A novel electrolytic capacitor-less multi-input DC/DC converter with soft-switching capability for hybrid renewable energy system

A new multi-input DC/DC converter with soft switching capability and does not require any electrolytic capacitors is proposed in this paper for hybrid renewable energy systems. The proposed converter is applicable to power individual homes that are on or off the grid. There are several features in the proposed converter. First of all, soft-switching capability in the switches is achieved by utilizing an input tapped series inductor and a parallel capacitor across the switch. Secondly, by eliminating the electrolytic capacitors that would be required in the conventional topologies, the reliability of the electronic interface in the renewable energy system is greatly enhanced. The detailed description of the proposed multi-input converter and the circuit´s operating principles are discussed in this paper. Results are given to highlight the merits of this circuit through a 1.2kW system.