SEPIC converter with wide bandgap semiconductor for PV battery charger

Photovoltaic (PV) charger systems are implemented in power electronic converters for battery charging applications. In order to achieve high efficiency, the choice of the component plays a major role. At the same time, such systems require high performance in terms of faster switching, high-power, and high-temperature operation capability. Converters with conventional silicon-based power switching devices may not accomplish all these requirements effectively. This paper presents the design of a single-ended primary inductance converter (SEPIC) using silicon carbide (SiC) and conventional silicon power switching devices to compare the performance in terms of the efficiency. The designed converter was first validated in PSIM simulation software to assess the effectiveness of using SiC power devices to charge a 48 V battery from a 250 Wp PV panel with a voltage of 30.7 V. Furthermore, a hardware prototype of the converter was developed and tested on a resistive load. The use of SiC-based switches increased the efficiency of the SEPIC converter by 3.6% at full load and at a switching frequency of 100 kHz.