Experimental Evaluation of Medium-Voltage Cascode Gallium Nitride(GaN)Devices for Bidirectional DC-DC Converters

Wide bandgap(WBG)semiconductors,such as silicon carbide(SiC)and gallium nitride(GaN),exhibit superior physical properties and demonstrate great potential for replacing conventional silicon(Si)semiconductors with WBG technology,pushing the boundaries of power devices to handle higher blocking voltages,switching frequencies,output power levels,and operating temperatures.However,tradeoffs in switching performance and converter efficiency when substituting GaN devices for Si and SiC counterparts are not well-defined,especially in a cascode configuration.Additional research with further detailed investigation and analysis is necessitated for medium-voltage GaN devices in power converter applications.Therefore,the aim of this research is to experimentally investigate the impact of emerging 650/900 V cascode GaN devices on bidirectional dc-dc converters that are suitable for energy storage and distributed renewable energy systems.Dynamic characteristics of Si,SiC,and cascode GaN power devices are examined through the double-pulse test(DPT)circuit at different gate resistance values,device currents,and DC bus voltages.Furthermore,the switching behavior and energy loss as well as the rate of voltage and current changes over the time are studied and analyzed at various operating conditions.A 500 W experimental converter prototype is implemented to validate the benefits of cascode GaN devices on the converter operation and performance.Comprehensive analysis of the power losses and efficiency improvements for Si-based,SiC-based,and GaN-based converters are performed and evaluated as the switching frequency,working temperature,and output power level are in-creased.The experimental results reveal significant improvements in switching performance and energy efficiency from the emerging cascode GaN devices in the bidirectional converters.

A Review of Isolated Bidirectional DC-DC Converters for Data Centers

In today’s fast-paced,information-driven world,data centers can offer high-speed,intricate capabilities on a larger scale owing to the ever-growing demand for networks and information systems.Because data centers process and transmit information,stability and reliability are important.Data center power supply architectures rely heavily on isolated bidirectional DC-DC converters to ensure safety and stability.For the smooth operation of a data center,the power supply must be reliable and uninterrupted.In this study,we summarize the basic principle,topology,switch conversion strategy,and control technology of the existing isolated bidirectional DC-DC converters.Subsequently,existing research results and problems with isolated bidirectional DC-DC converters are reviewed.Finally,future trends in the development of isolated bidirectional DC-DC converters for data centers are presented,which offer valuable insights for solving engineering obstacles and future research directions in the field.

Application of non-isolated bidirectional DC-DC converters for renewable and sustainable energy systems:a review

The primary challenge in renewable-energy utilization is an energy-storage system involving its power converter.The systems have to promise high efficiency,reliability and durability.Also,all of these can be realized at an economical cost.Buck and boost converters connected in parallel can convert power in both directions.It is the basic non-isolated bidirectional topology commonly used with energy-storage systems.The primary issue with the buck-boost non-isolated bidirectional converter is how to enhance its performance,so the modification involving this topology is still conducted.This paper examines 29 proposed converters from 30 research publications published in the last 10 years,the most recent of which focuses on modified non-isolated bidirectional converters based on the buck-boost topology.These are classified into eight modification schemes,which involve adding new components or circuits to the base topology.Each is evaluated against six parameters:the number of components,control complexity,power-rating applications,soft-switching ability,efficiency outcome and capacity to minimize losses.Moreover,each modified non-isolated bidirectional converter was compared from the renewable-energy-based power-generation-source perspective utilized.Based on these studies,researchers might think of ways to improve the buck-boost converter by changing it to make a new non-isolated bidirectional converter that can be used in systems that need it.

Modeling and Current Programmed Control of a Bidirectional Full Bridge DC-DC Converter

Modelling of bidirectional full bridge DC-DC converter as one of the most applicable converters has received significant attention. Mathematical modelling reduces the simulation time in comparison with detailed circuit response;moreover it is convenient for controller design purpose. Due to simple and effective methodology, average state space is the most common method among the modelling methods. In this paper a bidirectional full bridge converter is modelled by average state space and for each mode of operations a controller is designed. Attained mathematical model results are in a close agreement with detailed circuit simulation.

Design Criterion for Interleaving and Magnetically Integrated Bidirectional DC/DC Converters

双向DC/DC变换器中大功率储能电感的设计是一件困难而具有挑战性的工作,提出研究双向DC/DC变换器的交错并联磁集成理论以克服这一困难。将三相Buck＋Boost双向DC/DC变换器的所有相电感集成为一个耦合电感,对磁集成后变换器运行在Buck模式下的稳态电流纹波和暂态响应速度进行深入研究,给出三相Buck＋Boost交错并联磁集成双向DC/DC变换器运行在Buck模式下的设计准则,即在设计这种变换器时,应根据占空比的大小及稳态相电流纹波和暂态总输出电流响应速度的技术要求,利用该文所给出的设计公式和设计区域选择磁集成耦合电感的反向耦合系数。仿真和实验验证了理论分析的正确性。

Design and Analysis of a 24 Vdc to 48 Vdc Bidirectional DC-DC Converter Specifically for a Distributed Energy Application

The design of a bidirectional dc-dc power converter specifically for a distributed energy application is presented. The existing two different DC voltage battery bank of the distributed generation needs to interlink each other using a bi-directional dc-dc converter in order to minimize the unbalance of the output load currents of the three inverters connected to electric grid system. Through this connection, a current can flow from one system to another or vice versa depending on which systems need the current most. Thus, unbalanced currents of the grid line have been minimized and the reliability and performance of the DER grid connected system has been increased. A detailed mathematical analysis of the converter under steady state and transient condition are presented. Mathematical models for boost and buck modes are being derived and the simulink model is constructed in order to simulate the system. Moreover, the model has been validated on the actual operation of the converter, showing that the simulated results in Matlab Simulink are consistent with the experimental ones.

An Overview of Bidirectional DC-DC Converter Topologies and Control Strategies for Interfacing Energy Storage Systems in Microgrids

A microgrid is defined as a local electric power distribution system with diverse DG （distributed generation） units, energy storage systems, and loads, which can operate as a part of the distribution system or when needed can operate in an islanded mode. Energy storage systems play a key role in improving security, stability, and power quality of the microgrid. During grid-connected mode, these storage units are charged from various DG sources as well as the main grid. During islanded mode, DG sources along with the storage units need to supply the load. Power electronic interfaces between the microgrid buses and the storage units should be able to detect the mode of operation, allow seamless transition between the modes, and allow power flow in both directions, while maintaining stability and power quality. An overview of bidirectional converter topologies relevant to microgrid energy storage application and their control strategies will be presented in this paper.

A Resonant Dual Full-Bridge Class-E Bidirectional DC-DC Converter for Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle

The interests on energy storage schemes, bidirectional dc-dc converter and uninterruptible power supplies have been increasing nowadays as there wide researches are undertaken in the area of electric vehicles. A modified bi directional class-E resonant dc-dc converter is introduced here in this proposed topology for the application in electric vehicles. The advantages of soft switching techniques have been utilized for making analysis simple. The main advantage here in this system is that it can operate in a wide range of frequencies with minimal switching loss in transistors. This paper elaborates a detailed analysis on converter design and the same has been simulated and verified in Matlab/Simulink.

A Piecewise Linear Slope Compensation Circuit for DC-DC Converters

To prevent sub-harmonic oscillation and improve the stability and load capacity of the system,a piecewise linear slope compensation circuit is designed. Compared with the traditional design, this circuit provides a compensation signal whose slope varies from different duty cycles at - 40-85℃ ,and reduces the negative effect of slope compensation on the system＇s load capacity and transient response. A current mode PWM Boost DC-DC converter employing this slope compensation circuit is implemented in a UMC 0.6μm-BCD process. The results indicate that the circuit works well and effectively,and the load capacity is increased by 20%. The chip area of the piecewise linear slope compensation circuit is 0.01mm^2 ,which consumes only 8μA quiescent current,and the efficiency ranges up to 93%.

A Novel Hybrid DPWM for Digital DC-DC Converters

We present a new hybrid digital pulse-width modulator （DPWM） for digital DC-DC converters that employs a ring-oscillator/counter structure. Based on a temperature/process compensation technique and a novel digital controller, the proposed DPWM can not only offer temperature/process-independent pulse widths, but also operate at a much higher clock frequency than the existing delay-line/counter DPWM structure. Post-simulation results show that with our DPWM, the system clock frequency reaches 156.9MHz while the worst variation,in a temperature range of 0 to 100℃under all process corners,is only± 9.4%.

Modeling the System for Hybrid Renewable Energy Using Highly Efficient Converters and Generator

High-efficient isolated DC/DC converters with a high-efficiency synchronous reluctance generator(SRG)are the ultimate solutions in DC microgrid systems.The design and modeling of isolated DC/DC converters with the performance of SRG are carried out.On the generator side,reactive and active powers are used as pulse width modulation(PWM)control variables.Further,the flux estimator is used.Three-phase PWM rectifier is used by applying space vector modulation(SVM)with a constant switching frequency for direct power control.Further,the paper also includes the experimental validation of the results.The paper also proposes that highly efficient power converters and synchronous reluctance generators are required to achieve high performance for hybrid renewable energy systems applications.

ANovel Non-Isolated Cubic DC-DC Converter with High Voltage Gain for Renewable Energy Power Generation System

In recent years,switched inductor(SL)technology,switched capacitor(SC)technology,and switched inductor-capacitor(SL-SC)technology have been widely applied to optimize and improve DC-DC boost converters,which can effectively enhance voltage gain and reduce device stress.To address the issue of low output voltage in current renewable energy power generation systems,this study proposes a novel non-isolated cubic high-gain DC-DC converter based on the traditional quadratic DC-DC boost converter by incorporating a SC and a SL-SC unit.Firstly,the proposed converter’s details are elaborated,including its topology structure,operating mode,voltage gain,device stress,and power loss.Subsequently,a comparative analysis is conducted on the voltage gain and device stress between the proposed converter and other high-gain converters.Then,a closed-loop simulation system is constructed to obtain simulation waveforms of various devices and explore the dynamic performance.Finally,an experimental prototype is built,experimental waveforms are obtained,and the experimental dynamic performance and conversion efficiency are analyzed.The theoretical analysis’s correctness is verified through simulation and experimental results.The proposed converter has advantages such as high voltage gain,low device stress,high conversion efficiency,simple control,and wide input voltage range,achieving a good balance between voltage gain,device stress,and power loss.The proposed converter is well-suited for renewable energy systems and holds theoretical significance and practical value in renewable energy applications.It provides an effective solution to the issue of low output voltage in renewable energy power generation systems.

Large-areaβ-Ga_(2)O_(3) Schottky barrier diode and its application in DC-DC converters

We demonstrate superb large-area verticalβ-Ga_(2)O_(3)SBDs with a Schottky contact area of 1×1 mm^(2)and obtain a high-efficiency DC-DC converter based on the device.Theβ-Ga_(2)O_(3)SBD can obtain a forward current of 8 A with a forward volt-age of 5 V,and has a reverse breakdown voltage of 612 V.The forward turn-on voltage(VF)and the on-resistance(Ron)are 1.17 V and 0.46Ω,respectively.The conversion efficiency of theβ-Ga_(2)O_(3)SBD-based DC-DC converter is 95.81%.This work indicates the great potential of Ga_(2)O_(3)SBDs and relevant circuits in power electronic applications.

Paralleled DC-DC Power Converters Sliding Mode Control with Dual Stages Design

This paper proposes the new cascaded series parallel design for improved dynamic performance of DC-DC buck boost converters by a new Sliding Mode Control (SMC) method. The converter is controlled using Sliding Mode Control method that utilizes the converter’s duty ratio to determine the skidding surface. System modeling and simulation results are presented. The results also showed an improved overall performance over typical PID controller, and there was no overshoot or settling time, tracking the desired output nicely. Improved converter performance and robustness were expected.

Simulations of the Performance of Maximum Power Point Tracking Algorithms Based on Experimental Data According to the Topologies of DC-DC Converters

Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithms are now widely used in PV systems independently of the weather conditions. In function of the application, a DC-DC converter topology is chosen without any previous performance test under normal weather conditions. This paper proposes an experimental evaluation of MPPT algorithms according to DC-DC converters topologies, under normal operation conditions. Four widely used MPPT algorithms i.e. Perturb and Observe (P & O), Hill Climbing (HC), Fixed step Increment of Conductance (INCF) and Variable step Increment of Conductance (INCV) are implemented using two topologies of DC-DC converters i.e. buck and boost converters. As input variables to the PV systems, recorded irradiance and temperature, and extracted photovoltaic parameters (ideality factor, series resistance and reverse saturation current) were used. The obtained results show that buck converter has a lot of power losses when controlled by each of the four MPPT algorithms. Meanwhile, boost converter presents a stable output power during the whole day. Once more, the results show that INCV algorithm has the best performance.

Enhancing the Performance of the Marine and Tidal Current Converters Using DC-DC Boost Converter

Due to the highly demand on the renewable energy sources as a free and a clean power resource, extracting energy from unsteady flow using marine and tidal current turbines has a distinct focusing nowadays. For their resource characteristic, extracting energy from marine/tidal current needs a simple and robust converter, which could overcome the drawbacks of the mechanical system such as gearbox and enhance conversion system stability. In this paper a new AC-DC-AC conversion system has been proposed. The new conversion system contains a middle stage DC-DC boost converter, which boost the generated rectified DC voltage higher enough that can enable the PWM inverter to generate the required voltage with the synchronized frequency. In order to investigate the efficient performance of the proposed conversion system especially at low current speed compared to the conventional one, different operating conditions have been studied. Moreover, the effect of including boost converter on the THD （total harmonic distortion） has also been checked. The new conversion system presents its capability to enhance and improve system performance not only with low current speed but also with high current speed.

Design Analysis of DC-DC Converters Connected to a Photovoltaic Generator and Controlled by MPPT for Optimal Energy Transfer throughout a Clear Day

The DC-DC converters are widely used in photovoltaic generating systems as an interface between PV module and the load. These converters must be chosen to be able to match the maximum power point (MPP) of PV module when climatic conditions change with different resistive load values. So DC-DC converters must be used with MPPT controller in order to reduce losses in the global PV system. This article focuses on the effect of climatic conditions on design of two components (inductance, capacitance) for three topologies of DC-DC converters commonly used in PV systems. When climatic conditions change, the boundary of inductance and capacitance parameters of DC-DC converter will change. These two parameters must be properly sized to achieve optimal efficiency for each converter. The design optimization is based on two principles: 1) for a steady-state operation in a continuous conduction mode, the inductance value for all choppers must be greater than the maximum value of boundary inductance, and 2) in order to limit the output voltage ripple of DC-DC converter below a desired value, the filter capacitance must be larger than the maximum value of boundary capacitance.

Multi-Phase QR ZCS Switched-Capacitor Bidirectional Power Converter for PV System Application

The multi-phase implementation in the QR （quasi resonant） ZCS （zero current switching） SC （switched capacitor） bidirectional DC-DC converter structure has been proposed to reduce current ripple, switching loss and significantly increase the converter efficiency and power density. This approach provides a more precise output voltage to obtain voltage conversion ratios from the double-mode versus half-mode to n-mode versus 1/n mode. This is accomplished by adding a different number of switched-capacitors and power MOSFET switches with a small series connected resonant inductor for forward and reverse schemes. The size and cost can be reduced when the proposed converter has been designed with the coupled inductors. The simulation and experimental results have been used to demonstrate the performance of the two-phase with and without coupled inductor interleaved QR ZCS SC converters for bidirectional power flow control application, and an extending structure for N-phase is mentioned.

Design and Simulation of a Solar Regulator Based on DC-DC Converters Using a Robust Sliding ModeController

The MPPT （maximum power point tracking） is one of the most important features of a regulator system that processes the energy produced by a photovoltaic generator. It is necessary, in fact, to design a controller that is able to set the output value of the voltage and ensure the working within the maximum power point. In this paper, we propose the application of the robust sliding mode control technique to a DC-DC buck converter which is combined with a classical P ＆ O （perturbation and observation） algorithm to enhance the solar system efficiency. Dynamic equations describing the boost converter are derived and a sliding mode controller for a buck converter is designed. It is shown that, this control approach gives good results in terms of robustness toward load and input voltage variations. The effectiveness of the proposed work is verified by the simulation results under PowerSim environment.

A Method to Obtain Complex Transfer Functions of Four Order DC-DC Converters

Two TFs （transfer functions） are needed to analyze switching DC-DC converters in control-voltage mode： the duty-cycle to output-voltage （control to output） and the input-voltage to output-voltage （line to output）. To obtain these TFs a small-signal analysis is required. The CCM （continuous conduction mode） and the DCM （discontinuous conduction mode） analysis are different. When a circuit includes the loss resistances of the components, the number of parameters increases considerably, making manual nodal-loop circuit analysis techniques impractical to obtain the TFs. Moreover, these circuits are bilinear （non-linear） and it is necessary to linearize the equations at a DC operating-point （approximate linearization）. Vorp6rian describes a PWM （pulse-width-modulated） switch model that includes all non-linear parts of the DC-DC switching converters. This model can be linearized and replaced on the switching converter schematic leading to a linear circuit. At this point it is possible to use symbolic analysis programs to obtain these TFs or to simply apply numerical values for either the Bode diagrams or the calculation of poles and zeros. Here we describe an application of Ekrem Cangeici＇s method on X DC-DC converter to obtain control to output and line to output TFs in CCM and DCM including loss resistances. The method presented in this paper is optimized to use in the online publishing platform OctaveRS. Also the control to output TF for PCC （peak current controlled） in CCM is obtained.