Making DC-DC converters easy to understand for undergraduate students

Power electronic laboratory may seem to be a good method of education. Despite the benefits of a laboratory-based education, some serious limitations make it difficult to consider this method as a main educating tool. In addition, power electronic laboratory is one of the most expensive laboratories in both foundation and operation. Moreover, the complexity of power electronic circuits makes it hard to repeat the test for different conditions. The increasing number of students accessing university educational program make the problem even more complicated. Adding probable risks of electrical accidents in laboratory for students, breaking down of circuit equipment due to misuse, limited access to the laboratory for students can clarify other aspects of problem. To overcome such problems, computer-based education have been widely developed and used in universities. Different software programs with different features have been developed to help understanding the concepts and operation of different power electronic circuits. One of the most effective software programs in education context is MATLAB/SIMULINK software, an easy to used software with so many capabilities and tools. Thus, to make students more familiar with power electronic circuits and show the effect of different parameters on the behavior and output of these circuits, our educational classes were based on MATLAB/SIMULINK software. This paper covers “buck-boost” and “cuk” converters taught and simulated in power electronic course.