MODELLING AND CONTROL OF A DC TO DC SWITCHED MODE CONVERTER

Gonzlez Muoz, Rubn El Mariachet Carreo, Jordi MOSIC, January 2014 1

CONTENTS
LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................ 3 LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................................................. 4 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. OVERVIEW ............................................................................................................................. 5 METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................................... 6 THEORETICAL ANALYSIS ........................................................................................................ 6 SWITCHED MODE CONVERTER (SMC) CONTROL ................................................................ 10 STUDY OF THE SYSTEM WITHOUT CHANGES IN LOAD ....................................................... 12 STUDY OF THE SYSTEM WITH ABRUPT CHANGES IN LOAD ................................................ 19 START UP AND TRANSIENT OPERATION ............................................................................. 26 CONCLUSSIONS ................................................................................................................... 31

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: DC to DC switch-mode converter.................................................................................... 5 Figure 2: MATLAB model for the circuit in figure 1 ....................................................................... 6 Figure 3: Equivalent circuit for pre-charge initial state with u(t) = 0 ............................................ 7 Figure 5: Equivalent circuit for steady state with u(t) = 1 ............................................................. 9 Figure 6: Equivalent circuit for steady state with u(t) = 0 ............................................................. 9 Figure 7: Switching of generic circuit model depending on the position (iL, Vo) ........................ 10 Figure 8: Feedback control circuit proposed to generate u(t) ..................................................... 11 Figure 9: System with a constant value of the load resistor ....................................................... 12 Figure 10: Voltage and current at the load, and current at the inductor (iL).............................. 13 Figure 11: Voltage ripple at capacitor C2 with fixed load conditions ......................................... 15 Figure 12: Current variations of the inductor (inductor ripple at fixed load conditions) ............ 16 Figure 13: Signal u(t) scoped directly from the control loop ....................................................... 17 Figure 14: Frequency plot obtained through Professor M. Castilla frequency meter ................. 18 Figure 15: Expanded region of the measured frequency caption ............................................... 18 Figure 16: System with a disturbance on the equivalent load resistor ....................................... 19 Figure 17: Voltage and current at the disturbed load, and current at the inductor (iL) ............. 20 Figure 18: Plot of the load resistor and equivalent load resistor currents ................................. 21 Figure 19: Voltage ripple at capacitor C2 with disturbed load conditions .................................. 22 Figure 20: Current variations of the inductor (inductor ripple with disturbed load) ................... 23 Figure 21: Signal u(t) scoped directly from the control loop ....................................................... 24 Figure 22: Frequency plot obtained through Professor M. Castilla frequency meter ................. 25 Figure 23: Influence of current gain K in transient at load active power .................................... 26 Figure 24: Influence of current gain K in transient at inductor current iL ................................... 27 Figure 25: Influence of current gain K in transient at load voltage Vo ....................................... 27 Figure 26: Influence of Ki coefficient of PID in transient at load active power ........................... 28 Figure 27: Influence of Ki coefficient of PID in transient at inductor current iL .......................... 29 Figure 28: Influence of Ki coefficient of PID in transient at load voltage Vo ............................... 29

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Design specifications for the DC to DC switch-mode converter ..................................... 5 Table 2: Values for voltage source and passive elements of the circuit ..................................... 13 Table 3: Values for the elements in the control loop.................................................................. 14 Table 4: Plot statistics on Vo during the steady-state................................................................. 15 Table 5: Plot statistics on iL during the steay-state .................................................................... 16 Table 6: Plot statistics on the switching frequency during the steay-state ................................ 17 Table 7: Plot statistics on Vo during the steady-state................................................................. 22 Table 8: Plot statistics on iL during the steay-state .................................................................... 23 Table 9: Plot statistics on the switching frequency during the steay-state ................................ 24

1. OVERVIEW
In this work, a control based in sliding mode will be designed for a DC to DC switchmode converter. The converter must work in steady state and the transient operation (including start-up) will be studied. Moreover, the response to external disturbances will be studied. The design specifications are the following:

Figure 1: DC to DC switch-mode converter Parameter Input voltage, Vin Output voltage, Vout Output power Switching frequency Inductor current ripple Capacitor voltage ripple Value 24 96 500 100 20 1 Units V V W kHz % %

Table 1: Design specifications for the DC to DC switch-mode converter

2. METHODOLOGY
The methodology of this work is structured in three phases: Definition of model and control strategies. Design of the control strategies. System verification through simulation.

During the process, an iteration of these three stages is expected, and some design alternatives may appear. For modelling the requested system, simulation software will be used. There, only ideal components will be implemented, specifically sources and switches. The employed software is the following: Matlab 7.10.0.499 (R2010a) 32-bit (win32) These are the system specifications: Intel(R) Core (TM)2 CPU T5500 @1.66GHz 1.67GHz RAM 2.00 GB System Type: 32-bit Operating System Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8

3. THEORETICAL ANALYSIS
The system to control shown in figure 1 is modelled as follows in MATLAB:

Figure 2: MATLAB model for the circuit in figure 1 6

The system may show different topologies when switch Q1 (ideal switch) changes its state being controlled through a signal u(t). Two different phases are distinguished depending on the state of the circuit: there is a pre-charge stage, which corresponds to an initial transient state, and then there is a steady state stage. Simultaneously both states give respectively two different equivalent circuit models for each value of the control variable u(t).

State A: pre-charge stage with u(t) = 0 The first equivalent circuit depicts a scenario where D1 and D2 diodes are directly biased, being represented as a short circuit. Therefore, the load formed by C2 and Rc is pre-charged when switch Q1 is open.

Figure 3: Equivalent circuit for pre-charge initial state with u(t) = 0

State B: pre-charge stage with u(t) = 1 The second model shows the equivalent circuit when still pre-charging and Q1 is switched to close. The anode voltage of D1 is still higher than its cathode voltage. Then this diode can be represented as a short circuit. Nevertheless, the voltage at the anode of D2 becomes lower than at its cathode, leaving this diode as an equivalent open circuit. As a result, the circuit is divided into two parts. At the left, the voltage generator feeds C1 and L, which are left in parallel. At the right, the load formed by the parallel of C2 and Rc is left unconnected to some source, and so it starts to discharge.

Figure 4: Equivalent circuit for pre-charge initial state with u(t) = 1

State C: steady-state stage with u(t) = 1 At this equivalent circuit, the system has reached a steady state providing a boost effect. The diode D2 gets stuck at ON state during the steady state of the circuit. At this stage, the control variable controls not only the state of Q1, but also the state of D1. In this case, Q1 is switched to be a short circuit and D1 becomes an open circuit. The source supplied current finds an easier way to be driven through the short circuited switch. As a result, the correction at the load voltage deviation is performed by discharge.

Figure 5: Equivalent circuit for steady state with u(t) = 1 State D: steady-state stage with u(t) = 0 In this case, Q1 is switched to be an open circuit and D1 becomes a short circuit. The source supplied current is driven through the inductance L and the capacitance C1 to the load formed by the capacitance C2 and the resistor. As a result, the correction at the load voltage deviation is performed by a charge of it. Having reached a steady state, the system behavior will only change alternatively between states C and D.

Figure 6: Equivalent circuit for steady state with u(t) = 0 9

In this system, first of all we will need to consider the variables that could intervene in a sliding mode control through a hysteretic comparator. The design of the control circuit will be shown in the next section.

4. SWITCHED MODE CONVERTER (SMC) CONTROL

In order to implement the control of this circuit, due to some similarities it must be seen as a particular kind of boost DC to DC switch-mode converter. From the design specifications it can be appreciated that the voltage expected at the output is greater than the voltage supplied by the source of the circuit. A boost effect is required in to raise the output voltage, and so the sliding surface must be designed with this purpose. The control through sliding surfaces means that we have to impose a desired dynamic behavior on the main state variable of the system. A typical control of this type of circuits relays on the current going through the inductor. The control surface to develop starts at this point:

Using this surface is necessary to guarantee switching between the two models of equivalent linear circuit (states C and D) presented at steady stage.
Vo Equilibrium 2 iref

Circuit Eq. 1

Circuit Eq. 2

Equilibrium 1 iL

Figure 7: Switching of generic circuit model depending on the position (iL, Vo) The variable depicted as Iref in this case can be obtained using a typical PID control. The error introduced in this device is obtained through the difference between the desired voltage at the load and its value. The design specifications indicate that the target voltage is set to Vo = 96V, so as a consequence the reference for this control will be Vref = 96V. In our case, as the system equations are as follows:

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And the dynamic behavior of the current using the PID, where the differential term is set to zero (rarely used in power electronics control), will be imposed as: ( ) ( )

As a result, the sliding surface for the control circuit is expressed as follows: ( ) ( )

So, it means to apply this control structure to the system:

Figure 8: Feedback control circuit proposed to generate u(t) In the figure above the PID block is fed by the error between Vref and Vo, a proportional factor is introduced for the inductor current, and a hysteretic relay is used to generate and maintain the discrete signal u(t). We have to point that K is a negative value, for the current, and the constants proportional and integrator from the PID have been chosen through an iterative method.

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5. STUDY OF THE SYSTEM WITHOUT CHANGES IN LOAD

First of all, there must be established a stable control system that fits the requested specifications at the beginning (Table 1). When there are no disturbances neither changes in the load, the proposed design is the following:

Figure 9: System with a constant value of the load resistor As expected, current through the resistor and Vo are giving a calculated value of power Pout = 502.12 W at steady state. See Fig 9. to check this data:

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Figure 10: Voltage and current at the load, and current at the inductor (iL) The following values have been applied to the components of the circuit: Component L C1 C2 Rc Ven Value 1e-3 H 10e-6 F 100e-6 F 18.43 24 V

Table 2: Values for voltage source and passive elements of the circuit The values of the passive components L, C1 and C2 are taken from other basic circuits based in boost DC to DC switch mode converters. These values satisfy the ripple percentage conditions expressed in the premises of this design. Ripple values on voltage and current are adjusted using an alternative control circuit based in a fix frequency pulse generator instead of the proposed control circuit in order to get a measure of these magnitudes. Nevertheless, in this document the target ripple is demonstrated with the designed control circuit. The methodology used to get the ripple is the following: the MATLAB vector containing the rippled variable under study (current at the inductor or voltage at the load capacitor) is truncated in order to suppress the transient. After plotting the steady state section of this variable, the statistics are enabled at the plot window. The main statistical values are represented there. This is an example:

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1. Need to get the ripple of Vo. First get the size of this sample vector with size. 2. Then, Vo is plotted without depending on time in order to see which samples contain the steady state. 3. V1 vector is defined by truncating Vo at its steady state samples. 4. V1 is plotted, and so the Data Statistics are enabled at plot window. 5. Taking the values max, min and average the ripple can be calculated. The value of Rc is fix and it is obtained through calculus with the design premises in Table 1:

The control loop receives the following values: Control element Values PID Inductor current gain K = -2.5 Relay limits

Kp = -1e-18 Ki = 250 Kd = 0

Switch on: 0.125 Switch off: -0.125 Output when on: 1 Output when off: 0

Table 3: Values for the elements in the control loop The PID part of the control commonly does not use a differential term for control purposes. The proportional part increases the speed of the system, but in this case is almost considered null. The integral term is adjusted manually and through this value the transient response of the system can be controlled. In this case, it has been left in order not to have overshoot. The inductor current gain needs to be negative, given the current model of sliding mode surface. The relay limits provide the value of the switching frequency. This magnitude is measured and calculated through a particular block in MATLAB which has been designed and implemented by Professor M. Castilla: a frequency meter. Switch on and switch off values are adjusted manually in order to get the desired switching frequency. Statement premises check A. Output power As shown in Fig.10, the output values in steady state are:

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B. Voltage ripple at the capacitor C2 less than 1% (Fig. 11) The sample vector containing the voltage value at C2 is composed of 200001 samples, as well as the rest of the variables of this simulation. By visual plot inspection, it can be seen that the transient is before the sample 50000. So, samples between 50000 and 200000 are taken to get the ripple for the components of the circuit without disturbances at the load. The following table is taken from the Data Statistics option for the steady state of the voltage at C2: time Vo min 1 95.8 max 5e+004 96.22 mean 2.5e+004 96 median 2.5e+004 95.99 mode 1 95.8 std 1.443e+004 0.113 range 5e+004 0.4121 Table 4: Plot statistics on Vo during the steady-state As result, the ripple measured at steady-state conditions is:

Figure 11: Voltage ripple at capacitor C2 with fixed load conditions

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C. Current ripple at the inductor L less than 20% (Fig. 12) The following table is taken from the Data Statistics option for the steady state of the current at L: time iL 1 16.11 5e+004 16.3 2.5e+004 16.21 2.5e+004 16.21 1 16.11 1.443e+004 0.05167 5e+004 0.1888 Table 5: Plot statistics on iL during the steay-state

min max mean median mode std range

As result, the ripple measured at steady-state conditions is:

Figure 12: Current variations of the inductor (inductor ripple at fixed load conditions) D. Switching Frequency Monitoring the u(t) signal, and with the aid of data cursors, we can observe that the switching frequency fits is exactly the requested value.

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To calculate the switching frequency, three periods are considered from the plot in order to have an accurate value of the period. These are the calculus:

Figure 13: Signal u(t) scoped directly from the control loop If the frequency meter is used, we obtain after statistical analysis of the steady state samples of freq signal that the value of the frequency is near to 100 kHz. The results of the block depicted as frequency meter are given in kHz: time Sw. freq min 1 90.91 max 5e+004 142.9 mean 2.5e+004 104.2 median 2.5e+004 100 mode 1 100 std 1.443e+004 13.05 range 5e+004 51.95 Table 6: Plot statistics on the switching frequency during the steay-state

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Figure 14: Frequency plot obtained through Professor M. Castilla frequency meter

Figure 15: Expanded region of the measured frequency caption

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6. STUDY OF THE SYSTEM WITH ABRUPT CHANGES IN LOAD

In this section, an abrupt change in the load will be introduced by means of connecting in parallel an extra resistor Rcx with a value which is the double:

In order to prove the proper working of the system in steady state, the resistor Rcx will be connected at t = 0.1s after system start-up. To do so, the new resistor is added in parallel to the load through a serial switch controlled by a step function. Further 0.1s will be given to the system in order to let it achieve the steady state. The equivalent load resistor for t > 0.1s results in:

And so the power dissipated at this load increases:

We expect a transient response with a temporary decay and a damping effect compensated thanks to the Ki value. The complete model in MATLAB is shown in fig. 16:

Figure 16: System with a disturbance on the equivalent load resistor 19

As all the parameters of the system are exactly the same than in MATLAB model described in the previous section, and considering only the changes introduced in the load after the step function switches at t = 0.1s, we obtain the following voltage and current behavior at the load point:

Figure 17: Voltage and current at the disturbed load, and current at the inductor (iL) The green line represents the current in the original Rc = 18.46. The power consumption at this resistor barely changes, as Vo = 95.98V and ic = 5.22A. The magenta line represents the total current through the load, before and after the addition of the Rcx in parallel. There can be observed that after the step, suffers an important increase. This increase implies that the total power supplied by the source will be higher:

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Figure 18: Plot of the load resistor and equivalent load resistor currents Statement premises check A. Output power As shown in Fig.10, the output values in steady state are (consider just original Rc):

B. Voltage ripple at the capacitor C2 less than 1% (Fig. 19) Due to the fact that before the load disturbances the circuit remains the same as in the previous experiment (and so the ripples before this event), in this section the ripples will be calculated after the disturbance happens. By visual plot inspection, it can be seen that the second transient starts at sample 100000 and is assured to be finished at sample 150000. Then, this set of samples is taken to get the ripple for the components of the circuit with disturbances at the load. The following table is taken from the Data Statistics option for the steady state of the voltage at C2:

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time Vo min 1 95.71 max 5e+004 96.32 mean 2.5e+004 96 median 2.5e+004 95.99 mode 1 95.71 std 1.443e+004 0.1709 range 5e+004 0.6182 Table 7: Plot statistics on Vo during the steady-state As result, the ripple measured at steady-state conditions is:

Figure 19: Voltage ripple at capacitor C2 with disturbed load conditions C. Current ripple at the inductor L less than 20% (Fig. 20) The following table is taken from the Data Statistics option for the steady state of the current at L:

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min max mean median mode std range

time iL 1 24.14 5e+004 24.33 2.5e+004 24.24 2.5e+004 24.24 1 24.14 1.443e+004 0.05232 5e+004 0.1897 Table 8: Plot statistics on iL during the steay-state

As result, the ripple measured at steady-state conditions is:

Figure 20: Current variations of the inductor (inductor ripple with disturbed load)

D. Switching Frequency Monitoring the u(t) signal, and with the aid of data cursors, we can observe that the switching frequency fits is exactly the requested value. Given that the behavior is exactly the same as in the prior experiment before disturbances in the load; the steady state after disturbance introduction will be the range of time under study.

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To calculate the switching frequency, three periods are considered from the plot in order to have an accurate value of the period. These are the calculus:

Figure 21: Signal u(t) scoped directly from the control loop If the frequency meter is used, we obtain after statistical analysis of the steady state samples of freq signal that the value of the frequency is near to 100 kHz. The results of the block depicted as frequency meter are given in kHz: time Sw. freq min 1 90.91 max 5e+004 142.9 mean 2.5e+004 102.6 median 2.5e+004 100 mode 1 100 std 1.443e+004 11.86 range 5e+004 51.95 Table 9: Plot statistics on the switching frequency during the steay-state

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Figure 22: Frequency plot obtained through Professor M. Castilla frequency meter

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7. START UP AND TRANSIENT OPERATION

The transient response of the system can be adjusted to an optimal behavior through the gain coefficients of the system control part. The variables that can control the transient response are the gain K applied to the inductor current and the PID coefficients Kp, Ki and Kd. In order to obtain a proper value of these parameters, the system has been adjusted iteratively aided with MATLAB. As a result, overshoot and over damping effects have been minimized. At the present section the plots a group of results varying two of the parameters commented above are represented: the inductor current gain K and the integral coefficient Ki of the PID. For control purposes, Kp coefficient is rarely used and Kd can be considered cero or almost cero in the design of the current control due to the fact that an increase of the speed of reaction is not required.

A. Variations introduced with K (inductor gain) The following three plots represent the variations introduced by the variation of K gain that accompanies the inductor current (iL) term in the control part. Plots of the output power (Po), current at inductor (iL) and output voltage (Vo) are considered respectively. Each color represents a different value of K: light blue corresponds to K = 1, dark blue corresponds to K = 2.5, and green corresponds to K = 3.

Figure 23: Influence of current gain K in transient at load active power 26

Figure 24: Influence of current gain K in transient at inductor current iL

Figure 25: Influence of current gain K in transient at load voltage Vo The predominance of the inductor current term in the locked-loop control is demonstrated through the fact that with a slight variation of K the system stability at the 27

transients degenerates. In the figures above, an overdamp effect can be observed at start-up and in the transient at t=0.1 (s) when the value of K increases over 2.5, and also an overshoot effect occurs when the value of K decreases under 2.5. Precisely, for a value of K = 2.5 the control provides a critically damped response at the transients. B. Variations introduced with Ki (integral term of PID) The following three plots represent the variations introduced by the variation of Ki gain of the integral term in the PID control part. Plots of the output power (Po), current at inductor (iL) and output voltage (Vo) are considered respectively. Each color represents a different value of Ki: light blue corresponds to Ki = 100, dark blue corresponds to Ki = 250, green corresponds to K = 500, and red corresponds to K = 750.

Figure 26: Influence of Ki coefficient of PID in transient at load active power

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Figure 27: Influence of Ki coefficient of PID in transient at inductor current iL

Figure 28: Influence of Ki coefficient of PID in transient at load voltage Vo The influence of the Ki factor is only appreciated when keeping Kp at a low value near to zero. Then, Ki can be modified iteratively in order to get an optimal response at Ki = 250.

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As Ki variations go on, it can be observed on figures that the system stability is degenerating again. Particularly, if Ki takes values under Ki = 250, a delay both in the start-up and transient regions can be appreciated. An overshoot effect at start-up and in the transient at t=0.1 (s) can be appreciated when the value of Ki increases over 250, as well as an overdamp effect occurs when the value of K decreases under 250. Precisely, for a value of Ki = 250 the control provides a critically damped response at the transients.

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8. CONCLUSSIONS
The result of this work shows that the DC to DC converter control is achieved through a sliding mode control model. The suitable states of the circuit need to be studied first of all in order to determine if a circuit switching is possible and how the switching should be controlled. Having seen some particularities of the circuit, the main idea that remains is that it must be treated as a boost switched DC to DC converter, and so the control loop must be designed under this premise. This implies the development of a model of control based on a sliding surface which is well-known, and raging from this point the main behavior of the circuit is set. Once the main value of the output behaved as expected, the next step was adjusting the circuital parameters in order to fit the design premises: optimize transient damping or overshoot, and adjust ripples and the switching frequency of the control variables. These adjustments have been based on iterative methods aided with MATLAB simulations. Two main simulations have been performed in order to check the validity of the designed circuit and control. The first of them consisted on the design premises imposed on this circuit, which considered a stable load. The second experiment considers the same conditions but with a disturbance on the load. At half simulation, the equivalent resistor load is reduced by putting in parallel another resistor. It is observed that the expected output voltage is maintained after a transient decay, but the supplied current has increased, increasing the output power too. As a result, it must be indicated that in the practice the design of this circuit is only possible for just a determined value of the load due to the inherent variability of the power supplied (some devices could be damaged). This exercise has been presented to us as a tool to start and develop our knowledge about circuit design, control and modelling in the field of power circuits. We have enhanced our skills in the analysis of this type of circuits, as well as some techniques to design and develop them in a practical way without a deep theoretical base. Among them, we must highlight the indications provided by Professor M. Castilla, who has managed to teach us these techniques, including the handling of MATLAB-Simulink in this particular environment. At the end, we can conclude that we have been able to organize ourselves working as a team in order to prepare and develop the periodical lab sessions and to compose the current report.

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