Modified Multi Input Multilevel DC DC Boost Converter for Hybrid Energy Systems

Abstract

DC-DC converters are playing an important role in designing of Electric Vehicles, integration of solar cells and other DC applications. Contemporary high power applications use multilevel converters that have multi stage outputs for integrating low voltage sources. Conventional DC-DC converters use single source and have complex structure while using for Hybrid Energy Systems. This paper proposes a multi-input, multi-output DC-DC converter to produce constant output voltage at different input voltage conditions. This topology is best suitable for hybrid power systems where the output voltage is variable due to environmental conditions. It reduces the requirement of magnetic components in the circuit and also reduces the switching losses. The proposed topology has two parts namely multi-input boost converter and level-balancing circuit. Boost converter increases the input voltage and Level Balancing Circuit produce Multi output. Equal values of capacitors are used in Level Balancing Circuit to ensure the constant output voltage at all output stages. The operating modes of each part are given and the design parameters of each part are calculated. Performance of the proposed topology is verified using MATLAB/Simulink simulation which shows the correctness of the analytical approach. Hardware is also presented to evaluate the simulation results.