Showing papers on "Flyback converter published in 2014"

The Alternate Arm Converter: A New Hybrid Multilevel Converter With DC-Fault Blocking Capability

Abstract: This paper explains the working principles, supported by simulation results, of a new converter topology intended for HVDC applications, called the alternate arm converter (AAC). It is a hybrid between the modular multilevel converter, because of the presence of H-bridge cells, and the two-level converter, in the form of director switches in each arm. This converter is able to generate a multilevel ac voltage and since its stacks of cells consist of H-bridge cells instead of half-bridge cells, they are able to generate higher ac voltage than the dc terminal voltage. This allows the AAC to operate at an optimal point, called the “sweet spot,” where the ac and dc energy flows equal. The director switches in the AAC are responsible for alternating the conduction period of each arm, leading to a significant reduction in the number of cells in the stacks. Furthermore, the AAC can keep control of the current in the phase reactor even in case of a dc-side fault and support the ac grid, through a STATCOM mode. Simulation results and loss calculations are presented in this paper in order to support the claimed features of the AAC.

A High Voltage Gain DC–DC Converter Integrating Coupled-Inductor and Diode–Capacitor Techniques

Abstract: The high-voltage gain converter is widely employed in many industry applications, such as photovoltaic systems, fuel cell systems, electric vehicles, and high-intensity discharge lamps. This paper presents a novel single-switch high step-up nonisolated dc-dc converter integrating coupled inductor with extended voltage doubler cell and diode-capacitor techniques. The proposed converter achieves extremely large voltage conversion ratio with appropriate duty cycle and reduction of voltage stress on the power devices. Moreover, the energy stored in leakage inductance of coupled inductor is efficiently recycled to the output, and the voltage doubler cell also operates as a regenerative clamping circuit, alleviating the problem of potential resonance between the leakage inductance and the junction capacitor of output diode. These characteristics make it possible to design a compact circuit with high static gain and high efficiency for industry applications. In addition, the unexpected high-pulsed input current in the converter with coupled inductor is decreased. The operating principles and the steady-state analyses of the proposed converter are discussed in detail. Finally, a prototype circuit is implemented in the laboratory to verify the performance of the proposed converter.

High-Frequency Operation of a DC/AC/DC System for HVDC Applications

Abstract: Voltage ratings for HVdc point-to-point connections are not standardized and tend to depend on the latest available cable technology. DC/DC conversion at HV is required for interconnection of such HVdc schemes as well as to interface dc wind farms. Modular multilevel voltage source converters (VSCs), such as the modular multilevel converter (MMC) or the alternate arm converter (AAC), have been shown to incur significantly lower switching losses than previous two- or three-level VSCs. This paper presents a dc/ac/dc system using a transformer coupling two modular multilevel VSCs. In such a system, the capacitors occupy a large fraction of the volume of the cells but a significant reduction in volume can be achieved by raising the ac frequency. Using high frequency can also bring benefits to other passive components such as the transformer but also results in higher switching losses due to the higher number of waveform steps per second. This leads to a tradeoff between volume and losses which has been explored in this study and verified by simulation results with a transistor level model of 30-MW case study. The outcome of the study shows that a frequency of 350 Hz provides a significant improvement in volume but also a penalty in losses compared to 50 Hz.

A Sliding-Mode Duty-Ratio Controller for DC/DC Buck Converters With Constant Power Loads

Abstract: Incorporating a medium-voltage dc (MVDC) integrated power system is a goal for future surface combatants and submarines. In an MVDC shipboard power system, dc/dc converters are commonly employed to supply constant power to electric loads. These constant power loads have a characteristic of negative incremental impedance, which may cause system instability during disturbances if the system is not properly controlled. This paper proposes a sliding-mode duty-ratio controller (SMDC) for dc/dc buck converters with constant power loads. The proposed SMDC is able to stabilize the dc power systems over the entire operating range in the presence of significant variations in the load power and input voltage. The proposed SMDC is validated by both simulation studies in MATLAB/Simulink and experiments for stabilizing a dc/dc buck converter with constant power loads. Simulation studies for an MVDC shipboard power system with constant power loads for different operating conditions with significant variations in the load power and supply voltage are also provided to further demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed SMDC.

Novel Bidirectional Snubberless Naturally Commutated Soft-Switching Current-Fed Full-Bridge Isolated DC/DC Converter for Fuel Cell Vehicles

Abstract: A novel naturally clamped zero-current commutated soft-switching bidirectional current-fed full-bridge isolated dc/dc converter is proposed. This proposed secondary-modulation technique naturally clamps the voltage across the primary-side devices with zero-current commutation, eliminating the necessity for active-clamp circuit or passive snubbers. Switching losses are reduced significantly owing to zero-current switching of primary-side devices and zero-voltage switching of secondary-side devices. Soft switching and voltage clamping are inherent and load independent. The voltage across primary-side devices is independent of duty cycle with varying input voltage and output power and clamped at rather low reflected output voltage, enabling the use of semiconductor devices of low voltage rating. These merits make the converter promising for fuel cell vehicles application, front-end dc/dc power conversion for fuel cell inverters, and energy storage. Steady-state operation, analysis, design, simulation results using PSIM 9.0.4, and experimental results are presented.

Implementation of a High-Efficiency, High-Lifetime, and Low-Cost Converter for an Autonomous Photovoltaic Water Pumping System

Abstract: This paper proposes a new converter for photovoltaic (PV) water pumping or treatment systems without the use of chemical storage elements, such as batteries. The converter is designed to drive a three-phase induction motor directly from PV energy. The use of a three-phase induction motor presents a better solution to the commercial dc motor water pumping system. The development is oriented to achieve a more efficient, reliable, maintenance-free, and cheaper solution than the standard ones that use dc motors or low-voltage synchronous motors. The developed system is based on a current-fed multiresonant converter also known as resonant two-inductor boost converter (TIBC) and a full-bridge three-phase voltage source inverter (VSI). The classic topology of the TIBC has features like high voltage gain and low input current ripple. In this paper, it is further improved with the use of a nonisolated recovery snubber along with a hysteresis controller and the use of a constant duty cycle control to improve its efficiency. Experimental results show a peak efficiency of 91% at a rated power of 210 W for the dc/dc converter plus the three-phase VSI and a peak efficiency of 93.64% just for the dc/dc converter. The system is expected to have a high lifetime due to the inexistence of electrolytic capacitors, and the total cost of the converter is below 0.43 U$/Wp. As a result, the system is a promising solution to be used in isolated locations and to deliver water to poor communities.

Non-isolated multi-input–single-output DC/DC converter for photovoltaic power generation systems

Abstract: A new multi-input non-isolated DC/DC converter with high-voltage transfer gain is proposed in this study. The presented converter consists of the conventional buck–boost and boost converters. All the stages except the last stage are buck–boost converters. The last stage is the conventional boost converter. The proposed multi-input high-voltage gain converter benefits from various advantages such as reduced semiconductor current stress, no limitation for switching duty cycle and wide control range of different input powers. The presented converter can even operate when one or some power input fail to provide energy to the load. The steady-state operation and dynamic modelling of the suggested converter are analysed thoroughly. Experimental results are also provided to verify the feasibility of the presented converter.

High Step-Up Interleaved Converter With Built-In Transformer Voltage Multiplier Cells for Sustainable Energy Applications

Abstract: In this paper, the built-in transformer voltage multiplier cell is inserted into each phase of the conventional interleaved boost converter to provide additional control freedom for the voltage gain extension without extreme duty cycle. The voltage multiplier cell is only composed of the built-in transformer windings, diodes and small capacitors. And additional active switches are not required to simplify the circuit configuration. Furthermore, the switch voltage stress and the diode peak current are also minimized due to the built-in transformer voltage multiplier cells to improve the conversion efficiency. Moreover, there is no reverse-recovery problem for the clamp diodes and the reverse-recovery current for the regenerative and output diodes are controlled by the leakage inductance of the built-in transformer to reduce the relative losses. In addition, the switch turn-off voltage spikes are suppressed effectively by the ingenious and inherent passive clamp scheme and zero current switch (ZCS) turn-on is realized for the switches, which can enhance the power device reliability. Finally, a 40 V-input 380 V-output 1 kW prototype is built to demonstrate the clear advantages of the proposed converter.

Analysis and Implementation of a Single-Stage Flyback PV Microinverter With Soft Switching

Abstract: This paper presents a novel zero-voltage switching (ZVS) approach to a grid-connected single-stage flyback inverter. The soft-switching of the primary switch is achieved by allowing negative current from the grid side through bidirectional switches placed on the secondary side of the transformer. Basically, the negative current discharges the metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor's output capacitor, thereby allowing turn on of the primary switch under zero voltage. To optimize the amount of reactive current required to achieve ZVS, a variable-frequency control scheme is implemented over the line cycle. In addition, the bidirectional switches on the secondary side of the transformer have ZVS during the turn- on times. Therefore, the switching losses of the bidirectional switches are negligible. A 250-W prototype has been implemented to validate the proposed scheme. Experimental results confirm the feasibility and superior performance of the converter compared with the conventional flyback inverter.

A Single-Stage Dual-Active-Bridge-Based Soft Switched AC–DC Converter With Open-Loop Power Factor Correction and Other Advanced Features

Abstract: A dual-active-bridge-based single-stage ac/dc converter may find a wide range of emerging applications such as interfacing plug-in hybrid vehicles with the ac grid, interconnection of dc grid, etc. This type of converter can be used due to unique features such as 1) high-frequency isolation resulting in a) high power density and b) safety and voltage matching; 2) bidirectional power flow; 3) soft switching leading to higher efficiency. In this paper, a modulation strategy has been proposed that results in 1) open-loop power factor correction; 2) zero current switching in the ac-side converter for all load conditions; 3) linear power relationship for easy control implementation; and 4) Zero voltage switching in the load side converter. The converter with the proposed control has been analyzed. Simulation and experimental results on a 1-KW prototype confirm the advantages.

Quadratic boost converter with low buffer capacitor stress

Abstract: A new quadratic boost converter is presented in this study. Compared with the conventional quadratic boost converter, the proposed converter has the feature of lower buffer capacitor voltage stress. This advantage is very valuable for high voltage and high-voltage gain applications. The proposed converter also employed only one active switch and two LC (inductor-capacitor) filters. Detailed analysis for its continuous current mode operation and discontinuous current mode operation both are presented. In addition, modelling for the proposed converter is also developed in this study. A prototype circuit is built and the experimental results confirm the feasibility and performance of the high step-up converter.

New Extendable Single-Stage Multi-input DC–DC/AC Boost Converter

Abstract: This paper presents a new extendable single-stage multi-input dc-dc/ac boost converter. The proposed structure comprises of two bidirectional ports in the converter's central part to interface output load and battery storage, and several unidirectional input ports to get powers from different input dc sources. In fact, the proposed topology consists of two sets of parallel dc-dc boost converters, which are actively controlled to produce two independent output voltage components. Choosing two pure dc or two dc-biased sinusoidal values as the converter reference voltages, situations of the converter operating in two dc-dc and dc-ac modes are provided, respectively. The proposed converter utilizes minimum number of power switches and is able to step up the low-level input dc voltages into a high-level output dc or ac voltage without needing any output filter. The converter control system includes several current regulator loops for input dc sources and two voltage regulator loops for generating the desired output voltage components, resulting in autonomously charging/discharging the battery to balance the power flow. Due to the converter inherent multi-input multioutput control system, the small signal model of the converter is extracted and then the pole-placement control strategy via integral state feedback is applied for achieving the converter control laws. The validity and effectiveness of the proposed converter and its control performance are verified by simulation and experimental results.

Feed-Forward Scheme for an Electrolytic Capacitor-Less AC/DC LED Driver to Reduce Output Current Ripple

Abstract: In order to achieve high-efficiency, high-power-factor, high-reliability, and low-cost, a flicker-free electrolytic capacitor-less single-phase ac/dc light emitting diode (LED) driver is investigated in this paper. This driver is composed of a power-factor-correction (PFC) converter and a bidirectional converter. The bidirectional converter is used to absorb the second harmonic component in the output current of the PFC converter, thus producing a pure dc output to drive the LEDs. The spectrum of the output capacitor voltage of the bidirectional converter is analyzed, indicating that the output capacitor voltage contains harmonic components at multiples of twice the line frequency apart from the dc component and second harmonic component. A feed-forward control scheme with a series of calculation operation is proposed to obtain the desired modulation signal, which contains the corresponding harmonic components, to ensure the bidirectional converter fully absorb the second harmonic current in the output of the PFC converter. Finally, a 33.6 W prototype is fabricated and tested in the lab, and the experiment results show that the proposed control scheme greatly reduces the ripple of the LED driving current.

Novel Three-Port Converter With High-Voltage Gain

Abstract: In this paper, a novel three-port converter (TPC) with high-voltage gain for stand-alone renewable power system applications is proposed. This converter uses only three switches to achieve the power flow control. Two input sources share only one inductor. Thus, the volume can be reduced. Besides, the conversion ratio of the converter is higher than other TPCs. Thus, the degree of freedom of duty cycle is large. The converter can have a higher voltage gain for both low-voltage ports with a lower turns ratio and a reasonable duty ratio. The voltage stress of switches is low; thus, conduction loss can be further improved by adopting low Rds(on) switches. Therefore, the converter can achieve a high conversion ratio and high efficiency at the same time. The operation principles, steady-state analysis, and control method of the converter are presented and discussed. A prototype of the proposed converter with a low input voltage 24 V for photovoltaic source, a battery port voltage 48 V, and an output voltage 400 V is implemented to verify the theoretical analysis. The power flow control of the converter is also built and tested with a digital signal processor.

Modeling, Control, and Implementation of DC–DC Converters for Variable Frequency Operation

Abstract: In this paper, novel small-signal averaged models for dc-dc converters operating at variable switching frequency are derived. This is achieved by separately considering the on-time and the off-time of the switching period. The derivation is shown in detail for a synchronous buck converter and the model for a boost converter is also presented. The model for the buck converter is then used for the design of two digital feedback controllers, which exploit the additional insight in the converter dynamics. First, a digital multiloop PID controller is implemented, where the design is based on loop-shaping of the proposed frequency-domain transfer functions. And second, the design and the implementation of a digital LQG state-feedback controller, based on the proposed time-domain state-space model, is presented for the same converter topology. Experimental results are given for the digital multiloop PID controller integrated on an application-specified integrated circuit in a 0.13 μm CMOS technology, as well as for the state-feedback controller implemented on an FPGA. Tight output voltage regulation and an excellent dynamic performance is achieved, as the dynamics of the converter under variable frequency operation are considered during the design of both implementations.

Boost-Derived Hybrid Converter With Simultaneous DC and AC Outputs

Abstract: This paper proposes a family of hybrid converter topologies which can supply simultaneous dc and ac loads from a single dc input. These topologies are realized by replacing the controlled switch of single-switch boost converters with a voltage-source-inverter bridge network. The resulting hybrid converters require lesser number of switches to provide dc and ac outputs with an increased reliability, resulting from its inherent shoot-through protection in the inverter stage. Such multioutput converters with better power processing density and reliability can be well suited for systems with simultaneous dc and ac loads, e.g., nanogrids in residential applications. The proposed converter, studied in this paper, is called boost-derived hybrid converter (BDHC) as it is obtained from the conventional boost topology. The steady-state behavior of the BDHC has been studied in this paper, and it is compared with conventional designs. A suitable pulse width modulation (PWM) control strategy, based upon unipolar sine-PWM, is described. A DSP-based feedback controller is designed to regulate the dc as well as ac outputs. A 600-W laboratory prototype is used to validate the operation of the converter. The proposed converter is able to supply dc and ac loads at 100 V and 110 V (rms), respectively, from a 48-V dc input. The performance of the converter is demonstrated with inductive and nonlinear loads. The converter exhibits superior cross-regulation properties to dynamic load-change events. The proposed concept has been extended to quadratic boost converters to achieve higher gains.

6.6-kW Onboard Charger Design Using DCM PFC Converter With Harmonic Modulation Technique and Two-Stage DC/DC Converter

Abstract: This paper suggests another candidate for high-power onboard charger for electric vehicles. It is based on a discontinuous conduction mode (DCM) power factor correction (PFC) converter with harmonic modulation technique that improves the power factor in DCM PFC operation and a two-stage dc/dc converter composed of a resonant converter and a DCM buck converter. Separating the functions of the dc/dc stage into control and isolation helps to reduce the transformer by using high-frequency resonance. The feasibility of the proposed charger has been verified with a 6.6-kW prototype.

A Nonlinear-Disturbance-Observer-Based DC-Bus Voltage Control for a Hybrid AC/DC Microgrid

Abstract: DC-bus voltage control is an important task in the operation of a dc or a hybrid ac/dc microgrid system. To improve the dc-bus voltage control dynamics, traditional approaches attempt to measure and feedforward the load or source power in the dc-bus control scheme. However, in a microgrid system with distributed dc sources and loads, the traditional feedforward-based methods need remote measurement with communications. In this paper, a nonlinear disturbance observer (NDO) based dc-bus voltage control is proposed, which does not need the remote measurement and enables the important “plug-and-play” feature. Based on this observer, a novel dc-bus voltage control scheme is developed to suppress the transient fluctuations of dc-bus voltage and improve the power quality in such a microgrid system. Details on the design of the observer, the dc-bus controller and the pulsewidth-modulation (PWM) dead-time compensation are provided in this paper. The effects of possible dc-bus capacitance variation are also considered. The performance of the proposed control strategy has been successfully verified in a 30 kVA hybrid microgrid including ac/dc buses, battery energy storage system, and photovoltaic (PV) power generation system.

An Optimized Phase-Shift Modulation For Fast Transient Response in a Dual-Active-Bridge Converter

Abstract: In this letter, two different phase-shift modulation used for the transient response of a dual-active-bridge dc/dc converter and their effects on the dynamics of the converter are discussed and compared It is found that the settling time for both cases depends on the value of the equivalent series resistance of the power inductor To minimize the transient time, a modified asymmetric double-side modulation is proposed, which enables the converter to transfer smoothly from one steady state to another one regardless of the equivalent series resistance of the power inductor Experimental results of the dynamics of the converter using different transient modulation techniques are also included for the purpose of validation

A Novel Transformerless Interleaved High Step-Down Conversion Ratio DC–DC Converter With Low Switch Voltage Stress

Abstract: In this paper, a novel transformerless interleaved high step-down conversion ratio dc-dc converter with low switch voltage stress is proposed. In the proposed converter, two input capacitors are series-charged by the input voltage and parallel-discharged by a new two-phase interleaved buck converter for providing a much higher step-down conversion ratio without adopting an extreme short duty cycle. Based on the capacitive voltage division, the main objectives of the new voltage-divider circuit in the converter are for both storing energy in the blocking capacitors for increasing the step-down conversion ratio and reducing voltage stresses of active switches. As a result, the proposed converter topology possesses the low switch voltage stress characteristic. This will allow one to choose lower voltage rating MOSFETs to reduce both switching and conduction losses, and the overall efficiency is consequently improved. Moreover, due to the charge balance of the blocking capacitor, the converter features automatic uniform current sharing characteristic of the interleaved phases without adding extra circuitry or complex control methods. The operation principles and relevant analysis of the proposed converter are presented in this paper. Finally, a 400-V input voltage, 25-V output voltage, and 400-W output power prototype circuit is implemented in the laboratory to verify the performance.

Interleaved non-isolated high step-up DC/DC converter based on the diode-capacitor multiplier

Abstract: A kind of interleaved non-isolated high step-up DC/DC converter is presented in this study. The converter consists of two basic Boost cells and some diode-capacitor multiplier (DCM) cells as needed. Because of the DCM cells, the voltage conversion ratio is enlarged and the extreme large duty ratio can be avoided in the high step-up applications. Moreover, the voltage stress of all the power devices is greatly lower than the output voltage. As a result, lower-voltage-rated power devices can be employed, and higher efficiency can be expected. Since the two basic Boost cells are controlled by the interleaving method, which means the phase difference between the two pulse width moderlation (PWM) signals is 180° and the input current is the sums of the two inductor currents, the input current ripple is decreased and the size of the input filter could be reduced, which make it a suitable choice in the photovoltaic power generation system and hybrid electric vehicles, etc. Finally, the experimental results from a 300 W, 30-400 V laboratory prototype are presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed converter.

A Solar Power Generation System With a Seven-Level Inverter

Abstract: This paper proposes a new solar power generation system, which is composed of a dc/dc power converter and a new seven-level inverter. The dc/dc power converter integrates a dc-dc boost converter and a transformer to convert the output voltage of the solar cell array into two independent voltage sources with multiple relationships. This new seven-level inverter is configured using a capacitor selection circuit and a full-bridge power converter, connected in cascade. The capacitor selection circuit converts the two output voltage sources of dc-dc power converter into a three-level dc voltage, and the full-bridge power converter further converts this three-level dc voltage into a seven-level ac voltage. In this way, the proposed solar power generation system generates a sinusoidal output current that is in phase with the utility voltage and is fed into the utility. The salient features of the proposed seven-level inverter are that only six power electronic switches are used, and only one power electronic switch is switched at high frequency at any time. A prototype is developed and tested to verify the performance of this proposed solar power generation system.

Assessment of Coupled and Independent Phase Designs of Interleaved Multiphase Buck/Boost DC–DC Converter for EV Power Train

Abstract: The paper discusses two approaches to multiphase nonisolated dc-dc converter design. An approach based on independent phases is directly compared to an approach using coupled phases. The comparison is performed through theoretical analysis of respective conversion functions, input and output filter requirements, and required input inductor size. Three-dimensional (3-D) high-power-density computer aided design (CAD) models and full-scale 56 kW prototypes based on both approaches were designed, built, and experimentally compared. As expected, the approach with independent phases has a considerable advantage regarding the low-power conversion efficiency where the efficiency can be up to 2% higher than with the coupled approach. On the other hand, the design with coupled inductors can reach power density as high as two times that of the independent phase design (87 kW/L versus 44.2 kW/L). Therefore, the use of coupled inductors may be very beneficial for space critical applications. In case of the electric vehicle power train, both factors may be very important and the suitable approach should be chosen based on system design priorities.

An Efficient Partial Power Processing DC/DC Converter for Distributed PV Architectures

Abstract: In this paper, a dc/dc power converter for distributed photovoltaic (PV) plant architectures is presented. The proposed converter has the advantages of simplicity, high efficiency, and low cost. High efficiency is achieved by having a portion of the input PV power directly fed forward to the output without being processed by the converter. The operation of this converter allows for a simplified maximum power point tracker design using fewer measurements. The stability analysis of the distributed PV system comprised of the proposed dc/dc converters confirms the stable operation even with a large number of deployed converters. The experimental results show a composite weighted efficiency of 98.22% with very high maximum power point tracking efficiency.

Isolated High Step-Up DC–DC Converter With Low Voltage Stress

Abstract: Fuel cell stacks and photovoltaic panels generate rather low dc voltages and these voltages need to be boosted before converted to ac voltage. Therefore, high step-up ratio dc-dc converters are preferred in renewable energy systems. A new Z-source-based topology that can boost the input voltage to desired levels with low duty ratios is proposed in this paper. The topology utilizes coupled inductor. The leakage inductance energy can efficiently be discharged. Since the device stresses are low in this topology, low-voltage MOSFETs with small RDS(on) values can be selected to reduce the conduction loss. These features improve the converter efficiency. Also, the converter has a galvanic isolation between source and load. The operating principles and steady-state analysis of continuous and discontinuous conduction modes are discussed in detail. Finally, experimental results are given for a prototype converter that converts 25 V dc to 400 V dc at various power levels with over 90% efficiency to verify the effectiveness of the theoretical analysis.

A Stabilizing Model Predictive Controller for Voltage Regulation of a DC/DC Boost Converter

Abstract: This brief proposes a cascade voltage control strategy for the dc/dc converter utilizing a model predictive control (MPC) in the inner loop. The proposed MPC minimizes a cost function at each time step in the receding horizon manner and the corresponding optimal solution is obtained from a predefined function not relying on a numeric algorithm. It is shown that the MPC makes the capacitor voltage and the inductor current globally convergent in the presence of input constraints. State constraints also can be taken into account in the proposed MPC. Following the conventional cascade voltage control scheme, a Proportional-Integral (PI) controller is adopted in the outer loop. The experimental results show that the closed-loop performance is superior to the classical cascade PI control scheme.

Development and demonstration of a medium-voltage high-power DC-DC converter for DC distribution systems

Abstract: In many low-voltage or high-voltage applications, the electrical energy transmission and distribution is enhanced using direct current (dc) already today. To use the advantages of dc also in medium-voltage applications a highly efficient dc-dc converter is needed that has a power capability of several megawatts. At the E.ON Energy Research Center of the RWTH Aachen University a demonstrator for a 5 MW medium-voltage dc-dc converter is constructed, which is presented in this work. Firstly, some general considerations about the three-phase dual-active bridge dc-dc converter are made, with a focus on medium-voltage high-power applications. Whether IGBTs or IGCTs are the optimal switching devices is discussed and a further improvement using a Dual-ICT is evaluated. The construction and the design of the mentioned demonstrator are presented. Besides the demonstrator itself, the medium-voltage high-power transformer that is operated in the ac link is discussed in detail. Finally, the advantages of a three-phase dual-active bridge over the single-phase variant are discussed using the experience gained from the commissioning.

Exact Maximum Power Point Tracking of Grid-Connected Partially Shaded PV Source Using Current Compensation Concept

Abstract: Under partially shaded conditions, series connection of photovoltaic (PV) modules results in the flow of lowest current in the string corresponding to the most shaded module, reducing the overall power output. Power output can be maximized by incorporating module-level “distributed” maximum power point tracking (DMPPT) wherein the current of each module is compensated by regulating its voltage at the respective maximum power point (MPP) value by connecting a dc-dc converter in parallel. Existing current compensation schemes are either too complex or inaccurate. This paper proposes a novel DMPPT scheme using current compensation, which is simple to implement and yet provides an accurate compensation, resulting in exact maximum power point tracking (MPPT). In the proposed scheme, each PV module is resonated through a special arrangement in the shunt-connected flyback dc-dc converter. The secondary-side diode in the flyback converter is replaced by a power mosfet with an antiparallel diode. The converter operates in two modes: resonant MPPT mode and normal flyback mode. An intelligent controller tracks the MPP of the modules while they resonate. An output switch decouples the PV source from the grid momentarily, while the MPP is tracked. All the results of this work, including experimental validation, are presented.

Current Sensorless Power Balance Strategy for DC/DC Converters in a Cascaded Multilevel Converter Based Solid State Transformer

Abstract: This letter proposes a current sensorless controller for balancing the power in the dc/dc stage of a cascaded multilevel converter based solid state transformer. It is revealed that the equalization of the active power component of duty cycles in the cascaded multilevel rectifier stage can be a good indicator of power balance in the dc/dc stage. Additionally, the power balance of the dc/dc stage can guarantee the voltage balance in the rectifier stage if the differences among the power devices are negligible. Based on this principle, a novel power balance controller without sensing any current in the dc/dc stage is proposed. In the end, experimental results in a seven-level three-stage solid state transformer are provided for verifying the proposed method.

High-Voltage Gain Boost Converter Based on Three-State Commutation Cell for Battery Charging Using PV Panels in a Single Conversion Stage

Abstract: This paper presents a novel high-voltage gain boost converter topology based on the three-state commutation cell for battery charging using PV panels and a reduced number of conversion stages. The presented converter operates in zero-voltage switching (ZVS) mode for all switches. By using the new concept of single-stage approaches, the converter can generate a dc bus with a battery bank or a photovoltaic panel array, allowing the simultaneous charge of the batteries according to the radiation level. The operation principle, design specifications, and experimental results from a 500-W prototype are presented in order to validate the proposed structure.