Multi-Port PWM DC-DC Power Converter for Renewable Energy Applications

Abstract

In this paper, a new multi-port DC-DC power converter used to deal with the intermittent nature and slow response in renewable energy applications is proposed. The proposed converter integrates a DC-DC converter and a DC-AC inverter, and the proposed circuit integrates various renewable energy sources in addition to the energy storage unit. By combining renewable energy sources with a statistical trend to offset each other, the impact of the intermittency can be considerably minimized. This combination increases the overall system reliability and usability. Moreover, integrating such systems with energy storage systems can overcome the slow response issue of renewable sources. It can provide the additional energy required by the load or absorb the extra energy provided by the power sources, which greatly improves the dynamics of the overall system. The proposed converter can reduce the system cost and size and improve the efficiency and reliability. The operation principle is studied in detail, and the design considerations are provided. The proposed architecture and its control strategy were analyzed and studied using the Simulink/MATLAB environment. Finally, the feasibility of the proper operation of the studied converter was experimentally verified based on the results of experimental studies conducted on a 300 W prototype implemented in a laboratory.

Keywords

• DC-DC converter
• multi-port converter
• Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT)
• renewable energy