Proceedings of the 6th World Congress on Intelligent Control

and Automation, June 21 - 23, 2006, Dalian, China

Cascade PID Control of Buck-Boost-Type

DC/DC Power Converters*
Zhong Wu and Jianhui Zhao

Jiyang Zhang

School of Instrumentation Science and Optoelectronics Engineering

Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Beijing 100083, China
{wuzhong & zhaojianhui}@buaa.edu.cn

Beijing Institute of Control Engineering

Chinese Academy of Space Technology
Beijing 100080, China
zjywsy@sina.com

Abstract - In order to improve the control performance of

DC/DC buck-boost converters, the control problem of the output
voltage is transformed to the inductor current control, and a
cascade controller is presented. The outer loop of the cascade
controller adopts a conventional PI control algorithm and takes
the capacitor voltage as the controlled variable; the inner one
adopts a particular PI control algorithm and takes the inductor
current as the controlled variable. This kind of controller not
only can make the controlled system achieve excellent dynamic
characteristics, but also has strong robustness to the variations of
system parameters, such as inductance, capacitance, input
voltage, load resistance. Simulation results of a certain DC/DC
buck-boost power converter indicate that the controller
presented above is feasible.
Index Terms DC/DC converters, cascade control, PID control

I. INTRODUCTION
DC/DC power converters, which can convert the
unregulated DC input into a controlled DC output at a desired
level, are widely used in DC switch power supplies and DC
motor drives. As a kind of DC/DC power converters, buckboost ones are often used when the output voltage is higher or
lower than the input. In order to output desired DC voltage,
the power switch should be controlled by PWM signals.
However, DC/DC buck-boost converters have strong
nonlinearity and non-minimum-phase property, which can
result in great difficulties in designing closed-loop controllers.
In recent years, many techniques are reported concerning
the feedback control of DC/DC converters. Chen and Cai[1]
designed a linear quadratic regulators (LQR) based on a
bilinear large-signal model to restrain the effect of load
variations on system response, but they had no further
discussions on how to restrain the effect of the input voltage
disturbance. Although Garofalo, et al.[2] introduced nonlinear
feedforward into LQR to attenuate input disturbance, they
could do nothing about system parameter variations, which
can deteriorate the system control performance to a great
extent.
Therefore, Sira-Ramirez and Ilic[3] adopted a slide-mode
controller to improve dynamic and steady-state performance in
DC/DC converters, as well as system robustness. However,
this controller can not make the power switch work under
fixed frequency and can result in large voltage ripple.
Although self-tuning feedback controllers[4~5] have no same
*

problems as slide-mode ones and have strong robustness to the

variations of system parameters, this method is not easy to
implement since it needs large mount of calculation to identify
system parameters on line. Nonlinear dynamical compensator
of Sira-Ramirez and Lischinsky-Arenas[6] needs no parameter
identification on line, but the structure of this controller is
complex and calculation burden is also heavy. The structure of
nonlinear PI controller in Sira-Ramirez[7] is simpler relatively,
but strict theoretical proof is not available and the controller is
difficult to realize due to the complicated online tuning
algorithm of the controller parameters.
In order to improve the control performance of DC/DC
buck-boost converters, the control problem of the output
voltage is transformed to inductor current control, and a
cascade controller is designed in this paper. The outer loop of
the cascade controller adopts a conventional PI control
algorithm and takes the capacitor voltage as the controlled
variable; the inner one adopts an adaptive control algorithm
and takes the inductor current as the controlled variable. The
rest parts of this paper are organized as follows. In section 2, a
brief description of mathematical models for buck-boost
converters is given. Section 3 will determine the controller
structure, and design the cascade controller based on several
assumptions. In section 4, simulation results are presented to
verify the controller designed in this paper. Conclusions are
made in section 5.
II. MATHEMATICAL MODEL
Schematics of typical DC/DC buck-boost converters are
shown in Fig.1. For convenience, the following assumptions
can be made.
1

Vin

8467

Iin

+
R
-

Vout

L
Fig.1 DC/DC buck-boost converters

Assumption 1: Regard power switch as ideal device,

which has ideal switch characteristics. Neglect the loss of
inductance and capacitance.
Assumption 2: DC input Vin is an ideal voltage source,

This work is partially supported by the Project of Beijing Novel Star in Science and Technology (2003B08) to J. Zhao.

1-4244-0332-4/06/$20.00 2006 IEEE

and its inner resistance is zero.

Assumption 3: Output load can be expressed as an
equivalent resistance.
According to the assumptions stated above, the
mathematical model of DC/DC buck-boost converters in Fig.1
can be written as follows[3-7].
x1 = (1 ) x 2 L + Vin L
(1a)
x 2 = (1 ) x1 C x 2 RC
(1b)
y = x2
(1c)
where x1 = I in (t ) , x 2 = Vout (t ) , t [0,+) . Iin, Vout, and Vin
represent inductor current, capacitor voltage, and input
voltage, respectively. {0, 1} denotes the states of the power
switch.
Usually, DC/DC converters are regulated using pulse
width modulation (PWM) strategy. Then, switch states can
be written as:
t (iT , (i + c )T ]
1
=
(2)
t ((i + c )T , (i + 1)T ]
0
where T is PWM period, c is PWM duty cycle, i=0,1,.
When PWM frequency is high enough (T0), can be
replaced by c. Then, DC/DC buck-boost converters can be
described using the following average model.
x1 = (1 c ) x 2 L + cVin L
(3a)
x = (1 ) x C x RC
(3b)
c

y = x2

(3c)

III. CONTROLLER DESIGN

According to nonlinear system theory, it is easy to prove
that the average model described in (3) is of non-minimum
phase. That is to say, DC/DC buck-boost converters can be
approximated using a nonlinear non-minimum-phase system.
It is such nonlinearity and non-minimum-phase property that
make the controller design complicated.
However, the new average system is minimum-phase if
substitute inductor current for capacitor voltage as the output
variable in (3). Alvarez-Ramirez, et al.[8~9] demonstrate that
current-mode control yields semi-global stability with
asymptotic regulation of the output voltage in DC/DC boost
converters. Garcera, Figueres, and Mocholi[10], Ferdowsi and
Emadi[11], Choi and Lim[12] also indicate that current-mode
control can improve the robustness and dynamic response of
the DC/DC converters. Therefore, the control problem of the
output voltage can be transformed to the inductor current
control, and the controller structure as shown in Fig.2 can be
adopted in the buck-boost-type DC/DC power converters.
_
x2d

voltage
controller

_ _
x1max x

1d

Before the controller design according to Fig.2, the

following assumptions can be made without the loss of
generality:
Assumption 4: Inductance L, capacitance C and input
voltage Vin are unknown, but bounded, and L [ Lmin , Lmax ] ,
Vin [Vin,min ,Vin,max ] , C [C min , C max ] .
Assumption 5: Output load is variable, and its equivalent
resistance R is unknown.
Assumption 6: Both inductor current and capacitor
voltage are measurable.
In order to obtain robustness to the uncertainty of the
inductance, capacitance, input voltage and the load, PID
control algorithms can be adopted for the cascaded control
system. During the controller design, the inner loop should be
considered first.
A. Current Controller Design
As for DC/DC buck-boost converters described in (3), the
current controller can be designed as follows:
m 0
1

(4a)
0 < m < 1
c = 1 m
0

m = k c 2 + k c3 ( x1 x1d ) + k c 4 ( x1 x1d )dt k c1

t

(4b)

0
where x1d is the expected value of x1 , the controller
parameters kc1, kc2, kc3, and kc4 are positive constants, and
k c1 (x 2 + Vin,min ) Lmax , k c 2 Vin,max Lmin , k c23 4k c 4 .
Obviously, there are three working regions in the current
controller (4). One region is linear, the other two are saturated.
In the saturated regions, c is set to be 0 or 1 when m1 or
m0. According to (3), it can be inferred that x1 will
approach x1d and make x1 x1d decrease at the maximal
rate when c is saturated. Therefore, the controller can deviate
from the saturated regions and enter into the linear one. When
0<m<1, the following equation can be achieved by
substituting (4) into (3a).
t
(x2 + Vin )kc 2 + kc 3 ( x1 x1d ) + kc 4 0( x1 x1d )dt
V

(5)
x1 = in
L
k c1
Since k c1 (x 2 + Vin,min ) Lmax , we can get

t
x1 k c 2 k c 3 ( x1 x1d ) k c 4 0 ( x1 x1d )dt + Vin L

(6)

When k c 2 Vin,max Lmin , (6) can be amplified as follows.

t
x1 k c 3 ( x1 x1d ) k c 4 0 ( x1 x1d )dt

(7)

x1 = x1 x1d , x1d = 0 , then (7) can be changed

Assume ~

current c PWM buck-boost x2

controller
generator
converters
_
x1
x1
low-pass filter
_
x2
low-pass filter

into
t
~
x1 k c3 ~
x1 k c 4 ~
x1 dt

(8)

According to (8), there must be a bounded function

q(t)0, so that

Fig.2 Schematics of cascade control for DC/DC buck-boost converters

8468

t
~
x1 = k c 3 ~
x1 k c 4 ~
x1dt q(t )

(9)

Make Laplace transformation for (9), then

s~
x1 (0)
sq( s)
~
x1 ( s) = 2
2
s + kc3s + k c4
s + k c3 s + k c 4

(10)

When k c23 > 4k c 4 , the equation s 2 + k c 3 s + k c 4 = 0 has

two different real roots. Assume the roots are r1, r2, then make
Laplace inverse transformation for (10):
t
~
r e r1 (t ) r2 e r2 ( t ) q( )d
x1 (0)

r1t
r2t
0 1
~
x1 (t ) =
r1e r2 e

r1 r2
r1 r2
(11)
According to the median theorem, there must be tm[0, t],
so that
~
x (0)
q (t m ) t r1 (t )
~
x1 (t ) = 1
r1e r1t r2 e r2t
r1e
r2 e r2 (t ) d
r1 r2
r1 r2 0
(12)
From (12), we can get
~
q(t m ) r1t
x ( 0)
~
x1 (t ) = 1
r1e r1t r2 e r2t
e e r2t (13)
r1 r2
r1 r2

According to (13), it is clear that x1 can converge to x1d

exponentially.
When k c23 = 4k c 4 , s 2 + k c 3 s + k c 4 = 0 has two equal
roots. Assume the roots are r1=r2=r, then (10) can be convert
into the following form using Laplace inverse transformation.
t
~
x (t ) = ~
x (0)(1 rt )e rt [1 r (t )]e r ( t ) q( ) d (14)
1

Apply the median theorem to (14), then

t
~
x1 (t ) = ~
x1 (0)(1 rt )e rt q(t m ) [1 r (t )]e r (t ) d (15)
0

where tm[0, t]. Solve the integral of (15), then

~
x1 (t ) = ~
x1 (0)(1 rt )e rt q(t m )te rt
(16)
As same as (13), (16) also indicates that x1 can converge
to x1d exponentially. From the above analysis, it is concluded
that the inductor current x1 can converge to its expected value
at an exponential rate.
Remark 1: Different from the ordinary PI algorithm, the
current controller (4) contains four parameters, where kc1, kc2
can restrain the variations (or uncertainties) of x2 L and

Vin L respectively, kc3 can improve the dynamic response of

the current control, kc4 can eliminate the steady-state error of
the inductor current.
Remark 2: In order to avoid the integral saturation of the
current controller, kc4 can be adjusted according to the
following equation.
k c 4 (i ) = k c 4 (i 1) + x1d x1 (i ) max x1d x1
(17)
Where >0, max() is the maximal value of (), i=0,1, .
Remark 3: Obviously, the current controller described in
(4) is easy to implement, since only a voltage sensor and a
current sensor are needed to measure the capacitor voltage and
inductor current respectively, and the precise information of

8469

inductance L and input voltage Vin are not necessary.

B. Voltage Controller Design
During the design procedure of the voltage controller, the
inductor current x1 is supposed to achieve its expected value
x1d under the control of the current controller (4). Thus, (3b)
can be rewritten as:
x 2 = (1 cd ) x1d C x 2 RC
(18)
where cd is the duty ratio corresponding to the expected value
x1d . Let 1 = (1 cd ) C and 2 = 1 RC , then (18) is
changed into:
x 2 = 2 x 2 + 1 x1d
(19)
Obviously, (19) is a one-order inertia component with
uncertain parameters 1 and 2. In order to eliminate the
negative effect caused by parameter uncertainty and guarantee
enough steady-state precision, a conventional PI algorithm can
be adopted in the voltage control as follows.
u v < x1max
u
x1d = v
(20a)
u v x1 max
x1max
t
u v = k p ( x 2 d x 2 ) + 1 Ti ( x 2 d x 2 )dt
(20b)

where x1 max is the maximal current, kp>0, Ti >0.

Remark 4: Since the controller parameters kp and Ti can
be adjusted without the precise mathematical model, the exact
information of the capacitance C and the load resistance R are
not needed. That is to say, the voltage controller is robust to
the uncertainties of the system parameters. Meanwhile, the
damping coefficient of the closed system should be taken into
account when kp and Ti are tuned. The closed system should be
over damped if the over-shoot of the capacitor voltage is not
desired.

IV. SIMULATION RESULTS

In order to verify the feasibility of the control algorithm
proposed in this paper, simulation analysis was conducted on a
certain buck-boost-type DC/DC power converter according to
Fig.2. During the simulation, the discrete form of the low-pass
filter is assumed to be:
x1 (i ) = 0.9 x1 (i 1) + 0.1x1 (i ) , i = 0,1,
x 2 (i ) = 0.9 x 2 (i 1) + 0.1x 2 (i ) , i = 0,1,
And also, the controller parameters used in the simulation
are: kv=1.25, Ti=0.005, x1 max =100A, kc1=50000, kc2=60000,
kc3=400, kc4 is determined according to (17), and kc4(0)=0,
=20. When PWM frequency is chosen as 15.625KHz,
sampling period is 640s, the expected voltage x2d is set to be
600V, simulation results can be obtained under different
working conditions, as shown in Fig.3~Fig.7.
Fig.3~Fig.6 are obtained using the same controller
parameters under different system parameters(R, L, C). From
Fig.3~Fig.6, it can be seen that the inductor current has
excellent dynamic and steady-state response using the cascade
controller. Simultaneously, the capacitor voltage also can
arrive at its steady state with ideal precision (<0.1%) rapidly.

Output Voltage
800

600

600

Vout(V)

Vout(V)

Output Voltage
800

400

400

200

200

0
0

0.05

0.1
time(s)

0.15

0.2

0.05

0.1
time(s)

Inductor Current
120

120

Iin

Iin
100

100

x1d

Iin(A)

Iin(A)

x1d

80

80
60

60

40

40

20

20

00

0
0.05

0.1
time(s)

0.15

0.2

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

time(s)

(b)
Fig.5 Simulation curves with constant input voltage
(R=20, L=4mH, C=2350F, Vin=450V)

(b)
Fig.3 Simulation curves with constant input voltage
(R=20, L=8mH, C=2350F, Vin=450V)

Output Voltage

Output Voltage
800

800

600

600

Vout(V)

Vout(V)

0.2

(a)

(a)
Inductor Current

400

400

200

200

0.15

0.05

0.1
time(s)

0.15

0.2

0.05

0.1
time(s)

0.15

0.2

(a)

(a)

Inductor Current

Inductor Current

120

100

Iin

Iin
80

100

x1d

x1d

Iin(A)

Iin(A)

80
60
40

40

20
0

60

20
0
0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

time(s)

time(s)

(b)
Fig.6 Simulation curves with constant input voltage
(R=20, L=8mH, C=4700F, Vin=450V)

(b)
Fig.4 Simulation curves with constant input voltage
(R=40, L=8mH, C=2350F, Vin=450V)

8470

Although the cascade controller is robust to the variations of

the system parameters, the dynamic procedure is affected a lot
by the different system parameters. The minimal regulation
time is 0.055s, and the maximal one is up to 0.135s.
Output Voltage
800

Vout(V)

600

400

200

Vout
Vin
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

time(s)

(a)
Inductor Current
100

Iin(A)

80
60

In order to improve the control performance of DC/DC

buck-boost power converters, the control problem of the
output voltage is transformed to the inductor current control,
and a cascade controller is developed for DC/DC buck-boost
power converters in this paper. Theoretical analysis and
simulation results indicate that the proposed cascade PID
control system can eliminate the negative effects of nonminimum-phase property on system performance. And also,
this system has excellent dynamic and steady-state
performance, as well as strong robustness to the variations of
the load resistance, capacitance, inductance and the input
voltage. Compared with other control algorithms used in
DC/DC buck-boost power converters, the cascade one
proposed in this paper has advantages on simple structure, low
calculation burden and easy implementation.
However, the results of this paper are confined in
theoretical and simulation analysis, and should be verified
through the future experiment. In addition, novel control
algorithms should be studied further when only a capacitor
voltage sensor is used in DC/DC buck-boost power converters.
REFERENCES

40

Iin

20

x1d
0

V. CONCLUSION

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

time(s)

(b)
Fig.7 Simulation curves with step variation of input voltage
(R=20, L=8mH, C=2350F)

Fig.7 is obtained when R=20, L=8mH, C=2350F, Vin

varies from 750V to 450V. From Fig.7, it can be seen that the
converter can maintain excellent dynamic and steady-state
performance using the same controller parameters, even
though the system parameters vary greatly. The output voltage
can attain steady state rapidly under the control of the
proposed cascade controller, although the step variation of
input voltage may cause instantaneous output ripple (<10%).
However, the great changes of the load resistance and
capacitance will affect the regulation speed of the output
voltage.
From the simulation results, it is known that the cascade
controller, designed according to the average model, can be
easily applied to the practical systems. Moreover, the control
system of Fig.2 not only has excellent dynamic performance,
but also has excellent ability to restrain the disturbances
caused by the variations of system parameters, such as the
load resistance, capacitance, inductance, and input voltage of
the buck-boost-type DC/DC power converters.
Compared with the other algorithms used in DC/DC
power converters, the new algorithm proposed in this paper
has the advantages on simple structure, low calculation burden
and easy implementation, although it is composed of two
cascaded controllers.

8471

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