Analysis of Discontinuity Induced Bifurcations in a Dual Input DC-DC Converter

DC-DC power converters with multiple inputs and a single output are used in numerous applications where multiple sources, e.g., two or more renewable energy sources and/or a battery, feed a single load. In this work a classical boost converter topology with two input branches connected to two different sources is chosen, with each branch independently being controlled by a separate peak current mode controller. We demonstrate for the first time that even though this converter is similar to other well known topologies that have been studied before, it exhibits many complex nonlinear behaviours that are not found in any other standard PWM controlled power converter. The system undergoes period incrementing cascade as a parameter is varied, with discontinuous hard transitions between consecutive periodicities. We show that the system can be described by a discontinuous map, which explains the observed bifurcation phenomena. The results have been experimentally validated.