2010 7th International Conference on Electrical Engineering, Computing Science and Automatic Control (CCE 2010)

Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México. September 8-10, 2010.

An Adaptive Control to Perform Tracking in DC to

DC Power Converters.
G. Obregón-Pulido, Emmanuel Nuño, Karina Castañeda and Adalberto De-Gyves
Electronic Department, Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jal. México.
E-mail: guillermo.obregon@red.cucei.udg.mx

Abstract— In this paper we design a controller that solves the reference signal, at least approximately. The paper is organized
tracking problem for the boost and buck-boost converters. A as follows: In Section 2, the model of the converter is obtained
stable nonlinear system is obtained that produces the necessary and the conditions on which the current of the inductor
inputs in order to exactly track the inductor current reference.
This property is used to track a given reference signal for the follow a reference with zero error are derived; in Section 3
capacitor voltage. We also present an study of the bounds that the adaptive scheme is obtained to approximately track the
must be satis ed by the current reference in order to track the capacitor voltage reference; in Section 4 simulation results are
voltage reference f ( ) = A + B sin(w ) in an approximate way. given. Finally, in the last section we draw some conclusions.
II. T HE M ATHEMATICAL M ODEL AND B OUNDED
Keywords- Control Theory, DC-to-DC power converters,
C ONDITIONS .
Reference Tracking.
The boost and buck-boost converter circuits are presented
in the following gure
I. I NTRODUCTION .
A common feature in the controller design process is
to nd the unstable tracking dynamics, i.e., systems whose
internal dynamics become unstable when the outputs follow
a given reference. The indirect control technique consists in
considering another output for which the internal dynamics
become stable. In this scenario other problem occurs, that
is, computing the reference target for the new output. Such a)
problem and the control technique is commonly found in
the context of power converters. For an overview on power
converters the reader may refer to [1]. For the justi cation
of current mode regulation see [2], which also gives the
way to obtain a trigonometric approximation to the unstable
periodic solution, needed for the tracking problem for which
the harmonic balance method is used [3]. In order to obtain an b)
inverter that produces an output voltage larger than the input Figure 1, a) Boost converter, b) Buck-Boost converter.
voltage, a boost topology is used in [4]. However, boost and
buck-boost converters are shown to need indirect control of the Using those circuits (Figure 1), the dynamics of a boost and
output voltage [2]. Some works have been presented that solve buck-boost converters are de ned by
the tracking problem in power converters, for example in [3] LI_L = (sw 1) (VC + kVCC ) + VCC
an adaptive scheme is proposed to track a sinusoidal signal VC
reference, the algorithm is locally stable and makes use of C V_ C = (1 sw )IL
R
the Galerkin method that can be viewed as a generalization where k = 0 for boost converter and k = 1 for buck-boost
of the harmonic balance method; [5] use a sliding mode converter, VC ; IL and VCC are the capacitor voltage, inductor
control to compensate disturbances on the output voltage; current and input voltage, respectively. sw is the control signal
also, an algebraic method is proposed in [6], for the online that takes its values in the set S = f0; 1g: In order to simplify
identi cation of uncertain parameters and is used to solve the the analysis, the following change of variables is borrowed
tracking problem in double bridge buck converters. from [3]:
In this note we consider the problem of tracking a sinusoidal r
reference voltage by the output voltage of the converter in IL L VC t
x = ; y= ; = p 2
;
a boost and buck-boost topology. An adaptive scheme is VCC C
r
VCC LC
used to obtain the controller, and a stable nonlinear system 1 L
is determined to obtain the necessary inputs to follow the a = ; u = 1 sw
R C
IEEE Catalog Number: CFP10827-ART 188
ISBN: 978-1-4244-7314-4
978-1-4244-7314-4/10/$26.00 ©2010 IEEE
2010 7th International Conference on Electrical Engineering, Computing Science and Automatic Control (CCE 2010)
Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México. September 8-10, 2010.

with these new variables the dynamical model takes the form conditions over the amplitudes of the signal 1 to obtain an
implementable control, that is, to satisfy 0 u0 1 some
x0 = 1 (k + y)u (1)
considerations are also obtained for the designed parameters
y0 = ay + xu in order to get 1 as an af ne function of the parameter a:
where h0 = dh( )
for any scaled time function h( ): The Considering the reference for the voltage y as f ( ) = A +
d
problem is to nd a control input such that y( ) ! f ( ) > 0; B sin(w ); and following the results given in [3], it is known
where f ( ) is any reference trajectory. that the rst harmonic of ( ) coincides with f ( ); this gives
Multiplying by x and (k + y); the following differential the conditions on 1 that are directly related with the constants
equation is obtained A and B of f ( ):

(k + y)(y 0 + ay) = x(1 x0 ) (2) Now, we consider the conditions for the control input. First,
0
designing (1 1 ) > 0 and 1 > 0; then the solution of (4)
in this equation, when y(t) takes the steady state y = f ( ) = implies that 0 < u; and considering 1 = A1 +M cos(w );
periodic f unction; it is shown in [2] that the differential 0
= M w sin(w ); we need A > M ) > 0; and
1 1 1
equation (k + f )(f 0 + af ) = x(1 x0 ); has one and only one 0
1 > M w ) (1 1 ) > 0 in order to obtain a stable limit
unstable limit cycle ( ); when g( ) = (k + f )(f 0 + af ) > 0: cycle on (4). To get the second condition for u0 ; we write
Thus, an approximate solution 1 ( ) > 0 (which is taken as 0
the truncated fourier series of ( ) at the 1-th harmonic) is (1 1 ( )) 0
u0 ( ) = 1 , (1 1( )) k+ ( )
used and a sliding mode control is applied in [3] to obtain the k+ ( )
convergence x ! 1 ( ): thus, if we obtain the conditions under which 1 + M w
It can be noted that the boost and buck-boost converters k + ( ); we can show that u0 ( ) 1; in order to do this, we
need indirect control of the output voltage [2], because if take m as the time at which ( m ) is minimum. This last,
a direct control is used, the internal dynamics results in an together with (3), yields
unstable behavior for the inductor current. 2 0
Now, we consider the signal 1 ( ) as the reference for x; ak ( m) +a ( m) = 1 ( m )(1 1 ( m ))
and we would like that x ! 1 ( ) with zero error using a solving for the values of ( m ) we obtain ( m ) = 2a 1
( ak
p
smooth control. We then need the solution of 0
1 ( m ))): Taking the positive value,
2 2
a k + 4a 1 ( m )(1
0
(1 1) we can write
y 0 = ay + 1 (3) q
k+y k 1 0
1 + Mw + a2 k 2 + 4a 1 ( m )(1 1 ( m )) ,
this differential equation has a stable limit cycle ( ); to see 2 2a
0
this fact, and also to avoid the division in the controller and a(1 + M w)(M w + 1 k) 1 ( m )(1 1 ( m ))
in the implementation of this equation, we take the change of 0
using the minimum value of 1 and (1 1 ) it can be shown
variable z = (k + y) 1 hence 0
that (A1 M )(1 M w) (
1 m )(1 1 ( m ))). Now, if
z 0 = az akz 2 z3 1 (1
0
1) (4) f ( ) = A + B sin(w ) it is possible to take the solution for
2
0 A1 = a(A2 + B2 + kA) (given in [3]), thus we impose that
where we can see that if 1 > 0 and (1 > 0 then for
1)
any initial condition z(0) > 0, z( ) tends to a stable limit a(1 + M w)(M w + 1 k) (A1 M )(1 M w) ,
cycle ( ) = (k + ( )) 1 : Now, considering u0 ( ) as the (1 + M w)(M w + 1 k) M B 2

ideal continuous control input in steady state, and u( ) as the + A2 + + kA (5)

(1 M w) a 2
continuous control input (the mean of u), then u0 = (1 01 ) :
This condition is more complicated than that of [3] (equa-
Thus, taking (1) we can write
tion (7)), and is less restrictive for the bounds on B: In order
x0 = 1 (k + y)u to obtain
q a positive control and positive current the condition
2
y0 = ay + xu A > B 1 + wa ; (see equation 6, [3]) has to be ful lled.
0
z^0 = a^
z ak^ z 2 z^3 1 (1 1)
0
At this point if M was independent of the parameter a; then
u = (1 1 )^
z
1 is an af ne function of a: In order to show this, consider
and we have that u ! u0 ( ); x ! 1 ( ) and y ! ( ); the solution of 1 ; given in [3], that is
where the switched input u is substituted by its equivalent in = aA0 + B1 sin(w ) + C1 cos(w ); where
1
continuous time u( ) (due the application of PWM technique): 2
aB (2A + k) w A0 (k + A)
B1 = M sin( ) = ;
Then, implementing (4) we obtain the necessary input for a2 A20 w2 + 1
x ! 1 : However, the constant a is unknown and we need to wB A0 a2 (2A + k) + (k + A)
C1 = M cos( ) =
implement an adaptive scheme. At this point, if the function a2 A20 w2 + 1
1 was an af ne function of a; then it is possible to obtain
2
B
a globally stable controller. In the following, we give some A0 = A(A + k) +
2
IEEE Catalog Number: CFP10827-ART 189
ISBN: 978-1-4244-7314-4
978-1-4244-7314-4/10/$26.00 ©2010 IEEE
2010 7th International Conference on Electrical Engineering, Computing Science and Automatic Control (CCE 2010)
Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México. September 8-10, 2010.

noting the solution for B1 and C1 , pwe can take a given given amin for some given Rmax ; then amin
w
= 2 fr CRmax ,
xed frequency w; due to w = 2 fr 2 LC; where fr is the 2
C = 2 fr Rmax amin and L = 4 2 f 2 C =
w w wRmax amin
, then, for
2 fr
real frequency in real time t and if the values of L and C r
example, if we impose that k = 1; B = 1, fr = 60 Hz; and
are properly chosen, this value can be a design parameter. amin = :2 when Rmax = 500 we obtain A 2:6476; if
Obviously, if the reference is changed, then we need to change we choose A = 3, then w = 0:3742; L = 99:25 mH and
these values, this can be done using a variable capacitor or C = 9:925 F: Observe that for the same value of w and
making the design for a speci c reference. amin ; the equation (7) of [3] impose that A 3:69537:
Let the value Once we xed A; B and w we obtain 1 = aA0 +
2A + k
w2 = (6) M cos(w ); 1 0
1 = 1 + M w sin(w ). Considering a =
A0 (k + A)
amin + ap ; 1m = amin A0 + M cos(w ); 1 = ap A0 + 1m ;
p q
then B1 = 0; and C1 = Bw(k + A) = 2B (2A+k)(k+A) we can write (4) as
2A(A+k)+B 2
which are independent of a. Then 1 is an af ne function of z 0 = F1z (z; ) + ap F2z (z; )
a. From this, M = C1 and = 0 the conditions can be written 0
F1z (z; ) = amin z(1 kz) z 3 1m (1 1)
as 0
E F2z (z; ) = z(1 kz) A0 z 3 (1 1)
1 + F ) u0 ( ) 1 (7)
A0 where we can see that if ap > 0 the system is stable.
1 F2 ) 1 0 (8) Assuming that voltage and current are measurable signals, then
1 D)1 0
(9) we propose the following Theorem:
1
B(2A + k) (1 + D)(1 + D k) Theorem 1: Consider a = amin + ap ; with ap 0; 1 =
with D = ; E= B2
aA0 + M cos(w ) where A0 = A + 2 + kA; M = Bw(A +
2
A0 (1 D)
(A+k) . Suppose the pair A; B satisfy (7), (8), (9).
k); w2 = A02A+k
p
BD(k + A) Then the controller
F =
aA0
Considering the conditions for a given value of B; it is
^0
x = 1 (^ y + k)u + g1 (x x ^) (10)
possible to solve (9) for obtaining the minimum value that
must be taken by A to ful ll (1 0
1) 0. We then arrive to y^0 = amin y a ^p y + x^u + g2 (y y^)
k p
12 2 ^0p
a = g3 y(y y^)
A Am = +B+ k + 2B 2 z^0 = F1z (^
z ; ) + j^ ap j F2z (^
z; )
2 2
0
taking A = Am + for some > 0; we have that A0 ( ), E( ), u = (1 1 ) z
^
F ( ) and D( ) are functions of ; thus an appropriate value
where z^(0) > 0, ensures that x ! 1 ( ); y ! ( ); a
^p ! ap ;
for is needed. Observing that if (7) holds then (8) holds, we
^ ! x; y^ ! y and z^ ! z; globally.
x
only need to satisfy the condition (7). In order to do this, we
Proof: We can see that z^ is bounded, because taking
consider the function 2
z ) = z^2 we get
Vz (^
E( )
F1 ( ) = 1 + F( ) Vz0 (^ ap j) z^2 (1 k^
z ) = (amin + j^ z ) z^4 (j^
ap j A0 + 0
A0 ( ) 1m )(1 1)
(a a j)(1 k^
+j^ z)
thus, we can ensure that for a given B; there exist one and only which is negative for z^2 > (j^apmin p
jA0 + 1m )(1 0 ) ; and a nite
one value of such that F1 ( ) = 0; to prove this assertion,
1
value always exists because if j^ ap j = 0 then is negative
consider D; and D j =0 = 1; limd!1 D = 0; and for z^2 > amin(1
(1 k^
z)
0 ) and if j^
ap j ! 1 then is negative for
1m 1
dD 2B B2 z^2 > A(1 k^
z)
0 ) ; also z
^ cannot take the zero value because
= (Am + + k=2)2 + k 2 =4 <0 0 (1 1
d A0 ( )2 2 (amin + j^ap j) z^ > 0. Thus z^ is bounded from above and
2

because by de nition Am > B; then D is a decreasing below. Hence u is bounded from above and below and also
function of : Thus F1 ( ) is an increasing function of ; the signal y; because for any bounded input the time response
because for E; (1 + D)(1 + Dp k) and 1=(1 D) are of (1) is bounded.
p
decreasing functions, and for F , BD=a and (k + A)=A0 Now, consider the error system between (1) and (10), that
are also decreasing. Then, there exists only one value such is, ey = y y^, ex = x x ^; ea = ap a ^p , then
that F1 ( ) = 0. Observe that we can take such value and the e0x = uey g1 ex
three conditions hold.
e0y = yea + ex u g2 ey
III. T HE A DAPTIVE C ONTROLLER . e0a = g3 yey
We now propose and adaptive controller to obtain x ! e2
e2 e2
1 ( ) and y ! f ( ) = A + B sin(w ) in approximate way. and taking V (e) = 2x + 2y + 2ga3 , its derivative along the
For a given B and some known constant amin , a amin , we error dynamics is V 0 (e) = g1 e2x g2 e2y ; thus (by LaSalle
obtain A and w; and the conditions always hold. Consider a Theorem) V (e) is a decrescent function of and ex ! 0;
IEEE Catalog Number: CFP10827-ART 190
ISBN: 978-1-4244-7314-4
978-1-4244-7314-4/10/$26.00 ©2010 IEEE
2010 7th International Conference on Electrical Engineering, Computing Science and Automatic Control (CCE 2010)
Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México. September 8-10, 2010.

ey ! 0; and then yea = 0, that implies that ea = 0; because

y 6= 0 and it is bounded from above and below. Now, when
^p = ap the dynamics of z^ produce the necessary input to
a
obtain x ! 1 ( ); and y ! ( ) whose rst harmonic is
equal to f ( ) = A + B sin(w ) and because the function
V (e) is radially unbounded then the error system is globally
stable, this implies that the controller globally stabilizes the
system (1).

IV. S IMULATION R ESULTS .

In this section we present some simulation results of the

proposed scheme. Considering the results reported in the last
section, we set Figure 3, Current Response (IL ) and Reference Signals.

V. C ONCLUSIONS
f( ) = A + B sin(w );
In this note we present an adaptive scheme in order to
1m ( ) = A0 amin + M cos(w )
track the voltage output of the DC-to-DC Boost and Buck-
0
1 1( ) = 1 + wM sin(w ); amin = 0:2; A = 3, Boost power converters to some biased sinusoidal signal. The
B = 1; k = 1; w = 0:3742; A0 = 12:5; proposed controller makes use of a nonlinear model to obtain
wM = 0:56; A0 amin = 2:5; M = 1:4967 the exact necessary input to get zero error tracking between the
current and its reference. The controller globally stabilizes the
C = 9:925 F; L = 99:25mH;
converter and it is robust to the change of the resistance, also,
VCC = 12; fr = 60Hz; Rmax = 500 some conditions for the parameters of the current reference
are given. A future work is to relax more these conditions in
and, for the controller, we choose g1 = g2 = g3 = 1: In Figure order to use less DC energy.
2 we can see the response of the voltage and the reference
signal for the signals that are not scaled. For t < :1191 ( < R EFERENCES
120), ap = 0 (R = 500 ) and for t :1191 ap = :5
[1] H. Sira-Ramirez, "Sliding Motions in Bilinear Switched Networks", IEEE
(R = 142:85 ). We can see that the change of the parameter Trans. Circ. and Syst., Vol. 34, No. 8, (1987), pp. 919-933.
is compensated. [2] E. Fossas-Colet and J. M. Olm-Miras, "Asymptotic Tracking in DC-To-
DC Nonlinear Power Converters", Discrete and Continuous Dynamical
Systems-Series B, Vol. 2, No. 2, May 2002, pp. 295-307.
[3] E. Fossas, J. M. Olm and A. S. I. Zinober, "Robust Tracking Control of
DC-to-DC Nonlinear Power Converters", Proc. 43rd IEEE Conference on
Decision and Control, Dec 2004, pp. 5291-5296.
[4] R. O. Cáceres, and I. Barbi, "A boost DC-AC converter: analysis, design
and experimentation", IEEE Trans. Power Electronics, Vol. 14, No. 1, Jan
1999, pp. 134-141.
[5] Y. B. Shtessel, A. S. I. Zinober and I. A. Shkolnikov, "Boost and Buck-
Boost Power Converters Control via Sliding Modes Using Dynamic
Sliding Manifold", Proc. IEEE Conference on Decision and Control,
2002, pp. 2456-2461.
[6] H. Sira-Ramírez, E. Fossas and M. Fliess, "An algebraic, on line, para-
meter identi cation approach to uncertain DC-to AC power conversion",
Proc. Conference on Decision and Control 2002, pp. 2462-2467.
[7] H. K. Khalil, "Nonlinear Systems", Prentice Hall, Third Edition, 2002.

Figure 2, Output Response (VC ) and Reference Signal.

In Figure 3 we show the response of the current and the

reference for ap = 0 and ap = 0:5: We can see how the
current tracks the reference with zero error.

IEEE Catalog Number: CFP10827-ART 191

ISBN: 978-1-4244-7314-4
978-1-4244-7314-4/10/$26.00 ©2010 IEEE