A Fast Model-Based Control for a Double-Input Three-Switch Bidirectional DC-DC Converter

This article presents a new Model-Based Control approach for a bidirectional double-input DC-DC boost converter with three controllable switches. The converter is designed to interface renewable energy sources and electric storages like supercapacitors or batteries, particularly in electric or hybrid vehicles and distributed generation systems. The proposed algorithm, first introduced in [1], calculates optimal duty cycles for the switches based on target conditions derived from reference values of source currents, achieving precise and fast response. Moreover, Discontinuous Conduction Mode (DCM) is exploited at low current levels, to increase efficiency. Experimental tests on a laboratory prototype demonstrate the algorithm's effectiveness and robustness to parametric uncertainties, as well as its superiority over a traditional PI-based method in terms of dynamic response.