A Low-Loss Dynamically Reconfigurable Battery Topology for DC Microgrid Applications

Abstract

Dynamically reconfigurable battery (DRB) technology can effectively address the imbalance problem in traditional energy storage systems. However, the additional switches required for each battery in this technology can introduce significant losses. To further reduce this portion of the losses, this letter proposes a DRB topology suitable for dc microgrid applications. This topology uses the same number of switches as the half-bridge topology but reduces the number of switches that current flows through during operation. Moreover, it allows for hybrid series-parallel connections between batteries, whereas the half-bridge topology only permits series connections. Comparative analysis shows that the proposed topology reduces losses from the additional switches by approximately 33% compared with the half-bridge topology in applications of a similar scale. Simulation and experimental results validate the performance of this topology in controllable input/output and self-balancing. Compared to existing topologies, this solution reduces losses while maintaining reconfiguration capability, making it well-suited for scenarios where high reliability and efficiency are critical. This advancement in DRB technology offers a new approach to energy storage system topology selection.