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Dual-input DC-DC converter for renewable

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ELECTROMOTION 21 (2014) 77-83 77

Dual-input DC-DC converter for renewable energy

E.H.E. Bayoumi

Abstract – Renewable energy sources are highly erratic in nature. It is difficult to provide reliable power supply to the load
under varying atmospheric conditions. Dual input DC-DC converter topology, which assimilates more than one DC sources,
is developed. A fuzzy-logic control scheme is designed to jumble the different nonlinear characteristic sources. A simulation
study is carried out to conduct the performance and to find the suitability for accommodating two sources. Performance
analysis is carried out and results are discussed.
Keywords: dual-input DC-DC converter, renewable sources, fuzzy controller

1. Introduction [3-4], but it is obvious that the whole system

Power electronic converters are utilized as a
power conditioning device, which extracts energy
available with the alternating nature of renewable
energy sources and delivers it to loads in
appropriate form. Employing individual converter
with a controller for each source increases the
energy cost further. Multi-input DC-DC (MIDC)
converters have recently been developed to
interface more than one power source. Batteries,
Super Capacitors (SC), Fuel Cells (FC), and solar-
PV are widely used as an electric power source or
an energy storage unit in the hybrid energy
system. In the structure of the electric power
system more than one of these units may be
employed to improve the performance and
efficiency; hence utilization of a MIDC converter
is expected to obtain a regulated DC voltage.
In the last decade, various hybrid system
structures have been proposed. In [1], converters
with different input sources are connected in
parallel on a common DC bus and each subsystem
can be designed as an individual module, but the
complicated control to realize energy management
is the main challenge. Moreover, the voltage gain
is limited by the non-isolated bidirectional
converters [2]. The different power sources can
also connected in series, as a multi-stage system
efficiency suffers from the multiple power
conversion stages, and reliability of this cascaded
connection is also questionable. Thus, to
overcome these challenges, multiport converters
have been proposed and receive more attentions in
recent years because of their simple topology and
improved performance.
In conventional approaches two-multi voltage
sources are connected in series, a control switch
has to be provided for each DC voltage source to
act as by-pass short-circuit for input current of
other supply. In [5] a new conversion structure for
the bidirectional interfacing of two DC voltage
sources with a higher voltage DC-link is
presented. Three controllable power electronic
switches are used. The only limit is that the sum of
the two DC voltages must be lower or equal than
the motor drive DC-link voltage. In [6] an
innovative conversion structure for the
bidirectional interfacing of two DC voltage
sources with a higher voltage DC link has been
employed.
A MIDC converter based on the flux additives
is given in [7]. Instead of combining input DC
sources in the electric form, the proposed
converter combines input DC sources in magnetic
form by adding up the produced magnetic flux
together in the magnetic core of the coupled

© 2014 – Mediamira Science Publisher. All rights reserved.

78 E.H.E. Bayoumi / Dual-input DC-DC converter for renewable energy

transformer. In [8] a novel MIDC converter to

obtain the regulated output voltage from several
input power sources such as a solar-PV, wind
generator, and FC is presented. Furthermore, the
two-input DC-DC converter using magnetic
coupling of the reactor was analyzed theoretically
and experimentally. Such magnetically coupled
DC-DC converts are also proposed by [9-12].
A double-input PWM DC-DC converter for
high-low voltage sources is proposed by [13]. In
[14] a buck-boost converter which is used to
Fig.1. Proposed dual-input DC/DC converter
combine a solar-PV source with a secondary
source to meet the load requirement is discussed. The switches S1 and S2 are operated with
In [15] a topology of integrated solar-PV and wind different turn-on and turn-off ratios at the same
powered hybrid electric vehicle is proposed. A bi- switching frequency.
directional DC-DC converter is used as an Power flow from both sources to load is
interface in order to regulate power flow between controlled by duty cycles d1, and d2 respectively.
battery pack and electric motor. A PI controller is Duty cycle d3 is used to regulate output voltage
used to control the bus voltage. In [16] dual input across the DC link capacitor. When switch S1 is
hybrid buck L/ hybrid buck C (HBLC) DC-DC turned ON, voltage and current of the inductor will
converter. It is consists of two hybrid step down be
converters with a high ratio of the input/output VL1  VS1 (1)
voltage, connected to a single output. Operation
1
d1T
modes, analytical description and digital
simulations, validated by experimental results, are
I L1 
L1 V
0
L1 dt  iL1 (0). (2)
given.
In this paper Dual input DC-DC converter Since, the inductor current is continuous, iL1(0)
topology is studied and analyzed. A fuzzy logic is is Imin and at the end of the period d1T, inductor
used to tune the PID controller parameters, which current will reach IL1. Similarly, voltage and current
in turns adjust the duty ratios of the Dual Input of the inductor can be derived when switch (S2) is
DC-DC converter to integrate the sources turned ON. The voltage-second balance on
effectively. MATLAB Fuzzy Logic Toolbox is inductor is expressed as
used to simulate the proposed system. Simulation VS1 d1T  VS 2 (d2  d1 )  VC1 (1  d2 )T  0. (3)
study shows that the proposed Dual Input DC-DC
converter establishes a robust interface among the
By expressing capacitor voltage in terms of output
two power characteristics sources and also
voltage, (3) is written as
achieves satisfactorily-regulated output voltage.
1 
2. Dual-input DC-DC converter VS1 d1T  VS 2 (d2  d1 )  Vo (1  d 2 )   1 T  0, (4)
 d3 
Dual-input DC-DC converter (DIDC) topology
is studied and the circuit topology of the DIDC is When VS1>VS2; d1<d2; Regulated output voltage of
shown in Fig.1. Two nonlinear sources are DIDC is given by
connected. Both source inputs allocate a common
inductor and a capacitor. The output of DIDC is d3 (VS1 d1  VS 2 (d 2  d1 )
Vo  (5)
connected to load through PWM inverter. This (1  d3 )(1  d 2 )
configuration allows unidirectional power flow. In when VS2>VS1; d2<d1. Regulated output voltage of
the steady state operation, continuous conduction DIDC is given by
mode results, if the inductor current is greater than
zero. This guarantees that, at least, one switch or d3 (VS 2 d1  VS1 (d 2  d1 )
a diode is conducting during all time and the Vo  . (6)
(1  d3 )(1  d 2 )
inductor current is assumed to be continuous.
 E.H.E. Bayoumi / Dual-input DC-DC converter for renewable energy 79

DIDC converter delivers maximum power from

the input sources to DC-link capacitor. Duty cycle
d3 is controlled in order to regulate output voltage
across the DC link capacitor and inverter delivers
power to the load in the specified voltage and
frequency level.

3. Fuzzy-logic control for dual-input DC-DC

converter
DIDC converter is utilized to integrate non-
linear characteristic energy sources.
Characteristics of such typical sources one and
Fig. 3. Defuzzification memberships for the computation
two considered for the analysis is shown in Fig. 2.
of duty cycle d1.
Fuzzy-logic-based scheme for DIDC converter
is proposed to produce appropriate control pulses
according to the nature of energy sources.
Proportional Integral Derivative (PID)
controller is most commonly used controller for
power converters. A PID controller calculates an
"error" value as a difference between measured
process variable and desired set-point. The
controller attempts to minimize the error by
adjusting the process control inputs. Use of the
PID algorithm for control does not guarantee
optimal control of the system or system stability.
It is difficult to tune three-term respectively
proportional (kp), integral (ki) and derivative (kd) Fig. 4. Defuzzification memberships for the computation
of duty cycle d2.
values, to harvest maximum power delivered from
the intermittent nature of renewable energy Developed input and output membership
sources. functions in MATLAB/fuzzy platform is shown in
Fuzzy logic is a form of many-valued logic and Fig. 5. Fuzzification results are used by fuzzy
it deals with reasoning that is approximate rather logic AND operations in the antecedent of fuzzy
than fixed and exact. It has the unique ability to rules to make combined membership values for
successfully accomplish control tasks, even if it is fuzzy inference. Rules are framed as per
complex and nonlinear. Duty ratios of power MAMDANI’s method and surface diagram of the
electronic switch connected with sources one and framed rules are shown in Fig. 6. Five degree of
two are derived from fuzzy controller. Different memberships is considered in each input
degree of memberships is considered for the parameter for fuzzification, which results twenty
analysis and best memberships are considered five possible decisions. Defuzzification
finally as shown in figure as shown in Fig. 3 and membership with eleven degree of memberships is
Fig. 4. considered in the output parameter which results
hundred and twenty one possible decisions for the
given input parameters. Analysis on selection of
number of membership for the given input
parameter and decision boundary is carried out.
Performance comparison among the different
defuzzification memberships shows that
membership with eleven degree gives better
performance than other. Deciding factors consider
for the selection of defuzzification memberships is
Fig. 2. Power characteristics of (a) source 1 (b) source 2. given in Table 2 of Appendix.
80 E.H.E. Bayoumi / Dual-input DC-DC converter for renewable energy
Fig. 5. Membership functions (a) Source 1, (b) Source 2,
(c) Duty ratio d1, (d) Duty ratio d2.
Fig. 6. Surfaceresults
diagram of fuzzy rule base for
4. Simulation
(a) duty cycle d1, (b) duty cycle d2.
Dynamic simulation environment is developed
based on the mathematical model of the Dual-
Input DC-DC converter in MATLAB/Simulink
platform. The parameters of DIDC converter is
designed to meet a load of 8 kW and is given in
Table 1.
Figs. 7 and 8 show the output waveforms
obtained from the simulation studies on the
proposed converter topology for two cases. From
the figures, it can be observed that, though the
input voltages of primary sources are intermittent
in nature, output voltage produced by the
monolithic DIDC converter are regulated and
delivered to AC load through an inverter. Since
average model of inverter is consider, the
fundamental component of the load voltage is
shown in Figs. 7 and 8.
Control pulses to switches S1 and S2 are derived
by proposed fuzzy logic scheme appropriately,
when the input voltage V1 is greater than V2 as
shown in Fig. 7.
Though both the switches i.e., S1 and S2 are
turned ON simultaneously by the control signal,
switch connected to the higher voltage source
(out of V1 and V2) will deliver the energy to the
inductor. Circulating current created among the
sources due to potential difference (i.e., V1 - V2)
is eliminated by the unidirectional power
electronic switch connected with the sources.
Control pulses to switches S1 and S2 are derived
by proposed fuzzy logic scheme appropriately,
when the input voltage V1 is less than V2 as
shown in Fig. 8.
Intermittent nature of output power delivered
by the energy sources are regulated by the DIDC
converter and delivered effectively to the load.
Performance evaluation of the DIDC
converter is carried out by considering voltage
values of the sources at different instants as
shown in Fig. 9.
DIDC converter is tuned to deliver the
maximum power corresponding to the voltage
values by the developed fuzzy logic scheme.
Control pulses are realized by the same carrier
signal with increased number of duty cycles to
deliver power from the sources, when the number
of the input sources is increased.
DIDC converter has the flexible structure and
can be modified as a monolithic multi-input
DC/DC converter by adding more number of
sources.
 E.H.E. Bayoumi / Dual-input DC-DC converter for renewable energy 81

Fig. 8. Voltage and current across dual input DC-DC converter

and load terminals, for V1 < V2.
Fig. 7. Voltage and current across dual input DC-DC
converter and load terminals, for V1 > V2. Table 1. Parameters of dual-input DC-DC converter
used in the simulation
Parameter Specification
Rated power
8 kW
of the DIDC converter
Voltages of source 1
800 V and 400 V
and source 2
Output voltage
800 V
of the DIDC converter
L1 and L2 136 mH, and 85 mH
C1 and C2 62.5 μF, and 531.2 μF

Fig. 9. Performance of dual input DC-DC converter.
5. Conclusions
Dual-input DC-DC converter topology to
integrate two intermittent natures of renewable
sources is proposed in this paper. Fuzzy logic is a
well firmed powerful technology that allows
embedding qualitative information, linguistic
knowledge and uncertain data in the design of
intelligent systems. A fuzzy logic is used to tune
the PID controller parameters, which in turns
adjust the duty ratios of the dual input DC-DC
converter to integrate the sources effectively.
Simulation study proves that the dual-input
DC-DC converter makes the interface among
different power characteristic sources and also
obtains well-regulated output voltage.
82 E.H.E. Bayoumi / Dual-input DC-DC converter for renewable energy

Appendix
Table 2. Deciding factors considered for the selection of defuzzification memberships
Source 1 Source 2 Output Output Status Duty ratio d1 Duty ratio d2
Voltage Voltage of
Output Fuzzy Output Fuzzy Source Source duty Value Degree of Value Degree of
Power membership Power membership 1 (volt) 2 (volt) ratio membership membership
(kW) (kW)
0.5 Very Low 0.4 VL 270.4 90.4 d1 > d2 0.27 C 0.86 J
(VL)
0.5 VL 1.4 L 270.4 136.5 d1 > d2 0.15 B 0.84 I
0.5 VL 2.4 M 270.4 191.2 d1 > d2 0.15 B 0.8 I
0.5 VL 3.8 H 270.4 288.4 d1 < d2 0.76 H 0.31 D
0.5 VL 5 Very High 270.4 400 d1 < d2 0.72 H 0.35 D
(VH)
1.2 Low (L) 0.4 VL 478.6 90.4 d1 > d2 0.29 D 0.76 I
1.2 L 1.4 L 478.6 136.5 d1 > d2 0.15 C 0.8 I
1.2 L 2.4 M 478.6 191.2 d1 > d2 0.13 B 0.75 I
1.2 L 3.8 H 478.6 288.4 d1 > d2 0.11 B 0.73 H
1.2 L 5 VH 478.6 400 d1 > d2 0.11 B 0.67 H
2.2 Medium (M) 0.4 VL 652.7 90.4 d1 > d2 0.31 D 0.72 H
2.2 M 1.4 L 652.7 136.5 d1 > d2 0.21 C 0.76 I
2.2 M 2.4 M 652.7 191.2 d1 > d2 0.15 C 0.74 H
2.2 M 3.8 H 652.7 288.4 d1 > d2 0.13 B 0.68 H
2.2 M 5 VH 652.7 400 d1 > d2 0.12 B 0.63 G
3.5 Nominal (N) 0.4 VL 800 90.4 d1 > d2 0.34 D 0.63 G
3.5 N 1.4 L 800 136.5 d1 > d2 0.23 C 0.69 H
3.5 N 2.4 M 800 191.2 d1 > d2 0.21 C 0.67 H
3.5 N 3.8 H 800 288.4 d1 > d2 0.15 C 0.65 H
3.5 N 5 VH 800 400 d1 > d2 0.15 C 0.61 G
4.5 High (H) 0.4 VL 800 90.4 d1 > d2 0.37 D 0.61 G
4.5 H 1.4 L 800 136.5 d1 > d2 0.25 C 0.68 H
4.5 H 2.4 M 800 191.2 d1 > d2 0.22 C 0.67 H
4.5 H 3.8 H 800 288.4 d1 > d2 0.21 C 0.64 H
4.5 H 5 VH 800 400 d1 > d2 0.21 C 0.58 G

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