Dynamic Voltage Stability Enhancement in Electric Vehicle Battery Charger Using Particle Swarm Optimization

Abstract

Electric vehicles (EVs) are poised to lead the transportation sector as the primary choice of automobile due to their efficiency and environmental benefits. EVs with enhanced autonomy and reduced pricing have become feasible in the market, enabling a gradual transition for higher EV penetration. However, electric vehicles require highly efficient and stabilized charging stations in urban areas to ensure the vehicle’s charging time is not compromised. In this regard, the Vienna rectifier with a voltage-oriented controller (VOC) plays a significant role in improving the power quality of the utility grid for EV battery charger applications. The low stability of the battery charger’s output voltage and current is due to the trial-and-error method used to select the PI controller gains. In order to improve the voltage and current stability, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) technique is used to optimize VOC’s PI controller gains. The code composer studio (CCS) platform integrates the PSO technique for EV battery chargers in the experimental setup. The Vienna rectifier with VOC for EV battery charger is implemented using TMS 320F28337 digital signal controller in the test board. Findings indicate that the PSO optimized VOC improves the output voltage and current stability by 12% compared to the existing trial-and-error technique. Furthermore, the proposed system is tested in an experimental setup that provides input current THD to less than 5% for different load variations (up to 1.5kW) to meet the IEEE-519 standards. Results from simulations and experimental setup verify that the proposed PSO-PI controller-based Vienna rectifier significantly improves EV battery chargers’ output voltage and current stability.