Comparison of Fuzzy Logic and Current-Mode Control Techniques in Buck, Boost

and BucklBoost Converters

Fang Hsien Wang and C . Q. Lee

Power Electronics Research Laboratory

Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, IL. 60680 U. S. A.

Abstract - DifTerent concepts of controller design for DCIDC 11. T H E FUZZY LOGIC CONTROL TECHNIQUE
converters based on fuzzy logic are presented. Since the
performance of a fuzzy controller depends on the choice of A. Basic Concept
membership functions and the inference of fuzzy rules, it does
not require an accurate mathematical model of a power A fuzzy controller consists of three major signal
converter. Furthermore, the fuzzy set theory, in nature, is processing blocks; namely, the fuzzification (binary to fuzzy
capable of coping with a nonlinear system. The fuzzy transformation), inference engine (fuzzy IF-THENrules) and
controllers, thus, have an advantage in resolving the time-
defuzzification (fuzzy to binary transformation) [3]. The
varying nonlinear nature of switches in DClDC converters. The
objective of this paper is to design a fuzzy controller for basic configuration of a closed-loop fuzzy control system is shown
DClDC converters and then compare the computer simulation in Figure 1.
results with that of the current-mode control in buck, boost and
buck1boost converters in respect to the start-up transient
response and load regulation.

I. INTRODUCTION

The difficulties in the modeling of switched networks

are mainly due to the nonlinear and time varying nature of
switches [l]. Also, since the stability of a feedback-loop is
a major concern in power converters, the gain and phase
shift-versus-frequency characteristics of a compensator must
be determined. But, due to susceptibility to noise,
electromagnetic interference (EMI) and the parasitic part of
converter components, the performance of a practical
converter deviates from the theoretical prediction.
Among many presently available control techniques,
fuzzy logic control has been drawing a great deal of attention
in recent years. The fuzzy control systems are rule-based
systems which are based on expert knowledge that converts
the linguistic control structure into an automatic control
strategy [2]. The fuzzy controller has an advantage over the
conventional analog and digital controllers in that it provides
a capability to cope with ill-defined or nonlinear systems and
the problems associated with the parasitic part of converter
components.
Furthermore, with fuzzy controllers, the accuracy of
the performance of a DC/DC converter depends on the
selection of membership functions and the inference of fuzzy
rules. The compensation design procedure is thus simplified.
0-7803-2730-6195 $4.00 0 1995 IEEE
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Fig. 1. Block diagram of a typical fuzzy control system.
Different than the classical logic operation, the
continuum of logical values is between 0 and 1 in fuzzy set
theorem. There are two essential points in fuzzy logic
applications: (1) linguistic variables, whose values are
expressed by words or sentences in a natural language. For
example, the output voltage of a compensator could be
defined as: "Negative Big (NB)", "Negative Medium (NM)",
"Negative Small (NS)", "Zero (Z)", "Positive Small (PS)",
"Positive Medium (PM)", and "Positive Big (PB)". (2) The
fuzzy IF-THEN rule which includes the antecedent and
consequent propositions, contains linguistic variables.
The fuzzy sets are characterized by the membership
function. This membership function is denoted by pA(x) and
it maps the elements of the universe of discourse X into a
numerical value within the range [O,l]. There are many
fuzzy set operations available today. Most frequently used
operations of the fuzzy sets are union, intersection and
complement, etc.

~
7
B. Properties of the Fuzzy Set Theorem
error

Let X be the universe of discourse and is defined as

the set of all objects with the same characteristics. Also,
I
t NB NMNS 7 PSPM PB
define two fuzzy sets A and B on the universe of discourse X
and its membership functions are pA and pB, respectively.
For a given element x and x E X, the following fuzzy set
operations are defined:
error
Union:
-8-6-3 U f 6 8
Fig. 2. The membership function of the output voltage of the
compensator.

Intersection: Normally, the fuzzy rules are represented in the

form of a conditional statement such as:

If x is A and y is B, then z is C
Complement:
where x and y are input fuzzy variables, z is the output fuzzy
variable; A, B and C are fuzzy subsets in the universe of
discourses X, Y and 2,respectively. So, if there are n fuzzy
rules and they are defined as:
Convex:
RI: If x is A, and y is B,, then z is C,
Let x, y and z contain in a continuous fuzzy set A R,: If x is A, and y is B,, then z is C,
where x < y < z, then R,: If x is A3 and y is B,, then z is C,

PA(Y) min{ PA('), PA(') } (4)

R,,: If x is A,, and y is B,, then z is C,

Since the elements of the universe can be discrete or
continuous, a fuzzy set A of a discrete universe of discourse This fuzzy rule set might be combined in One sing1e by
X is represented as: means of the union operator.

R = RI U R2 U R, U ...... U R,,. (7)

N
P A (xi)
A = (5) Now, let us define the fuzzy relation R. The
i = l Xi
function of a fuzzy relation is to map elements from one
universe, say X, to another universe, say Y, through the
where N is the number of elements in X. Cartesian product of the two universes. For instance, A and
And the corresponding notation for a continuous universe of B are two fuzzy sets on universes X and Y, respectively, then
discourse X is: the Cartesian product between fuzzy sets A and B will give
a fuzzy relation R and its membership function is defined as:

(6) PR(x,Y) = P A ~ ~ X ~= m;n{ PA(x),

Y ) ) x E X,
P ~ Y>;
y E Y. . (8)

Hence, the fuzzy IF-THEN rule R can be regarded as a fuzzy

~i~~~~ 2 shows the membership function of the
output voltage of the compensator used in this paper.
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relation that mapped from universes X and Y to universe Z.
In the case of DC/DC switchmode converters, the
inference of the fuzzy control rules is intuitive and could be
derived as follows:
1. If output of the compensator is positive big (PB), then the
change of duty ratio must be PB in order to bring the
output voltage of the converter to the desired value.
2. If output of the compensator is positive medium (PM),
then the change of duty ratio is replaced by PM.
3. If output of the compensator is positive small (PS), then
the change of duty ratio is substituted by PS.
4. If output of the compensator is zero (Z), then the duty
ratio remains unchanged.
5. If output of the compensator is negative small (NS), then
the change of duty ratio is replaced by NS.
6. If output of the compensator is negative medium (NM),
then the change of duty ratio has to be NM.
7. If output of the compensator is negative big (NB), then the
change of duty ratio is replaced by NB.
In order to compute the resultant output z, as shown
in Figure 3, we adopt the max.-min. inference method to
induce the resultant output fuzzy set.
Fig. 3 . Block diagram of the resultant
output z.
z = (X and y) o R
where o is the composition operator.
The graphical representation of the max.-min. inference
method is illustrated in Figure 4.
t
7
Fig. 4. Graphical max.- min. inference method: (a) Fuzzy d e
#1 (R,). (b) Fuzzy d e #2 (Ra. (c) Aggregation of
the two fuzzy rules.
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where k = 1, 2, 3 ,.....n.
After applied the max.-min. inference technique, the
resultant output will be obtained. However, t h s output value
is still a fuzzy quantity, we need one more step; i.e., the
defuzzification process, to convert this fuzzy quantity into a
crisp (binary) value.
There are many defuzzification methods available.
Here the center of gravity (C. 0. G.) is preferred. In this
centroid defuzvfication method, the weighted average of the
membership function of the area bounded by the membership
function curve of the resultant fuzzy output is computed to be
the most typical crisp value of the fuzzy quantity. It is
depicted in Figure 5.
4
Fig. 5 . Centroid method for
defuzzification.
The resultant output z can be, in a discrete case,
represented by
N
- i = l
z = N
i = l
where N is the number of the truncated outputs.
The corresponding equation, in a continuous case, is
expressed as
Thus, after the defuzzification process, a crisp value of the
change of duty ratio is obtained and feedback to control the
onloff status of the switch in the converter.
111. MATHEMATICAL
MODELS OF DC/DC SWITCHMODE
CONVERTERS
 In this paper, as shown in Figure 6 , we adopt the Fig. 8. Block diagram of the fuzzy control system of a boost converter.
circuit-averaged model [4] to substitute the active switch; i.e.,
the transistor, in DC/DC converters. P W SWITCH

iJt) I I id0
"C

P O
(bl (cl Fig. 9 . Block diagram of the fuzzy control system of a buckhoost
converter.
Fig. 6 . (a) The equivalent circuit-averagedmodel of the active switch.
@) The combination of the diode-switch model. (c) The
actual circuit-averaged model. The state-space averaging technique is utilized to
analyze three different topologies of DC/DC converters,
namely: buck, boost and buck/boost converters. Each state-
The block diagrams of the fuzzy control scheme of a buck, space average model of the converter is described by two sets
boost and b u c k h o s t converters are shown in Figures 7, 8 of state-space equations which is corresponding to two
and 9, respectively. different switch states. Let x, = i, and x2 = V, are two
Pun m x state variables. Assuming current in the inductor is
continuous, the state vector is then x = [x, xJT.

Switch on:

x = A , x + BIVg

Switch off:

Fig. 7. Block diagram of the fuzzy control system of a buck X = A,x + B2Vg (13)
converter.

The essence of the state-space averaging technique lies in the

replacement of the two sets of state-space equations by a
single equivalent equation which can be easily analyzed using
linear circuit theory [5]. The average-state equation; then, is
a weighted average of the two state equations (12) and (13):

X = AX + BVg (14)

where A = dA, + (1-d)A, and B = dB, + (l-d)B2.

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 IV.SIMULATION RESULTS Up to now, the topic of the fuzzy logic control
been appearing in numerous articles in the power electronics
literature. However, the majority of them are only f w d
The design specifications and circuit simulation on the circuit simulations. The fuzzy controller, therefoe,
parameters of these three DC/DC converters are listed in needs to be implemented into a hardware design. The results
Tables I and 11, respectively. obtained from the PSPZCE simulations agree very well with
h e expected theoretical predictions. Thus, the fuzzy control
TABLE I algorithm is now verified.
DESIGN SPEClFlCATlONS:

1
Converter

Input Voltage, V,
1
I
Buck

60V
I
I 4ov
I
I
BucwBoort

20v

1
I REFERENCES
[l] B. R. Liu and C. C . Hua, BucldBoost converter control with

1
Output Voltage,V, 30V 80V
fuzzy logic approach,”Proceeding of the lECON’93, v01.2, pp.
Output Power, Po (min./max.) 20/200W 30/300W 10/100w 1342-1346, November 1993.
[2] W. C. So, C. K. Tse, and Y.S. Lee, “Afuzzy controller for
Switching Frequency, fs looKHZ SOKHZ DC-DC converters,” PESC’94, vol. I, pp. 315-320, Taipei,
Taiwan, R. 0. C.. June 1994.
[3] M. Jamshidi, N. Vadiee, and T. J. Ross, Fuzzy Logic and
TABLE I1 Control: Software and Hardware Applications, PTR PrenticG
PWETERS
THEColcm SIMULATION OF BUCK.Boas AND BuclvBooS Hall Inc., Englewood, New Jersey, 1993.
CONVERTERS. [4] V. Joseph Thottuvelii and Fu Sheng Tsai, “Power Supply
Simulation Using SPICE,” in the seminar notes of the IEEE
Applied Power Electronics Conference, San Diego, Califomia,
March 1993.
(51 Ching Yao Hung, Small-Signal Modeling of Current-Mode
Controlled Current-Fed Push-Pull Converter, M.S. Thesis,
University of Illinois at Chicago, 1994.

The start-up transient responses and load regulations

of three basic DC/DC converters employing fuzzy logic and
current-mode control techniques are shown in Figures 10. 11.
12, and 13, respectively.

From the computer simulations, the current-mode

controlled buck converter has an advantage over the f u q
controller due to fast transient response and provide good
regulation under various step load changes.

Yet, using the fuzzy controller in both boost and

b u c k h o s t converters has less steady state error and better
transient performance under load variations over the current-
mode control method.

V . CONCLUSION
1083
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. . .

.. .. ..
. . .

0.00 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.10

90 . I . I . I ' I ~ I . 1 ~ ~ ~ ~

81 -
72 -
vo 63 -
54- * I . , , , , -
45 '
36 .
21 "

18 f

9 -
0 " . ~ ' ~ ' ' . ' ' ~ " ' l ' ~ '

(a)

-- I I 30 . I I I . 1 ~ 1 . I . . . ~ ' ~ . ~ .

27 -
24 -
1

15 -
12 -
9.
6 . .
3' .
" ' 1 ~ ' ' 6 " " " ~ ' ~ ' '
0

Fig. 10. The start-up transient responses of DClDC converters using Fig. 1 1 . The start-up transient responses of DC/DC converters using
fuzzy logic control technique. current-mode control technique.

1084
 vo . . .

U4 I 0.00 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.10
201 4 h 610 81- + O h
9 W 0 , Time(=d)
11"

(a) Under 0.67A to 6.67A step load change. (a) Under 0.67A to 6.67A step load change

110 . 1 ~ 1 ~ 1 ~ 1 ' . ~ I ' I ' ! ' ~ '

104- . . . .

50 ' ~ ~ " ~ ~ " ~ ' ~ ' ' ~

0 00 001 002 0 0 3 004 005 0.06 0.07 0.08 0.09 0.10
Time(Ycond)

(b) Under 0.67A to 50A step load change. (b) Under 0 67A to 50.4 step load change

16 -
14 - .
12 -

(c) Under O S A to 5A step load change.

Fig. 12. With fuzzy controllers, V, and of DClDC converters under Fig. 13. With current-mode control technique, V, and of DC/DC
various step load changes. converters under various step load changes.

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