A DC-DC phase-shifting full-bridge converter for regenerative braking

Regenerative braking is the process of recovering kinetic energy in the motors of electric vehicles, which is used to extend the driving range of such vehicles. The converter topology used to transfer the energy to the energy storage system determines amount of energy that can be transferred and efficiency of the regenerative braking system. In this paper a prototype of the DC-DC phase shifting full bridge converter, for the purpose of regenerative braking, is presented. The control structure varies the magnitude of current drawn from the machine, to vary the counter torque applied to the machine, and subsequently the speed of the machine. The design and operation principles of the control algorithm are presented, along with the practical results of the experiment. Results indicate a strong performance of the control strategy at low and high braking rates.