Non-Isolated Unidirectional Three-Port Cuk-Cuk Converter for Fuel Cell/Solar PV Systems

A DC-DC Non-Isolated Three-Port Cuk-Cuk (NI-TPCC) converter for interfacing renewable energy sources (RESs) such as Fuel Cell (FC) and Photovoltaic (PV) energy with a DC load is presented in this paper. It features single-stage power conversion from both of the input ports to the load port. The proposed NI-TPCC converter is designed based on the classical Cuk converter. The operational modes and power flow are analyzed in the continuous conduction mode (CCM), and the relationships among the port voltages are derived. Continuous currents in all three ports with less ripple enhance the performance of a fuel cell and its operating life. Furthermore, the output inductor is shared with both of the input ports, which reduces the number of active and passive components. The effectiveness of the designed NI-TPCC converter has been validated through simulation and experimental results.