Bidirectional DC-DC Converter

Systems
Sustained with
Power Component Methodology

David Bourner
PELS Symposium
Long Island NY – Nov 9, 2017 1
Overview - Bidirectional Converter Systems Sustained with Power
Component Methodology
› Definitions
– The Power Component Approach
– Classifications of Power Train Function
› Some example applications
– Powering airborne and underwater autonomous vehicles
– Automotive
› Power Harvesting Using Regenerative Braking
› Power Distribution in the chassis
– Domestic Hybrid Grid
– Smart Factory 4.0 Concept
› Interim Observations
› New Power Functions to Follow
› References & Acknowledgements
› Summary and Acknowledgements, Audience Questions
2
Definitions #1 - Power Component Methodology
Optimized Approach to Power Design
Advantages
clever partitioning offers interchangeabilty
– increased power density – scalability -
Point of Load
elimination of redundant conversion
stages - reduced power losses leading to Power
higher efficiency - reduced system size

Front End
Power

IEEE PES – November 2017 3

Sine Amplitude Converter Fundamentals

+
Ns
Np

Cin Cr +

Ns Co Vo

- -

• SAC consists of a series resonant Full bridge primary with a center tapped secondary
using rectifier MOSFETs
• Resonant topology – magnetic parasitics are characterized and used to determine
optimum timing for ZVS switching of primary and secondary power FETs
• Not shown - A primary referenced controller feeds isolated drive signals to each FET
• No feedback is required
• Once the part is activated, power flow is determined by source that “drives” a
particular power port
4
Experimental Test Setup for Reverse Operation

55.5*6
55.5 V
=333 V
+IN +OUT
E-LOAD 1/K=86
HV DC 255/6 LV DC
255 V SOURCE =42.5 V SOURCE
K=1/8
K=1/6
-IN -OUT

Theory is simple: Start up the BCM HV port, with LV port energized

5
SAC Action Illustrated by Experiment
Reverse flow
experiment
running in the
steady state.
Source on top left
was used to start
a 300W rated
VI.Chip BCM
with secondary
priming source
pre-applied
(55.5V)
Primary load
draws
0.9675A at
325.33V
so K factor is ~ 5.9.
6
Limitations of the traditional SAC

› Power limited
› Low voltage ratios
› Low standoff voltages limit application of high voltage
› What’s needed is a converter scheme that can deal with higher
transformation ratios which implies that port voltages can be
extended to higher levels
› Needs to be coaxed into starting
› This is the point at which the architecture of the SAC can be refined

7
 Solution : A New Bidirectional DC-DC Converter
› This lends itself to 384 V DC
+
Q1
T1 = Power Transformer distribution schemes where no high
T2 = Gate-Drive Transformer
CIN1 T2 efficiency solution was available
T1 T1
Q5 › Uses a planar transformer design
NP – Lower transformer losses
High CR
Low – Transformer coupled high frequency
Voltage CIN2 Q2 NS T2 galvanic isolation
Voltage
(HV) Side T2
(LV) Side – Enhanced reliability
VIN + › Primary circuit – HV Side – Input
Q3 side
CIN3 T2 NS VO
Q6 CO – Stacked half bridge
SAC
T2
T1 - – Low voltage MOSFETs
Control
CR NP
– Lower conduction losses
CIN4 Q4 T2 › Secondary circuit – LV Side – Output
T2 side
-
– Center tap with synchronous
rectification

8
 A New Bidirectional DC-DC Converter
› Resonant sine amplitude
+ T1 = Power Transformer
Q1 T2 = Gate-Drive Transformer converter (SAC) control
CIN1 T2
Q5 › ZVS and ZCS soft switching
T1 T1
NP
› 1.1 MHz fixed high switching
CR
High Low frequency
Voltage Q2
(HV) Side
CIN2
T2
NS T2 Voltage – Lower switching losses from light
(LV) Side
load to full load
VIN +
› Open loop control
Q3
CIN3 T2 NS
Q6 CO VO – Bidirectional fixed ratio DC-DC
SAC T1 -
conversion
T2
Control
CR NP – Reason the new BDC operates in
CIN4 Q4 T2
bidirectional mode is because of
T2 the MOSFETs in SAC control
- topology
VOUT I › DC transformer
 IN  K
VIN I OUT – Voltage and current matching in
DC-DC applications
9
Circuit Implementation Example K = 1/8

Forward Direction from input › Forward mode: 384 V to 48 V

terminals to output terminals – Step down DC-DC conversion like Buck
– BDC starts up in forward direction
384 V +IN +OUT
K=1/8
– Normal start up
HV DC 48 V › Reverse mode: 48 V to 384 V
SOURCE LV Load – Step up DC-DC conversion like Boost
-IN -OUT – Higher Voltage Gain
– SAC cannot start up in backward direction
Backward Direction from output
terminals to input terminals
– Everything starts from HV side
› Reverse operation starts when VOUT > VIN * K
+IN +OUT 48 V – System where everything starts from LV side
384 V 1/K=8
LV DC
› First start BDC in forward mode using startup
SOURCE circuit satisfying following condition
HV Load
› VOUT > VIN * K
-IN -OUT

10
Simulation of New BDC with K =1/8

› Efficiency = 97.94% in forward direction at 384 V HI

side voltage and 17.5 A LO side current

11
Board level Implementation for Experimental Results

› This is the board - used for testing of 384 V to 48 V bidirectional conversion.

› New BDC is under the catamaran heat sink, Airflow ~ 1000 LFM
› Full load Current Rating
– 35 A refer to LO side
– 4.5 A refer to HI side
› Maximum Power Level for 384 V to 48 V conversion
12
– 1650 W
Actual Experimental Results – Measured Efficiency vs. load
100 100
98 98
96 +1.5% 96
94 94
Efficiency(%)

Efficiency(%)
92 92
90
90
88
86
+3.4% 88
86
84
82 +14% 84
82
80
0.0 3.5 7.0 10.5 14.0 17.5 21.0 24.5 28.0 31.5 35.0 80
Load Current(A) 0.00 0.45 0.90 1.35 1.80 2.25 2.70 3.15 3.60 4.05 4.50
New Bidirectional DC-DC Converter Load Current(A)
Existing Old Bidirectional DC-DC Converter New Bidirectional DC-DC Converter
Existing Old Bidirectional DC-DC Converter

› Measured efficiency in forward › Measured efficiency in reverse

direction direction
› 384 V input source › 48 V input source
› K=1/8 › 1/K = 8
› 48 V output at no load › 384 V output at no load

13
Experimental Results – Measured Power Loss vs. load
80 80
70 70

Power Dissipation(W)
Power Dissipation(W)

60 60
50 50
40 40
30 30
20 20
10 10
0 0
0.0 3.5 7.0 10.5 14.0 17.5 21.0 24.5 28.0 31.5 35.0 0.00 0.45 0.90 1.35 1.80 2.25 2.70 3.15 3.60 4.05 4.50
Load Current(A) Load Current(A)
New Bidirectional DC-DC Converter New Bidirectional DC-DC Converter
Existing Old Bidirectional DC-DC Converter Existing Old Bidirectional DC-DC Converter

› Measured power loss in forward › Measured power loss in reverse

direction direction
› 35 A load or 4.5 A load › 35 A load or 4.5 A load
› Power level ~ 1650 W › Power level ~ 1650 W
› New BDC › New BDC
– % Total power loss = 3.33% – % Total no load power loss = 0.61%
› OLD BDC › OLD BDC
– % Total power loss = 4.55% – % Total no load power loss = 2.42% 14
Power Density Comparison

Power density (W/cm3)

157.4

23.75x
2.75x
57.2

6.62

Proposed New Existing Old Old Unidirectional DC-

Bidirectional DC-DC Bidirectional DC-DC DC Converter
Converter Converter

15
Comparison - Performance Gain of New BDC
Existing New Gains of
Parameters
Old BDC BDC New BDC
Number of converters 6 1 Less number of converters

Input Voltage Range (V) 360 to 400 260 to 410 Wider input voltage range

Switching frequency (MHz) 1.75 MHz 1.1 MHz Lower core losses

Efficiency at 10% load (%) 81 94.5 13.5% better

Efficiency at 50% load (%) 94.4 97.8 3.4% better

Efficiency at 100% load (%) 95.7 97.2 1.5% better

Output resistance (mΩ) 28.3 22.6 Lower resistive losses

Lower no load losses,
No load power dissipation (W) 39 10
almost ¼
Volume (cm3) 28.86 10.48 Occupy less PCB space

Power density (W/cm3) 57.2 157.4 2.75 times more

Weight (g) 84 41 Weight is half

16
Power Component Design and Conducted Emissions

• With hard-switched converters the noise artefacts tend to be

wideband and more difficult to suppress
• Strategies for noise control involve
Synchronizing and holding the spectral artefacts to given
frequencies
Smearing the noise across the frequency spectrum
Suppressing the noise spectrum

• Parts that utilize quasi- or fully-resonant power train topologies that

are ZCS / ZVS or both tend to produce less wideband noise, simply
due to the nature of the type of switching used.

IEEE PES – November 2017 17

Using discrete component filtering for CE

With high switching frequencies and a galvanic isolation barrier it is possible

to return HF/VHF common mode noise currents back to the noise source
with simple discrete filters

IEEE PES – November 2017 18

Four Power Converter Classes

Are all these DC converter systems characterized as being linear and time-invariant?

Forward ( f ) Reverse ( r )

Vout = [Vin/Kf] Vout=Kr.Vin

f SAC r SAC Vin
Vin

primary secondary primary secondary

Mirror ( f,r ) Bi-directional ( b )

Vout
Vin V_INT Vout Vin b SAC
r SAC f SAC

secondary primary primary secondary primary secondary

Vin=Kb.Vout Vout=Vin/Kb
Vin = [Kf/Kr].Vout Vout=[Kr/Kf].Vin
19
UAV: Unmanned aerial vehicles Tethered & Untethered
• Application Features
o The need for several different
payloads
o Power plant is moved out of
the UAV to save weight
o Electrical power must now be
carried in the lightest wires
available
o Lightweight wire is current
limited, so the voltage on the
tether needs to be high for a
given amount of power on
the cable in the tether.
o Sometimes power has to be routed through
sophisticated mechanical
connection schemes which are unable to
carry high currents 20
Mirror Topology for AUV and UAV Applications
• Fixed power unit generates a low line voltage
• A reverse SAC boosts this voltage and feeds it into the tether
• Power losses are lowered with high Kr (transformation ratio associated with U2)
• Voltage from the tether is stepped down in voltage, current multiplied in exact
proportion at the load by the SAC
• Vicor Whiteboard™ rendering below shows a working example of a Mirror
Topology used to implement this architecture

21
Regenerative Braking
• This unregulated power train needs an external controller to time the various energy
transfers
• Motor/Generator units convert kinetic   electric energy
• Energy collected from the 400V harvest bus ends up being stored in the LV battery
• 48V and 12V batteries and/or super capacitors can be used as energy stores

22
Improved DC Distribution for Autos
Carry lower current at higher DC voltages to Points of Load
 Lower weight of copper used in busses as compared with conventional 12V
bussing
 Bidirectional power flow system of single- or multi-node NBMs possible
Options are open to use combinations of
o super capacitors for fast delivery in full or partial arrays with or without
chemical batteries
o batteries with different terminal voltages, chemistries, structures and
connections

23
Domestic Hybrid Grid Featuring Bidirectional Conversion
384 V High
Voltage DC Bus
AC-DC
Bidirectional 48 V /
230 V Rectifier DC-DC LV Load
24 V /
AC Grid 12 V
AC Load
DC-DC LV Load

HV Load
Solar Cells
48 V / (PV Array) BDC Forward Power Flow
24 V / 48 V /
Low Voltage Storage Battery or
24 V /
12 V DC Sources BDC Super Capacitor or
Electric Vehicle 12 V
Fuel Cells
Array BDC
Backward Power Flow

24
Smart Factory 4.0 - Introduction
• Initiative brings more automation into factory and warehouse
environments speeding distribution of raw materials and finished
products through these locations
• Autonomous robotic palettes and handling systems must be able to
draw on and transfer electric energy as needed from local and
remote sources
• This application is well served with bidirectional high frequency
switched SMPs as opposed to big, bulky and less efficient AC line
magnetics Line
frequency
transformer

DC-AC
48 V /
Bidirectional
And
DC-DC
24 V /
230 V AC-DC
AC Grid converter
converter 12 V
DC Energy
Isolation Storage 25
barrier
Smart Factory 4.0 – Combining Information and Machines in the
Industrial Space
• Scheduling, delivery of goods to
workstations controlled with IoT
• Goods moved in warehouse and
factory areas with autonomous
machines such as the Kiva robot
• 24V motors are used in the
systems to lift, move and rotate
the pallettes
• Batteries / Super capacitors
charged from mostly off-peak AC
• Load Balancing at National
System Grid level. The need to
convert power from different
sources identical to the auto BD
bus example

26
Interim Observations

› Sine amplitude converter engines naturally compatible

with bidirectional power converter systems
› Many bidirectional systems can be implemented without
regulators
› Controllers, microprocessors can be used to exert control
over power component based bidirectional converters
› Regulation is seen as necessary at critical nodes in
complex bidirectional systems
› It is clear that a bidirectional regulator is needed. It
– should have digital interfacing and control
– reduces costs
– simplifies power flow changes
– improves hardware utilization (streamline the system)

27
New Power Functions to Follow
› The SAC exhibits the flexibility of digital systems to change
direction of power flow in a power train suited to bidirectional
usage.
› New Power Components will exhibit the ability to change power
flow implicitly without the need to consider which port needs
excitation for startup.
384V bus

+IN +OUT

Regulator A
CC/CV
-IN -OUT
+IN/OUT +OUT/IN
48V
Battery
-IN/OUT -OUT/IN
+OUT +IN

BDC Regulator B
CV
-OUT -IN

28
Summary
 Fundamental principles and number of examples have been
presented showing typical applications
 Bidirectional power conversion is a vital part of future systems
where alternative source, energy storage and load management
are critical. The more remote an application, the more important
this aspect of power design becomes.

29
References and Acknowledgements

 An Isolated Step-up DC-DC Converter Using Series Connect Sine

Amplitude Converters 978-1-4799-6735-3/15/$31.00 ©2015 IEEE
 A New Bidirectional DC-DC Converter for Fuel Cell, Solar Cell and
Battery Systems APEC 2016
 Presentation materials originally contrived by Mr Ankur Patel,
Applications Engineer, Vicor Corp. featured in slides throughout this
presentation
 Pictures in slide 17 accredited to NASA Glenn Research Center

30