Design of an Efficient Three-Level Buck-Boost Converter in PSIM

Abstract

Compared to conventional converters, a three-level buck-boost (3L-BB) converter offers higher efficiency, reduced switching losses, and increased power density. We design a 3L-BB converter given certain voltage and current specifications in PSIM. We simulate the circuit in PSIM and analyze the power, voltage, and current waveforms by comparing the observed simulated values in PSIM with their mathematically driven theoretical values. We examine its power efficiencies and determine if the circuit meets given DC distribution specifications. We show that the proposed three-phase design, which uses two DC-DC single-ended primary-conductor converters (SEPICs), is power efficient and is a compelling solution for high-power and high-voltage applications.