Design of a high efficiency wide input range isolated Cuk Dc-Dc converter for grid connected regenerative active loads

Abstract

The objective of this research is to build a regenerative active load unit with a very wide input voltage range in order to support a wide variety of dc supply equipment such as dc power supplies and batteries. These are usually tested by active or passive load units (resistive loads) for long periods of time to detect early failures and reliability issues. The power drawn from the devices under test are dissipated into heat by the resistive loads. The system being proposed in this paper will consist of a grid connected inverter and an efficient wide input voltage range dc-dc converter. This system will allow the energy drawn from the devices under test to be fed back to the grid. The only energy consumed corresponds to the losses within the system. The aim of the project is concerned with the construction of a 1kW regenerative active load unit. The dc-dc converter, irrespective of the input voltage will feed power at a constant voltage of 200V to the grid connected inverter. An input voltage ranging from 35V up to 400V will be supported by the regenerative active load unit with a handling power of 1kW throughout the whole range. This paper shall present the results obtained during the testing of the 1kW regenerative active load unit.