A Case Study on Modelling, Design, and Optimization of an Interleaving Buck Converter for Powering a Hydrogen Electrolyzer

As commercial electrolyzers reach power levels in the range of several hundred kilowatts to megawatts, modern power electronic converters, such as interleaved converters, offer potential advantages. Interleaved converters, can reduce ripple and harmonics effectively. However, determining the optimal number of interleaved phases and operational frequency remains a challenge. This paper explores this optimization problem, considering conflicting objectives. A case study on a high-current hydrogen electrolyzer application is presented, integrating a detailed loss model for buck converter into an optimization framework to evaluate design compromises.