Digital Soft Start Implementation for Minimizing Start Up Transients in High Power DAB-IBDC Converter

The dual active bridge isolated bidirectional DC-DC converter (DAB-IBDC) is one of the prime converters used in dual active bridge renewable energy storage system (RESS) applications, particularly where a high-power density is required. The digital DSP (Digital Signal Processer) control technique also provides intelligence to applications and achieves a super compact elegant system by reducing the complicated control hardware. All power converters, including the DAB-IBDC converter, often draw an inrush current, which is many times higher than their steady state current. The inrush current is the maximum current drawn by a converter for a very few milliseconds while being freshly energized. Although it appears for only a very few milliseconds, it can cause severe damage to the entire energy storage system, including the sources and loads. To save the RESS system from the starting inrush current and peak overshoot voltages, this paper proposes a five-phase digital soft-start control algorithm for a high-power DAB-IBDC converter that was implemented at a renewable energy storage system aimed at developing an intelligent self-powered energy zone. The proposed five phase digital soft-start algorithm can alone solve the startup transients without the use of any additional hardware. First, it prevents the output current and voltages from transients, such as the inrush current and peak overshoot voltages, by ensuring that the output current does not increase too rapidly while starting up. Second, it also eliminates the large backflow inrush current released by a partially discharged energy storage device at the starting period. Third, it helps achieve a simple super compact size DAB-IBDC converter with a simple elegant design by ensuring the control and soft-start in digital technology.