DRPT2008 6-9 April 2008 Nanjing China

Mathematical Model of New Bi-directional

DC-AC-DC Converter for Supercapacitor Energy
Storage System in Photovoltaic Generation
Yun Zhong, Jiancheng Zhang, Gengyin Li and Xindi Yuan

pollution-free. If the PV array is operated independently from

Abstract—Energy storage system is an all-important part
in photovoltaic. A new bi-directional DC-AC-DC converter
for supercapacitor energy storage system in photovoltaic
generation is put forward. In the beginning, some
experiments on super capacitor have been performed,
which shows super capacitor has good performance in
quick charge and discharge. And mathematical model of
the dual full-bridge bi-directional DC-AC-DC converter
circuits with a transformer and its simplified model are
derived. In the end, A phase current in the transformer
primary side (ia) can be investigated with mathematical
calculation simulation and detailed circuit simulation. The
comparative result shows the mathematical
rationality. Through deduction, unified model of SESS
also can be gotten.
Index Terms--bi-directional DC-AC-DC
Photovoltaic Generation System; SESS; Mathematical Model.
the grid, i.e., as a stand-alone power system, some type of
energy storage device must be employed [1].
As an emerging technology in the area of energy storage,
the supercapacitor is a promising device. The supercapacitor is
a low voltage device exhibiting an extremely high capacitance
value in comparison with other capacitor technologies of a
similar physical size. Capacitors with values in excess of 1500
F are now available [2] [3].
Using supercapacitor energy storage system (SESS) for
high energy application makes necessary to elaborate suitable
power electronic interfaces, which make possible the efficient
and reliable transfer of energy between SESS and supported
model
energy systems. An intermediate DC voltage link of line
converters is also usually used as a link to storage equipment
interface, which must have the functions of a bidirectional
(two quadrants) converter connecting two voltage type sources
converter;
with significantly different voltage values [4-6]. In such a case
this interface converter topology, which contains an AC

I. INTRODUCTION medium frequency transformer link may be reasonable. The

presence of a transformer with a voltage ratio corresponding to

E NVIRONMENTAL concerns are growing and interest in

environmental issues is increasing and the idea of
generating electricity with less pollution is becoming more
capacitor and intermediate DC link voltage values gives the
possibility of proper voltage and current matching of the
interface and its optimal design in respect of costs, dimensions
and more attractive. Unlike conventional generation systems,
and efficiency. Another important property of a bi-directional
fuel of the solar photovoltaic energy is available at no cost.
converter with medium frequency transformer is insulation,
And solar photovoltaic energy systems generate electricity
making for easier development of a universal modular system.
This circuit is operated as a three phase dual active
This work was supported in part by Natural Science Foundation of China full-bridge. By controlling the duty cycle, the switching
(No. 50677018) and by Preliminary Research Fund for Significant Subject, frequency, and the phase shift angle between voltages across
North China Electric Power University (No. 20041303).
the transformer, the power can flow in either direction [7].
Yun Zhong, Jiancheng Zhang,Gengyin Li are with the Key Laboratory of
A new bi-directional DC-AC-DC converter for
Power System Protection and Dynamic Security Monitoring and Control
supercapacitor energy storage system in photovoltaic
under Ministry of Education, North China Electric Power University, Baoding
generation is put forward. In this paper, some experiments on
071003, Hebei, P.R.China (Yun Zhong’s e-mail:zy-zhongyun@163.com)
super capacitor have been performed, such as charge,

978-7-900714-13-8/08/ ©2008DRPT 2686

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 DRPT2008 6-9 April 2008 Nanjing China

self-discharge and discharge in the loop of broken and closing 260

240
breaker. And a tenth-order nonlinear mathematical model and 220

u(v)
its simplified sixth- order model are derived for the dual 200

180
full-bridge circuits with a transformer. In the end, A phase 160

current in the transformer primary side (ia) can be investigated 140

0 50 100 150

with mathematical calculation simulation and detailed circuit t(h)

Fig. 3 The self-discharge voltage waveform of super capacitor

simulation. The comparative result shows the mathematical
model rationality. Through deduction, unified model of SESS After the super capacitor is charged, the above charging

also can be gotten. circuit is broken, and the loop of broken and closing circuit
breaker is closed. With the increase of closing breaker times,
II. THE MAIN CIRCUIT STRUCTURE, OPERATING the terminal voltage of super capacitor sinks down Fig. 4
PRINCIPLE OF SESS SYSTEM shows the relation curve between closing breaker times and

A. The experimental of supercapacitor residual voltage of super capacitor.

In order to make further researches into SESS system in 260

240
the future, some experiments on super capacitor have been

u(v)
220
performed, such as charge, self-discharge and discharge in the 200

loop of broken and closing breaker. According to the 180

requirements of the following DC network of simulation 0 2 4 6 8 10 12

num be r of tim e s
system, a super capacitor of 0.56 F 400 V and 400 A is
Fig. 4 The relation curve between closing breaker times and residual voltage
selected. The experimental principle diagram of broken and
of super capacitor
closing breaker is shown in the Fig. 1.
B. The Main Circuit Structure and Operating Principle
When supercapacitor charge, energy transform network to
capacitor (AC-DC). And the situation is opposite when
capacitors discharge (DC-AC). So the energy needs flow in
two-direction. Fig. 5 is the circuit structure of bi-directional
DC-AC-DC converter. The power transition system is a
Fig. 1 The experimental principle diagram bi-directional DC-AC-DC converter, which is mainly

The supercapacitor is charged through the above charge composed of three parts: rectifier, high-frequency transformer

circuit. By the experimental findings, the charge curve of and inverter. The rectifier and inverter are composed of fully

super capacitor can be draws up. The charge curve is shown controlled power electronic device and are controlled by

as Fig. 2. Fig. 3 shows the self-discharge voltage curve of PWM technique. The same capacity transfer more power for

super capacitor. this structure has litter stress on power apparatus

300 current/voltage. And switch tube and transformer have high
utilization factor.
200
u(v)

100

0
0 50 100 150 200 250
t(s )

Fig. 2 The charge voltage waveform of super capacitor

Fig. 5 Structure of bi-directional DC-AC-DC converter

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 DRPT2008 6-9 April 2008 Nanjing China

Fig.6 shows the main circuit structure of SESS in PV

system, it has three parts: PV array, SESS and load. The SESS
system is in parallel with DC bus of PV network. Its basic
principle is as follows: allocate a voltage adjuster between
supercapacitor and PV network to stabilize output bus voltage,
the voltage adjuster is DC-DC converter circuit. According to
the requirements of PV array, the DC-DC converter should
have the ability of feedback bi-directional power, so this paper
Fig. 7 equivalent circuit of full-bridge converter
adopted bi-directional DC-AC-DC converter.
The energy flows in two-direction. For supercapacitor,
there are two modes- discharge and charge.
A. Discharge mode
Each device of the bi-directional DC-AC-DC converter
works as PWM inverter, step-up transformer and PWM
rectifier from left to right.
B. Charge mode
Each device of the bi-directional DC-AC-DC converter
Fig. 6 structure of SESS in PV system works as PWM inverter, step-down transformer and PWM
Output energy of PV array is variation. By controlling the rectifier from right to left.
DC-AC-DC converter, the DC bus voltage can keep the In fact, when U0 is infan, the power inverts DC-AC,
constant value even though the terminal voltage of transforms voltage and commutes AC-DC. Fig.8 describes
supercapacitor falls down continuously, and the valid equivalent circuit model of PWM converter [8-10].
availability of the supercapacitor storage array have also been
improved.

III. MATHEMATICAL MODEL DERIVATION

In order to design, simulation and stability analyze for a

power transformer, mathematical model is expected to build.
State space average (SSA) has already been used in many
power transformers modeling, which is a simple and efficient
Fig.8 equivalent circuit model of PWM converter
way. This method is originally put forward and applied in
SSA model is the following equation groups. Each
DC-DC converter by Middlebrook and Cuk. Commonly, SSA
parameter is defined in Fig.8.
modeling is the same with only two different circuit states
 L′ 0 0 0   ia ′   − R 0 0 d M − da ′   ia ′ 
converter. Each circuit state can be described by linearity 0    ′  0
 L′ 0 0   ib  =  −R 0 d M − d b ′   i b ′ 
model and state space equation. Fig. 7 shows equivalent 0 0 L′ 0   ic ′   0 0 − R d M − d c ′   ic ′ 
      (1)
circuit of full-bridge bi-directional DC-AC-DC converter. The 0 0 0 C 0 / 2   u 0   d a ′ db′ dc ′ −1 / R 0  u 0 

following modeling and analyze are based on these equivalent 1 0 0 0   ea′

0 1 0 0   e b ′ 
circuit. +
0 0 1 0   ec ′ 
  
0 0 0 1 / R 0   eL 

where R-L' is the parameter of secondary transformer; R0-eL is

the back electric motive force load in DC side; da', db' and dc'
are the upper arm switch duty cycle of three phase half-bridge;

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 DRPT2008 6-9 April 2008 Nanjing China

dM is the average of three phase duty cycle. ea 1 / n 0 0   e a′

 r 1 
 eb  =  0 1/n o   e b′ (8)
− L 0 0 − (da − dM )  e c   0 0 1 / n   e c ′ 
L
 ia     ia 
 0 r 1
   − 0 − (db − dM )   ib   ia   n 0 0   ia  (9)
 ib   L L   
′

=    ib  =  0 n o   ib ′ 
 ic  r 1  ic   i c   0 0 n   i c ′ 
   0 0 − − (dc − dM )   
 u d   L L  u d  (2)
 da db dc  Substituting equation (8) and (9) into (7), a further
 − 1 / R dC d 
 Cd Cd Cd  simplified third-order equation can be gained.
1 
L 0 0 0 At the same time, because of three phase symmetry, a
  ea 
0 1 eb unified model of SESS (u0-ud) also can be gotten.
0 0  
+  L 
   ec 
0 1  
0 0 0
 L  IV. SIMULATION VERIFICATIONS
0 0 0 0 

According to above equations (1)-(6), the overall model
where r-L is the parameter of primary transformer; da, db and of SESS can be calculated. And then the simulated results are
dc are the upper arm switch duty cycle of three phase compared with those of detailed circuit simulation to verify
half-bridge; dM is the average of three phase duty cycle. the model.
1 1 1 The followings are part parameters. The supercapacitor
d M = ( d a + d b + d c ) = ( d a ′ + d b ′ + d c ′) =
3 3 2
array is composed of 6 pairs of electrical double-layer
dud
i d = Cd (3) capacitors marked 0.6 F 400 V and 400 A, so Cd=1.8F. The
dt
ESR of supercapacitor used in this paper is set 0.6 Ω , so
du 0
i0 = C 0 (4) Rd=0.2 Ω .
dt
The other parameters of simulation system are: its initial
Combined equation group (1) - (4), a tenth-order nonlinear
terminal voltage is 500v, so the DC bus voltage value of
large-signal mathematical model are derived for the dual
steady operation is 500v. The frequency of transformer is
full-bridge circuits with a transformer.
100HZ and the transformation ratio is 1:2[11].
Considering the back electric motive force load is
A phase current in the transformer primary side (ia) are
nonexistent, equation (1) can be simplified.
demonstrated and compared with mathematical calculation
 L ′ia′   − R 0 0  ia′  ea′ + (1/ 2 − da ′)u 0 
 ′ ′  simulation and detailed circuit simulation in Fig.9 and Fig.10.
 L i b =
  0 − R 0  ib′  +  eb′ + (1/ 2 − da′)u 0  (5)
 L′ic ′   0 0 − R  ic ′   ec′ + (1/ 2 − da′)u 0 

In the same way, equation (2) is simplified.

 Lia   − r 0 0  i a   e a + (1 / 2 − d a )ud 
  
 Lib  =  0 −r 0   ib  +  e b + (1 / 2 − d b )ud  (6)
 LiC   0 0 − r   i c   ec + (1 / 2 − d c )u d 

Combined equation group (5) and (6), its simplified sixth- Fig.9 ia of mathematical calculation simulation
order model is derived. -3
x 10

 L′ia′  −R
1.5

 ia′  ea′ + (1/ 2 − da′)u0

 ′    ib′  eb′ + (1/ 2 − da′)u0
1

 L ib′
  − R     0.5

 L′ic′   −R  ic′  ec′ + (1/ 2 − da′)u0  (7)

ia(KA)

 =  + 
0

 Lia   −r   ia   ea + (1/ 2 − da)ud  -0.5

 Lib   −r   ib   eb + (1/ 2 − db)ud  -1

      
 LiC   −r   ic   ec + (1/ 2 − dc)ud  -1.5

0 0.05 0.1 0.15

Time（ s)

Owing to Fig.10 ia of detailed circuit simulation

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 DRPT2008 6-9 April 2008 Nanjing China

The comparative result shows that there is consistent [5] H. tao, A. Kotsopoulos, J. L. Duarte, M.A.A.Hendrix. “A soft-switched

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VII. BIOGRAPHIES
SESS (u0-ud) also can be gotten. In the end, A phase current in
the transformer primary side (ia) can be investigated with Yun Zhong was born in Jiangxi of china in 1976.She received the BSC from

mathematical calculation simulation and detailed circuit Nanchang University (NCU) in 1998 and held a lector position in NCU. She

simulation. The comparative result shows the mathematical received the master’s degree from North China Electric Power University

model rationality. This investigation can be applied to other (NCEPU) in 2006. Since 2006 autumn she is a doctor student in NCEPU. Her

energy storage systems. research interests are in the areas of Power quality, Energy Storage and Power

Electronics.
VI. REFERENCES Jiancheng Zhang, Professor of North China Electric Power University

[1] Changgui Wang, Rongqiang Cui, Huang Zhou, “New energy source (NCEPU), was born in Hebei of china in 1965. He received the PhD from

generation”, China Power Press, 2003, pp. 1~175. NCEPU in 2001 and worked in Tsinghua University as a post-doctor in

[2] Hua Cheng, Zheng Xu. “Energy storage for use with distribution power 2003.His research interests are in the areas of Power Quality, Energy Storage,

generation”, High Voltage Electrical Apparatus, 2003, 39(3), pp.53~56. Power Electronics and Power System Simulation.

[3] Jiancheng Zhang. “Research on super capacitor storage system for Gengyin Li, Professor of North China Electric Power University (NCEPU),

power network”, International Conference on Electeonics and Drivers was born in Hebei of china in 1964. He received the PhD from NCEPU in

systems, PEDS 2005, Volume 2, Nov, 2005:1366-1369. 1996.His research interests are in the areas of Power Quality, power market

[4] M. Nowak, J. Hildebrandt, P. Luniewski. “Converters with AC and Power System Simulation.

transformer intermediate link suitable as interfaces for super capacitor Xindi Yuan was born in Jiangxi of china in 1974.She received the BSC from

energy storage”, 35th Annual IEEE Power Electronics Conference, Nanchang University (NCU) in 1998 and held a lector position in Gannan

2004.pp.4067-4073 former school. Her research interests are in the areas of Power quality.

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