Soft-Switching High Step-Up Active Clamp Coupled Inductor-Based Converter for Grid-Tied Solar Photovoltaic Applications

The Renewable energy source like solar Photovoltaic is desired to be worked at low voltages. For grid-tied applications, it requires high voltage conversion which results in a reduced efficiency. In this work, zero-voltage switching (ZVS) based dc-dc converter with high step-up active clamped coupled inductor is presented for grid-tied solar photovoltaic applications. For achieving high conversion ratio switched capacitor cell is inserted to coupled inductor secondary winding. With this combination, the difficulties of leakage inductance are overcome. The active clamp circuit is incorporated to overwhelm the voltage spikes across the switches and also to implement the ZVS operation for switching devices. Simulation results for the proposed dc-dc converter are presented with the theoretical analysis.

I. Introduction

In recent years, due to the drastic demand of electricity, researchers more focused towards the solar photovoltaic (PV) generation because, of its add-on features like clean, emission-free, sustainable energy technology with high reliability. Due to these advantages, solar energy will turn into the major contribution to the electricity generation by the year 2040[1].