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A New DC-DC Converter for Photovoltaic Systems: Coupled-Inductors Combined Cuk-SEPIC Converter

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Abstract

Abstract—An enhanced DC-DC converter is proposed in this paper, based on the combination of the Cuk and SEPIC converters, which is well-suited for solar photovoltaic (PV) applications. The converter uses only one switch (which is ground-referenced, so simple gate drive circuitry may be used), yet provides dual outputs in the form of a bipolar DC bus. The bipolar output from the DC-DC converter is able to send power to the grid via any inverter with a unipolar or bipolar DC input, and leakage currents can be eliminated if the latter type is used without using lossy DC capacitors in the load current loop. The proposed converter uses integrated magnetics cores to couple the input and output inductors, which significantly reduces the input current ripple and hence greatly improves the power extracted from the solar PV system. The design methodology along with simulation, experimental waveforms, and efficiency measurements of a 4 kW DC-DC converter are presented to prove the concept of the proposed converter. Further, a 1 kW inverter is also developed to demonstrate the converter’s grid-connection potential.

Description

Keywords

DC-DC power conversion, grounding, DC-AC power conversion, MPPT, bipolar DC output, solar power generation

Journal Title

IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0885-8969
1558-0059

Volume Title

34

Publisher

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)