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In practical microgrids, the inhomogeneous initial values are widely appeared due to soft-starting operation. If traditional model order reduction approaches are applied, the input-output maps error between the original system and reduced-order system is large. To address this problem, this paper proposes a reduced-order aggregate model based on balanced truncation approach to provide the preprocessing approach for the real-time simulation of large-scale converters with inhomogeneous initial conditions in DC microgrid. Firstly, the standard linear time-invariant model with inhomogeneous initial conditions is established through non-leader multiagents concept. To end this, it is convenient for scholars to build complex system modeling with switched topology. Furthermore, the full system is divided into two components, i.e., the unforced component with nontrivial initial conditions and forced component with null initial conditions. Moreover, this paper presents an aggregated approach that involves independent reducing component responses and combining reducing component responses. Based on this, the input-output maps error is reduced. Then, the approximated error estimate of the reduced-order aggregate model regarding large-scale converters in DC microgrid is first provided, which provides prior knowledge and theoretical basis for DC microgrid designers. Finally, the simulation results illustrate the accuracy of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In renewable energy micro-source applications, a wide range of voltage conversion of the step-up converter is an essential part to equalize the typical low voltage of micro-source with DC-bus voltage of Inverter or motor drives. In order to meet this purpose, an ultra-voltage gain step-up DC-DC converter is proposed in this paper. The proposed converter has made an arrangement of the regenerative-boost fed switched inductor and capacitor configurations. Thereby, due to such an organization of structure, the proposed converter can develop an extremely high voltage-gain even at lower duty ratios. In addition, it has the advantage of lower switching stress across all power semi-conductive diodes. Furthermore, this paper describes the steady-state analysis and comparative features of the converter with existing recent literature. Finally, to validate theoretical analysis and test the feasibility and suitability of the proposed ultra-gain converter, the experimental results were observed by a 500 W fabricated prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DC-DC converters are needed for the future development of high voltage direct current (HVDC) grids, as they allow to interconnect lines with different voltages and topologies. The dc-dc converters can increase the grid controllability adding power flow control, voltage regulation and/or fault blocking capability. The dc modular multilevel converter (dc-MMC) is a non-isolated solution proposed to interconnect HVDC systems with the same line topology. This paper proposes a new dc-MMC with a control strategy, which allows the converter to interconnect different line topologies (e.g., rigid bipole connected to a symmetric monopole). The paper presents the different line topologies in HVDC installations. Then, a mathematical model with a variable transformation is proposed for the new dc-dc converter. A control structure is proposed and implemented in Matlab/Simulink using an average arm model and simplified dc grids. The results validate the control in normal operation, fault blocking capability and post-fault scenario (degraded mode). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dc-dc converters with high step-up DC-voltage gain play a vital role in integrating low voltage DC sources. Though several converter topologies are reported in the recent past, attempts have been made to reduce the components, especially the switching devices, passive elements, converter losses, etc., of the converter. A novel DC-DC converter topology, viz., single switched impedance network (SSIN)-based converter with n-stage is proposed in this paper. The operation of the SSIN based converter in continuous and discontinuous conduction modes are discussed. The effect of parasitic elements on DC-voltage gain and efficiency of the SSIN is carried out. The small-signal model of the SSIN converter is derived. The performance of the SSIN converter is compared with the similar converter topologies. The 500 W prototypes of the SSIN with n = 1 and n = 2 are fabricated, and the experimental results are presented in this paper. To improve the converter performance, SiC-based semiconductor devices are used. The SSIN converter with two-stage has low switch loss at 500 W load, improved efficiency during high power and high output voltage operation, the switch stress of Vo/2, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modular multilevel converters (MMCs) have been recognized as the most attractive technology for high voltage direct current (HVDC) applications during the last years. Their advantages include the ability to freely control the internally stored energy in the distributed submodules (SMs) and to independently control AC and DC powers. Recent studies showed that an MMC can take advantage of this degree of freedom to supply ancillary services with low energy requirements such as frequency response or power oscillation damping by connecting energy storage systems (ESSs) to its SM capacitors. This paper proposes a modular DC-DC converter as an interface between the energy storage element and the SM capacitor. As it can be built with switches allowing a high switching frequency, it is shown that the volume of the passive components can be reduced in comparison with interface converters known in the literature. The proposed control strategy avoids to transfer the harmonics of a SM to the ESS that prevents to drastically oversize the system. The proposed control method also provides an appropriate energy exchange without affecting the control philosophy of an MMC and it addresses balancing issues. Simulations and a downscaled prototype confirm the relevance of the proposed control. As the proposed interface converter is able to track the power reference with fast dynamics, it provides the same system-level advantages as other interface converters known in the literature but with a reduced volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A phase-locked loop (PLL) is commonly used in grid-connected power converter for synchronization. A single input single output (SISO) linear model of PLL with the phase angle of the point of common coupling (PCC) voltage as input and the estimated phase angle as the output is generally used in the PLL analysis and design. However, an undesirable coupling between the magnitude and phase of the input voltage is present when a filtering stage is incorporated before the control loop, which a SISO model cannot capture, and could result in a significant disturbance in the PLL estimated phase during grid faults. This paper proposes a generalized multi-input multi-output (MIMO) linear model that captures the complete PLL dynamics during symmetrical faults for a PLL equipped with any prefilter. Furthermore, a compensation method that decouples the magnitude dynamics of the input voltage from the phase dynamics is proposed in this paper. The proposed compensation improves the PLL's phase tracking performance by ensuring that the prefiltered PLL acts only on the PCC voltage phase changes. A vital application of the proposed compensation method for PLL is during a grid fault case, wherein the converters are expected to contribute to the fault current, which requires an accurate measurement of the PCC voltage phase. The compensation method's effectiveness is demonstrated using power hardware in the loop simulation of a hardware voltage source converter interfaced to a distribution system simulated in real-time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dynamic wireless charging (DWC) is one of the most promising and economical power supply solutions for electric vehicles (EVs), which can address range anxiety and downsize the volume of onboard batteries. To solve the null power phenomenon and transfer power pulsation phenomenon in DWC scheme, this paper proposes a new magnetic coupler array to implement continuous charging and reduce the output power variation. The transmitters are placed with a proper interval to eliminate the adjacent coupling and enlarge the coil array’s effective length. ANSYS Maxwell is utilized to demonstrate the finite element analysis (FEA) of the DWC system. A larger receiver coil is designed to significantly mitigate power pulsation and increase the magnetic coupling as the receiver moves along the array. With the well-designed receiver coil, the output power pulsation is $\pm$ 1.52 $\%$. For the high-power capacity scenario, a multilevel connected DC-DC converter is designed on the receiver side to regulate the transfer power. Besides, a passivity-based control (PBC) is developed for the receiving DC-DC converter based on the Euler-Lagrange (EL) model, and a current sharing compensator is employed to balance each phase inductor current. Finally, a 500- $\text{W}$ prototype is constructed, and experimental results are represented to validate the proposed optimized coil array and the proposed PBC method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an interfaced wind energy conversion system (WECS) using the switched reluctance generator (SRG). A bidirectional DC-DC converter is adopted as an interface stage to achieve optimal excitation voltage at the SRG side, while a voltage source converter regulates the DC-bus voltage. The SRG works with superior performance, which is characterized by a compromise between efficiency and torque ripple, using the optimal excitation parameters. In addition, the interface stage adds a filtering behavior, mitigating the voltage ripple produced by the SRG, thus improving the power quality reflected in the grid current. A comparison of optimized SRG systems, with direct connection and with interfaced connection, is conducted. Experimental results show that the interface converter improves the performance of the SRG in WECS. Although the extra converter efficiency is approximately 88%, the overall system efficiency is only reduced by up to 2.5% due to the SRG optimal parameters. Nonetheless, as advantages of the method, the torque oscillations are reduced by up to 9.5% in high speeds. Moreover, due to the converter filtering behavior, the grid current harmonic content is reduced by up to 6% in the comparison. Therefore, this research indicates that the proposed approach is a viable option for SRG in WECS, especially for scenarios where the DC-DC converter is already necessary, such as in a microgrid application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geomagnetic Disturbances (GMDs) are the result of solar storms or a high-altitude nuclear detonation. On the power systems, they might lead to the flow of quasi-DC currents referred as Geomagnetically Induced Currents (GICs). These currents cause the AC current offset that may drive the power transformers into saturation. This leads to large draw of reactive power, causes transformer internal heating and increased noise level, damage to shunt capacitors, harmonic filters and maloperation of power system protection equipment. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art of the GIC mitigation and elimination strategies and their respective limitations. It also introduces converter-based strategies as a new avenue of power system protection against GICs by presenting novel strategies that involve the integration of the proposed schemes between the neutral and ground of power transformers. One of the proposed schemes is a contribution to the approaches solely focused towards GIC mitigation, whereas, the other provides a variety of grid-support functions in addition to GIC elimination. The simulations performed in a Controller Hardware-in-the-Loop (C-HIL) environment verify the proposed schemes as a promising alternative to the current GIC mitigation approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digital implementation of all the control loops of a versatile buck-boost (VBB) dc–dc converter used in a stand-alone photovoltaic application is proposed in this paper to improve existing digital-analog sliding-mode-based implementations. All three control loops: maximum power point tracking (MPPT), fast input voltage regulation, and inner high-bandwidth current control, have been programmed in the same digital signal controller (DSC). A Model Predictive Control (MPC) based algorithm has satisfactorily solved the challenge of implementing the nominal 100 kHz switching frequency current loop. The MPC cost function is distributed throughout the algorithm to achieve three specific goals: the tracking of the reference current (G1), a quasi-constant steady-state switching frequency (G2), and the assurance that the duration of an interval is larger than the time required to calculate it (G3). The third goal requires the current control to toggle between peak- and valley-modes depending on the operating point. The correct fulfillment of these control objectives on the proposed MPC-based algorithm has been validated through simulations and experimental tests performed on a purpose built-prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modular multilevel converter (MMC) has been widely used in the multi-terminal overhead line high-voltage direct current (HVDC) system due to its outstanding performance. However, the AC side and the DC side of MMC-HVDC have a strong interaction and will be affected by each other's faults, which brings the risk of system instability. In this paper, a modified MMC named active MMC with embedded energy storage in submodules (SMs) is proposed to isolate the impact of faults as a firewall. Firstly, the topologies of the active MMC and SMs with energy storage are introduced. Then the operation principle of the active MMC under different faults is analyzed in a multi-terminal MMC-HVDC system. Thirdly, the complete control scheme of the active MMC is proposed for bidirectional fault isolation. Finally, two main application scenarios of the active MMC are simulated in a three-terminal MMC-HVDC system and a particularly designed AC/DC hybrid transmission system respectively in PSCAD/EMTDC. The simulation waveforms of the active MMC are compared with the conventional MMC. Simulation results show that the active MMC can effectively protect the AC system and DC system from each other's faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article develops a series of improved Z-source dc–dc converters to realize additional voltage pumping and high power density through two propositions. Proposition 1 develops two improved positive- and negative-connected Z-source dc–dc converters (IPZSC and INZSC), using the same number of components as in the existing voltage pumping Z-source converter. Based on Proposition 1, Proposition 2 proposes four novel embedded Z-source dc–dc converters (EZSCs) by placing the source in a specifically designed position, which realizes lower voltage stresses across capacitors. Various technical aspects of the proposed EZSCs, including operations, power losses, and small signal stability analyses are detailed in this paper. Besides, comparisons between the proposed series of improved Z-source dc–dc converters and other existing Z-source dc–dc converters are thoroughly made to demonstrate the better performance of the EZSCs. Finally, experiments are conducted to well validate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed converter circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A power systems of wearable application requires high power conversion efficiency and bidirectional power flows to obtain the compatibility with various power sources and loads. The conventional flyback converter has a simple structure and bidirectional power conversion capability. However, it shows poor power conversion efficiency caused by hard-switching operation, high DC offset current on the transformer, snubber losses, and large peak current. In this paper, a current-fed CLLC resonant converter is proposed to obtain the high power conversion efficiency and the bidirectional power conversion capability. The soft-switching operation, zero DC-offset current, and small peak current can induce high power conversion efficiency. The asymmetric pulse width modulation (APWM) regulates the bidirectional power flows and the output voltage. The design methodology of the proposed converter is analyzed by introducing its operational principles. The performance of the proposed converter is experimentally verified with a 20 W prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a delta-connected Modular Multilevel STATCOM with partially rated storage (PRS-STATCOM), capable of providing both reactive, and active power support. The purpose is to provide short-term energy storage enabled grid support services such as inertial, and frequency response, either alongside or temporarily instead of standard STATCOM voltage support. The topology proposed here contains two types of sub-modules (SM) in each phase-leg: standard sub-modules (STD-SMs), and energy storage element sub-modules (ESE-SMs) with a dc-dc interface converter between the SM capacitor, and the ESE. A control structure has been developed that allows energy transfer between the SM capacitor, and the ESE resulting in active power exchange between the converter, and the grid. Injecting $\text{3}^{rd}$ harmonic current into the converter waveforms can be used to increase the amount of power that can be extracted from the ESE-SMs, and so reduce the required ESE-SMs fraction in each phase-leg. Simulation results demonstrate that for three selected active power ratings, 1 pu, $\frac{2}{3}$ pu, and $\frac{1}{3}$ pu, the fraction of SMs that need be converted to ESE-SMs are only 69%, 59% & 38%. Thus, the proposed topology is effective in adding real power capability to a STATCOM without a large increase in equipment cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parasitic capacitance has a considerable impact on conductive electromagnetic interference (EMI), especially on the common mode (CM) noise. In vehicular applications, such as more electric aircraft and electrical vehicles, the value of CM stray capacitance can vary during the drive cycle, due to some change in environmental, and operating conditions, resulting in fluctuations in EMI level. Designing EMI filters according to potentially overestimated CM capacitance results in additional weight, volume, and cost which should be avoided. In this paper, for the first time, the parasitic capacitance relevant to CM noise is estimated in real-time using unscented Kalman filter (UKF). The UKF is employed due to its ability in dealing with nonlinearity and stochastic nature of the EMI as well as the measurement noises. The proposed method is tested on a typical dc–dc buck converter in different operating conditions. The effectiveness of the proposed method is tested using some hardware-in-the-loop experiments using dSPACE1104 development platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In DC microgrids, constant power loads (CPLs) reduce the effective damping of the DC-DC converter and may induce destabilizing effects into the DC-DC converter. To overcome such problems regarding CPL and ensure large-signal stability of DC-DC converters in DC microgrids, some feedforward terms are added to $V$ - $I$ droop-based dual-loop controller for a DC-DC converter based on the large-signal model. It is proven that the feedforward terms can not only improve the transient response but also guarantee the exponential stability of the closed-loop system in the whole operating range in regards to a large-signal manner, which is verified by using a singular perturbation model. Moreover, a disturbance observer is designed to estimate the output current, thereby enabling the removal of the current measurement sensor. The proposed technique can be easily plugged into a pre-defined $V$ - $I$ droop-based dual-loop controller without an additional sensor being required. Ultimately, both simulation and experimental tests verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a novel control for the multiple-input, single-inductor, multiple-output dc–dc converters. It is digitally and discretely implemented, which can have an outstanding performance in low-power applications so that at the power of 10 mW, it has an efficiency of 92.5%. Conventionally, in this power range, an attempt is made to take advantage of an analog design that is flexible. Thus, a fully programmable (software designed) converter with digital design using a microcontroller is in great demand. This converter design basis is to deploy the microcontroller's central processing unit (CPU) as little as possible. Also, it only turns on the CPU when necessary to be employed in low-power, portable systems, e.g., energy-harvesting technologies. Therefore, construction costs are significantly reduced. Depending on the energy level of the inputs, they can simultaneously be utilized to charge the outputs. This article uses stability analysis, time-multiplexing control method, and variable-frequency pulsewidth modulation in the proposed control design. Each output can be charged with different frequencies according to its load, and the maximum switching frequency is equal to 10 kHz. Also, the proposed technique for zero-current switching has been digitally implemented; it can be utilized to determine the optimal value of the inductor discharge duty cycle based on the inductor's left-side voltage. Comparative simulations and experimental results reveal the superiority and practicality of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cascaded dc–dc converter is a popular topology for large-scale medium-voltage photovoltaic (PV) system with the advantages of high voltage conversion ratio, high efficiency, great flexibility, and independent control capability. However, the absence of optimal string maximum power point tracking (MPPT) operation under power mismatch is a big issue in common centralized control. Furthermore, the cost and time delay are unacceptable resulting from the distance among PV strings in the large-scale PV station and the cascaded dc–dc converter needs to adopt the distributed control method without real-time communication. To this end, by introducing other necessary constraints including voltage constraints, power constraints, and gain constraints on the basis of the distributed MPPT control strategy, a distributed multimode control scheme is proposed in this article. Each submodule (SM) can be switched flexibly between multiple operation modes to maximize the extracted solar energy. Individual string MPPT and autonomous distribution of output voltage are achieved without communication under the proposed distributed control strategy. In this way, optimal operation range is wider, mode switching is simpler, and applicability and robustness are improved. A downscaled prototype and a 35-kV/6-MW simulation system are constructed to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dc–dc converter used for fuel cell vehicles should be characterized by a wide voltage-gain range and low input current ripple. In order to meet the above requirements, a new nonisolated dc–dc converter consisting of an active switched-inductor cell, a zero current ripple cell, and a switched-capacitor (SC) cell was proposed in this article. The proposed converter integrates with the advantages of a wide voltage-gain range, zero input current ripple, low voltage stresses across power semiconductors, and common ground structure. Thanks to the use of a zero current ripple cell, not only the input current ripple is reduced but also the energy transfer path of the SC cell is changed, thereby reducing the instantaneous peak current of the SC structure. The operating principles, the characteristics analysis, and the parameter design of the proposed converter are given. In addition, to show the merits of the proposed converter, a comparison study is demonstrated. Finally, a prototype of 400 V, 1000 W/50 kHz is developed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed converter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a unidirectional high step-up dc–dc converter. The study approaches principle of operation, analysis, guide design, and experimental validation. The high-voltage gain is reached using coupled inductors and voltage multiplier cells (VMC). An interleaved structure of two phases is employed to provide a low-current ripple in the input side. The current balance between the phases occurs due to the insertion of a built-in transformer, which also contributes to increasing the voltage gain. The energy from the leakage inductances is reused, reducing voltage spikes across the semiconductors. Additionally, the proposed converter provides an input–output common ground, which is a requirement for many applications. To verify the proposed converter, a 1-kW prototype, 48–800 V, and 16.67 of voltage gain, was designed and tested. The maximum peak efficiency reached was 94.89% and the rated power efficiency was 93.86%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a novel low-cost, single-switch, high-step-upresonant dc–dc converter with high reliability. The proposed converter topology comprises a low count of components and a simple structure and achieves the low ripple input current characteristic. The inductors in the resonant network participate in the resonant process rather than creating voltage spikes across the switch and likely reverse recovery problems. The circuit operates in the soft-switching condition (ZVS–ZCS conditions in the turn-off and turn-on transitions), leading to a significant reduction of the switching losses. Moreover, employing film capacitors instead of electrolytic capacitors reduces the size of the circuit and improves reliability. The operational principle and comprehensive steady-state analysis in the continuous conduction mode are discussed in detail, alongside the design considerations of the proposed converter. The validity of the theoretical equations is investigated via experiments, achieving maximum efficiency of 97.69% for a converter designed at the input of 24.5 V, the negative output of 200 V, and the maximum powerof 200 W. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces a new nonisolated soft-switching coupled-inductor (CI) step-up dc/dc converter. The presented topology utilizes a three-winding CI (TWCI) along with a voltage multiplier circuit to increase the voltage conversion ratio without needing a high duty cycle. Using this circuit, a high voltage gain can be achieved without requiring a large number of turns ratio in the CI. The input current ripple of the introduced converter is very low, which is very desirable for renewable energy sources applications. The TWCI also creates an additional design freedom to increase the voltage gain, which indicates more circuit flexibility. Additionally, the voltage stress across the single power switch is limited with the help of a regenerative clamp capacitor. The leakage inductor of the CI is used to create a resonant tank to reduce power losses further. The leakage inductances help provide the zero-current switching conditions for the single power switch and decrease the reverse-recovery issues for all diodes, leading to an efficiency improvement. The operation principle, steady-state analysis, and design considerations are discussed thoroughly. Finally, the theoretical analysis is validated through experimental results obtained from a 200 W prototype with 250 V output voltage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slow load transient performance, potential cross-regulation, and low efficiency are the major drawbacks for pseudocontinuous conduction mode single-inductor dual-output (SIDO) dc–dc converters. To overcome these drawbacks, this article proposes a voltage-ripple (VR)-based dynamic freewheeling (DF) control technique for hybrid conduction mode (HCM) SIDO buck converter. With the employment of VR controller, the proposed control technique improves the load transient performance significantly. As the fast recovery during load transition, the cross-regulation is minimized. Additionally, due to the DF controller, the freewheel current value automatically updates in each switching period, which can improve the efficiency of the HCM SIDO buck converter, especially under the light load conditions. Finally, the proposed converter has been verified through experimental results. The transient response time on 0.5 A load change takes only 1–2 switching periods. No observable cross- regulation is found and maximum efficiency of 92.03% is achieved. Finally, the experimental waveforms are presented to verify the theoretical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a novel single-phase single-stage ac–dc converter based on semi dual-active-bridge dc–dc converter is proposed for unidirectional power flow applications. Dual-phase-shift (DPS) and single-phase-shift (SPS) modes are adopted individually according to their operation. Only two control variables, which are primary side phase shift and the phase shift between the two bridges, are used. The optimal voltage and current waveforms in different operation modes are analyzed. The detailed transition process between the DPS mode and SPS mode is given, and the mode transition is seamless. The proposed converter can achieve high power factor correction without an inner current tracking loop. In addition, the switches can achieve zero-voltage switching on within a wide operating range and the rectifier diode can obtain zero-current switching off. The power transfer capability, mode transition mechanism, soft-switching range, mode operation range, and parameter design are analyzed. Besides, a 1 kW experimental prototype is built to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we propose a monitoring procedure based on a multilayer neural network with multivalued neurons (MLMVN) capable of preventing catastrophic failures of dc–dc converters. The neural classifier allows both the detection of any malfunction and its localization. Thanks to the low computational complexity, the proposed method operates online, estimating the deviations of the passive components from their nominal values: this allows control strategies to be promptly adopted and operation of the dc–dc converter to be kept in high efficiency and reliability conditions. Since measuring the voltage and current on each component increases the complexity of the system, a testability analysis is proposed with the aim of identifying the minimum number of measurements needed to distinguish the classes of failure. To make the testability phase easier and more intuitive, a graphical representation is proposed. As a case study, prognostic analysis has been applied to prevent catastrophic failures in a synchronous Zeta converter. Several fault conditions have been analyzed through simulations and experimental tests. The obtained results confirm the ability of the proposed method to prevent failures and, also, show that the application of MLMVN results in a better performance than classic solutions available in the literature, such as support vector machine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The switched-quasi-Z-source bidirectional dc–dc converter (SQBC) has the characteristics of wide voltage gain and low voltage stress, and is suitable for the power interface between the supercapacitors and the dc bus in the multisource system of electric vehicles. On the basis of the SQBC, an optimal design method for inductance parameters and variable switching frequency control strategy are proposed in this article. While remaining the wide voltage gain and low voltage stress characteristics of the topology, the soft-switching operation within the full voltage gain range is achieved without adding additional auxiliary devices. The variable switching frequency control strategy keeps the converter operating at the critical soft-switching point with the lowest switching losses per switching cycle, further improving the operation efficiency of the converter. Finally, an experimental prototype with a rated power of P = 300 W, input voltage of Ulow = 50–150 V and output voltage of Uhigh = 300 V was built, and its maximum efficiency is 98.28%, which verified the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of the switched affine system opens new perspectives for the control design of dc–dc converters. In order to overcome the drawbacks of the continuous-time switching control methods, several sampled-data-based switching control approaches have been proposed in the literature. However, in these works, the solution of control parameters involves a nonlinear optimization problem. In addition, the designed switching laws are nonlinear functions about the system state, which require higher computational resources. In this article, a periodic time-triggered hybrid control is proposed based on a new design framework. All the design conditions are in linear matrix inequality formulations, which can be conveniently solved by common semidefinite programming software. Moreover, the proposed switching law is a linear function about the state, reducing the online computing burden. Finally, a unified view of the classical continuous-time switching scheme and the proposed method is established. Simulation and experiment tests on a buck–boost converter demonstrate the good performance of the proposed control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a new single switch trans-inverse high step-up converter applicable in sustainable sources of energies such as photovoltaic (PV) and fuel cell (FC). Through developing a single-ended primary-inductor converter by a three-winding built-in transformer (BIT) mixed with a switched-capacitor voltage multiplier cell, high voltage gains as well as low voltage stress across the mosfet can be achieved to reduce the required duty cycle and the conduction losses. The third winding of the BIT acts in a trans-inverse manner whose turns ratio should be lower than unity. Hence, with a lower number of windings the voltage gain can also be improved. Furthermore, the quasi-resonance operation of the proposed converter, reduces the associated switching losses of the mosfet and also guarantees zero current switching of diodes through the whole switching cycle. Meanwhile, low input current of the proposed converter serves as an interesting feature to maintain PV and FC lifetime. The detailed steady-state analysis of the proposed high-efficiency converter is presented with an extensive performance comparison to explore its advantages. Finally, a 200-W prototype with 20–250-V voltage conversion is developed in the laboratory to examine the carried steady-state analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing centralized equalization methods can only equalize one battery cell at a time, which is the main reason that limits the equalization speed and practicability of such methods. To overcome this limitation, this article proposes an integrated cascaded multiport converter (ICMPC) to optimize the structure and performance of the centralized equalization system. Through the proposed converter, the simultaneous and single-stage energy exchange between multiple unbalanced cells and the battery string can be achieved, so as to effectively improve the equalization speed. Meanwhile, the number of ports of the ICMPC is easy to expand, and the optimized system possesses the advantages of compact structure, high efficiency, and high cost effectiveness compared with conventional methods. As the basic and typical form of the ICMPC, the integrated cascade three-port converter is analyzed as an example in terms of operation principle, parameter design, and zero-voltage switching analysis. Finally, to confirm the theoretical analysis, a laboratory prototype is designed, and a comprehensive comparison is performed. The experimental and comparative results fully prove the practicality and superiority of the proposed ICMPC-based centralized equalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parallel dc–dc converters are commonplace in applications such as computing power supplies, point of load systems, and dc microgrids. The presence of multiple converters in such systems allows for switch interleaving and ripple cancellation. One class of existing ripple reduction methods depends on central controllers that require communication among the converters. These approaches compromise system scalability and reliability. When it comes to decentralized methods, the state-of-the-art is limited to uniform conditions and cannot handle mismatches in physical parameters and operating points among converters. In this article, we address these shortcomings with fully decentralized controller that robustly drives the pulsewidth modulation carriers of a collection of heterogeneous converters to the phase-shifts that give minimized ripple. More precisely, the proposed controller eliminates the dominant fundamental switching harmonic from the output current and voltage using only local voltage feedback. After outlining a comprehensive analytical model, we experimentally validate our approach on a system of five parallel-connected buck converters under a variety of parametric and operational mismatches. Measurements show ripple reduction of more than $4\times$ in the output voltage and the fundamental switching frequency harmonic is attenuated by more than 30 dB compared to conventional symmetric interleaving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a new resonant three-port dc–dc converter with dual half bridges plus one full bridge is proposed, which can realize bidirectional power flow between each port. The resonant capacitor has three functions in the circuit: the resonant capacitor can improve the magnetic bias of half bridge converter, and therefore, the transformer saturation can be avoided; the resonant capacitor is introduced to make the inductor current close to sine wave, so that the eddy current loss of the transformer can be reduced; by setting the resonant frequency of one of the three ports equal to the switching frequency, the mutual interference between the other two ports can be reduced, so that the hardware decoupling effect is achieved. First, the operation principle of the three-port converter is analyzed. Second, the steady-state model of the converter is established, and the power transmission characteristics and soft-switching characteristics are analyzed. Third, the cause of the power coupling between ports is analyzed and the hardware decoupling method is proposed. Finally, the number of magnetic elements is reduced through magnetic integration, and the correctness of the theoretical analysis is verified by simulation and prototype experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel control technique that guarantees a ripple-free output current and voltage of a dc–dc multiphase staked interleaved converter is proposed. The conventional multiphase interleaved converters have been extensively used in various applications. However, ripple cancellation in these converters solely depends on the number of phases and can only be achieved at specific duty cycles. On the other hand, wide-range and ripple-free output are important paramount features for many modern applications. Therefore, the presented converter aims to combine the advantages of both the multiphase interleaved and the stacked converters into a single-unit converter suitable for high-power applications. Ripple-free output current/voltage is always guaranteed regardless of the number of phases and duty cycle values. This feature is accomplished by adding a fractionally-rated phase-leg to the conventional multiphase interleaved converter and modulating it with the proposed control approach. The configurable logic block, a state-of-the-art tool developed by Texas Instruments, is utilized to reduce the hardware size of the entire conversion system while increasing its speed and flexibility. Extensive simulation studies are carried out to confirm the functionality of the proposed control scheme. A laboratory porotype is developed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed control method experimentally. With only a few more components, significant reductions in output ripples are achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dual-active-bridge (DAB) is a typical topology of dc–dc converter for bus connection, voltage conversion, power transmission, and electrical isolation in dc power grids. The open-circuit switching fault (OCSF) may threaten the safe operation of DAB and should be eliminated in time. However, the researches on parasitic parameters mainly focus on traditional dc–dc converters, and there are still few discussions on parasitic parameters in the high-frequency dc–dc converter such as DAB. The power components are usually considered without parasitic parameters in OCSF analysis and tolerant control, leading to deviations in modality analysis and practical control for DAB. To solve this issue, the modality analysis considering parasitic parameters during OCSF in DAB is investigated, and the sneak circuits and electrical characteristics with parasitic parameters are discussed in this article. Besides, to realize fault tolerance for DAB during OCSF considering parasitic parameters, a new fault tolerance control strategy including modeling, topology transformation principle, and practical control architecture are also proposed. Compared with conventional fault tolerance strategy, the proposed strategy will be more efficient, rapid and feasible for DAB during OCSF process. The experimental results in DAB prototype verify correctness and effectiveness of analysis and proposed strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dickson-type dc–dc converters have gained renewed interest in recent years due to their best-in-class volt-amp switch utilization. In addition, “hybrid” switched-capacitor (HSC) structures increase passive component utilization while avoiding the slow-switching limit (SSL), and yet, most HSC work to date has done little to assess large signal voltage ripple behavior and subsequent passive utilization limits. This work contributes a comprehensive review of contemporary Dickson-type HSC converters before introducing eight fundamental reduced HSC Dickson structures, including three that are proposed here. Analysis allowing characterization of large signal operating points, capacitor sizing regimes, switching schemes, and maximum allowable power throughput is introduced. The analysis for “split-phase” switching is also presented in detail, without making small ripple approximations. Furthermore, an expression for large ripple flying capacitor energy density utilization is derived, assisting with optimal topology selection and revealing that split-phase operation may be preferable for conversion ratios greater than 6:1. All analysis is verified in simulation, with an additional discrete hardware prototype further validating a complex case of resonant split-phase timing. The analytical results of 17 distinct Dickson variations are recorded, assisting with topology selection and design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

V $^{2}$ control architecture is popular due to its simple compensation and fast load transient response. The stability margin of an analog V $^{2}$ controlled buck converter improves as the input voltage or capacitor effective-series resistance (ESR) increases. However, due to voltage-loop sampling, stability margin of a digital V $^{2}$ controlled buck converter degrades as the input voltage or capacitor ESR increases. Intuitively, it can be said that this happens due to sampling as sampling eliminates the ESR ripple from the output voltage. However, to get more clear insight and to propose a stabilizing solution, this article proposes an approximate discrete-time model-based framework. Analysis shows that the stability boundary of the controller's gain depends on the input and output voltages, and ESR. The stability boundary of the controller's gain is enhanced using an additional ramp compensation. Furthermore, a discrete-time small-signal model is developed to assess the slow-scale behavior of the buck converter. The model demonstrates an existence of complex conjugate poles with a low value of ESR. An analytical expression of critical value of ESR to keep the poles on the real axis is presented. To improve the load transient performance with a low ESR, a lag-lead compensator design technique is proposed. The proposed controller is realized in an FPGA device. Effectiveness of the proposed controller and accuracy of the analysis are validated experimentally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents dynamic voltage-domain stacking, which incorporates the attractive efficiency benefits of voltage-domain stacking into a wide-input-range conversion system. This is achieved by combining two novel switched-capacitor converter topologies with an integrated finite-state machine into a highly reconfigurable system. First, a zooming gearbox converter efficiently enables a wide input range while only implementing three conversion ratios. Second, a reconfigurable ladder converter continuously compensates for imbalance between the dynamically stacked voltage domains. A prototype has been fabricated in a 40-nm baseline CMOS technology to provide a stable supply voltage to four loads across an input voltage range from 4 V down to 0.55 V. Measurements show a best-in-class average efficiency of 80.1% and a peak efficiency of 92.1%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Junction temperature monitoring is the basis of high reliability operation for silicon carbide (SiC) devices, since thermal stress is the dominating aging factor. Conventional thermal sensitive electrical parameter methods have a poor monitoring performance for SiC Mosfets with low sensitivity. Thus, a high-sensitivity online junction temperature monitoring method is proposed based on the turn-on drain–source current overshoot. First, theoretical analysis is provided to clarify that the temperature difference between the body diode region and the on-state resistance region can be ignored in SiC Mosfets. It is an important basis for the proposed method, which is proven by an isothermal experiment. It is the first time to discover that the turn-on current overshoot (ΔiCm) of SiC Mosfets consists of both the reverse recovery current (iRR) and the intrinsic current overshoot (Δi0m). Next, a novel Tj monitoring strategy for SiC Mosfets is proposed based on comprehensive utilization of iRRm, Δi0m and ΔiCm. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by online experiments based on a dc–dc converter. The proposed method is more accurate than conventional TSEP methods with a high sensitivity of 20 mA/°C. Moreover, it still has a high monitoring performance when boundary conditions change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In undersea long-distance dc power distribution networks, power converters are distributed over the length of the trunk cable carrying constant dc current. Under regular circumstances, these series-connected isolated dc–dc converters deliver power from the constant current feed to their respective loads while regulating their output voltage or current. However, in the event of a cable or other faults, the converters in the string lose power from the source, and hence bidirectional load(s) could be employed for continuing power delivery to the priority loads. In this article, it is shown how a dual active bridge (DAB) based LCL-T resonant converter can be designed to meet the requirements of driving such bidirectional loads to provide constant voltage to the load from a constant current source under regular operation and convert a voltage source to a constant current drive for the priority loads in the event of loss of power from the main feed. Steady-state modeling and analysis are furnished for the DAB LCL-T converter with three-angle modulation to derive all the dc and ac signals of the converter. Detailed design and modulation angle control are presented to minimize the overall VA rating of the resonant tank, transformer, and H-bridges. Experimental validation is provided for a prototype hardware system converting 1-A input current to 150-V output voltage in the forward direction and 1-A current drive from 150-V dc source in reverse power transfer, operating at 250-kHz switching frequency over a 50–500 W load range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power electronics converters operating at elevated temperature usually have degraded performance, such as reduced efficiency, lower noise immunity, and decreased system reliability, compared to those operating at room temperature. Nevertheless, harsh-environment applications, such as deep earth drilling, automotive, avionics, and space exploration, have been utilizing converters in high-temperature environments and are continuously pushing the temperature limits higher and higher with the advances in device technologies and converter design methodologies. This article starts with a literature study to identify the temperature dependence and the temperature limits of individual components. Then, published works about high-temperature converters are examined. Their selection of components is compared. Experimental results are analyzed to reflect on the efficacy of different component selections. Finally, since the latest published high-temperature converter was developed more than five years ago, a 1-kV input, 520-V output, 1-kW, $150$ °C-ambient-temperature-rated dc–dc converter is designed with state-of-the-art devices. Based on the literature review, and the test of the $150$ °C prototype, the main challenges of designing high-temperature power electronics converters are identified and concluded to be time-consuming, difficult, and expensive characterization of components, lack of accurate and computationally efficient models of converters, and optimizing component selection within short development time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]