Modeling of DC-DC Converter for Solar Energy

System Applications
A.W.N. Husna
1
, S.F. Siraj
1
, M.Z.Ab Muin
2
1
School of Electrical System Engineering
2
School of Manufacturing Engineering
Universiti Malaysia Perlis
01000 Kangar, Perlis, Malaysia
Abstract This paper presents the design and simulation of a
DC-DC boost converter which uses solar system as input source.
In general, solar is one of renewable energy sources which is
sustainable and free if compared to other alternative energy. The
voltage of solar system can produce a maximum voltage up to
16V during daylight and it is compatible enough with DC-DC
boost converter system to charge batteries at any time due to
behavior of DC-DC boost converter. The operation principle of
boost converter working in continuous conduction mode (CCM)
has been introduced. The continuous part of the converter is
modeled by differential equations and state space models, while
the switching actions are recently more accurately modeled by
state charts. Circuit model for open loop system may be
conveniently implemented using the MATLABs Simulink
toolbox environment. Simulation was performed with different
load resistors to study the effect of load variations thus the results
obtained can be analyzed to ensure that the variations of load
impacting on the stability of the converter. This paper attempts
to model the continuous part of the converters using state space
averaging technique so that it can be proceeded to design a
controller to improve the converters performance of less
overshoot and faster settling time.
Keywords- DC-DC boost converter; solar system; renewable
energy; continuous conduction mode (CCM); Matlab/Simulink;
state space averaging technique
I. INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, many renewable energy sources such as solar
photovoltaic (PV) and wind energy are well developed and
have been put in the limelight as the alternative energy as part
of effort in limiting the dependency on the conventional
energy sources like fossil fuels, coal, and natural gas. These
energy sources have attracted many researches [1, 2] due to
the fact that both of this energy is free and sustainable besides
environmental friendly. From previous research [3], it has
been indicated that these energy sources especially PV is
simply easy to integrate with existing topology of switched
mode DC-DC power converters. Normally a solar panel will
only produce approximately 16V in full, nearly normal
sunlight and it will limit the maximum power production to
only few hours charging batteries at 12V [4]. A DC-DC boost
converter controlled by PWM control technique is placed
between the solar panel and the batteries, in order to boost up
the voltage of solar panel to charge the batteries at any time
even when the panel voltage is less than battery charging
voltage. Since solar cells are costly, DC-DC boost converter
takes a role in solving this situation [5]. Boost converter is one
of the four basic topologies in switched mode DC-DC
converters [7] which produce different outputs according to
the different topologies. This paper proposes a basic circuit of
DC-DC boost converter which is simulated with different
values of load resistor so that the effect of load variations at
the output in terms of overshoot, rise time, and settling time
can be analyzed. Comparing with previous research [11] on
applying basic circuit of boost converter, the proposed circuit
in this paper is stimulated with a current generator. The
nonlinear components that lie between 0 and 1 of duty cycle
and small-signal linear components will be derived using
state-space averaging technique, while Kirchhoffs law is
employed to obtain the differential equation of each state of
the converter. The technique of averaging is the best choice to
solve the mathematical model in this paper. The most common
averaging technique, state space averaging [6], [7] is used to
model the switching DC-DC boost converter. Generally, boost
converter operates in two basic modes of work operation, i.e.,
continuous conduction mode (CCM) and discontinuous
conduction mode (DCM). The state of the converter in which
the inductor current is never zero for any period of time is
called (CCM) meanwhile, in the (DCM); the inductor current
is zero during a portion of the switching period [8]. The state
space average model obtained then implemented in
MATLAB/SIMULINK to simulate power converters. This
research only aims at development of the basic model of boost
converters in open loop response; which is a technique that
avoids using the measured output to adjust the control input
and sometimes referred to as feed forward control, simulated
with different load resistor values so that the effect of load
variations at the output can be analyzed. Unlike closed-loop
response, open-loop response cannot compensate for
disturbance or noise. In contrast, closed-loop response can
provide such compensation besides this system do not require
an accurate system model, something that is difficult to obtain
in practice [9]. So that this model in open loop system can be
proceed to any close loop scheme besides providing a
controller so that the converter can perform more satisfactory
performance.
2012 IEEE Symposium on Computers & Informatics
978-1-4673-1686-6/12/$26.00 2012 IEEE 125

(a) (b)
Figure 1. Boost converter circuit (a) ON state (b) OFF state
II. PHYSICAL MODEL OF BOOST CONVERTER
The proposed scheme is applied to a boost converter, as
shown in Fig. 2. The parameters of the proposed scheme are
represented by: a solar cell as DC input voltage source V
in
,
controllable switch, filter inductor L, filter capacitor C, load
resistor R, and a PWM block that controlled duty cycle
represented by d.
Figure 2. DC-DC boost converter.
A current generator represented by I
z
is added in parallel
with the load resistor so that the response of the converter to
the load changes can be examined. The proposed scheme is
considered to operate in continuous conduction mode (CCM).
When the switch is ON, the diode is reversed biased, thus
isolating the output stage and the input supplies energy to the
inductor. Otherwise, the output voltage receives energy from
the inductor as well as from the input, when the switch is OFF.
The controllable switch is considered as being ideal, and the
losses in the capacitance and inductive elements are neglected.
The relation between input and output voltage of the boost
converter is

( )
0
in
V 1
=
V 1-d
(1)
III. MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF DC-DC BOOST
CONVERTER
The ideal dynamics of the boost converter are derived
by the state space averaging method. During a small-signal
transient; when the duty ratio perturbation is sufficiently
small, an equivalent linear system model is formed
applying the method. During the ON time, the switch is
closed, and the corresponding circuit as in Fig. 1(a). By
applying Kirchhoffs voltage law on the loop containing the
inductor:

iL
in
d 1
= (V )
dt L
(2)
and Kirchhoffs current law on the node with the capacitor
branch connected to it.

v
z
d 1 V
= (i - )
dt C R
(3)
During OFF state, the switch is off and the diode is on. The
corresponding sub-circuit is as shown in Fig.1(b). By applying
the same procedures as in ON state, the equations of OFF state
can be obtained. The inductor current represented by i
L
meanwhile V is the output capacitor voltage.

L
i
in
d
1
= (V -V)
dt L
(4)

v
L z
d 1 V
= (i -i - )
dt C R
(5)
IV. AVERAGING SMALL-SIGNAL MODELING
The state-space averaging method is a way to model DC-
DC boost converter as time independent systems, defined by a
unified set of differential equations that are capable of
representing circuit waveforms [10]. Thus, it can be a
convenient approach for designing controllers that will apply
to boost converter by taking into account of the control
transfer function. The switching circuit of boost converter is
divided into two continuous conduction modes (CCM)
different structures consistently such that the technique of
state-space averaging can be employed. Each structure is
defined based on circuit theory so that the derivatives of
inductor currents and capacitor voltages can be obtained. The
inductor current i
L
and the capacitor voltage V can be defined
| |
T
L
x(t)= i (t).V(t) as the state vector, thus the system is
described by the following set of continuous-time state-space

x u
x=A +B (6)
where
126

on off
on off
A=dA +(1-d)A
B=dB +(1-d)B
(7)
Let x
1
=i and x
2
=v, the state equations of (1) and (2) become,

1 in
1
x = (V )
L
(8)

2
2 z
x 1
x = (i - )
C R
(9)
In state space representation;

1 1 in
2 2 Z
on on
1
0 0 0
x x V
L
= +
1
x x I 1 0 -
0
RC
C
A B
(
(
(
( ( (
(
(
( ( (
(
(
(

(

(10)
The state equation for (4) and (5) will become,

1 in 2
1
x = (V -x )
L
(11)

2
2 L Z
x 1
x = (i -i - )
C R
(12)
In state space representation;

1 1 in
2 2 Z
off off
1 1
0 - 0
x x V
L L
= +
x x I 1 1 1
- 0
C RC C
A B
( (
( (
( ( (
( (
( ( (
( (
( (

(13)
The time varying system described in (5) can be linearized
using perturbation technique in order to solve the small signal
behavior. Small AC perturbations are introduced in the DC
steady state quantities. The variables in this equation is written
as the sum of a steady-state or DC component and a small-
signal or AC component, which is represented by ~,

0 0 0
x(t)=X+x(t); v (t)=V +v (t); d(t)=D+d(t)

(14)
The expressions in (13) substituted into (5), then the equation
is multiplied out and the components of small-signal quantities
are neglected. A linear equation is obtained and produces
small changes in the variables as shown below:

x u
d
x=A +B +E

(15)
By applying the expressions in (6), the A and B matrices can
be obtained. The matrix of C is obtained by considering output
voltage V
0
= Cx
2
. Thus, the E matrix of boost converter is given
by:

on off on off
E=(A -A )x+(B -B )u
1
0
L
E=
1
0
C
(
(
(
(
(

(16)
V. DESIGN AND SIMULATIONS
The proposed model of open loop DC-DC boost converter
is then implemented in SIMULINK block diagrams as in Fig.
3 that governed by the state space averaging technique. The
elements in the matrices are evaluated using the parameter
values listed in Table 1.The value of load resistor has been
varied in this simulation so that the output can be analyzed to
ensure whether the variation of load affects the output in terms
of overshoot voltage (OS), rise time (t
r
), and settling time
(t
sett
).
Figure 3. Open loop model of DC-DC boost converter.
TABLE I. SPECIFICATION OF DC-DC BOOST CONVERTER
Parameter Value
Vin 12V
V0 24V
Inductor, L 200H
Capacitor, C 10F
Resistor, RL 120, 360, 330k
Duty cycle, D 0.5
127

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
x 10
-3
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
t (s)
A
m
p
e
r
e
Inductor Current

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
x 10
-3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
t (s)
V
o
l
t
Output Voltage
(a) (b)
4.5 4.51 4.52 4.53 4.54 4.55 4.56 4.57 4.58 4.59 4.6
x 10
-3
23.4
23.5
23.6
23.7
23.8
23.9
24
24.1
24.2 2.8 2.9 3
x 10
-3
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
x 10
-3
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
t (s)
A
m
p
e
r
e
Inductor Current
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
x 10
-3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
t (s)
V
o
l
t
Output Voltage
(a) (b)
3.92 3.93 3.94 3.95 3.96 3.97 3.98 3.99 4
x 10
-3
23.6
23.7
23.8
23.9
24
24.1
24.2
4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.1
x10
-3
-0.1
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
x 10
-3
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
t (s)
A
m
p
e
r
e
Inductor Current

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
x 10
-3
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
t (s)
V
o
l
t
Output Voltage
(a) (b)
4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.1
x 10
- 3
-0.2
-0.1
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
4.2 4.21 4.22 4.23 4.24 4.25 4.26 4.27 4.28 4.29 4.3
x 10
- 3
23.8
23.9
24
24.1
24.2
24.3

Figure 4. Output of open-loop boost converter using RL=120 (a) Inductor current (b) Output voltage.
Figure 5. Output of open-loop boost converter using RL=360 (a) Inductor current (b) Output voltage.
Figure 6. Output of open-loop boost converter by using RL=330k (a) Inductor current (b) Output voltage.
128
Results of the open-loop DC-DC boost converter simulated in
Matlab/Simulink environment is as shown in Fig. 4, 5 and 6.
The open loop response from the simulation shows the
corresponding of the state of the converter to a second order
system. The results of the output voltage are considered in this
work. Therefore, comparison has been made through the
observation of the results to analyze the variation of the output
voltage by changing the value of load resistor, R
L
. All data that
obtained in the simulation is simplified as in Table 2. Results
show that the output voltage reaches the expected value of 24V
higher than the input value of 12V with constant duty cycle of
0.5 at the end of the simulation and the open loop response of
boost converter is considered stable in this work. At the
beginning of simulation, high overshoot occurred in output
voltage and inductor current and it is increases as the increases
of load resistor. As in Fig. 4, the voltage is reaching up to the
maximum of 39V at the beginning until it going down the
steady state within 3ms. The circumstance of the output voltage
is same as for Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 with increases of overshoot
voltage as increases of load resistor. The analysis in Table 2
indicates that the percentage of overshoot can rise up to 72.9%
by simulating with the higher value of load resistor. Hence, the
voltage overshoot under load from the simulation of open-
system can be unsatisfactory refers to the contribution of the
increases in the value of load resistor due to its effect on
overall damping of the converter system. A controller is needed
due to large maximum overshoot and long settling time to
achieve a satisfactory performance of less than 10% overshoot
and faster settling time of less than 0.5ms.
TABLE II. ANALYSIS OF OUTPUT VOLTAGE PERFORMANCE FOR
DIFFERENT VALUES OF RLOAD
RLoad () % OS tr (ms) tsett (ms)
120 64.2 0.13 1.12
360 69.6 0.12 1.2
330k 72.9 0.1 2.0
VI. CONCLUSIONS
This paper describes the analysis and simulation of open-
loop DC-DC boost converter. The analysis of nonlinear system
and state-space model show validity against changes in the
load resistance affected the output voltage and inductor current
of the converter. The simulation environment
MATLAB/SIMULINK is the most convenient option to model
the circuit and the dynamic behaviour of converter structure in
open-loop system. However, the model obtained considers only
the continuous part in between the switching instants and
therefore do not entirely represent the overall performance of
the converter as a switching device. The open loop model of
DC-DC boost converter may then be used to undertake
controller design and later closed-loop performance can be
examined for future work.
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