A Multiport Bidirectional Converter for Fuel Cell Range Extended Vehicles with On-board Solar Generation

Although electric vehicles have the advantages of zero emissions and convenient overnight charging, other problems remain such as limited driving ranges, slow refueling while on-the-go, lithium supply issues, and emissions from some sources of electricity generation (e.g., coal). Fuel cell powered vehicles address the refueling time issue, which will also ease range concerns if hydrogen fueling stations are available. Furthermore, on-board solar generation can replace a portion of the vehicle's grid charging needs and extend driving range. For both options, a smaller battery could be used, meaning less lithium is required. However, the power electronic architecture for such a solar fuel cell range extended vehicle (S-FCREV) would be complex and costly with conventional separate converters. Thus, this paper proposes the first practical multi-port converter that can perform all S-FCREV requirements, including partial electrical isolation, with a reduced component count compared to a non-integrated converter design. Detailed simulation results are provided to validate the operation of the proposed topology.