A Three-Level Universal Electric Vehicle Charger Based on Voltage-Oriented Control and Pulse-Width Modulation

Abstract

Electric vehicles (EVs) could be used to address the issues of environmental pollution and the depletion of non-renewable energy resources. EVs, which are energized by a battery storage system, are becoming attractive because they keep the environment clean. Furthermore, the cost of EVs is becoming cheaper. Thus, EVs will become a significant load on utility distribution system in the future. EV chargers play a significant role in the expansion of EVs. The input current of an EV charger with a high total harmonic distortion (THD) and a high ripple distortion of the output voltage can impact battery life and battery charging time. Furthermore, the high cost and large size of the chargers are considered other issues in EV development. This work presents the complete design process of a universal EV charger with a special focus on its control algorithms. In this regard, a novel control algorithm based on the integration of voltage-oriented control (VOC) and the sinusoidal pulse-width modulation (SPWM) technique is proposed to ensure effective Levels 1, 2, and 3 battery charging. A simulation of the universal EV charger was conducted and assessed in MATLAB–Simulink. Moreover, a laboratory prototype was constructed with a TMS320F28335 digital signal processor (DSP) programmed as the controller to validate its operation and performance. The findings show that the proposed charger is able to provide a controllable and constant charging voltage for a variety of EVs, with an input current of low total harmonic distortion (THD) and an almost unity power factor.