A Transformerless Dual-Stacked Boost High Step-Up DC–DC Converter with Voltage Multiplier Cells for Photovoltaic Applications

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

This paper presents a novel transformerless dual-stacked boost DC-DC converter integrated with voltage multiplier cells (VMCs), specifically designed to address the ultra-high voltage gain requirement in PV applications. The proposed structure achieves an exceptionally high voltage conversion ratio using a moderate duty cycle while ensuring low voltage stress on the main power switches. The converter's operation and performance were validated through comprehensive simulation studies conducted at a switching frequency (fs) of 50 kHz. Open-loop simulations confirmed the static gain capability, demonstrating a voltage gain of 16 times by boosting a 20 V input to an output of approximately 320 V at a duty cycle of 50%. Furthermore, the converter’s dynamic performance was rigorously assessed in a closed-loop environment by integrating it with a PV array and an MPPT controller. This setup confirmed the ability to regulate the DC bus voltage at 380 V while effectively tracking the Maximum Power Point (MPP). The results confirm that the proposed converter provides a structurally simple and highly effective solution for high-gain power conversion in renewable energy systems.

Keywords

References

  1. Hasanpour, S., Siwakoti, Y. P., Mostaan, A., & Blaabjerg, F. (2021). New Semiquadratic High Step-Up DC/DC Converter for Renewable Energy Applications. IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, 36(1), 433–446. doi:10.1109/TPEL.2020.2999402.
  2. Liang, T. J., Luo, P., & Chen, K. H. (2022). A High Step-Up DC-DC Converter With Three-Winding Coupled Inductor for Sustainable Energy Systems. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, 69(10), 10249–10258. doi:10.1109/TIE.2021.3123683.
  3. Khan, S., Zaid, M., Siddique, M. D., & Iqbal, A. (2022). Ultra high gain step up DC/DC converter based on switched inductor and improved voltage lift technique for high-voltage applications. IET Power Electronics, 15(10), 932–952. doi:10.1049/pel2.12279.
  4. Marzang, V., Babaei, E., Mehrjerdi, H., Iqbal, A., & Islam, S. (2022). A high step-up DC–DC converter based on ASL and VMC for renewable energy applications. Energy Reports, 8, 12699–12711. doi:10.1016/j.egyr.2022.09.080.
  5. Nadermohammadi, A., Abolhassani, P., Seifi, A., Zarrinehbafan, M., Aghakhanlou, P., Hosseini, S. H., & Sabahi, M. (2024). Cost-effective soft-switching ultra-high step-up DC–DC converter with high power density for DC microgrid application. Scientific Reports, 14(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-024-71436-w.
  6. Fani, R., Farshidi, E., Adib, E., & Kosarian, A. (2020). Analysis, Design, and Implementation of a ZVT High Step-Up DC-DC Converter with Continuous Input Current. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, 67(12), 10455–10463. doi:10.1109/TIE.2019.2960727.
  7. Karimi, K., Marzang, V., Karimi, M., Hosseini, S. H., & Feyzi, M. R. (2025). High-step-up quadratic DC–DC converter based on switched capacitor and coupled inductor techniques. Scientific Reports, 15(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-025-94214-8.
  8. Duong, V. T., Waheed, Z., & Choi, W. (2025). Non-Isolated Ultra-High Step-Up DC-DC Converter Topology Using Coupled-Inductor-Based Inverting Buck-Boost and Voltage Multipliers. Electronics (Switzerland), 14(13). doi:10.3390/electronics14132519.
  9. Hasanpour, S. (2025). A New Soft-Switched Trans-Inverse Step-Up DC/DC Converter With Zero Input Current Ripple. Energy Science & Engineering, 13(2), 714–727. https://doi.org/10.1002/ese3.2037.
  10. Sharma, P., Hasanpour, S., & Kumar, R. (2024). Enhanced Performance of Cuk and Boost–Based High‐Gain Step‐Up DC/DC Converter. International Transactions on Electrical Energy Systems, 2024(1). doi:10.1155/2024/3166502.
  11. Hosseini, S. J. A., Hasanpour, S., Shahgholian, G., Moazzami, M., & Baktash, A. (2025). A new ultra-high voltage gain DC/DC converter based on coupled-inductor. Scientific Reports, 15(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-025-90093-1.
  12. Maleki, M., Babaei, E., & Tarafdar Hagh, M. (2025). Hybrid high step-up DC-DC converter based on quadratic and switched capacitor cells with reduced voltage stress across the switches. International Journal of Electronics, 112(7), 1360–1380. doi:10.1080/00207217.2024.2378490.
  13. Hasanpour, S. (2025). A novel soft-switched trans-inverse ultra-high-gain DC/DC converter with low switch voltage stress. Scientific Reports, 15(1). doi:10.1038/s41598-025-17301-w.
  14. Alavi, P., Mohseni, P., Babaei, E., & Marzang, V. (2020). An Ultra-High Step-Up DC–DC Converter with Extendable Voltage Gain and Soft-Switching Capability. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, 67(11), 9238–9250. doi:10.1109/tie.2019.2952821.
  15. Sadeghpour, D., & Bauman, J. (2022). High-Efficiency Coupled-Inductor Switched-Capacitor Boost Converter with Improved Input Current Ripple. IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, 69(8), 7940–7951. doi:10.1109/TIE.2021.3109505.
  16. Sakthiram, T., Yogesh, L., Srikanth, R., Prabhakar, M., & Angalaeswari, S. (2025). Single-switch ultra-high step-Up DC-DC converter for PV applications. Results in Engineering, 25. doi:10.1016/j.rineng.2025.104050.
  17. Lee, S. S., Chu, B., Lim, C. S., & Lee, K. B. (2019). Two-inductor non-isolated DC-DC converter with high step-up voltage gain. Journal of Power Electronics, 19(5), 1069–1073. doi:10.6113/JPE.2019.19.5.1069.
  18. Rosas-Caro, J. C., Sanchez, V. M., Valdez-Resendiz, J. E., Mayo-Maldonado, J. C., Beltran-Carbajal, F., & Valderrabano-Gonzalez, A. (2018). Quadratic buck-boost converter with positive output-voltage and continuous input-current. 2018 International Conference on Electronics, Communications and Computers (CONIELECOMP), 152–158. doi:10.1109/conielecomp.2018.8327191.
  19. Mizani, A., Shoushtari, M., & Shoulaie, A. (2020). A Novel Quadratic High Step-up DC-DC converter. 2020 11th Power Electronics, Drive Systems, and Technologies Conference, PEDSTC 2020. doi:10.1109/PEDSTC49159.2020.9088469.
  20. Rahimi, T., Islam, M. R., Gholizadeh, H., Mahdizadeh, S., & Afjei, E. (2021). Design and Implementation of a High Step-Up DC-DC Converter Based on the Conventional Boost and Buck-Boost Converters with High Value of the Efficiency Suitable for Renewable Application. Sustainability, 13(19), 10699. doi:3390/su131910699.
  21. Zhang, Y., Liu, H., Li, J., Sumner, M., & Xia, C. (2019). DC-DC Boost Converter with a Wide Input Range and High Voltage Gain for Fuel Cell Vehicles. IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, 34(5), 4100–4111. doi:10.1109/TPEL.2018.2858443.
  22. Valdez-Resendiz, J. E., Rosas-Caro, J. C., Mayo-Maldonado, J. C., & Llamas-Terres, A. (2018). Quadratic boost converter based on stackable switching stages. IET Power Electronics, 11(8), 1373–1381. doi:10.1049/iet-pel.2017.0278.
  23. Gupta, N., Bhaskar, M. S., Almakhles, D., Sanjeevikumar, P., Blaabjerg, F., & Leonowicz, Z. (2020). Two-Tier Converter: A New Structure of High Gain DC-DC Converter with Reduced Voltage Stress. 2020 IEEE International Conference on Environment and Electrical Engineering and 2020 IEEE Industrial and Commercial Power Systems Europe (EEEIC / I&CPS Europe), 1–6. doi:10.1109/eeeic/icpseurope49358.2020.9160526.
  24. Totonchi, N., Gholizadeh, H., Afjei, E., & Hamzeh, M. (2020). A Novel Transformer less High Gain DC-DC Converter with Continuous Input Current and Suitable for Photo Voltaic Panels. 2020 11th Power Electronics, Drive Systems, and Technologies Conference, PEDSTC 2020. doi:10.1109/PEDSTC49159.2020.9088497.
Contributions of Science and Technology for Engineering
Volume 3, Issue 2
February 2026
Pages 71-84

Files

History

  • Receive Date: 30 October 2025
  • Revise Date: 26 December 2025
  • Accept Date: 25 January 2026
  • First Publish Date: 31 January 2026
  • Publish Date: 31 May 2026

Share

How to cite

Statistics