novel three-phase MSI for integration and active control of a high-voltage dc source and a low-voltage dc source. The proposed MSI structure employs a smaller number of semiconductor devices at the current path in various operating modes in comparison to the previously published counterparts, which results in an improved efficiency operation. Performance of the proposed MSI using a modified space vector modulation technique for all possible operating modes is verified through simulations and experiments on a laboratory prototype

Observer-Based Sliding-Mode Control for Grid-Connected Power Converters Under Unbalanced Grid Conditions

Abstract: This article proposes a novel robust control strategy for three-phase power converters operated under unbalanced grid conditions. A consolidated control objective is obtained in the stationary $\alpha \beta$ frame, which can be flexibly adjusted according to the degree of oscillation in the active and reactive powers and the balance of the three-phase current. Based on the dynamics of the converter and control objective, a control scheme in a cascaded framework is presented, in which an adaptive observer is applied to estimate the positive and negative sequences of the grid voltage. In the current tracking loop, a super-twisting algorithm current controller coupled with a super-twisting differentiator is implemented to track the current references, featuring rapid dynamics, and improved robustness. Additionally, in the voltage regulation loop, an effective composite controller is developed to regulate the dc-link voltage, where a super-twisting observer is used to estimate the load disturbance, thereby improving the performance of the converter. The experimental results are provided to confirm the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed control strategy.

A Compact EMI Filter Design by Reducing the Common-Mode Inductance With Chaotic PWM Technique

Abstract: Passive electromagnetic interference filters (PEFs) are the most common way to solve electromagnetic interference (EMI) problems in power converters. However, PEFs bring additional volume, weight, and cost for power converters, especially common-mode (CM) inductors in PEFs, and it is a tricky issue for the high-power-density converters that must meet the electromagnetic compatibility specification. In order to design compact PEFs for power converters with pulsewidth modulation (PWM), a volume reduction method of CM inductors with chaotic PWM (CPWM) is proposed in this article. First, the mechanism that CPWM reduces the CM inductance by increasing the corner frequency is analyzed. Second, the relationship between the reduction of EMI spectrum magnitude by CPWM and the decrease of the CM inductance is quantitatively calculated. Third, utilization rate of the magnetic core η is defined to reasonably compare the size of the different inductors under traditional PWM and CPWM. Finally, the proposed design method of CM EMI filters is applied into a dc–dc converter and a dc–ac inverter, respectively, to verify its effectiveness and feasibility. In a dc–dc converter with the switching frequency 100 kHz, 275 W, the volume of the CM inductor and the volume of CM EMI filters are reduced by 63.5% and 48.3%, respectively, by using the proposed compact EMI filter.

Observer Based Generalized Active Damping for Voltage Source Converters With LCL Filters

Abstract: An observer-based active damping (AD) controller is proposed along with a unified design and implementation framework for LCL-equipped voltage source converters. The AD controller uses feedback of either of the converter-side current or the grid-side current along with that of the grid voltage. The state of the arts offer observer-based AD only for current-mode control and are limited by their inflexibility to be used in conjunction with established supplementary control methods or by the lack of damping efficacy for all configurations of LCL resonance frequency and the measured current (grid-side vs. converter-side). The proposed AD method is identically applicable for current-mode control and virtual oscillator control (VOC) where explicit voltage/current tracking loops are not used. The proposed AD controller thus overcomes a major limitation of VOC which otherwise offers robust synchronization in reduced/zero-inertia networks and enhanced fault ride-through capability. Simplified design guidelines are presented through comprehensive small-signal analysis including the observer dynamics. The proposed method is shown to be effective for both converter-side and grid-side current measurements irrespective of the LCL resonance frequency relative to the critical frequency. The analysis and design methods are validated through laboratory hardware experiments.

Decentralized Coordination and Stabilization of Hybrid Energy Storage Systems in DC Microgrids

Abstract: Hybrid energy storage system (HESS) is an attractive solution to compensate power balance issues caused by intermittent renewable generations and pulsed power load in DC microgrids. The purpose of HESS is to ensure optimal usage of heterogeneous storage systems with different characteristics. In this context, power allocation for different energy storage units is a major concern. At the same time, the wide integration of power electronic converters in DC microgrids would possibly cause the constant power load instability issue. This paper proposes a composite model predictive control based decentralized dynamic power sharing strategy for HESS. First, a composite model predictive controller (MPC) is proposed for a system with a single ESS and constant power loads (CPLs). It consists of a baseline MPC for optimized transient performance and a sliding mode observer to estimate system disturbances. Then, a coordinated scheme is developed for HESS by using the proposed composite MPC with a virtual resistance droop controller for the battery system and with a virtual capacitance droop controller for the supercapacitor (SC) system. With the proposed scheme, the battery only supplies smooth power at steady state, while the SC compensates all the fast fluctuations. The proposed scheme achieves a decentralized dynamic power sharing and optimized transient performance under large variation of sources and loads. The proposed approach is verified by simulations and experiments.

Topology Derivation of Multiple-Port DC–DC Converters Based on Voltage-Type Ports

Abstract: Multiple-port dc–dc converters are characterized by a variety of kinds and a large number of circuit topologies. In this article, we aim to reveal the intrinsic relationship among the topologies of multiple-port dc–dc converters and propose the topology derivation method. First, the voltage- and current-type ports are summarized from basic dc–dc converters, and the approach of converting current-type ports into voltage-type ports is discussed. Then, according to Kirchhoff's law, four types of multiple-input multiple-output converters named input-port-series output-port-series, input-port-series output-port-parallel, input-port-parallel output-port-series, and input-port-parallel output-port-parallel are presented. Second, the topology derivation method of multiple-port bidirectional dc–dc converters based on the voltage-type ports is studied in terms of power flow paths in various operation modes, and then the topology optimization method is proposed. Particularly, a flow diagram for the optimal design procedure is given to guide the topology derivation for some specific requirements. Based on the proposed approach, a family of multiple-port dc–dc converters can be derived, which provides lots of viable candidates for practical engineering. Furthermore, one derived converter named the parallel-type three-port bidirectional buck converter is analyzed in three operation modes to demonstrate the topology derivation. Finally, the effectiveness of the above theoretical analysis is verified by those experimental results.

An Overmodulation Algorithm With Neutral-Point Voltage Balancing for Three-Level Converters in High-Speed Aerospace Drives

Abstract: In this article, a virtual space vector based overmodulation algorithm is presented for three-level neutral-point (NP) clamped converters in high-speed aerospace motor drives. With the proposed inscribed polygonal-boundary compression technique, the output voltage capability is enhanced under a lower crossover angle and compression coefficient. As a result, it brings an opportunity for the operation of the studied aircraft electric starter/generator (ESG) systems easily extending from the linear modulation range into the overmodulation region. Furthermore, an active capacitor voltage balancing control method is investigated to recover NP potential imbalance in the case of high modulation index and low power factor operating conditions. To simplify the digital implementation of the algorithm, a fast calculation approach is adopted in this work. The modulation performance of the proposed strategy is verified by both simulation and experimental results with a 45 kW, 32 k r/min ESG prototype system.

Soft-Switching High Gain Three-Port Converter Based on Coupled Inductor for Renewable Energy System Applications

Abstract: Three-port converters with high voltage gain are desirable solutions for integrating renewable energy and energy storage devices into high voltage dc bus. A high gain three-port converter with soft switching is proposed in this paper, which can realize zero voltage switching for all switches and zero current switching for all diodes in various operating modes. Single coupled inductor is used to achieve high voltage gain and to reduce the voltage stress of switches so that switches with low on -resistance can be selected to reduce the conduction loss. In addition, the advantages of fewer components, higher voltage gain, and very low switch voltage stresses make the proposed converter more suitable for application in renewable energy systems than similar solutions. Various operating modes, performance analysis, design considerations, efficiency analysis, and control method of the proposed converter are discussed. A laboratory prototype with 30 V renewable energy source, 48 V energy storage device and 400 V output is designed to verify the performance of the proposed three-port converter.

Overview of Power Converter Control in Microgrids—Challenges, Advances, and Future Trends

Abstract: As the electronic interfaces between distributed energy resources and the electrical network, power converters play a vital role in voltage stabilization and power conversion. So far, various power converter control methods have been developed. Now it is urgently needed to compare and understand these approaches to support the smart microgrid pyramid. This article provides an overview of the state-of-the-art of parallel power converter control in microgrid applications. The most important control schemes to address existing challenges, including concentrated control, master–slave control, droop mechanism, virtual synchronous generators, virtual oscillator control, distributed cooperative control, and model predictive control, are highlighted and analyzed in detail. In addition, the hierarchical control structure, as well as future trends, are reviewed and discussed.

A review on energy efficient technologies for electric vehicle applications

Abstract: This paper presents the technological advancements of the electric vehicles (EVs) all over the world. The first emphasis is on the various types of the EVs along with the energy management strategies (EMSs). The EVs are equipped with different energy storage elements such as lithium-ion batteries, super capacitors (SCs) and fuel cells (FCs). Hence, it is important to optimize the power split between the various energy storage systems (ESSs) under the complex driving conditions. The second imperative aspect is the utilization of the energy efficient wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductor technology. The WBG materials present the superior properties like wide bandgap, high saturated drift velocity and high critical breakdown field. This has led a path for the development of SiC and GaN based power semiconductor devices (PSDs). However, this paper mainly focuses on the utilization of the SiC devices for the EV applications. The substantial features of the various SiC devices are presented along with the performance aggrandization methods. Furthermore, this paper presents the updated survey and various performance measures of the SiC based power converter topologies. It also emphasizes the necessity of energy optimization for the EV charging systems. On the other hand, the burning issues associated with the SiC power modules other than the power converters are explored in detail. This extensive literature survey provides insightness for the design and research engineers in view of fulfilling the research gaps between the current and the desired targets.

A Three-Winding Coupled Inductor-Based Interleaved High-Voltage Gain DC–DC Converter for Photovoltaic Systems

Abstract: In this article, an interleaved high-voltage gain dc–dc converter is proposed for use with photovoltaic (PV) systems. By integrating two three-winding coupled inductors (CIs) with switched capacitor cells, the voltage gain is further extended. Through passive diode-capacitor clamp circuits, the energy stored in the leakage inductances is absorbed; additionally, the voltage stress of the power switches is clamped to a value far lower than the output voltage, which enables designers to select switches with low-voltage ratings. Due to the interleaved structure of the proposed converter, the input current has a small ripple, which leads to the increased lifespan of the PV panels. In addition, the current stress on the components is reduced. Thanks to the leakage inductances of the CIs, the zero-current switching condition is intrinsically provided for the diodes; accordingly, the adverse impact of the diodes’ reverse-recovery is alleviated. The operating principles, steady-state analyses, and design considerations of the proposed converter are presented in this article. A comparison with other similar converters is carried out to verify the merits of the proposed converter. Finally, the theoretical analyses are confirmed through the experimental results of a 400-W prototype with an output voltage of 400 V.

Proposed System Based on a Three-Level Boost Converter to Mitigate Voltage Imbalance in Photovoltaic Power Generation Systems

Abstract: Voltage imbalance poses a challenge to photovoltaic systems. A modular structure based on a three-level boost converter is proposed to address this problem. The three-level boost converter offers advantages, such as a low current ripple and voltage stress, over a classic boost converter. These advantages offset the use of additional elements in the proposed converter circuit. Two capacitors are used to enable the innovative connection between multiple sources and the three-level boost converter. The second capacitor of the first module is shared with the first capacitor of the second module. This structure is used in conjunction with a controller to balance the voltages in the system. The operating modes of the two-module system in a nominal case are introduced. The controller is based on an indirect sliding model, wherein the input current of each energy source and the output voltage balance are considered. The performance of the current and voltage controllers are studied in two scenarios. The first case involves increasing the reference current and the presence of four sliding surfaces related to the current control and voltage balance, whereas the second case involves the presence and absence of two sliding surfaces related to the voltage balance. The dynamic response of this controller is also compared with the Proportional Integral(PI) controller. Large-signal modeling of the two-module system and the accuracy of this model in two cases of radiation change and panel temperature change is investigated. The robustness of the system is investigated using this large-signal model in two cases that involve changing the inductors and capacitors of the system. A topology consisting of two conventional boost converters is chosen to compare energy stored and efficiency with the proposed topology. The capacitance of the system is calculatedfor two topologies. The energy stored in the two systems is compared. The two-module system is simulated using Simulink MATLAB software. The simulation and experimental results validate the proposed system.

Efficient Time-to-Digital Converters in 20 nm FPGAs With Wave Union Methods

Abstract: The wave union (WU) method is a well-known method in time-to-digital converters (TDCs) and can improve TDC performances without consuming extra logic resources. However, an earlier study concluded that the WU method is not suitable for UltraScale field-programmable gate array (FPGA) devices, due to more severe bubble errors. This article proves otherwise and presents new strategies to pursue high-resolution TDCs in Xilinx UltraScale 20 nm FPGAs. Combining our new subtapped delay line (sub-TDL) architecture (effective in removing bubbles and zero-width bins) and the WU method, we found that the wave union method is still powerful in UltraScale devices. We also compared the proposed TDC with the TDCs combining the dual sampling structure and the sub-TDL technique. A binning method is introduced to improve the linearity. Moreover, we derived a formula of the total measurement uncertainties for a single-stage TDL-TDC to obtain its root-mean-square resolution. Compared with the previously published FPGA-TDCs, we presented (for the first time) much more detailed precision analysis for single-TDL TDCs.