Communication-Free Interleaving Control of Parallel-Connected DC-DC Converters

Abstract

Parallel-connected converters are commonly used in applications such as DC microgrids. The presence of multiple converters allows for the use of the interleaving technique to minimize bus ripple. Most existing interleaving methods rely on communication lines, which are unsuitable for distributed scenarios. This paper presents a method that requires no communication line. The elimination of communication lines reduces the system’s complexity and cost while improving its reliability. We provide an analytical guarantee of stability and validate the control method using phasor simulation and an experimental prototype with three 24 V to 8 V DC-DC buck converters connected in parallel. Measurements show that the proposed method allows the parallel system to maintain an interleaved state in the face of load steps and converters plugged in and out.