FPGA implementation of a fuzzy controller for automobile DC-DC converters

The design of synchronous multiphase DC-DC converters for automobile applications is now a very active field, because the automotive industry forecast that future power demands inside a car will oscillate between 2.5 kW and 3.5kW, keeping a dual system of 42/14V batteries. The design of controllers for the optimal behavior of such converters is a very delicate task. In this paper, an optimized fuzzy control algorithm has been developed to control a synchronous multiphase converter of 1.6kW. First, the fuzzy control algorithm is designed and verified, together with a non linear model of the converter power stage, by means of Matlab and Simulink. Then, the fuzzy controller hardware is developed through Xilinx System Generator for Simulink, and implemented in a Spartan 3 FPGA to achieve a real-time controller