Modular DC-DC Converters

DC-DC converter is one of the mostly used power electronic circuits, and it has applications in various areas ranging from portable devices to aircraft power system. Various topologies of dc-dc converters are suitable for different applications. In high power applications such as the bi-directional dc-dc converter for dual bus system in new generation automobiles, several topologies can be considered as a potential candidate. Regardless of the topology used for this application, the reliability of the converter can be greatly enhanced by introducing redundancy of some degree into the system. Using redundancy, uninterrupted operation of the circuit may be ensured when a fault has occurred. The redundancy feature can be obtained by paralleling multiple converters or using a single modular circuit that can achieve this attribute. Thus, a modular dc-dc converter with redundancy is expected to increase the reliability and reduce the system cost. Recently, the advancement in power electronics research has extended its applications in hybrid electric automobiles. Several key requirements of this application are reliable, robust, and high efficiency operation at low cost. In general, the efficiency and reliability of a power electronic circuit greatly depend on the kind of circuit topology used in any application. This is one of the biggest motivations for the researchers to invent new power electronic circuit topologies that will have significant impact in future automobile industry. This dissertation reviews existing modularity in power electronic circuits, and presents a new modular capacitor clamped dc-dc converter design that has many potential uses in future automotive power system. This converter has multilevel operation, and it is capable of handling bi-directional power. Moreover, the modular nature of the converter can achieve redundancy in the system, and thereby, the reliability can be enhanced to a great extent. The circuit has a high operating efficiency (\u3e95%), and it is possible to integrate multiple voltage sources and loads at the same time. Thus, the converter could be considered as a combination of a power electronic converter and a power management system. In addition to the new dc-dc converter topology, a new pair of modular blocks defined as switching cells is presented in this dissertation. This pair of switching cells can be used to analyze many power electronic circuits, and some new designs can be formed using those switching cells in various combinations. Using these switching cells, many power electronic circuits can be made modular, and the modeling and analysis become easier

Fault blocking converters for HVDC transmission : a transient behaviour comparison

A thorough comparison of the transient behaviours of two state-of-the-art converters suitable for HVDC transmission is presented. The Alternate Arm and Mixed-Cell Modular Multilevel Converter topologies both have DC fault blocking capability and are selected for the comparison. Converter performance is evaluated and compared under various transient conditions including charging sequence, unbalanced operation, and DC fault recovery. The study is conducted using high-fidelity converter simulation models, integrating detailed controllers that reflect real-scale projects. The main findings of the study assist in the selection of the most suitable converter, given specific performance specifications such as capacitor voltage ripple, cell capacitor requirements, and response during transient operation

MODELING AND CONTROL OF DIRECT-CONVERSION HYBRID SWITCHED-CAPACITOR DC-DC CONVERTERS

Efficient power delivery is increasingly important in modern computing, communications, consumer and other electronic systems, due to the high power demand and thermal concerns accompanied by performance advancements and tight packaging. In pursuit of high efficiency, small physical volume, and flexible regulation, hybrid switched-capacitor topologies have emerged as promising candidates for such applications. By incorporating both capacitors and inductors as energy storage elements, hybrid topologies achieve high power density while still maintaining soft charging and efficient regulation characteristics. However, challenges exist in the hybrid approach. In terms of reliability, each flying capacitor should be maintained at a nominal `balanced\u27 voltage for robust operation (especially during transients and startup), complicating the control system design. In terms of implementation, switching devices in hybrid converters often need complex gate driving circuits which add cost, area, and power consumption. This dissertation explores techniques that help to mitigate the aforementioned challenges. A discrete-time state space model is derived by treating the hybrid converter as two subsystems, the switched-capacitor stage and the output filter stage. This model is then used to design an estimator that extracts all flying capacitor voltages from the measurement of a single node. The controllability and observability of the switched-capacitor stage reveal the fundamental cause of imbalance at certain conversion ratios. A new switching sequence, the modified phase-shifted pulse width modulation, is developed to enable natural balance in originally imbalanced scenarios. Based on the model, a novel control algorithm, constant switch stress control, is proposed to achieve both output voltage regulation and active balance with fast dynamics. Finally, the design technique and test result of an integrated hybrid switched-capacitor converter are reported. A proposed gate driving strategy eliminates the need for external driving supplies and reduces the bootstrap capacitor area. On-chip mixed signal control ensures fast balancing dynamics and makes hard startup tolerable. This prototype achieves 96.9\% peak efficiency at 5V:1.2V conversion and a startup time of 12$\mu s$, which is over 100 times faster than the closest prior art. With the modeling, control, and design techniques introduced in this dissertation, the application of hybrid switched-capacitor converters may be extended to scenarios that were previously challenging for them, allowing enhanced performance compared to using traditional topologies. For problems that may require future attention, this dissertation also points to possible directions for further improvements

Output impedance modeling of a multilevel modular switched-capacitor converter to achieve continuously variable conversion ratio

pre-printThe multilevel modular capacitor clamped dc-to-dc converter (MMCCC) topology is completely modular and belongs to two-phase switched capacitor converter group. The conversion ratio of an ideal MMCCC converter in step-up mode is an integer and depends on the number of modules used. For a k-module MMCCC, the maximum up-conversion ratio is (k+1), and it has already been shown in literature that different integer conversion ratios can be achieved by changing the active number of modules of an MMCCC. In this paper, different methods are proposed for MMCCC in order to achieve fractional conversion ratios (CR) in step-up mode without changing the complementary two-phase switching orientation. Fractional CRs can be obtained in several switched-capacitor circuits at the cost of significantly lower efficiency. However, MMCCC with the aid of a new pulse dropping technique can produce fractional CR while maintaining high efficiency. The variation in efficiency and equivalent resistance as a function of frequency has been analyzed in this paper. Simulation and experimental results using a reconfigurable 5-module MMCCC prototype have been used to validate the new control scheme

Efficiency characterization and impedance modeling of a multilevel switched-capacitor converter using pulse dropping switching scheme

pre-printApulse dropping switching technique (PDT) has been presented in this paper to accomplish variable conversion ratio (CR) in a multilevel modular capacitor-clamped dc-dc converter in the step-up conversion mode. The switching pattern is generated by comparing a triangular wave with a rectangular wave, and a proper output voltage regulation can be obtained by controlling the relative frequency and amplitude of these two waveforms. A state-space modeling technique has been applied here to estimate the variation in equivalent output resistance (EOR) for different operating conditions of the PDT. The EOR can be varied in a wide range without changing the operating frequency of the converter, and thereby the PDT enhances the degrees of freedom to accomplish voltage regulation in a two-phase switched-capacitor converter. Slow-switching limit of the converter has been derived to define the boundary of the EOR. Different challenges and limitations of the proposed modulation scheme has been discussed in detail, and the proposed analysis has been verified by comparing the analytical expressions with the simulation and experimental results for different switching frequencies, modulation indices, and number of active modules. In addition, variations in the CR, efficiency and ripple voltage for different number of active modules and switching conditions have been described in detail

A high-efficiency modular switched-capacitor converter with continuously variable conversion ratio

pre-printThe multilevel modular capacitor clamped converter (MMCCC) topology overcomes the difficulties of the multilevel switched capacitor (SC) based dc-to-dc converters in high conversion ratio applications. MMCCC is completely modular and has many other advantageous features. Like most other SC converters, MMCCC suffers from limited voltage regulation. The conversion ratio of an ideal MMCCC converter in step-up mode is an integer, and this integer conversion ratio depends on the number of active modules. The maximum conversion ratio in step-up configuration for a k-module MMCCC is (k+1). It has already been shown in literature that different integer CRs can be achieved by changing the number of active modules of an MMCCC. Achieving voltage regulation by lowering the operating frequency is another well known technique for switched capacitor converters. However, the output voltage ripple increases in inverse proportion of the frequency. In this paper, a new switching scheme is proposed for MMCCC to achieve continuously variable CRs. The proposed switching scheme requires introducing a small inductor in each module of the MMCCC without altering the modular structure of the converter. This additional inductor can be realized using the stray inductance distributed in the circuit or small external inductors. It has been shown that continuous CR variation with lower output ripple can be achieved without lowering the operating frequency of the converter. This proposed method introduces another degree of freedom in order to achieve variable CR using MMCCC. Simulation results and experimental results obtained from an MMCCC prototype have been used to validate the new control scheme

Nonlinear Cascaded Control for a DC-DC Boost Converter

The Boost Converter is a type of DC-DC converter that operates using switching techniques and is designed to elevate the voltage level. This paper presents a cascaded control for a boost converter to ensure that the inductor current and output capacitor voltage remain in a safe operating zone. Ensuring safe operating conditions and stable closed-loop poles is crucial because it guarantees that both current and voltage remain within the designated operating range. This preventive measure prevents any damage to components like capacitors (C), inductors (L), and switches. Unstable operation, on the other hand, could lead to oscillations and an undesirable increase in the amplitude of current and voltage, posing a risk to all components involved. The research contribution involves an investigation of cascaded control, utilizing power and energy concepts due to their advantageous effects on system performance and design. By implementing nonlinear controllers based on a large-signal averaged model, the closed-loop poles remain independent of operating points, eliminating the need for small-signal linearization. Small-signal linearization makes the controlled system dependent on the operating point. Two controllers are introduced based on power and energy concept, which is easy to understand. The potential practical application of the proposed cascaded control approach is in high-power applications. Tracking the energy stored in the output capacitor is first investigated to validate the proposed control scheme by varying the output voltage reference from 32 V to 50 V. Then, the regulation of the energy voltage is explored by varying the load resistance for the output voltage at 50 V. Both are done using a switched model using MATLAB/Simulink software. Simulation results are given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The key metrics used to assess the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme are the undershoot voltage and robustness. The results show that the studied system's tracking, regulating operations and robustness properties are as expected. The proposed method faces a challenge with the number of sensors required. To address this, observers can be utilized to reduce sensor usage while maintaining measurement accuracy. The proposed method can be applied to other power electronic systems