DOI: https://doi.org/10.15368/theses.2021.129
Available at: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/2367
Date of Award
8-2021
Degree Name
MS in Electrical Engineering
Department/Program
Electrical Engineering
College
College of Engineering
Advisor
Taufik
Advisor Department
Electrical Engineering
Advisor College
College of Engineering
Abstract
This thesis introduces the design and analysis of a single-stage inverter. A circuit was designed and simulated as a proof of concept to investigate the possibility of using boost and buck-boost converters to provide an AC output. The proposed circuit utilizes non-synchronous boost and buck-boost converters due to their simplicity in control signals as opposed to synchronous converters. The application of the proposed inverter is for use with individual solar cells. The aim of the inverter for a single cell is to improve the efficiency of a solar panel, whose performance is limited to the performance of the least efficient cell. With each cell independent of any other cell in the solar panel, the overall efficiency of the panel can be improved. This circuit uses a 3.6VDC input from the solar cell to produce a 10VPP 60Hz square wave output. The inverter consists of a solar cell, two DC-DC converters, two linear dropout (LDO) regulators, a square wave generator, and a switching circuit . The design and analysis of all parts were investigated individually in detail. The different parts of the circuit were then simulated using LTspice before testing the overall circuit. Simulation results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed inverter with all design requirements but efficiency meeting or exceeding the goals.