Virtual Prototyping of DC-DC Converter in MATLAB and Closed Loop Hardware Implementation using Arduino UNO

The design, virtual prototyping and hardware implementation of a DC-DC converter targeted for converting 12 V from the lead acid battery to 5 V for feeding all the DC loads in a residential system is discussed in this paper. The increase of residential DC loads, especially at 5 V level, demands efficient power conversion system. The conventional residential distribution system, in the presence of battery for power backup, contains an inverter that converts the 12 V DC into 230 V, 50 Hz AC which is distributed to all the sockets in the residence. For charging or operating the 5 V DC appliances, an AC-DC converter converts the 230 V AC into 5 V DC. It could be clearly seen that two AC-DC conversions take place where a single DC-DC conversion could do the job more efficiently. The apt selection of such a converter for this application is discussed followed by its design. Also, the virtual prototyping for this converter is implemented in MATLAB to mimic the digital controller's function. Another highlight of this paper is owed to the use of Arduino UNO for this purpose which gave rise to promising results when implemented in the hardware.