The 23rd International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems (ICEMS)

An Analysis of Switching Frequency Characteristics in Single-switch

High Step-up DC-DC Converter with Three-winding Coupled Inductor
Masataka Minami∗ and Genki Hase∗
∗ Department of Electrical Engineering, Kobe City College of Technology, Japan
Email: [email protected]

Abstract— Recently, the high step-up DC-DC converters are

widely used in a lot of applications. We proposed a novel
high step-up DC-DC converter, which has only one active
switch and a three-winding coupled inductor. The previous our
research showed the CCM operation and steady state principle
of the proposed converter. This report describes the switching
frequency characteristics of the proposed converter.

I. I NTRODUCTION
Fig. 1. Diagram of grid-connected PV system
Photovoltaic (PV) source is one of the significant energy
sources in the world. However, as the output voltage of
the PV source is relatively low, the high step-up and high
efficiency DC-DC converters are required to boost the low
PV voltage to a high voltage for grid-connection in Fig. 1
[1].
Qun Zhao and Fred C. Lee [2] introduced a family
of high step-up and high efficiency DC-DC converters by
only adding one additional diode and a small capacitor.
Starting their research, the several papers related to converter
reported about circuit topologies, control methods, design
and optimizations, and so on [3]. Fig. 2. Proposed high step-up DC-DC converter
We proposed a novel high step-up DC-DC converter,
which has only one active switch [4]. The proposed high
step-up DC-DC converter is based on the Cockcroft-Walton A. Circuit configuration
(CW) circuit, which is known as a high step-up rectifier Figure 2 depicts the proposed high step-up DC-DC con-
[5]. The conventional high step-up DC-DC converters, which verter [4]. The proposed high step-up DC-DC converter
includes a three-winding coupled inductor and one active consists of a power supply Vin , one active switch S, a
switch, were proposed by [6], [7], [8], [9]. The proposed three-winding coupled inductor L1 , L2 , and L3 , five diodes
high step-up DC-DC converter can achieve the highest boost D1 , · · · , D5 , six capacitors C1 , · · · , C5 , and Co , and a
ratio of them all in the CCM operation. load R. Here, the coupled inductor turns respectively are
The previous our paper [4] revealed only the CCM op- N1 , N2 , N3 and the turn ratios are defined as n2 = N2 /N1
eration of the proposed high step-up DC-DC converter at and n3 = N3 /N1 .
only one switching frequency. And, the next our paper [10] The circuit topology of the proposed high step-up DC-DC
revealed only the DCM operation of the proposed high step- converter is insertion of the active switch S and the three-
up DC-DC converter at only one switching frequency too. winding coupled inductor L1 , L2 , and L3 into the 3-stage
This report investigates the switching frequency characteris- CW circuit. Each time the input voltage polarity changes by
tics of the proposed converter. In addition, the experimental the active switch S, the diodes turn ON and OFF alternately.
results show the DCM and CCM operations. As a result, the proposed high step-up DC-DC converter
generates high voltage due to the multi-stage connection of
II. P ROPOSED HIGH STEP - UP DC-DC CONVERTER capacitors.
The following conditions are assumed to simplify circuit
This section represents the circuit configuration and oper- analysis for the CCM, DCM, and BCM operations.
ations of the proposed high step-up DC-DC converter. The • The active switch S and the diodes D1 , · · · , D5 ideally
ideal switching frequency characteristics is revealed from the work.
circuit operations. • All capacitors C1 , · · · , C5 , and Co are large enough.

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 The 23rd International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems (ICEMS)

TABLE I
Then, all capacitors voltage: VC1 , · · · , VC5 , and Vout are
C OMPARISON BETWEEN THREE - WINDING COUPLED INDUCTOR HIGH
considered as constant voltage.
STEP - UP DC-DC CONVERTERS ABOUT BOOST RATIO IN CCM
• ESR(equivalent series resistor) of all capacitors
OPERATION
C1 , · · · , C5 , and Co , all diodes D1 , · · · , D5 , and the
Converter Type αCCM = Vout /Vin
three-winding inductor L1 , L2 , L3 are ignored.
• The leakage inductors are ignored. (2 − d) + dn2 + (1 − d)n3
Converter in [6]
• The turns are same: N1 = N2 = N3 . Then, the turn 1−d
ratios become n2 = n3 = 1. 1 + n2 + dn3
Converter in [7]
1−d
B. CCM operation (2 − d) + (1 − d)n2 + n3
Converter in [8]
This subsection explains the CCM operation of the pro- 1−d
2 + n2 + n3
posed high step-up DC-DC converter. The relationship of all Converter in [9]
1−d
capacitors voltage derives the boost ratio of the proposed 3 + 2n2 + n3
high step-up DC-DC converter in the CCM operation. The Proposed converter
1−d
previous paper [4] has already reported the detailed descrip-
tion of the expression transformation.
To simplify the analysis of the CCM operation, only two ILmP dL T
modes are considered although the proposed high step-up
DC-DC converter in the CCM operation actually has multiple iL
modes. One is the ON mode of the active switch S. The other
is the OFF mode of the active switch S.
During the active switch S is turned on, the diodes D2
and D4 are turned on and the diodes D1 , D3 , D5 are turned
off. The capacitor C2 is charged to VC2 = VC1 + vL2 on
from
0 dT T
the capacitor C1 and the inductor L2 . Similarly, the capacitor OFF1
C4 is charged to VC4 = VC3 + vL3 on
from the capacitor C3 ON OFF2
and the inductor L3 .
On the other hand, during the active switch S is turned
off, the diodes D2 and D4 are turned off and the diodes Fig. 3. Current waveform of the three-winding coupled inductor in DCM
operation
D1 , D3 , D5 are turned on. The capacitor C3 is charged to
off
VC3 = VC2 −vL2 from the capacitor C2 and the inductor L2 .
off
Similarly, the capacitor C5 is charged to VC5 = VC4 − vL3
from the capacitor C4 and the inductor L3 . the boost ratio of the proposed high step-up DC-DC con-
In additon, the voltage capacitor C1 is expressed as VC1 = verter in the DCM operation. The previous paper [10] has
(1/(1 − d))Vin because the a part of the circuit: the input already reported the detailed description of the expression
Vin , the inductor L1 , the active switch S, the diode D1 , and transformation.
the capacitor C1 , is regarded as the general boost converter. To simplify the analysis of the DCM operation, only three
As the relationship of all capacitors voltage leads to the modes are considered although the proposed high step-up
output voltage Vout = VC1 + VC3 + VC5 . The boost ratio DC-DC converter in the DCM operation actually has multiple
of the proposed high step-up DC-DC converter in the CCM modes. One is the ON mode of the active switch S. The
operation αCCM is expressed as: others are the OFF1 and OFF2 modes of the active switch S.
Fig. 3 illustrates the current waveform of the three-winding
3 + 2n2 + n3
αCCM = . (1) coupled inductor. Here, the inductor current iL denotes iL1 +
1−d iL2 + iL3 because of n2 = n3 = 1.
The Eq. (1) shows that the boost ratio of the proposed In the ON mode, the diodes D2 and D4 are turned on
high step-up DC-DC converter in the CCM operation αCCM and the diodes D1 , D3 , D5 are turned off. The capacitor C2
is independent of the switching frequency f . on
is charged to VC2 = VC1 + vL2 from the capacitor C1 and
Here, Table. I compares with the boost ratio in the CCM the inductor L2 . Similarly, the capacitor C4 is charged to
operation in the conventional converters [6], [7], [8], [9] and on
VC4 = VC3 + vL3 from the capacitor C3 and the inductor
the proposed converter. As a result, the proposed high step- L3 .
up DC-DC converter boosts higher than the conventional Secondly, in the OFF1 mode, the diodes D2 and D4 are
converters [6], [7], [8], [9]. turned off and the diodes D1 , D3 , D5 are turned on. The
off
capacitor C3 is charged to VC3 = VC2 − vL2 from the
C. DCM operation capacitor C2 and the inductor L2 . Similarly, the capacitor C5
off
This subsection explains the DCM operation of the pro- is charged to VC5 = VC4 −vL3 from the capacitor C4 and the
posed high step-up DC-DC converter. As in the previous inductor L3 . When the inductor current iL = iL1 + iL2 + iL3
subsection, the relationship of all capacitors voltage derives becomes zero in Fig. 3, the OFF1 mode ends and changes

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 The 23rd International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems (ICEMS)

to the OFF2 mode. 35

Finally, in the OFF2 mode, the all diodes D1 , · · · , D5 are Duty Ratio
0.8
turned off. The OFF2 mode is the no inductor current mode. 30
Then, the voltage capacitor C1 is expressed as VC1 = (1 +

BOOST RATIO
d/dL )Vin . The subsection do not go into details here, but if 25
BCM
the dL is derived and substituted the capacitor voltage, the 0.7
20
boost ratio of the proposed high step-up DC-DC converter
CCM
in the DCM operation αDCM is expressed as: 15
0.6
DCM
3 + 2n2 + n3 0.5
αDCM = 10
0.4

 2 0.3
0.2
(3 + 2n2 + n3 )2 d2 (3+ 2n2 + n3 ) 5
0.1
+ + , 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
4 2(2 + n2 + n3 )τLm
SWITCHING FREQUENCY / kHz
(2)
where τLm is defined as Lm f /R. Fig. 4. Switching frequency characteristics of ideal boost ratio for each
Eq. (2) shows that the boost ratio of the proposed high duty ratio
step-up DC-DC converter in the DCM operation αDCM
depends on the switching frequency f and the load R.
D. BCM operation III. N UMERICAL AND E XPERIMENTAL R ESULTS
This subsection derives the BCM operation and its condi- This section analyzes the numerical and experimental
tion. The previous subsections II-B and II-C expressed the results in the proposed high step-up DC-DC converter.
boost ratios: αCCM and αDCM . In the BCM mode, the boost
A. Conditions
ratio of BCM becomes αBCM = αCCM = αDCM because the
BCM operation is the boundary between the CCM and DCM To analze proposed high step-up DC-DC converter, the
operations. Eq. (1) and Eq. (2) lead to the BCM normalized following conditions are using.
inductor time constant τLm BCM as: • Input DC voltage Vin = 20V
• Switching frequency f : from 10 kHz to 100 kHz
d(1 − d)2
τLm BCM = , (3) • Duty ratio d = 0.5
2(3 + 2n2 + n3 )(2 + n2 + n3 )
• Three-winding coupled inductor: L1 = 88.2 μH, L2 =
where τLm BCM is defined as (Lm fBCM )/R. Here, fBCM is 87.3 μH, L3 = 87.5 μH,
a BCM switching frequency as: • Coupled coefficients of three-winding coupled inductor:
d(1 − d)2 R k12 = 0.952, k23 = 0.961, k31 = 0.914
fBCM = . (4) • Capacitors C1 , · · · , C5 = 2.2 μF
2Lm (3 + 2n2 + n3 )(2 + n2 + n3 )
• Load resistor R = 1 kΩ
The BCM switching frequency fBCM is the boundary
• Active switch S and diodes D1 , · · · , D5 : ideal in nu-
between CCM and DCM in the switching frequency charac-
teristics. merical simulation
• Active switch S and diodes D1 , · · · , D5 : SiC MOS-
E. Switching frequency characteristics of ideal boost ratio FET(SCT2120AF) and SiC SBD(SCS220KG) in exper-
This subsection represents the switching frequency charac- imental system
teristics of the ideal boost ratio. The previous subsections II-
B, II-C, and II-D derived the ideal boost ratio of the proposed B. Switching frequency characteristics of output voltage and
high step-up DC-DC converter. boost ratio
Figure 4 describes the switching frequency characteristics Figure 5 shows the switching frequency characteristics of
of the ideal boost ratio for each duty ratio d. The black the output voltage Vout and the boost ratio in the proposed
broken line is the BCM operation. The frequency higher than high step-up DC-DC converter. Fig. 5 includes the ideal
the black broken line is the CCM operating region, and the results from the previous subsection II-E, the numerical
frequency lower than the black broken line is DCM operating results, and the experimental results. The numerical and
region. In addition, the duty ratio d becomes higher or lower, experimental results are similar in shape to the ideal results.
the CCM region is large. The boost ratio drastically changes In the experimental results, the output voltage Vout is
by varying duty ratio d. around 210 V between 20 kHz ≤ f ≤ 100 kHz. The
As a result, the proposed high step-up DC-DC converter proposed high step-up DC-DC converter works as the CCM
has a 10 times boost ratio at CCM operation in d = 0.4. The operation in this region. Although the experimental output
proposed high step-up DC-DC converter can easily achieve voltage is lower than the ideal output voltage 240 V, the boost
a 10 times higher boost ratio. ratio achieves more than 10.
Based on these results, the next section targets at d = 0.5 The output voltage Vout increases as the switching fre-
by the numerical and experimental analyses. quency f decreases under 20 kHz because the operation

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 The 23rd International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems (ICEMS)

12
10

CURRENT/A
400 20.0 8
Ideal 6
4 iL1 iL
350 Numerical 17.5
OUTPUT VOLTAGE / V

2
Experimental 0
-2
iL3

BOOST RATIO
300 15.0 -4
DCM -6 iL2
CCM -8
250 12.5

VOLTAGE / V
CURRENT/A
20 300

200 10.0
15 Vout 280
10 260
5
0
iL 240
220
150 7.5
-5 200
0 50 100 150 200 250
100 5.0 TIME /μs
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
SWITCHING FREQUENCY / kHz
(a) DCM at f = 10 kHz

5
Fig. 5. Vout -fsw characteristics under R = 1 kΩ iL1 i

CURRENT/A
4
L
3
2
1
changes from the CCM operation to the DCM operation. 0
iL3
-1
Comparing about the BCM switching frequency fBCM , the iL2
-2
ideal BCM switching frequency is 31.51 kHz, the numerical

VOLTAGE / V
CURRENT/A
5 300
result is 22 kHz, and the experimental result is 20 kHz. 4 iL 280
Although there are some differences, the results are roughly 3 260

the same.
2 Vout 240
1 220
0 200
0 5 10 15 20 25
C. Voltage and current waveforms in DCM and CCM oper- TIME /μs
ations
(b) CCM at f = 100 kHz
Figure 6 shows the measured voltage and current wave-
forms: Vout , iL1 , iL2 , iL3 , and iL = iL1 + iL2 + iL3 of the
Fig. 6. Waveforms of output voltage and inductor current [10]
proposed high step-up DC-DC converter in the experimental
system [10]. Fig. 6(a) and Fig. 6(b) respectively illustrate
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