20 kW water-cooled prototype of a buck-boost bidirectional DC-DC converter topology for electrical vehicle motor drives

In brushless DC motor drives devoted to electric vehicles (EVs) a bi-directional DC-DC power converter can be used to control suitably both motoring and regenerative braking operations in order to improve the motor drive performance. In consideration of such an application, this paper deals with the experimental study of a buck-boost bi-directional DC-DC power converter topology which has been conceived for the use in EVs propelled by means of wheel-direct-coupling axial-flux PM motor drives. The paper discusses the power converter modes of operation and reports experimental results taken from a 20 kW water-cooled prototype of the proposed power converter topology.<
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