Performance of a Virtual Conductor in Dc Power Systems Using a Controlled Bidirectional DC-DC Converter

Abstract: This paper proposes a new control strategy for bidirectional DC-DC converter. This strategy aims at controlling a bidirectional DC-DC converter to behave like a virtual conductor. As a matter of fact, the voltage difference between the terminals of any conductor is zero volts. Conversely, the main target of this proposed control strategy is to keep the voltage difference between the converter terminals constant at a certain value. In other words, this strategy permits the DC-DC converter to transfer the power between two nodes at different voltage levels. In this way, the converter performs like a conductor, but unlike the normal conductor, has a voltage difference between its terminals. Thus, the authors call it a virtual conductor. This virtual conductor is considered a base for power routing in dc networks; as it can transfer the electric power between nodes at different voltage levels. Furthermore, it allows an easy plug-and-play feature. The proposed bidirectional DC-DC system configuration is investigated analytically, using PSIM simulator, and experimentally.

Keywords: bidirectional DC-DC converters, virtual conductor, dc power routing, converter modeling and control.