Bidirectional three-level stacked neutral-point-clamped converter for electric vehicle charging stations

Electric vehicles (EVs) powered by batteries and other energy storage devices (ESDs), e.g., ultracapacitors, are expected to play an important role in the development of a more sustainable future. In this context, charging stations (CSs) are supposed to become the main sources of energy for charging...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Reis, Francisco Everton Uchôa, Bascopé, René Pastor Torrico, Tofoli, Fernando Lessa, Bezerra, Luiz Daniel Santos
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2020
País:Brasil
Institución:Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC)
Repositorio:Repositório Institucional da Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC)
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorio.ufc.br:riufc/69470
Acceso en línea:http://www.repositorio.ufc.br/handle/riufc/69470
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Bidirectional converters
Charging stations
Electric vehicles
Resonant controller
Descripción
Sumario:Electric vehicles (EVs) powered by batteries and other energy storage devices (ESDs), e.g., ultracapacitors, are expected to play an important role in the development of a more sustainable future. In this context, charging stations (CSs) are supposed to become the main sources of energy for charging the batteries, being strongly dependent on power electronic converters. This paper analyzes a bidirectional single-phase, three-level stacked neutral-point-clamped (3L-SNPC) converter for CS applications, which may behave as a rectifier or an inverter depending on the power flow direction. Besides, the derived analysis can be easily extended to the development of a three-phase version. Considering that the CS is capable of integrating the utility grid and renewable energy sources, it is possible to absorb or inject energy into the ac grid with high power factor and reduced harmonic content of the current. The main advantages of the bidirectional topology are the existence of a three-level voltage waveform across each leg and the neutral point, while filtering requirements are reduced when compared with typical two-level structures used in EV CSs; the voltage stresses on all semiconductors are equal to half of the total dc-link voltage; power factor is nearly unity in any operation mode; and the voltages across the dc-link capacitors are balanced. The thorough design of the power and control stages is presented, as well as experimental results from a laboratory prototype are discussed in detail.