Model-Free Predictive Control of Multilevel DC–DC Converters for Energy Storage Applications

Abstract

Multilevel DC–DC power conversion solutions reveal excellent features for implementation in energy management and storage applications, such as electric vehicle (EV) charging. Conventional control approaches applied to multilevel converters show weaknesses in preserving optimal conversion performance. Despite the potential improvements in terms of control robustness, attainable through the exploitation of model-based predictive control (MBPC) approaches, parameter sensitivity of such control approaches shows potential to deteriorate the response of the converter. To overcome such challenge, this paper describes a novel Model-Free Predictive Control (MFPC) approach suitable for multilevel DC–DC power converters, convening in a single solution the benefits of predictive control and insensitivity against parameter uncertainty, which is particularly concerning in energy storage applications. A set of operation scenarios confirm the effectiveness of the proposed MFPC in both steady- and transient-states.