Problem Title: Design of a Power Conversion System for a Mixed DC

and Variable-Frequency
AC Electric Vehicle Charging Station
Level-I: Load Estimation & Subsystem Requirement
This level involves estimating the power ratings, voltage, and current requirements for each
type of EV load, along with an explanation of load behavior.

1. DC Fast Charger for Electric Buses

I. Power Rating: 30 kW (typical within 20–50 kW range)

II. Output Voltage: 740 V DC (typical for bus battery systems)

The output voltage of a DC Fast Charger for electric buses depends on the battery pack
specifications of the electric bus it is intended to charge. However, to calculate or estimate
the output voltage, you can use the following approaches:
a. Based on Battery Pack Configuration :
  Output Current ≈ 40.54 A

Load Behavior:
 Generally behaves like a constant power load during charging.
 May draw pulsed currents during charging phases like pre-charge or battery
balancing.
 Requires tight voltage and current regulation.

ii. AC Slow Charger for Electric Scooters

 Power Rating: 3 kW (within the 2–5 kW range)

 Output Voltage: 230 V AC, 1-phase

 Output Current:

I. AC slow chargers typically do not convert power to DC at the charging

station level; instead, they supply standard AC voltage (like 230 V or
120 V) to the onboard charger in the scooter.

II. The output voltage of the charger is typically standard AC grid voltage
(unless a step-up/down transformer is used).
 Case 1: Standard AC Output (Most Common)
If your AC slow charger is just providing AC power from the grid:

 Input/Output Voltage = 230 V AC (1-phase, India/Europe) or 120 V AC (North

America)
 Power = 3.3 kW
 Output current:

Case 2: If the Charger Outputs DC (Onboard AC – DC conversion)

If your charger includes AC to DC conversion and you want to calculate the DC output
voltage, you'd need to know:

 The battery pack voltage of the scooter. Common values: 48 V, 60 V, 72 V DC.

 Chargers usually output slightly higher voltage than the nominal battery voltage to
charge it.

Example:
If the scooter uses a 60 V battery, the DC charger may output around:

VDC≈67.2 V for full charge

Then the output current is:

Load Behavior:
 Acts like a constant power or constant current load during active charging.
 Light duty, and often allows for longer charging times (e.g., overnight).
 Internal rectification in the scooter charger causes nonlinear current draw
(harmonics may be present).
iii. Variable-Frequency AC Supply for Test Bench
 Power Rating: 1.5 kW (midpoint of 1–2 kW range)
 Output Voltage: 0–230 V AC, adjustable
 Output Frequency: 0–100 Hz (to emulate variable motor conditions)
 Output Current:

Load Behavior:
 Highly variable, depending on test setup.
 Used for motor or drive testing, so load may include:
o Inductive components (motors)
o Dynamic changes in torque/speed, hence variable power draw
 May involve reactive power and requires control over frequency and voltage.

Level-II: DC Converter Design

We'll analyze two DC-DC converters:
1. DC-DC Converter for DC Fast Charger
2. DC-DC Boost Converter for Solar Power Conditioner

1. DC-DC Converter for DC Fast Charger

Requirements:
 Input: 400 V DC (from PFC rectifier output or solar)
 Output: 740 V DC
 Power: 30 kW
 Output Current:
Full-Bridge DC-DC Converter with Transformer
 Isolation needed for high voltage
 Handles high power efficiently
 Transformer provides voltage step-up

Key Calculations:
ii. Output Voltage and Current:
Already known:
 Vout=740V
 Iout=40.5A
iii. Duty Cycle Range (D)
Assume:
 Transformer turns ratio n=Ns/Np=2
 Input DC Link Voltage = 400 V
The ideal output voltage of a full-bridge converter is:

 Typical Duty Cycle Range: ~0.4–0.5

CCM vs DCM Behavior:

Mode Description Impact

Inductor current never falls to

CCM Lower stress on components, smoother output
zero

Inductor current drops to zero More switching losses, discontinuous output current,
DCM
each cycle requires complex control

v. Switching Frequency f:

 Choose: 50 kHz

 Justification: Trade-off between size of filter and switching losses at high power

2. Solar Power Conditioner (DC-DC Boost Converter)

Requirements:
 Input: 150–300 V DC (typical PV range)
 Output: 400 V DC (DC bus voltage)
 Power: 5 kW
 Assume max power at Vin = 200 V

Key Calculations:

CCM vs DCM Behavior:

Mode Description Impact

CCM Inductor current never falls to zero Lower stress on components, smoother output

Inductor current drops to zero More switching losses, discontinuous output current, requires
DCM
each cycle complex control

v. Switching Frequency f:
 Choose: 50 kHz
 Justification: Trade-off between size of filter and switching losses at high power

Level-III: (Cycloconverter for variable frequency AC)

Designing a single-phase step down cycloconverter that converts 50 Hz AC to variable

frequency (20– 45 Hz).

A cycloconverter directly converts AC at one frequency (input) into AC at a lower variable

frequency using controlled thyristors or SCRs.

Single-phase step down cycloconverter:

Components:
 DC Voltage Source (230V)
 Thyristors x 8
 Series RLC Branch
 PWM Generator
 Voltage Measurement + Scope

Output Frequency Control Method:

  Output frequency f out is set by controlling the firing angle of thyristors.
 The gate signals are delayed so that the positive and negative half-cycles are formed
by combining delayed segments of the input waveform.
 This allows you to construct a lower-frequency output, e.g., 25 Hz by stitching 2
cycles of 50 Hz input.

Example:
If input = 50 Hz, to get 25 Hz:
 Use 2 input cycles to synthesize 1 output cycle.
 Control thyristors to alternate firing every 2 input cycles.

The basic circuit diagram:

Fig.1

Parameters:
AC Voltage Source :

Fig.2

Pulse Generator 1:

Fig.3
Input Freq. 50 Hz
Output Freq. = (1/2) * Input Freq. So, For each two cycle i want one half cycle in output.
So period is 0.04 sec
0.02 one cycle input
0.04 four cycle input which can give one cycle output.

Pulse Generator2:

Fig.4
Time period is same because we want the same thing in negative but at this time we define
the phase delay . So we got the same wave in negative cycle.

Output Waveform:
Interpreting the Switching Points:
 Around t = 0.01 s and 0.03 s, the waveform abruptly flips sign:
o These are zero-crossings of the reference sinusoid.
o In bipolar switching, the inverter switches polarity whenever the sine wave
crosses zero, resulting in these visible jumps.
 Between these points, the waveform follows a sine-like shape but is constrained to
either the positive or negative half, forming a piecewise sinusoidal output.

Level-IV: (Justification and Comparison)

1. DC Fast Charger (for Electric Buses)
Selected Topology: Full-Bridge Isolated DC-DC Converter
Criteria Full-Bridge Isolated DC-DC Alternative: Non-Isolated Boost

Moderate (80–90%) due to high

Efficiency High (up to 95%) with soft-switching
voltage stress

Complexity High (transformer + 4 switches + control) Low (single switch)

Size & Cost Larger & costlier (transformer) Compact and cheap

Required for galvanic isolation and high-

Justification
voltage conversion (e.g., 740V)

Conclusion: Full-bridge is essential for safety and voltage step-up. Boost converter is not
suitable for such high power levels.

2. Solar Power Conditioner (DC-DC interface)

Selected Topology: Boost Converter
Criteria Boost Converter Alternative: Cuk Converter

Efficiency High (90–95%) Moderate (80–90%)

Complex (multiple capacitors

Complexity Simple (1 switch, 1 diode)
and inductors)

Larger due to more passive

Size & Cost Compact & low cost
components

Best for stepping up panel voltage to charging

Justification
bus (e.g., 200V → 400V)

Conclusion: Boost is optimal for low-cost solar DC conversion. Cuk adds complexity and size with marginal
benefits.

3. Variable-Frequency AC Test Bench

Selected Topology: Cycloconverter
 Alternative: Inverter +
Criteria Cycloconverter
Rectifier

Higher (with PWM

Efficiency Good at low frequency
inverters)

High (inverter control +

Complexity Moderate (requires precise gating)
filtering)

Costlier due to inverter

Size & Cost Compact for <2 kW loads
stage

Suited for generating low-frequency AC (20–45 Hz)

Justification
directly from AC input

Conclusion: Cycloconverter is better for low-frequency applications like testing motors;

inverter-based systems are preferred for high-precision or variable-voltage control.

Overall Conclusion:
This project presented a practical design for a mixed EV charging station using suitable
power converter topologies for three key subsystems. A full-bridge isolated DC-DC converter
was selected for the fast charger due to its high efficiency and safety at high voltages. A
boost converter was used for the solar interface to step up the panel voltage, and a
cycloconverter provided variable-frequency AC for motor testing.
Both Continuous and Discontinuous Conduction Modes were analyzed, with key design
parameters—duty cycle, switching frequency, and critical inductance—calculated for each.
Our selected topologies were compared with alternatives and found optimal in terms of
efficiency, complexity, size, and cost. Overall, the system offers a reliable and efficient
solution for real-world EV charging applications.