3rd International Conference on Advances in Electrical, Electronics, Information, Communication and Bio-Informatics (AEEICB17)

Microcontroller based DC-DC Cascode Buck-Boost

Converter
Sanjeet Kumar Dr. Parsuram Thakura
M.E Power Electronics Associate Professor
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
BIT Mesra, Ranchi, India BIT Mesra, Ranchi, India
Email Id: kumarsanjeet61@ gmail.com Email Id: prthakura@bitmesra.ac.in

Abstract- In this paper DC-DC Cascode Buck-Boost Converter is AC Alternating Current

proposed by using two buck-boost converter. The structure of the DC Direct Current
proposed convert is very simple and the switching operation is V Volts
done by using one active switch IGBT. The Buck-Boost A Ampere
Converters are named as higher semi stage and lower semi stage.
The input DC supply to the lower semi stage converter is given by
means of the input DC supply and the input to the higher semi I. Introduction
stage is given by means of DC supply and the output voltage of
During the initial stage of the development of DC-DC
the lower semi stage converter. Thus overall output voltage is
given by the output sum of individual semi stage converters by
Converters the DC voltage is converted to AC voltage, then it
cascode. Hence, from this Cascode DC-DC Converter can achieve is step-up by using transformer and again the AC voltage is
a very high output voltage gain in a single stage without having converted to required level of DC voltage by means of
an extreme high duty ratio. The input pulse to the active switch rectifier. As the number of stage between the source and the
IGBT is given by Arduino. The operating principle and steady load are increased the efficiency of the converter reduces. The
analysis are discussed in detail in this paper and also the voltage recent development in the field of conventional energy
gain is compared with the conventional Boost converter, Buck- resources like Photovoltaic cell make us to design a stable
Boost converter and Cuk converter. The dynamic analysis of DC-DC converter to get the DC voltage generated to the DC
complete circuit is analyzed and MATLAB/Simulink simulation
voltage of the required voltage level. The conventional DC-
is done and finally to verify the proposed cascode converter
laboratory experiment of 50W has been implemented to test both
DC converter like Buck converter, Boost converter, Buck-
the simulation and experimental result. Boost converter and Cuk converter were developed. Due to
the limitation of the voltage gain of these conventional DC-
Keywords — Buck-Boost Converters, Cascode Converter, DC converters we need the DC-DC converter with high
DC-DC converter, Microcontroller based. voltage gain.
In resent high voltage industrial application a high step-
up DC-DC converter are used to power various number of
Nomenclature electrical equipment by means of batteries. The output
Vgs Input pulse voltage to switch voltages of the batteries are usually in terms of 12V which
Vin Input voltage need to be step-up as high as 180V or 220V during steady
iin Input current state operation. The battery powers system often connected in
VL1 Voltage across inductor L1 series or in parallel combination to get high voltage and high
VL2 Voltage across inductor L2 power applications which is not possible in case of large
iL1 Current through inductorL1 number of cell. DC-DC converters are used to reduce the
iL2 Current through inductorL2 number of cell required by increasing the output voltage. So
VC01 Voltage across capacitor C01 the DC-DC converters are used in many battery power
VC02 Voltage across capacitor C02 applications like HEV.
iC01 Capacitor current of C01 This converter can be used to supply AC load or DC
iC02 Capacitor current of C02 load. The block diagram of the DC load and AC load are
V0 Output load voltage shown in Fig 1(a) and 1(b) respectively.
I0 Output load current Conventional converters like Boost converters, Buck
Pout Output Power Boost Converters or Cuk Converters we are not able to
S IGBT Switch achieve very high step gain in a single stage due to the
k Duty ratio extreme high duty cycle. Extremely high duty ratio can cause
t1 Turn on time period severe reverse recovery problems, high EMI problems. They
t2 Total time period of turn on and turn off are mainly due to the losses associated with input inductance
R Load resistance and output filter capacitance and the voltage drop of the diode.
f Switching frequency Many converter topologies which provide a high step up
Ts Time period of one cycle voltage gain has been developed but the cascode converter
G Voltage gain provides the high step-up voltage gain with medium duty

978-1-5090-5434-3©2017 IEEE
 3rd International Conference on Advances in Electrical, Electronics, Information, Communication and Bio-Informatics (AEEICB17)

cycle and also have high efficiency. Since the cascode

converters have a single active switch the losses are reduced.

(a)

(b)
Fig 1 Application of high step-up DC-DC converter.
(a) For DC loads and (b) For AC loads. Fig 2 Proposed power circuit diagram and
Hence in this paper IGBT based Transformerless high
step-up voltage gain DC-DC converter is proposed with
medium duty cycle, with one active switch. The circuits
topologies with one active switch have significantly reduce the
cost and complexity of the circuit. Therefore the reliability of
the converter is also increased.

II. Principle of Operation and

steady state analysis
The proposed converter circuit in this paper is mainly
configured by one switch IGBT S, one input and two reverse
diodes D, D1 and D2, input inductors L1 and L2, output filter
capacitors C01 and C02 in the Fig 2 and Fig 3 shows the block
diagram connection. The cascode converter used two buck-
boost converter with one switch S. The Buck-Boost
Converters are named as higher semi stage and lower semi
stage. The input DC supply to the lower semi stage converter
is given by means of the input DC supply and the input to the
higher semi stage is given by means of DC supply and the
output voltage of the lower semi stage converter. Thus overall
output voltage is given by the output sum of individual semi
stage converters by cascode. Hence, from this Cascode DC-
DC Converter can achieve a very high output voltage gain in a
single stage with medium duty ratio.
For the simplification of our understanding the operating
principle and dynamic analysis of the proposed Cascode
Converter few assumptions are made that continuously repeat
throughout the operation of the converter which are as follows
: L1
1) The circuit is assumed that it operate in continuous
conduction mode (CCM).
2) All the diodes D, D1 and D2 are assumed to be as ideal.
3) The large output capacitor C01 and C02.
4) Circuit is lossless.
5) The initially conditions of inductor and capacitor
parameters are assumed as zero.
Fig 3 Block diagram of cascode converter
Mode I [t0 - t1]
In the operation of mode 1 at the time t=t0 the switch is
turned ON. Fig 4 shows the equivalent circuit diagram of
mode 1. In this mode the diode D is forward bias and diodes
D1 and D2 are reverse. During this mode the inductor L2 is
magnetize from the DC supply through the diode D and switch
S and the inductor L1 is magnetize from the input DC supply
and filter output capacitor C02. So the inductor current iL1 and
iL2 are linearly increasing. Outputs filter capacitor C01 and C02
discharge through the load. At time t=t1 the switch S is turned
OFF.
In Mode the equations of voltage and current are :
Vin = VL2 (1)
Vin = VL1 - VC02 (2)
(Vin + VC 02 )
iL1 (t ) = iL1 (t 0 ) + (t − t 0 ) (3)
V
iL 2 (t ) = iL 2 (t0 ) + in (t − t0 ) (4)
L2
Mode II [t1 – t2]
In the operation of mode 2 at the time t=t1 the switch is
turned OFF. Fig 5 shows the equivalent circuit diagram of
mode 1. The diode D is reverse biased and diodes D1 and D2
are forward biased. Therefore the energy stored in the inductor
L1 and L2 are demagnetized to the output capacitor C01 and C02
respectively and to load. At the end of time t2 the switch is
again turned on and the operation continues to the mode 1.
The inductor voltage and current equation are as follows:
VL1 = - VC01 (5)

978-1-5090-5434-3©2017 IEEE
 3rd International Conference on Advances in Electrical, Electronics, Information, Communication and Bio-Informatics (AEEICB17)

VL2 = - VC02 (6) For a lossless circuit

V ( 2k − k 2 )
iL1 (t ) = iL1 (t1 ) − C 01 (t − t1 ) (7) Viniin = −V0 I 0 = Vin I 0 (15)
L1 (1 − k ) 2
V Inductor design
iL 2 (t ) = iL 2 (t1 ) − C 02 (t − t1 ) (8) From the above equation we get
L2
(1 − k ) R
L1 = (16)
( I L12 − I L11 ) f (2k − k 2 )
(1 − k ) 2 R
L2 = (17)
( I L 22 − I L 21 ) f (2 − k )
Capacitor design
From the above equation we get
k
C01 = (18)
(VC 012 − VC 011)(1 + k 2 − k ) fR
k
C02 = (19)
Fig 4 Mode 1
(VC 022 − VC 021 ) fR

Some of the ideal wave forms are shown below in Fig 6.

Fig 5 Mode 2
For the steady state analysis of the converter the turn-on
time is kTs and the turn-off time is (1-k) Ts. From the above
derived equations we get the equations as follows:
Vin + VC 02 V
kT = C 01 (1 − k )T (9)
L1 L1
Vin V
kT = C 02 (1 − k )T (10)
L2 L2
From the above equation we get
VC 01 k
= (11)
Vin (1 − k ) 2
VC 02 k
= (12)
Vin 1 − k
The voltage gain of the cascode converter is
obtained from the equation (11) and (12)
V0 = VC01 + VC02 (13)
Fig 6 Typical key wave propose converter
V 2k − k 2
G= 0 = (14)
Vin (1 − k ) 2

978-1-5090-5434-3©2017 IEEE
 3rd International Conference on Advances in Electrical, Electronics, Information, Communication and Bio-Informatics (AEEICB17)

III. Comparison of voltage gain of Cascode converter can be used as a Buck Converter when
the duty ratio is less than 0.2929 and as Boost Converter when
Cascode Converter the duty ratio is greater than 0.2929. We can say that by using
The proposed Cascode converter circuit in this paper two Buck-Boost converter in Cascode converter the duty ratio
voltage gain is compared with the voltage gain of the of 0.5 in conventional Buck-Boost converter is shifted to duty
conventional converter circuit like Boost Converter, Buck- ratio of 0.2929 in Cascode converter.
Boost or Cuk converters. In the conventional converter Boost IV. Simulation waveform
converter provide the highest gain than Buck- Boost or Cuk To validate the dynamic analysis of the proposed circuit,
Converter. Boost and Cuk Converter give positive output the Cascode converter is simulated using MATLAB/Simulink.
voltage and Buck-Boost and Cascode Converter give negative The Cascode converter is simulated for the following input
output voltage for the positive input voltage. From the table and output values as follows: Vin =75V, V0= 225V, with
and the graph of Voltage Gain versus Duty Ratio in fig 7 we R=200Ω the Pout = 250W and the switching frequency
can see that the voltage gain of the Cascode converter is larger f=10kHz with duty ratio k=50%. The inductor values are
than the boost converter when the duty ratio is greater than L1=16mH and L2=3mH, whereas the values of the output
0.39 and when duty ratio of cascode converter is slightly capacitors are C01=C02=100µF. The various simulated
increase than 0.5 gives the drastically increase in the voltage waveform of Cascode converter are shown as in fig 8(a), (b),
gain. (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) and (h).
Converter
Boost Buck Cuk Cascode
Duty 1 Boost k 2k − k 2
Sl.no Ratio (1 − k ) k
(k)
1− k (1 − k ) 2
1− k

1 0.1 1.111 0.111 0.111 0.234

2 0.2 1.25 0.25 0.25 0.562
3 0.2929 1.418 0.418 0.418 1 (a)
4 0.3 1.428 0.428 0.428 1.040
5 0.38 1.612 0.612 0.612 1.601
6 0.39 1.639 0.639 0.639 1.687
7 0.4 1.666 0.666 0.666 1.777
8 0.5 2 1 1 3
9 0.6 2.5 1.5 1.5 5.25
10 0.7 3.333 2.333 2.333 10.111
11 0.8 5 4 4 24 (b)
12 0.9 10 9 9 99

(c)

(d)
Fig 7. Voltage gain versus Duty ratio of Cascode converter
with Boost, Buck- Boost and Cuk converter.

978-1-5090-5434-3©2017 IEEE
 3rd International Conference on Advances in Electrical, Electronics, Information, Communication and Bio-Informatics (AEEICB17)

obtained the output voltage of 45.6V for the input voltage of

15.3V for the 50% duty ratio.

(e)

Fig 9 Hardware setup of Cascode Converter

(f)

(g)

Fig 10 50% duty ratio pulse obtained from the Arduino

(above) and TLP250 (below)

(h)
Fig 8.(a)Input Pulse, (b)Input Voltage, (c)Output Voltage,
(d)Output Current, (e)Inductor L1 current, (f)Inductor L2
current, (g) Capacitor C01 voltage, (h) Capacitor C02 voltage

V. Hardware Result
To validate the dynamic analysis and MATLAB/Simulink
simulated waveform of the Cascode converter the laboratory
hardware setup of 50W is designed and the output waveform
with input voltage of 15.3V at duty ration of 50% is taken and
the obtained result is successfully verified as required. The
output voltage is slightly less due to the losses in the inductor
and capacitor.
In Fig 9 the laboratory hardware setup model of Cascode
Converter is shown. Here Arduino Mega 2560 R3 board with
Arduino programing is used to generate the input pulse to the
active switch S IGBT of 10 kHz and TLP250 is used as the
pulse isolation driver. Fig 10 shows the 50% duty ratio pulse
obtained from the Arduino and TLP250. In Fig 9 the above
shown pulse is obtained directly from the Arduino and the
below pulse is obtained from TLP250.
Fig 11 shows the output voltage across the resistive load
obtained from the Cascode Converter is shown. We have
Fig.11 Hardware output voltage of the Cascode Converter
VI. Conclusion
To proposed Cascode converter is studies, theoretical
steady state analysis is done and to verify the result
MATLAB/Simulink simulation is done and successfully
developed a 50W high step-up cascode converter with
medium duty ratio in the laboratory with the circuit parameters
as the inductor values are takes as L1=16mH and L2=3mH,
whereas the values of the output capacitors are taken as
C01=C02=100µF and the variable load resistance RL from 0 to
200Ω. The switching frequency is taken as f=10 kHz and the
duty ratio k=50%.
Cascode converter can be used as a Buck Converter when
the duty ratio is less than 0.2929 and as Boost Converter when

978-1-5090-5434-3©2017 IEEE
 3rd International Conference on Advances in Electrical, Electronics, Information, Communication and Bio-Informatics (AEEICB17)

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