Field-programmable gate array-based voltage-feedback-driven battery charging with DC-DC buck converter

Abstract

This paper presents the design and development of a reference-driven field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based controllable battery charging system featuring a buck converter. The controller tracks and adjusts the system's duty cycle based on output voltage feedback. The primary goal was to introduce a digital pulse-width modulation generator program using a Hardware Description Language within a feedback loop. To enhance the buck converter's accuracy, the system's switching frequency was set to 20 kHz with an 8-bit counter, achieving a resolution of 0.390625% per clock cycle. An 8-bit parallel analog-to-digital converter provided feedback by measuring the output voltage and comparing it with the reference setpoint. The simulation model was developed using MATLAB/Simulink, while the Quartus II software was employed for controller programming. The resultant data was meticulously analyzed to assess the circuit's performance across various voltage and control parameters. To validate the proposed controller's effectiveness, a 400 W system prototype comprising a step-down transformer, rectifier, and buck converter was constructed and tested for voltage ranging from 24 to 72 V. Through FPGA-based digital control, this system demonstrated a voltage regulation accuracy of ±0.39 per clock cycle and the capability to continuously track and regulate the duty cycle with each clock trigger, ensuring precise control over the charging process.