Analysis and Design of a Half-Bridge Converter with Current Doubler for Auxiliary Power Modules in Electric Vehicles

Pedro H. B Löbler; Wellington G. R. Volz; Ademir Toebe; Cassiano Rech; Luciano Schuch

doi:10.18618/REP.e202603

Authors

Pedro H. B Löbler Federal University of Santa Maria https://orcid.org/0009-0006-6495-1907
Wellington G. R. Volz Federal University of Santa Maria https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7057-0465
Ademir Toebe Federal University of Santa Maria https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7359-2332
Cassiano Rech Federal University of Santa Maria https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8225-9240
Luciano Schuch Federal University of Santa Maria

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18618/REP.e202603

Keywords:

Auxiliary Power Module, DC-DC converter, electric vehicles.

Abstract

Electric vehicles (EVs) demand highly efficient power management systems to enhance reliability and extend operational autonomy. Unlike traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, which use alternators to supply low-voltage systems, EVs rely on DC-DC converters, commonly referred to as Auxiliary Power Modules (APMs). This paper presents the analysis, design, and experimental validation of a half-bridge converter with a current-doubler (HB-CD) topology tailored for APM applications. A generalized structure is proposed to support the parallel operation of multiple modules, aiming to mitigate current stress and reduce output ripple. A 3~kW laboratory prototype was implemented using two 1.5 kW modules operating in parallel, enabling interleaved operation and effective current sharing. Experimental results demonstrate the converter’s ability to maintain high efficiency, reaching up to 94.6 % under nominal conditions and 95.9 % under minimum input voltage operation, confirming the feasibility of the proposed topology for high-current automotive applications.

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Author Biographies

Pedro H. B Löbler, Federal University of Santa Maria

Pedro Henrique Bulegon Löbler was born in Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil, in 1998. He received the B.S. degree in electrical engineering from the Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil, in 2022, and the M.S. degree in 2024. He is currently working toward the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering as a member of the Power Electronics and Control Group (GEPOC). His current research interests include dc–dc power converters, EVs, and auxiliary power modules.

Wellington G. R. Volz, Federal University of Santa Maria

Wellington Gabriel Roos Volz was born in Três Passos, RS, Brazil, in 2002. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering at the Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil, since 2021. He is a member of the Power and Control Electronics Group, focusing on scientific research in static power converters and power inverters.

Ademir Toebe, Federal University of Santa Maria

Ademir Toebe received the B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering in 2015 and 2018, respectively, from the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, Brazil, where he is currently working toward the Ph.D. degree in switched-capacitor topologies for capacitive power transfer. He has been with the Power Electronics and Control Research Group (GEPOC) at UFSM since 2013. His research interests include modular and multilevel systems, parallelism of inverters, energy conversion for photovoltaic systems, onboard and fast charger for EVs, and static converters with capacitive isolation.

Cassiano Rech, Federal University of Santa Maria

Cassiano Rech received the B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, Brazil, in 1999, 2001, and 2005, respectively. From 2005 to 2007, he was with the Universidade Regional do Noroeste do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Iju, Brazil. From 2008 to 2009, he was with the Santa Catarina State University, Florianopolis, Brazil. Since 2009, he has been with the UFSM, where he is currently a Professor and Member of the Power Electronics and Control Research Group, GEPOC. Dr. Rech was Editor-in-Chief of the Brazilian Power Electronics Journal in 2014–2015. From 2016 to 2017, he was President of the Brazilian Power Electronics Society. Since 2018, he has been an Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics. His research interests include multilevel converters, distributed energy resources, and power electronics applied to transportation electrification.

Luciano Schuch, Federal University of Santa Maria

Luciano Schuch was born in Santa Maria, Brazil, in 1974. He received the B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering (sub-area power electronics) from the Federal University of Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil, in 1999, 2001, and 2007, respectively. Since 2009, he has been with the Power Electronics and Control Research Group, Federal University of Santa Maria, where he is currently a Professor. His research interests include, photovoltaic energy, distributed generation, UPS, and high performance power converters.

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