Energies, Vol. 18, Pages 5895: A Dual-Source Converter for Optimal Cell Utilisation in Electric Vehicle Applications

Energies, Vol. 18, Pages 5895: A Dual-Source Converter for Optimal Cell Utilisation in Electric Vehicle Applications

Energies doi: 10.3390/en18225895

Authors:
Ashraf Bani Ahmad
Mohammad Alathamneh
Haneen Ghanayem
R. M. Nelms
Omer Ali
Chanuri Charin

Electric vehicles (EVs) are experiencing rapid global adoption driven by environmental concerns and fuel security. This article presents a new dual-source converter based on a hybrid modular multilevel configuration (DCHMMC) designed for optimal cell utilisation in EV battery systems. Contrary to conventional converters that can either charge or discharge the cells using a single source, thereby leaving several cells/modules (Ms) idle during each time step, the proposed converter enables the integration of two sources that can utilise the cells simultaneously. This dual source feature minimises idle cells/Ms, enhances energy efficiency, and supports flexible bidirectional power flow. The proposed converter operates in three distinct modes. The first involves dual-source charging for fast charging and improved vehicle availability. The second involves one source charging while the other discharges for dynamic operation. Finally, the last involves dual-source discharging for maximum power delivery and support vehicle-to-grid (V2G) operation. The simulation results demonstrated smooth multilevel sinusoidal output voltages (Vout_a and Vout_b), each with a peak of 350 V, generated simultaneously using 132 cells (six cells per M, 22 Ms). The total harmonic distortion (THD) values for Vout_a and Vout_b were 0.42% and 2.25%, respectively, confirming the high-quality performance. Furthermore, only 0–36 cells and 0–6 Ms were idle during operation, showing improved cell utilisation.