Design and Devel

for Ph
Syafrudin Masri
1
, N
Sc
Eng
Seri Am
syaf@eng.us
AbstractThis paper presents the design an
DC-DC buck converter for photovoltaic
intention in designing DC-DC buck converter i
and high performance power point track
intermediate between supply source and load
simulated using Power Electronic Simulation
procedure in terms of selection of compone
demonstrated. The experimental results sh
constant input voltage of 80V, the buck co
produce 164W with average 60 percent efficien
Keywords-buck; photovoltaic; psim; con
mode
I. INTRODUCTION
In recent decades, research on the use of
alternative source of energy has become p
field of electrical engineering [1]. A typ
energy system compromises DC value at its
are a promising technology and future ene
sustainable and environmentally friendly way
Photovoltaic, (PV) is made up of cells (so
wired together into a module. A number of
arranged together to produce a much hig
surface area of a cell and the intensity of th
panel determine the amount of current produc
A number of modules can be arranged
parallel or in series. The amount of DC volta
arrangement of modules. For instance, four
275
F
can reach out 300Watt when connected
value of its output voltage is high. Due to the
and the need to provide a lower voltage with
regulator or converter is required in most P
order to step-down the output voltage that
addition, PV modules require an intermed
tracker as their v-i characteristics are nonlinea
The proposed topology in this work
converter which has the voltage output low
The system was later simulated using
Simulation (PSIM 9.0) software. In order to
methodology, the experimental work has bee
The result has shown that the prototype ef
achieved at an average of 60 percent with
power produced of 164W at a constant volta
shows an overview of the system.
opment of DC-DC Buc
hotovoltaic Application
Norizah Mohamad
2
, Muhammad Hafeez Mohamed
hool of Electrical & Electronic Engineering
gineering Campus Universiti Sains Malaysia,
mpangan, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Penang, Malaysia
sm.my
1
, norizah@eng.usm.my
2
, aphieez@yahoo.com
3


nd development of
application. The
is to provide robust
ker acting as an
d. The system was
n (PSIM 9.0). The
ents has also been
how that with a
onverter is able to
ncy.
ntinous conduction
photovoltaic as an
prominence in the
pical photovoltaic
output side. They
ergy demand in a
y.
olar cell) which are
these cells can be
gher voltage. The
he light hitting the
ced [2].
together either in
age depends on the
r PV modules BP
in parallel and the
e load specification
h high efficiency, a
PV applications in
they generate. In
diate power point
ar [3].
is DC-DC buck
wer than the input.
Power Electronic
o verify the design
n tested for 300W.
fficiency has been
maximum output
age of 80V. Fig. 1
Figure 1: A general schem
II. BUCK
In a buck converter, the av
than the input voltage I
s
, he
popular DC regulator for PV
diagram of a buck is illustrated
Figure 2: Circuit diag
ck Converter
n
d Hariri
3


matic diagram of the system.
K CONVERTER
verage output voltage I
o
is less
ence the name Buck, a very
application. The typical circuit
d in Fig. 2.


gram of a buck converter.
G6 IEEE Conference on Power Engineering and Renewable Energy 2012
3-5 July 2012, Bali, Indonesia
978-1-4673-2470-0/12/$31.00@2012 IEEE
A. Principle of Operation
A buck converter consists of two opera
are continuous conduction mode (CCM) a
conduction mode (DCM). Usually CCM tec
for efficient power conversion while the DC
power and stand-by application [4].
For the CCM, the inductor current ne
during one switching cycle as illustrated in
smooth input current because an inductor is c
with the power source [5]. The operation of b
divided into two modes where; for mode 1 w
and mode 2 when switch S is off as shown
respectively.

Figure 3: Waveform of voltage and
1) Mode 1: Switch, S is ON
Figure 4: Switch, S in ON mo

When switch, S is ON, the input current, I
L

inductor I, filter capacitor and load resisto
Kirchhoffs voltage law, the inductor voltage

I
L
= I
s
-I
o

and
I
Ji
Jt
= I
s
- I
o


Integrating i with respect to Jt leads to;

I
L 0N
= _
I
s
- I
o
I
] kI

where I
s
, I
o
, k and I
L 0N
are supply sourc
duty cycle and value of inductor current I
L
du
respectively.


ating modes which
and discontinuous
chnique is applied
CM is for a lower
ever reaches zero
n Fig. 3. It has a
connected in series
buck circuit can be
when switch S is on
n in Fig. 4 and 5

d current.

ode.
flows through the
or R. By applying
e I
L
is given by:
(1)
(2)
(S)
ce, output voltage,
uring the ON state
2) Mode 2: Switch, S is OF

Figure 5: Switch
When switch, S is OFF, th
conducted due to the energy
inductor current continues to f
D. Therefore:
I
L
= -I
c
and
-I
o
= I
J
J

Integrating i with respect to Jt

I
L 0PP
=
where I
c
is the value of volta
I
L 0PP
is the value of inductor

3) Steady State Operation
During the steady state operatio
I
L 0N
+
and
_
I
S
- I
0
I
] kI + _
-
therefore, by solving Eq. 8 give

I
0
= kI
s


4) Continuous Inductor Cu
For the system to conduct cu
minimum inductor current I
L
m

I
mn
u
from [6], the minimum inducta
is given by:

I
mn
=
and
C
mn
=
1
FF

h, S in OFF mode.

he freewheeling diode, gets
stored in the inductor and the
flow through L, C, R, and diode
= -I
o
(4)
Ji
Jt
(S)
leads to;
= _
-I
0
I
] (1 - k)I (6)

age across the capacitor C and
r current I
L
during OFF state.

on,
I
L 0PP
= u (7)
-I
0
I
] (1 - k)I = u (8)
es the output voltage I
o

; u < k < 1 (9)
urrent and Capacitor Voltage

urrent in continuous mode, the
must be higher or equal to zero
u (1u)

ance I
mn
and capacitance C
mn

(1 - k)R
2
(11)
1 -k
16I
2
(12)
B. Selection of Components
The selection of components plays an
order for the system to operate at its full capa

1) Electronic Switch
The power transistors can be broadly cl
categories which are; BJTs, MOSFETs, S
COOLMOS [6]. Transistors are normally
medium power applications. Meanwhile
voltage-controlled device which is suitable
high frequency converters, whereas, IGBTs i
high power application. The design specifica
size, speed and thermal requirements are vita
to be considered in choosing the most suita
design.

2) Inductor
The minimum value of an inductor in orde
design to operate in CCM is 0.2mH as calc
Toroid inductor value of 1mH has been cho
I
uctuuI
is ten times higher than I
mn
). Satur
be taken into account before making use of t
inductor is a component that can stand
application.

3) Capacitor
Output capacitance is required to mini
overshoot and ripple present at the outpu
converter. Another important consideration
series resistance or ESR. Since ESR affects
low ESR capacitance would be used for best

4) Diode
Diode reverse voltage rating is the main
selecting the freewheeling diode aside from
the required off-state voltage stress. In
sufficient peak and reverse current handling
switching.

The important simulation parameters are
These parameters will be later used later in d
converter.
TABLE I. BUCK CONVERTER CALCULATE
Components V
Switch IR
Inductor
Diode M
Output Capacitor 2
Load
Frequency switching, 2

important role in
acity.
lassified into five
SITs, IGBTs and
y used in low to
MOSFET is a
in low-power and
is more suitable in
ation, cost, losses,
al factors that need
able switch for the
er for the proposed
culated by Eq. 11.
osen (for practical,
ration level should
the device. Toroid
d high frequency
imize the voltage
ut of a step-down
n is its equivalent
s the efficiency, a
performance.
n consideration for
its ability to block
addition, it have
capability and fast
listed in Table 1.
designing the buck
ED PARAMATERS
Value
RF540N
1mH
MUR 860
220uF
16
20kHz
III. SIM
The simulations were perfo
view on the characteristics of
Several simulations have been p
operation of the proposed desig
out using PSIM 9.0 software
proposed buck converter is show
Figure 6: Circuit diagr
The simulation results of th
k= 0.7 are shown in Fig. 7 (a) a
Figure 7: Simulation resu
IV. RESULT A
PWM signal is generated
from PIC is then amplified usin
it is connected directly to the
generated from PIC is shown in
MULATION
ormed in order to obtain an early
f the proposed buck converter.
prepared in order to illustrate the
gn. The simulations were carried
e. The circuit diagram of the
wn in Fig. 6.
ram of a buck converter
he buck converter at k= 0.5 and
and (b) respectively.

(a)

(b)
ults: a) at k=0.5 and b) at k=0.7

AND DISCUSSION
using PIC16F877. 5V signal
ng CA3140 opto-coupler before
e gate pin at MOSFET. PWM
n Fig. 8.



Figure 8: PWM signal from PIC16F877

Several experimental trials have been conducted in order to
fulfill the objective of the research. Three independent
variables, which consist of the input voltages, I

, switching
frequency, f and duty cycle, k were varied at fixed resistive
load of 16 ohm. In Table II shows the data from the
experimental trials.

TABLE II. EXPERIMENT DATA
Input
Voltage
I

(V)
Input
Current
I

(A)
Input
Power
P

(W)
Duty
cycle
k
Output
Voltage
I
o
(V)
Output
Current
I
o
(A)
Output
Power
P
o
(W)

80

0.14

11.2

0.1

8.23

0.51

4.23

80

0.20

16.0

0.2

15.00

0.94

14.6

80

0.45

36.0

0.3

21.74

1.36

29.54

80

0.90

72.0

0.4

29.70

1.86

55.13

80

2.13

170.4

0.5

34.17

2.13

72.97

80

2.90

232.0

0.6

38.37

2.39

92.02

80

3.15

252.0

0.7

41.01

2.56

105.12

80

3.35

268.0

0.8

49.69

3.10

154.32

80

3.61

288.8

0.9

51.24

3.20

164.10

Figures 9, 10 and 11 show the outcomes of the experimental
setup.




Figure 9: Efficiency versus Input Voltage I

Figure 10: Efficiency versus Frequency switching



Figure 11: Efficiency versus Duty cycle k

From the experimental results, it can be apparently seen
that the efficiency of the system decreases as the input supply
varied from 0 to 80V at a fixed duty cycle, k, frequency
switching, f and load, R. In the second section, the efficiency
of the proposed design was decreased as the frequency
switching, f varies from 5 kHz to 35 kHz. The proposed design
was able to produce 164 Watt with an average of 60 percent
efficiency with the constant input voltage of 80V at 20 kHz
switching frequency, f and 16 Ohm constant load. There are a
number of assumptions which can be made based on the
particular outcome. The climb-down in efficiency of the
system is largely due to the losses occurred at MOSFET and
free-wheeling diode. In addition, saturation of inductor that
may hold the inductor current at saturation level and the
thickness of copper track on the printed circuit board could
also affect the reliability of the system.

V. CONCLUSION
A robust, efficient and high performance buck converter as
an intermediate between the supply source and load can be
achieve by carefully choosing a suitable component for the
system and reduce the power loss caused by each element in
order to increase the converters efficiency.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors would like to acknowledgement Universiti
Sains Malaysia for providing the research grant to undertake
this research.
REFERENCES
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Renewable Energies and Power Quality (ICREPQ09) Spain, April
2009.
[2] V. Meksarik, S. Masri, S. Taib, C. M. Hadzer, Development of high
efficiency boost converter for photovoltaic application, National Power
& Energy Conference (PECon) 2004 Proceedings, 2004.
[3] M. Veerachary, Fourth-order buck converter for maximum power point
tracking applications, IEEE Trans. On Aerospace and Electronic
Systems, vol. 47, NO. 2, April 2011.
[4] S. Khader, Design and simulation of a chopper circuits energized by
photovoltaic modules, 2011 IEEE GCC Conference and Exibition
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[5] R.W. Erickson, D. Maksimovic, Fundamental of Power Electronic,
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