When the fuel cell (FC) is being activated before used in industrial applications, a power conditioner is needed to interface the FC with the load. Due to low current ripples,… Click to show full abstract
When the fuel cell (FC) is being activated before used in industrial applications, a power conditioner is needed to interface the FC with the load. Due to low current ripples, high output power, and simple structure, the multi-phase interleaved non-isolated DC-DC converter is most suitable for the power conditioner. This paper proposed, analyzed and designed a four-phase interleaved buck-boost converter with changed load connection (CLC-FIBC) for the FC activation with characteristics as simple structure, wide input current, high current, and low current ripples. The operating principle and mathematical model of the CLC-FIBC were firstly analyzed, derived and presented, and then mathematical equations of transistor voltage stress and inductor current ripple are derived respectively. Besides, this CLC-FIBC was compared with several DC-DC converters to prove the superiority. The simulation and experimental prototype was built to validate the theoretical analysis after presenting some design considerations. Simulation and experimental results show that the CLC-FIBC has characteristics of both step up/down function, high power, wide input current range, and low current ripples.
               
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