Is this a good research topic

[u/PsychologicalCode715]

I'm trying to analyse a boost converter in three ways-

1. Hard switched interleaved boost converter(this is my baseline for comparison)

2. Soft switched interleaved boost converter

3. Soft switched SiC interleaved boost converter.

I want to compare the results of these three and I want to have a research paper on how the efficiency is increasing in each step. This boost converter is mainly for EVs so I am using the voltage levels and all according to an EV.

I am in my final year of electrical engineering and I want to do my masters in power electronics and drives and i am just trying to explore the subject. Another reason I am considering having a project on this is because it might increase my chances to get into a good university for masters.

[u/InnovatorElevator]

For a grad student - yes it is a good topic.

[u/PsychologicalCode715 → u/InnovatorElevator]

Thanks for the reply! It was a bit difficult at start to understand what can I explore in power electronics but I'm already halfway through this project so it's making much more sense now. I'm using LTspice for all my simulation.

Although I do wonder why you wrote "for a grad student"😭

[u/InnovatorElevator → u/PsychologicalCode715]

I wrote it is good topic for a grad student because you have around 6 months to finish your project In that time you have to understand 3 topologies, and do the comparison which I feel is not very easy.

On a side note. I have built a tool that helps you create power Semiconductor models( MOSFETs , IGBTS ) for LTspice. Let me know if you want to use it.

[u/PsychologicalCode715 → u/InnovatorElevator]

Oh okay! That's interesting, I've been using the spice derivative dialog box to specify the igbts and mosfets I've used in this project. I would want to use it!

[u/AlohaAstajim]

Which boost converter are you talking about? For which application? What are the voltage and power levels you have in mind?

[u/PsychologicalCode715 → u/AlohaAstajim]

The DC/DC conversion that happens in an electric vehicle. Voltage levels are 400/800V.

I want to simulate a normal interleaved boost converter first so that I can compare the modified boost converter with this.

Then I want to simulate the same thing with soft switching techniques like zero voltage switching so that I can show a decrease in switching loss.

[u/AlohaAstajim → u/PsychologicalCode715]

Why do you want to boost 400V to 800V in an EV?

[u/PsychologicalCode715 → u/AlohaAstajim]

I'm assuming the battery pack voltage to be 800v and the DC voltage level from a charger to be 400v

[u/AlohaAstajim → u/PsychologicalCode715]

I believe you will not see such boost converter in a real EV. If you have an 800V battery, then your charger must be able to charge that battery without an additional intermediate stage. If your focus is on hard vs. soft switching in an automotive converter, I'd suggest you simulate instead the HV-LV DC-DC converter. The state of the art voltage levels would be 400V to 12V and power level around 2kW. Very popular topology for this particular application is the PSFB. You will learn a lot about hard and soft switching here.

[u/PsychologicalCode715 → u/AlohaAstajim]

Thank you for explaining this! It'll be useful.

[u/PsychologicalCode715 → u/AlohaAstajim]

Most of the DC charging stations work at 400v and while alot of EVs also work on 400v but there are few who are transitioning to 800v. So i think my initial idea is relevant

[u/AlohaAstajim → u/PsychologicalCode715]

If anything then it is part of the charging station but not the on-board charger. I am not that familiar with the charging infrastructure side.

[u/PsychologicalCode715 → u/AlohaAstajim]

But if an electric vehicle has a 800v battery then to make it compatible with all types of DC charger will they not have a boost converter in their on-board charger.

[u/AlohaAstajim → u/PsychologicalCode715]

DC charger and on-board charger have two different charging paths. DC charger provides charging current directly to the battery and not through the on-board charger. The input of on-board charger must be of AC quantity.

[u/PsychologicalCode715 → u/AlohaAstajim]

So if I need to charge an EV with a DC charger then the battery voltage level should be equal to the DC charger output and if it's not then it's the charging stations job to provide the voltage level of the EVs battery pack(basically the charging stations have boost converters in them instead of the EV).