Rapid Prototyping of Efficient FPGA-Based High-Frequency Synchronous DC-DC Buck Converter Control for Electric Vehicle Auxiliary Power Module

Abstract

This paper presents an FPGA-in-Loop (FIL) based controller design for a GaN-based 60W, 48V/12V syn-chronous DC-DC buck converter. This converter is intended for use in the Auxiliary Power Module (APM) of Electric Vehicles (EVs), providing power to the vehicle’s 12V auxiliary loads and other electronic control modules. The design and operation of the APM are crucial for improving vehicle performance, efficiency, and driving range, while ensuring a reliable power supply to all auxiliary loads. A discrete PID controller is designed using the Ziegler-Nichol’s method, implemented using FPGA, and tested in the FIL configuration. The performance of the controller is evaluated through load tests (constant and variable loads) to analyze its functionality. The tests analyze the transient and steady-state response, along with the robustness of the controller under different load conditions.