• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.629-638
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• 2016

This paper proposes a State-of-Charge (SOC) balancing control of Battery Power Modules (BPMs) for a modularized battery for Electric Vehicles (EVs) without additional balancing circuits. The BPMs are substituted with the single converter in EVs located between the battery and the inverter. The BPM is composed of a two-phase interleaved boost converter with battery modules. The discharge current of each battery module can be controlled individually by using the BPM to achieve a balanced state as well as increased utilization of the battery capacity. Also, an SOC balancing method is proposed to reduce the equalization time, which satisfies the regulation of a constant DC-link voltage and a demand of the output power. The proposed system and the SOC balancing method are verified through simulation and experiment.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.1318-1328
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• 2015

The photovoltaic (PV) power conditioning system for small-scale applications has gained significant interest in the past few decades. However, the standalone mode of operation has been rarely approached. This paper presents a two-stage multi-level micro-inverter topology that considers the different operation modes. A multi-output flyback converter provides both the DC-Link voltage balancing for the multi-level inverter side and maximum power point tracking control in grid connection mode in the PV stage. A modified H-bridge multi-level inverter topology is included for the AC output stage. The multi-level inverter lowers the total harmonic distortion and overall ratings of the power semiconductor switches. The proposed micro-inverter topology can help to decrease the size and cost of the PV system. Transient analysis and controller design of this micro-inverter have been proposed for stand-alone and grid-connected modes. Finally, the system performance was verified using a 120 W hardware prototype.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.63 no.8
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• pp.1046-1054
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• 2014

In this paper, a hardware prototype for the 10kVA 11-level MMC was built and various experimental works were conducted to verify the operation algorithms of MMC. The hardware prototype was designed using computer simulation with PSCAD/EMTDC software. After manufactured in the lab, the hardware prototype was tested to verify the modulation algorithms to form the output voltage, the balancing algorithm to equalize the sub-module capacitor voltage, and the redundancy operation algorithm to improve the system reliability. The developed hardware prototype can be utilized for analyzing the basic operation and performance improvement of MMC according to the modulation and redundancy operation scheme. It also can be utilize to analyze the basic operational characteristics of HVDC system based on MMC.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2023

This paper proposes a PFC converter with a double step-up function using an asymmetrical PWM scheme. For the conventional PWM scheme, the input voltage range, which maintains a double step-up function, is limited because the proposed converter has different voltage gains and characteristics when the duty ratio(D) is less than 0.5. The proposed converter has a constant voltage gain regardless of the magnitude of the input voltage and can achieve output voltage balancing by using the asymmetrical PWM scheme. A 1.6-kW prototype of the proposed converter was built and tested to verify the performance.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.1011-1019
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• 2019

In this paper, a buck-flyback (fly-buck) stand-alone photovoltaic (PV) system for charge balancing with a differential power processor (DPP) circuit is proposed. Conventional feed-back DPP converters draw differential feed-back power from the output of a string converter. Therefore, the power is always through the switches and diodes of the string converter. Because of the returning conduction path, there are always power losses due to the resistance of the switch and the forward voltage of the diode. Meanwhile, the proposed feed-back DPP converter draws power from the magnetically-coupled inductor in a string converter. This shortens the power path of the DPP converter, which reduces the power losses. In addition, the extra winding in the magnetically-coupled inductor works as a charge balancer for battery-stacked stand-alone PV systems. The proposed system, which uses a single magnetically-coupled inductor, can control each of the PV modules independently to track the maximum power point. Thus, it can overcome the power loss due to the power path. It can also achieve charge balancing for each of the battery modules. The proposed topology is analyzed and verified using 120W hardware experiments.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.701-710
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• 2017

This paper presents a five-level PWM inverter using series and parallel connection of voltage sources. The alternative connection is done by an auxiliary circuit consisted of a switch, three diodes, and two batteries. The auxiliary circuit is located between input dc voltage source and H-bridge cell. Thanks to the auxiliary circuit, the proposed inverter synthesizes five-level output voltage in an effective way. Topologically both batteries are charged and discharged in the same rate, so it does not need to apply battery voltage balancing control method. Theoretical analysis of the proposed inverter is verified by computer-aided simulation and experiment based on a prototype of 1kW.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
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• 2003.07b
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• pp.630-634
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• 2003

This paper proposes a Carrier-Rotation PWM technique that is new solution for the voltage unbalancing problem of flying capacitors in the Flying Capacitor Multi-level Inverter (FCMI).The proposed PWM technique equalizes the utilization of phase leg voltage redundancies corresponding to the charging and the discharging state of flying capacitors during one switching period of all the switches. it also has the same switch utilization and the reduced harmonics of output voltage. Hence, it is more suitable for the FCMI compared with the conventional solutions. Experimental results on the laboratory prototype flying capacitor 3-level inverter confirm the validity of the proposed PWM technique.

• Journal of Power Electronics
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.522-531
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• 2016

This paper proposes a new NLC (Nearest Level Control) scheme for MMCs (Modular Multilevel Converters), which offers voltage ripple reductions in the DC capacitor of the SM (Sub-Module), the output voltage harmonics, and the switching losses. The feasibility of the proposed NLC was verified through computer simulations. Based on these simulation results, a hardware prototype of a 10kVA, DC-1000V MMC was manufactured in the lab. Experiments were conducted to verify the feasibility of the proposed NLC in an actual hardware environment. The experimental results were consistent with the results obtained from the computer simulations.

• Proceedings of the KIPE Conference
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• 2018.07a
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• pp.432-433
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• 2018

A new DC-DC converter circuit for LVDC(Low Voltage Direct-Current) distribution is proposed. DC-DC converter consists of two stage which are voltage balancer and converter stage. The balancing circuit adjust balance input voltage of converter circuit and compensate for unbalanced loads and short circuits. The converter circuit control the bipolar output voltage ${\pm}750V$. Simulation is carried out for this DC-DC converter system.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Power Electronics
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.486-496
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• 2016

The voltage unbalance of an LVDC bipolar distribution system was controlled for high power quality. Voltage unbalance may occur in a bipolar distribution system depending on the operation of the converter and load usage. Voltage unbalance can damage sensitive load and lead to converter accidents. The conditions that may cause voltage unbalance in a bipolar distribution system are as follows. First, three-level AC/DC converters in bipolar distribution systems can lead to voltage unbalance. Second, bipolar distribution systems can be at risk for voltage unbalance because of load usage. In this paper, the output DC link of a three-level AC/DC converter was analyzed for voltage unbalance, and the bipolar voltage was controlled with algorithms. In the case of additional voltage unbalance according to load usage, the bipolar voltage was controlled using the proposed converter. The proposed converter is a dual half-bridge converter, which was improved from the secondary circuit of a dual half-bridge converter. A control algorithm for bipolar voltage control without additional converters was proposed. The balancing control of the bipolar distribution system with distributed power was verified through experiments.