Optimal Synergetic Control of Three-Phase/Level Boost–Buck Voltage DC-Link AC/DC Converter for Very-Wide Output Voltage Range High-Efficiency EV Charger

Abstract

Universal high-power three-phase (3-8) mains interfaces for electric vehicle (EV) charging must provide a wide output voltage range (e.g., 200–800 V) and, thus, provide buck and boost capability. An advantageous realization combining a three-level (3-L) T-type (Vienna) boost-type power-factor-correcting (PFC) voltage source rectifier (VSR) with a 3-L buck-type DC/DC converter stage is presented in this article. For high output voltages (boost mode), the VSR-stage operates with 3/3-pulsewidth modulation (PWM), i.e., continuous PWM of all three phases to regulate the output voltage, while the DC/DC-stage remains clamped to avoid switching losses. For low output voltages (buck mode), the DC/DC-stage advantageously controls the DC-link voltage according to a time-varying reference value, which allows to sinusoidally shape the currents of two mains phases, such that the VSR-stage can operate with 1/3-PWM (only one of the three bridge legs operates with PWM at any given time) with reduced switching losses. This article proposes a novel 2/3-PWM scheme for the output voltage transition region, where output voltages are between the buck mode and the boost mode. This enables loss-optimum operation (i.e., the minimum number of the VSR-stage bridge legs operating with PWM, and with the minimum possible DC-link voltage) for any output voltage. Furthermore, this article introduces a new synergetic control concept that ensures seamless transitions between the loss-optimum operating modes. A comprehensive experimental verification, including precompliance EMI measurements, using a 10-kW hardware demonstrator with a power density of 5.4 kW/dm3 (91 W/in3), a peak efficiency of 98.8% at rated power and 560-V output voltage, and >98% efficiency for all operating points with >400-V output voltage and more than about 50% of rated power confirms the theoretical analyses.