Y. Jeong
University of Rhode Island, Rhode Island, United States
Keywords: Electric mobility, Energy management, Hybrid converter, Power Electronics, scalability,
Using a fuel cell (FC) alongside energy storage systems (ESSs) can significantly extend the operation time of electric mobility applications compared to using a battery alone. A power conversion system, comprising a converter and its energy management, is required to manage energy flow and match voltage levels between sources and the load. An integrated multi-input-single-output (MISO) converter is preferred due to fewer components compared to single-input-single-output (SISO) converters. However, two challenges arise with MISO converters: 1) Mixed energy flow complicates energy management, and 2) Difficulty adding more energy sources limits adaptation to varying conditions. To address these, a simple MISO converter is introduced to manage mixed energy flow and can be modified for expandability. The energy management is handled in three stages: 1) Mode identification categorizes operating scenarios based on sensing variables, 2) The control algorithm regulates power flow based on mode information, and 3) Gate signal generation converts control variables into switch driving signals. Extendable legs (ELs) allow the addition of energy sources by connecting them to the main structure. Preliminary experimental results from a 16.8V/400W converter prototype, controlled by a microcontroller, validate the feasibility of the proposed system.