Efficiency Enhancement in DC-DC Boost Converters Using WBG Switches Through PSO Optimized FOPID Controller for Solar Systems

Abstract

Power electronic converters integrating Wide-Bandgap (WBG) semiconductor devices, based on Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN), demonstrate superior efficiency compared to conventional silicon-based counterparts. This work investigates the performance of a novel WBG SiC MOSFET switch-based DC-DC boost converter in a solar-fed power system. A fractional-order PID (FOPID) controller, with gain parameters optimized by the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm, is employed for controlling the converters. The transfer characteristics, output characteristics, and transient characteristics of the WBG switch are validated through MATLAB simulation using an available model. The capability of the proposed WBG-based FOPID-controlled DC-DC converter to maintain stability and robustness under varying irradiance as well as load transients is assessed through comprehensive MATLAB simulations. The performance comparison of the proposed DC-DC converter using Proportional Integral (PI), Proportional Integral Derivative (PID), and FOPID controllers, with both WBG and traditional MOSFET switches, was carried out. The results validate the superiority of WBG switches over conventional switches as well as the effectiveness of the fractional parameter effect on the system response. The proposed approach ensures high efficiency performances under medium voltage applications, which are suitable for charging electric vehicles, making it a promising solution for advanced power electronics applications.