We use an exact formulation based on nonlinear maps to investigate both the fast-scale and slow-scale instabilities of a voltage-mode buck converter operating in the continuous conduction mode and its interaction with a filter. Comparing the results of the exact model with those of the averaged model shows the shortcomings of the latter in predicting fast-scale instabilities. We show the impact of parasitics on the onset of chaos using a high-frequency model. The experimentally validated theoretical results of this paper provide an improved understanding of the dynamics of the converter beyond the linear regime and this may lead to less conservative control design and newer applications.

Using analog wireless communication, we demonstrate a master-slave load-sharing control of a parallel dc-dc buck converter system, thereby eliminating the need for physical connection to distribute the control signal among the converter modules. The current reference for the slave modules is provided by the master module using radio-frequency (RF) transmission, thereby ensuring even sharing of the load current. The effect of delay due to RF transmission on system stability and performance is analyzed, and regions of operation for a stable as well as satisfactory performance are determined. We experimentally demonstrate a satisfactory performance of the master-slave converter at 20-kHz switching frequency under steady state as well as transient conditions in the presence of a transmission delay. The proposed control concept, which can potentially attain redundancy that is achievable using a droop method, may lead to more robust and reconfigurable control implementation of distributed converters and power systems. It may also be used as a (fault-tolerant) backup for wire-based control of parallel/distributed converters.Index Terms-Load sharing, master-slave control, parallel dc-dc converter, time delay effects, time-delayed system stability, wireless-network-based control.

Abstract-We describe an energy-efficient, fuel-cell power-conditioning system (PCS) for stationary application, which reduces the variations in the current drawn from the fuel-cell stack and can potentially meet the $40/kW cost target. The PCS consists of a zero-ripple boost converter (ZRBC) followed by a soft-switched and multilevel high-frequency (

We develop a robust controller for parallel dc-dc buck converters by combining the concepts of integral-variable-structure and multiple-sliding-surface control. The advantages of the scheme are its simplicity in design, good dynamic response, robustness, ability to nullify the bus-voltage error and the error between the load currents of the converter modules under steady-state conditions, and ability to reduce the impact of very high-frequency dynamics due to parasitics on the closed-loop system. We describe a method for determining the region of existence and stability of the sliding manifolds for such parallel converters. The results show good steady-state and dynamic responses.

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The differential-mode Ćuk inverter (DMCI) is a single-stage inverter with low device count. It offers advantages over other topologies because of compactness, higher power density, and reduced cost. It is a promising topological configuration for renewable-/alternative-energy applications with isolated as well as non-isolated structures. The continuous modulation scheme (CMS), which was introduced originally for this inverter, activates all the modules of the DMCI. The new discontinuous modulation scheme (DMS) deactivates one module in each half line-cycle leading to discontinuous operation of modules. This paper outlines the DMS and a mechanism to realize it. The experimental open-loop and closed-loop results of the DMCI using CMS and DMS are provided along with a comparison of their performances. It is shown that, the DMS reduces the circulating power and hence mitigates the losses. The voltage ratings of the devices also are reduced with the DMS. In contrast, the CMS has wider linearity in its normalized dcvoltage gain and yields reduced harmonic distortion of the output voltage. For DMS, to achieve comparable linearity in normalized dc-voltage gain and distortion, harmonic compensation under closed-loop control is a pathway that has been demonstrated.