A novel energy storage system for efficiency improvement of fuel cell electric vehicles based on a new high step-up DC-DC converter

Abstract

Proton exchange membrane fuel cell systems have relatively low efficiency in low power applications and have many uncertainties. In this regard, the design of a high-efficiency battery charger for fuel cell electric vehicles has been an important issue for researchers and has attracted a lot of attention in recent years. For this purpose, in this article, in the first step, with the aim of developing a battery charger with high efficiency and low cost, a new high step-up DC-DC converter with unique features is proposed. The main advantages of the proposed converter are continuous input current, high efficiency, low voltage stress on components, less component count, and high voltage gain. To prove the advantages of the proposed converter, a peer-to-peer comparison with some existing converters has been made and results are presented. In addition, this study comprehensively presents the different operating modes for the proposed converter and provides the necessary analysis and relationships for circuit operation. In the second step, this study explains the small signal modelling for the proposed converter as well as the maximum power point tracking controller for this system. In order to validate the proposed system, the values of theoretical calculations, simulation results, as well as the experimental results of the 48V-input/220V-output prototype device are presented and the results are compared side by side.