A high efficiency input/output magnetically coupled interleaved buck-boost converter with low internal oscillation for fuel-cell applications: Small signal modeling and dynamic analysis

Dynamic behavior of DC-DC converters plays a crucial role in stability of renewable energy exploitation systems. This paper presents small signal modeling of an input/output magnetically coupled interleaved buck-boost converter for fuel-cell applications to help the designers with the better understanding of converter dynamics. Aiming to have a continuous converter transfer function for a smooth transition between the operation modes and an improved inner dynamics, a damping network and an input/output coupling have been added to the interleaved structure of well-known cascaded buck-boost converter. Having the same step-up/step-down voltage transfer ratio, smooth transition and improved inner dynamics make this converter quite suitable for renewable energy applications. The paper presents a small signal ac equivalent circuit model of the proposed converter based on state space averaging (SSA) method. Simulation results show remarkable improvements in converter dynamic behavior in both time and frequency domains. Prototype setup of 360 W and 36 V output voltage for a fuel cell with a brand of "FCgen 1020ACS" Ballard Power Systems, Inc. was implemented. Experimental results are presented to verify the theoretical model and its expected merits. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.