DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF FUZZY CONTROLLERS FOR DC-DC CONVERTERS
Ahmed Rubaai, Mohamed F. Chouikha
Electrical & Computer Engineering Department
Howard University
2300 6'h Street, Northwest
Washington, DC 20059, USA
aruhaaiGilhoward.edu mchouikha[&howard.edu
Abstract - A successful implementation of fuzzy controllers for
DC-DC converters is presented in this paper. Two different
fuzzy logic control topologies are developed and implemented
using different types of DC-DC converters such as the buck, the
boost, the buck-boost, and the sepic converters. Issues of sudden
changes in the load or parametric uncertainties control and
communication interface, among many other issues, are
discussed and presented. The fundamentals governing the
design, control and performance of the DC-DC converters are
also illustrated. Properties of the proposed controllers are: 1)
robustness around the operating point, 2 ) good performance of
transient responses under varying loading conditions and/or
input voltage, and 3) invariant dynamic performance in the
presence of varying operating conditions. Simulation results
have been obtained using appropriate scaling factors associated
with the input variables of the fuzzy controller.
INTRODUCTION
DC-DC switching converters are a traditional benchmark for testing
nonlinear controllers, due to their inherent nonlinear characteristics.
After the pioneering studies of Middlebrock [I], a great deal of
research has been directed at developing techniques for averaged
modeling of different classes of switching converters [2] and for an
automatic generation of the averaged models [3]. The motivation of
such studies was the selection of continuous models as simple as
possible, but adequate to capture all the main features of the
switching converters in terms of stability, dynamic characteristics
and effectiveness for designing closed loop regulators. A large
number of possible nonlinear controllers have been proposed:
among others sliding mode control strategies [4], nonlinear PI
controllers based on the method of extended linearization [5] and
nonlinear H, controllers [6]. A recent interesting paper [7] presents
the results of an experimental comparison of five control algorithms
on a boost converter: linear averaged controller, feedback
linearizing controller, passivity-based controller, sliding mode
controller, sliding mode plus passivity-based controller are
compared along with their adaptive versions in order to cope with
the parameter uncertainty due to a load resistance change.
Advantages and drawbacks of the proposed control strategies are
tested under a fixed output voltage with load variations. All the
quoted literature comply with the more general problem of applying
nonlinear control techniques to complex real world technical
problems: such classical approach has undoubtedly the advantage of
designing analytical controllers and to evaluate quantitatively their
stability bounds. The major problem of the classical approach
remains that as the complexity of system increases, our ability to
make precise and yet significant statements about its behavior
diminishes [8]. In our opinion the control of switching converter
constitutes at the present time a borderline problem, which can be
handled both with conventional nonlinear control strategies and
with fuzzy logic-based technologies. Why can be fuzzy logic
chosen as an alternative design method to nonlinear controllers? An
important answer was given in [9]: a nonlinear controller such as
0-7803-8379-6/04/$20.00 02004 IEEE.
fuzzy logic can be inexpensively implemented with DSP-based
micrc-controller. As a matter of fact many researchers focused their
efforts on the application of fuzzy technology for controlling
switching converters. In [9] the advantages of a low cost micro-
controller implementation of a fuzzy direct control were pointed
out. A model- based fuzzy controller (fuzzy indirect control) for a
Buck converter was proposed in [lo]. Bonissone [1 11 proposed a
successful application for resonant converters, by using suitable
scaling factors. In [ 1 1 1 the fuzzy controller performs a variable
action depending on the difference between the desired and the
actual output voltage. Such implementation considers an
optimization of the scaling factors around a single output operating
point.
Our goal is to implement a robust fuzzy controller that can
achieve the following properties: 1) Robusmess around the
operating point (e.g. in the case of a load change; 2) Good dynamic
performance (i.e. rise time, overshoot, settling time and limited
output ripple) in the presence of input voltage variations (and load
changes); and 3) Invariant dynamic performance in presence of
varying operating conditions. To the best of our knowledge,
property 1 has been hlfilled in all related literature. Property 2
requires the synthesis of a complex controller (fuzzy or nonlinear)
able to optimize the transient performance. Property 3 (along with I
and 2) implies the synthesis of a global controller, with optimized
parameters for varying operating conditions. Such task seems to be
extremely hard; however we believe that a complex nonlinear
controller could be accomplished using --based controller.
In this paper, two distinct topologies-based fuzzy logic
controllers (FLCs) using different types of DC-DC converters
and at different operating modes are developed and presented. In
topology I, the fuzzy controller requires only sensing of one
inductor current and the output voltage. However, for topology
11, the output voltage is the only variable to be monitored. For
this topology, two categories of tests that cover the two basic
performance areas, load regulation and line regulation, are
carried out to evaluate the controller's performance.
FUZZY LOGIC -BASED CONTROL TOPOLOGY I
In this topology, the proposed fuzzy controller uses three
input variables: 1 ) Output voltage error, e,, 2 ) Inductor current
error, ei and 3) Inductor current, iL. A block diagram of the
fuzzy controller structure is shown in Fig. 1 While the output
voltage reference is usually available as an external signal, the
inductor current reference depends on the operating point. For
this reason it is computed by means of a low-pass filter in the
assumption that the dc value of the current is automatically
adjusted by the converter according to the power balance
condition. The controller output variable is the switch duty cycle
controller, which is obtained by adding the outputs of two fuzzy
controllers. One fuzzy (P) gives the proportional part 6, of the
duty cycle as a function ofe, = I , - i, ,eu = U , , - U , and iL.
The other fuzzy (I) gives as increment of 61, which is then
479
integrated to provide an integral term 61 of the duty be kept constant to prevent overshoot, 4) IF the set point is
cycle6 = 6 + 6, ' reached AND the output still changing, the duty cycle must be
changed a little bit to prevent the output from moving away, 5)
IF the set point is reached AND the output is steady, the duty
Funq-P cycle remains unchanged, and 6) IF the output is above the set
point, the sign of the change of the duty cycle must be negative,
and vice versa.

Fig. lFuzzy Controller-based Topology I

A. Fuzzy Rules for Topology I

A. lFar from the set point: When the output voltage is far from Data Base
the set point (e, is PB or NB), the corrective action must be
strong meaning F, should be NB or PB, while 61should be zero.
The basic control rules are:
IF e, is PB AND iL is NORM, THEN 6, is PB AND 6, is ZE.
IF e, is NB AND iL is NORM THEN 6, is NB AND SI is ZE.
This shows that far from the set point, the control action is Fig. 2 Block Diagram of Fuzzy Controller for Topology I1
denoted by the output voltage error, provided the existence of
the current limit.
A.2 Close to the Set Point: The current error must be taken SIMULATION RESULTS
properly into account in order to ensure stability and speed of A. Control Topology I
response. The goal in this region is centered in achieving a This control topology is tested using two different types
satisfactory dynamic performance with small sensitivity to of DC-DC converters, namely, the buck-boost converter and the
parameter variations. The control rules are according to energy sepic converter subject to step load change. For the buck-boost
.
balance and inductor current is far from the limit.
IF e, AND ei are both Zero, 6, AND nd SI must be zero
too (steady state condition).
converter the system information are as follows: U, = 12 V, Uoref
= 20 V, Iref = 3.5 A, Load changes from 20 R to 150 R and back
to 20a, E, (t) = Uoref-Uo(t)= 20 - u,(t), El (t) = I,f -IL(t) = 3.5 -
1 I F the output voltage error e,is Negative AND inductor IL(t). Figs. 3-5 show the output voltage, the inductor current, and
current is greater than the reference value (ei < 0), 6, the duty cycle as functions of the time.
and should be negative.
1 I F output voltage error is Positive AND the inductor
current is greater its reference value, THEN 6 and 6 I
must be kept to zero to prevent undershoot and
overshoot.
IF the output voltage is Positive AND the current is
lower than its reference value (ei > 0), 6, and 6 must be
positive, the system energy increases in this condition.

FUZZY LOGIC-BASED CONTROL TOPOLOGY I1

The block diagram of the fuzzy logic control scheme of
topology I1 for the DC-DC converter is shown in Fig.2. The
Fig. 3 Output voltage for the buck-boost converter
output is the duty cycle, Fk. For this topology, there are two
inputs, the voltage error e = U , -U, and the change of the
voltage errorce = e, - ek-,. The term U, is the present output
voltage, and U,f is the reference output voltage.

Fuzzy Rules for Topology I1

The derivation of the fuzzy control rules is heuristic and
based on the following criteria: 1) IF the output of the converter
is far from the set point, the change of the duty cycle must be
large to bring the output to the set point quickly, 2) IF the output
of the converter is approaching the set point, a small change of I Time. m i I
duty cycle is necessary, 3) IF the output of the converter is near
the set point AND is approaching it rapidly, the duty cycle must Fig. 4 Inductor current for the buck-boost converter

480
 Case A: Load regulation of buck-boost converter; load resistance
has step changes from 10 R to 5 C2 and back to 10 R
Case B: Line Regulation of Buck-Boost Converter; Input has
step changes from 15 V to 20 V and back to 15 V.

Figs. 9 and 10 show the output voltage and the duty

Fig. 5 Duty cycle of the buck-boost converter
For the sepic converter the system information is as
follows: U, = 15 V, Uorcf= 20 V, Ircf= 3.6 A, Load changes from
20 R to 200 R and back to 2022. Figs. 6-8 display the output
voltage, the inductor current, and the duty cycle as functions of
the time.
cycle of the buck-boost converter subject to step load change
from 10 R to 5 R and back to IOR. It is shown that when the
load voltage decreases from its set point at time 0.03 seconds
due to increase in the load resistance, the duty cycle increases
severing to stabilize the output voltage. As the output voltage
increases from the set point at time 0.0325 seconds due to
increase in the load resistance, the duty cycle decreases trying to
stabilize the voltage again at the set point. Figs. 11-13 show the
input voltage change, output voltage and the duty cycle of the
buck-boost converter subject to step input voltage change from
15 V to 20 V and back to 15 V. It is noticed in this case there is
more ripples than the other cases.

I85 ?
0 5 10 15 20 25
Time, ms

Fig. 6 Output voltage for the sepic converter

0 I
0015 0025 0035 0045 0055 0065
Time, Sec

Fig. 9 Output voltage for buck-boost converter subject to step

change in the load resistance

Time. ms

Fig. 7 Inductor current for the sepic converter

15 , I

10
6
$ 5

-
P)
0 0
Fig. I O Duty cycle for buck-boost converter subject to step
change in the load resistance
>, 5
0 -5

P
p -10

-I5 1- Time, ms
_I

Fig. 8 Duty cycle for the sepic converter

B. Control Topology I1
This control topology is tested using three types of DC-
DC converters, namely, buck converter, boost converter, and
buck-boost converter subject to input voltage change and load
impedance change. So, we will have six cases, namely: Fig. 11 Input voltage variation for Buck-Boost Converter

48 1
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”’1
- 0
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a 0.015 0.035 0.055 vol. 51, no. 3, pp. 601-620, 1990.
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6. Kugi and K. Schlacher, “Nonlinear &-controller design for
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change in the input voltage Technology, vol. 7, pp. 230-237, Mar. 1999.

3 1......................................................................................................................... 7. G. Escobar, R. Ortega, H. Sira-Ramirez, J.P. Vilain and I.

? I Zein, “An experimental comparison of several nonlinear
controllers for power converters,” IEEE Control Systems,
vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 66-82, Febr. 1999.

8. L.A. Zadeh, “Outline of a new approach to the analysis of

complex systems and decision processes,” IEEE Trans.
System, Man & Cybernetics,vol. SMC-3, pp. 2 8 4 , 1973.
Time, ms
9. T. Gupta, R.R. Boudreaux, R.M. Nelms and J. Hung,
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CONCLUSIONS IO. P. Carbonell and J.L. Navarro, “Local model-based fuzzy

control of switch-mode DCDC converters,” in Proc. 14”
Two hzzy control topologies are designed and IFAC Triennal World Congress, pp. 237-242, 1999.
implemented; the differences between the two structures are
basically in the input variables and in the number of fuzzy logic
1I. P.P. Bonissone, P.S. Khedkar and M. Schutten, “Fuzzy
rules. Many test cases via simulation demonstrate that the two logic control of resonant converters for power supplies,” in
fuzzy topologies are capably in reducing the effect of different Proc. of the 4th IEEE Conference on Control Applications,
disturbances such as load changes and input voltage changes, on pp. 323-328, 1995.
different types of DC/DC converters. Simulation results show
the ease of applying fuzzy control to dc/dc converters, as an
interesting alternative to conventional techniques. Also, test
results illustrate that the fuzzy logic approach can provide
considerable control performances. Fuzzy logic appears to be a
valid element for generalization to many control applications.
The control topologies designed and simulated in this paper is a
relatively easy to implement in the laboratory.

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