A new Multi Point Clamped bi-directional DC-DC converter for renewable energy integration

This paper presents, a multi-point clamped bidirectional DC-DC converter (MPBDC) is presented for targeted applications like multi-level inverter based drive control and integrating renewable energies to two terminal DC grid applications. Multi-level topologies can offer the superior quality of voltage, current profile and minimize the requirement of magnetic components as well as filter size. However, while going higher number of voltage levels with classical multi point clamped multi-level converters (MPC-MLC), the dc link capacitor voltages imbalance takes place when using for active power transfer applications. To address the voltage deviation, an external balancing circuit need to be incorporated. The proposed converter can perform bi-directional DC-DC converter operation along with balance the DC link capacitor's voltage of MPC-MLC. This converter is analysed mathematically and results are verified by MATLAB Simulink model and prototype experimental results.