A Novel Bidirectional Interleaved Boost Converter

with High Voltage Gain

G. A. L. Henn; L. H. S. C. Barreto; D. S. Oliveira Jr.; E. A. S. da Silva
Federal University of Ceara
Department of Electrical Engineering
Centro de Tecnologia - Campus do Pici, Bl.705
Fortaleza-CE, Brazil, 60455-760
Email: lbarreto@dee.ufc.br
Abstract - In this paper a novel interleaved boost converter
with high voltage gain and bidirectional operation is presented.
High efficiency and low stress in the switches are expected. The
great voltage limit range in bidirectional mode allows that this
topology is far suitable for renewable energy systems
applications.

I. INTRODUCTION
Renewable energy systems are being more and more
common to help providing electric energy. However, in order
to achieve a good operation, hybrid systems must use battery
banks to store exceeding energy and to supply the load when
the main sources arent enough to do so.
Thus, to transfer the energy from conventional batteries (12
Vdc or 24 Vdc) to conventional 220 VRMS AC systems it is
necessary to step the battery voltage up using a DC/DC
converter. The boost converter is strongly suitable for this
purpose, but, to obtain a high voltage gain, the boost converter
must operate with duty cycle greater than 0.95, which is very
hard to achieve due to operational limitations. Besides, the
batterys converter must work in a bidirectional way, due to its
two operation possibilities: as source, supplying energy to the
load, helping the main sources, and as a load, storing
exceeding energy.
To solve the drawback of the low voltage gain in
conventional boost converters, some topologies were
suggested, as in [1-12]. In [3] and [4], the use of an interleaved
boost converter associated with an isolated transformer was
introduced, using the high frequency AC link. Despite of the
good performance of such topology, it uses three magnetic
cores.
In [5], the converter presents low input current ripple and
low voltage stress across the switches. However, high current
flows through the series capacitors at high power levels.
In [6-8] converters with high static gain based on the boostflyback topology are introduced. These converters present low
voltage stress across the switches, but the input current is
pulsed, as it needs an LC input filter.
The step-up switching-mode converter with high voltage
gain using a switched-capacitor circuit was proposed in [9].
This idea is only adequate for the development of low power
converters. However it results in a high voltage stress across
the switches and so many capacitors are necessary.
Recently, other converters have been presented, as in [1012]. In [10-11] the three-state switching cell is shown. In [12]

a voltage doubler rectifier is employed as the output stage of

an interleaved boost converter with coupled inductors.
The problem of the bidirectional operating mode was also
investigated, as in [13-19]. In none of [14-19] presents a high
voltage gain when the energy is flowing from the source to the
load. Besides, all of them operates with low input/output
power and are not suitable for the application presented in this
paper. In [13] the efficiency is not good enough.
The converter presented in [20] has some advantages, if
compared to the others, such as: possibility to operate in large
voltage range, great efficiency, high nominal power, low
switches stress, and, mainly, the possibility to work in a
bidirectional way. For these reasons, this topology will be
detailed and adapted to operate bi-directionally.
II. THE HIGH VOLTAGE GAIN BOOST CONVERTER
This section presents the operation principle, equations and
waveforms of the high voltage gain boost converter, when the
energy flows from the source to the load.
In order to obtain a high voltage gain, a small circuit cell is
magnetically coupled to the conventional interleaved boost
(LB1 with L1 and LB2 with L2), as seen in Figure 1 [20].
It can be seen from Figure 1 that the number of
semiconductor devices is the same as in the traditional
interleaved boost arrangement, though two coupled inductors
L1 and L2 are added, resulting in higher output voltage.
The interleaved boost switching cycle is composed by four
stages. Figures 2 to 5 illustrate each stage detailed below.
Figure 6 shows the main theoretical waveforms from the
proposed converter, representing the operation stages.
A. Operation Principle
For the theoretical analysis, it will be considered that the
input voltage (Vi) and output current (Io) are ripple free and all
devices are ideal.
First Stage [t0 t1] - Prior the first stage, both switches S1
and S2 were turned-on, making the inductors LB1 and LB2 to be
charged.
At t0, S1 is opened and S2 is maintained close. The energy,
previously stored in the inductor LB1 is now transferred to the
capacitor CF1 through the circuit showed in Figure 2, and it
starts to charge, while LB2 is still being charged. At instant t1
S1 is turned on again, finishing this period. The differential
equations that describe this stage are:

Figure 1. High gain boost topology.

diLB1
Vi = 0
dt
VL1 = VLB1 n k
di
LB 2 LB 2 Vi = 0
dt
VL 2 = VLB 2 n k

VCF LB1

Figure 2. First stage.

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)

Where:
VCF - Voltage across filter capacitor CF;
LB - Boost inductance;
Vi
- Input voltage;
n
- Transformer turns ratio;
k
- Magnetic coupling ratio.
Second Stage [t1 t2] - At instant t1 switch S1 is turned on
and S2 remains closed. The second stage is illustrated in
Figure 3, where the energy keeps being stored in LB2, without
being transferred to the load. Besides, LB1 starts storing energy
again. This period ends at instant t2 when S2 is turned-off. The
equations that represent this stage are:

LB1
LB 2

diLB1
Vi = 0
dt
diLB 2
Vi = 0
dt

(5)

diLB 2
Vi = 0
dt
VL 2 = VLB 2 n k

Figure 4. Third stage.

(6)

Third Stage [t2 t3] - The stage begins when switch S2 is

turned off. The voltage across switch S2 is equal to the
capacitor CF voltage. At the third stage, the stored energy in
LB2 is transferred to the capacitor CF2 through the circuit
showed in Figure 4. The stage ends on the turning-on of
switch S2. The relevant differential equations are:

VCF LB 2

Figure 3. Second stage.

(7)
(8)

Fourth Stage [t3 t4] - Figure 5, shows the fourth stage,

which is similar to the second: when the two switches are
turned-on, the energy is stored in the inductors LB1 and LB2
without being transferred to the load. This period ends when
S1 is turned-off, backing again to the first stage.

Figure 5. Fourth stage.

From the equations developed in this section and the

analysis of Figures 2 to 5, the expression representing the
static gain G1 can be obtained as (9):
G1 =

VOUT
( n k + 1)
= 3
VI
(1 D)

(9)

LBx
LX

(10)

n=

Figure 6 presents the main theoretical waveforms.

switches, the topology will work as a buck converter. The

stages of this operation will be explained below.
A. Bidirectional Mode Operation Principle
For the theoretical analysis, it will be considered that the
input voltage (Vi) and output current (Io) are ripple free and all
devices are ideal. Besides, the capacitors CF1, CF2 and CF are
previously charged and their initial voltage is Vout/3.
First stage [t0 t1] - At the instant t0, S3 and S6 are turnedon, while S4 and S5 are turned-off. Nevertheless, the energy
will flow through the circuit CF, S3, LB1 and Vi. The voltage
across the capacitor CF and CF1 remain constant and the main
differential equations that describe this stage are:
VCF LB1

diLB1
di
Vi + M L1 = 0
dt
dt

(11)

1
VCF = Vout
3
Figure 6. Main theoretical waveforms.

III. THE BIDIRECTIONAL MODE

In this section will be explained the operation principle of
the converter working in the bidirectional mode. To make the
analysis, the load is now replaced by a constant DC voltage
source, as shown in Figure 7.

(12)

Where:
M
- Mutual inductance.
The illustration of this stage can be seen in Figure 8. This
stage ends at instant t1, when S3 and S6 are turned-off.
Second stage [t1 t2] During this period, all the switches
are open and the energy keeps flowing to the load through the
free-wheeling circuit presented in Figure 9.
Third stage [t2 t3] - At the instant t2, the current flows
through the path CF, S4, LB2 and Vi, as shown in Figure 10.
The operation of this stage is similar to the first one, and the
equation that describes it is shown below:

VCF LB 2

diLB 2
di
Vi + M L 2 = 0
dt
dt

(13)

This stage ends when S4 and S5 are opened.

Fourth stage [t3 t4] - This period is the same as described
at the second stage and is also presented in Figure 9. This
stage ends at instant t4, when the switches S3 and S6 are
turned-on, backing to the first stage.
The expression representing the static gain G2 of the
converter operating in bidirectional mode is showed below.
G2 =

1
V
1 (1 D)
= I =
G1 VOUT 3 (n k + 1)

(14)

Figure 7. Bidirectional Converter Topology.

It must be observed the differences from the topologies

illustrated in Figures 1 and 7. First of all, four switches were
added (S3, S4, S5 and S6). Thus, to maintain the characteristics
from the topology presented in Figure 1, the diodes D3, D4, D5
and D6 were maintained in parallel to the switches.
In order words, the topology presented in Figure 7 is just
the same as in Figure 1 when the switches S3 to S6 are opened
and the switches S1 and S2 are commutating.
In order to obtain the opposite energy flow, the switches S1
and S2 must be maintained in the turn-off state, while S3 to S6
will be commutating. By correctly commutating those

IV. SYSTEM EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

In this topic the results from the system simulation will be
presented. Two situations will be analyzed: when the energy
flows from the source to the load and vice-versa.
TABLE I
System Characteristics
Input Voltage

28 Vdc

Output Voltage

180 Vdc

Input Current

20 A

A. Energy Flowing from the Source to the Load

Figure 11 shows the voltage and the current waveforms
through the source. The voltage across voltage and the current
waveforms through the load is shown in Figure 12. It can be
seen in Figure 13 the voltage across S1 and the current flowing
through the inductor LB1.

Figure 8. First stage.

Figure 11. Input voltage (10V/div) and current (5A/div).

Figure 9. Second and fourth stage.

Figure 12. Output voltage (100V/div) and current (5A/div).

Figure 10. Third stage.

Figure 13. Current through LB1 (5A/div), and S1 switch voltage (20V/div).

B. Energy Flowing from the Load to the Source

Figure 14 presents the output voltage, output current, and
input voltage. Figure 15 shows the voltage across switch S3
and the current through inductor LB1. The voltages across each
capacitor (CF1, CF2 and CF) are illustrated in Figure 16. It can
be seen from these figures that the bidirectional mode works
as expected.

Notice now the difference between Figures 12 and 15.

Figure 14 presents the opposite signals if compared to Figure
11, which means that now the energy is flowing from the load
to the source, proving the effectiveness of the topology and
producing the deserved goals. Besides, the other waveforms
describe what was expected in theoretical waveforms
presented at Figures 7 and 12.
V. CONCLUSION

Figure 14. Input (100V/div) and output voltage (10V/div) and output current
(5A/div).

A novel interleaved boost converter with high voltage gain

and bidirectional operation was presented. The topology
shows its importance when employed in hybrid system.
The advantages from the topology are: high efficiency, the
converters operates in soft-switch mode when the energy
flows from the source to the load, which assure small
switching losses, the converter is suitable to applications
where large voltage step-up is demanded, such as renewable
energy systems based on battery storage.
The model is validated through experimental results,
showing its effectiveness. Some improvements can still be
obtained by achieving better performance in the converters
efficiency. Simulations from soft-switching cells are being
studied to increase the global efficiency of the converter.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
To the FUNCAP that supports the technologic development
of Cearas state, and to the GPEC members, for the friendship
and diary support and knowledge exchange.
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Figure 15. Voltage across CF1, CF2 and CF, respectively (20V/div).

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[9]
Figure 16. Current through LB1 (5A/div), and S3 switch voltage (50V/div).

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