Simulation of a PV-Integrated Dual Active Bridge Converter for EV Charging
Abstract
The increasing use of renewable energy and electric vehicles (EVs) has created a growing need for efficient powerelectronic interfaces that can integrate solar energy with high-voltage battery-charging systems. This work presents the design and MATLAB/Simulink analysis of an approximately 11.56 kW photovoltaic (PV)-fed Dual Active Bridge (DAB) DC-DC converter for isolated and controllable power transfer in EV battery-charging applications. The PV array consists of 33 modules rated at approximately 350 W each, configured as 11 series-connected modules per string and three parallel strings, providing approximately 423.5 V and 27.3 A at the maximum power point. The DAB converter employs two active full bridges coupled through an 11 kVA, 50 kHz high-frequency transformer with 419/409 V windings and a 29 µH series transfer inductor. A 220 µF DC-link capacitor is connected at the output. Power transfer is controlled using single-phase-shift (SPS) modulation, where both bridges operate at approximately 50% duty cycle and the relative phase angle between their switching signals determines the transferred power. For closed-loop control, the measured DC output voltage is compared with a predefined reference, and the resulting error is processed by a PI controller to generate the required phase-shift command. A MATLAB Function block dynamically produces the phase-shifted switching references using the controller output and simulation time. These references are converted into complementary gate pulses for the primary and secondary bridges, allowing controlled adjustment of the DAB power flow and output voltage. Initial simulation results confirm the generation of complementary switching pulses, the required phase displacement between the bridges, and controlled power transfer from the PV source to the DC output. The developed model provides a foundation for further battery-charging analysis, efficiency evaluation, transient studies, and experimental implementation.