Variable Submodule Voltage Control for Enhanced Efficiency in DAB-Integrated Modular Multilevel Converters

Marzio Barresi, Davide De Simone (), Edoardo Ferri and Luigi Piegari ()
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Marzio Barresi: Department of Electronics, Information, and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
Davide De Simone: Department of Electronics, Information, and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
Edoardo Ferri: Department of Electronics, Information, and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
Luigi Piegari: Department of Electronics, Information, and Bioengineering, Politecnico di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 15, 1-23

Abstract: Modular multilevel converters (MMCs) are widely used in power-conversion applications, including distributed energy storage integration, because of their scalability, high efficiency, and reduced harmonic distortion. Integrating battery storage systems into MMC submodules using dual active bridge (DAB) converters provides electrical isolation and reduces voltage stress, harmonics, and common-mode issues. However, voltage fluctuations due to the battery state of charge can compromise the zero-voltage switching (ZVS) operation of a DAB and increase the reactive power circulation, leading to higher losses and reduced system performance. To address these challenges, this study investigated an active control strategy for submodule voltage regulation in an MMC with DAB-based battery integration. Assuming single-phase-shift modulation, two control strategies were evaluated. The first strategy regulated the DAB voltage on one side to match the battery voltage on the other, scaled by the high-frequency transformer turns ratio, which facilitated the ZVS operation and reduced the reactive power. The second strategy optimized this voltage to minimize the total power-conversion losses. The proposed control strategies improved the efficiency, particularly at low power levels, achieving several percentage points of improvement compared to maintaining a constant voltage.

Keywords: battery storage systems; dual-active bridge converter; modular multilevel converter; zero-voltage switching (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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