1.

Introduction

Electricity is the worlds fasters growing form of end use energy consumption. Worldwide,
electricity generation is expected to increase by 84% from 19.1 trillion kWh in 2008 to 35.2
trillion kWh in 2035 [1]. This means a rise by 2.3% per year on average, while the total
energy demand grows by an annual average of 1.6%. The rising in total energy demand need
for reducing the negative environmental effect of energy use implies in the first place that
more effort must be put in reducing energy consumption and wastage. These goals can be
achieved by reducing the dependence on imported fuels and exploiting renewable energy
sources, resulting in a decentralization of the energy conversion and electricity production
[2]. As a result, renewable energy generation is the worlds fastest growing source of electric
power, rising at an average annual rate of 3% and outpacing the average annual increases for
natural gas (2.6%), nuclear power (2.4%) and coal (1.9%) [1]. The renewable share of global
electricity generation is expected to increases from 19% in 2008 to 23% in 2035.
The aim toward a low-carbon economy and complete carbon-neutrality for the power sector
has an impact on the way the electric power system will be redesigned and reinforced in the
coming decades. The traditional model with large centrally dispatched remote power stations,
long transmission lines and a distribution system primarily designed to deliver power to load
centres is evolving towards a smart energy network which called smart grid. On the
distribution network and residential level, the transformation of electric power system will
accommodate generation closer to the loads, storage facilities, plug-in hybrid electric vehicle
(PHEVs), battery electric vehicle (BEVs) and greater level of demand side management.
Power electronic can be seen as key enabling technologies for the realization of the smart
grid where high power quality and security of supply are one of the main objective [3]. Most
of distributed energy sources use a power electronic converter to interconnect to the grid.
Power electronics allow the implementation of decentralized control scheme for distributed
energy sources and can add several possibilities to improve the overall power quality of the
electric supply system.
This work investigates a particular single-phase, bidirectional AC-DC converter that is
interfaced with the distribution grid on the residential level. Major applications areas for this
type of converters are chargers for PHEVs, BEVs, and interfaces for multiple renewable
energy sources and energy storage system. Bidirectional conversion capability enables the
development of smart interactive power network in which the energy systems plays an
important role in providing the different types of support to the grid. In this work only ACDC converters in particular a single stage (1-S) dual active bridge (DAB) AC-DC topology
with galvanic are considered, providing the feasibility of system grounding solutions and thus
being advantageous concerning safety issues [4], [5].
2.0

Literature Review

2.1

Introduction

Since DAB was introduced in 1989, research on the DAB converter has been focussing on
several topics such as modulation schemes, steady state and dynamic characteristic. However,
due to the general demand for high conversion efficiency and power density, research on
improved DAB modulation schemes has been particularly prominent. In order to enable an
improved converter performance, the majority of these modulation schemes tries to deal with

the above mentioned deficiencies of the conventional phase-shift modulation (PSM), being a
limited range ZVS operating range and large RMS current in the high-frequency AC-link for
most operating points when the DAB is operated within wide voltage range [6]. One of the
main goal has been to optimally operate the DAB within condition where quasi switching
losses occur (i.e by virtue of zero voltage switching, ZVS).

The dual active bridge (DAB) converter, consisting of two voltage sourced active bridge
interfaced nu a high frequency (HF) transformer and optionally an additional series inductor
was introduced in [6] for realizing high-efficiency, high power density, isolated DC-DC
conversions with ultra fast dynamic response and the capability of buck-boot operation as
well as bidirectional power flow. Figure 2.1 shows the circuit schematics of the DAB DC-DC
converter [6].
1.2

Specifications of the Investigated DC-DC Converter

The specifications of the single-phase, utility interfaced, bidirectional and isolated AC-DC
converter are based on the requirement for mode 1on-board electric vehicle (EV) battery
chargers. It allows domestic charging at a maximum/nominal (active) charging current of
i ac , nom=16 A rms . IEC recommended standard/nominal grid voltage of v ac ,nom =230 V rms
and a line frequency of

f L =50 Hz , the maximum/nominal charging power is

Pnom=3.7 kW . The voltage level

V DC 2

at the DC port is chosen based on the forecast

that, with the increasing power demand of electric vehicles, the vehicular power system
voltages tend to rise [8]. The nominal voltage V DC 2, nom=400 V .
Further objectives regarding the selection and the design of the bidirectional DC-DC
converter are:

1.3

A high converter efficiency of >95 at the nominal operating point.

Converter efficiency of >95 within reasonable input and output voltage ranges
and reasonable input current ranges
Low converter volume
Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) compliance with the CISPR 22 Class B
standard [9]
A power factor (PF) close to one with an absolute minimum of PF > 0.9.
Compliance with the IEC 6100-3-2 standard for input current harmonics, which must
result in a low total harmonic distortion (THD) of the AC input current, gaoling for
THD 5 [10].
Objectives and Possible New Contributions

The objective of this work is to investigate the feasibility and suitability of a single stage dual
active bridge AC-DC converter for the realization of the single-phase, utility interfaced,
bidirectional and isolated energy conversion specified in section 1.2, which relates to an onboard, 3.7 kW, EV battery charger. The main building block of the dual active bridge AC-DC

converter is the full bridge full bridge (FBFB) DAB DC-DC converter which, compared to
other DAB variants, provides the highest possible flexibility regarding the optimal
modulation of the voltage applied to its high-frequency AC-link terminals.
The possible new contributions of this work are:

A comprehensive overview on bidirectional DC-DC converter topologies, including a

comparison of the different converters that are suitable to fulfil the given
specifications; in that context, the extensions of the unidirectional resonant LCC and
LLC converters with respect to bidirectional operation are investigated.
A complete analysis of all (twelve) switching modes that are possible with (FBFB)
DAB converter.
A detailed model used to predict the power losses of the investigated DAB converter,
which includes the impact of the high frequency harmonic component on the
conduction and copper losses, switching losses and core losses and the impact of
raised component temperature on the losses which includes a coupled electro-thermal
model.
A detailed calculation of the HF losses on the PCB caused by the switching operation.
Investigation of the dynamic behaviour of the DAB.

References
[1]

U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). (2011) International Energy Outlook

2011
(Last
accessed:
7/10/2015).
[Online].
Available:
http://www.eia.gov/forecasts/ieo/pdf/0484(2011).pdf

[2]

European Commission, Directorate-General for Research (Sustainable Energy

Systems). (2005) Towards Smart Power Networks: Lessons Learned from European
Research FP5 Projects (Last accessed: 7/10/2015). [Online]. Available:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/energy/pdf/towards smartpower en.pdf

[3]

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[4]

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[6]

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[7]

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[8]

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[10]

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