Advanced Switching Power Converters: Topologies, Control, and Devices

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, a strong demand for power converters with improved performance, such as low energy consumption and a reduced size, has arisen. Emerging applications, such as e-mobility (traction inverters, DC-DC onboard chargers, DC-DC battery converters, etc.), data center power management (UPS and bus converters), variable speed drives, LV/HV converter interfaces for smart grids, and energy sources’ conversion (renewable switching power converter interfaces and battery storage converters) drive this improvement scenario. Efficiency and power density are crucial parameters that must be managed in advanced power converter applications.  For example, the improvements in these key parameters are used to increase the vehicle’s autonomy and optimize the volume of portable devices. In PV applications, the recent device technologies led to a DC-DC boost converter with an efficiency above 99 % and a power density of up to 50 kW/dm. The power converter's efficiency and power density are related to the following three main factors:

1. The converter’s topology;
2. The system control methodology;
3. The technology used in the power electronic devices.

Recently, multilevel and multicell converters have been developed for application in various fields. These topologies’ solutions require innovative control techniques to optimize the level and the quality of the output waveforms. Furthermore, the technologies used in the power switches are strongly involved in improving the power converters. However, with the increase in cells and converter level, the complexity of gate circuits increases.

New opportunities to increase efficiency and power density have emerged with the development of WBG power semiconductor devices. This is driven by the fundamental differences in the material properties of Si and semiconductors such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN).

This Special Issue will focus on advanced solutions of switching power converters in the strategic fields of emerging power electronics’ applications in technological growth. Topics of interest for publication include, but are not limited to, the following:

• A new switching converter topology for power electronic applications;
• The control and optimization of switching converter circuits;
• Innovative power devices in switching converter applications;
• An advanced DC-DC converter for power supply applications;
• A switching converter in smart grid applications and energy transmission systems;
• Advanced DC-DC converters for energy storage systems;
• Switching converters in automotive and traction systems;
• Advanced switching converters for renewable energy conversion;
• An advanced gate circuit for multilevel and multicell power converters.

Dr. Salvatore Musumeci
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• switching converters
• DC-DC converters
• energy storage
• power supply
• multilevel converters

• Advanced DC-DC Power Converters and Switching Converters II in Energies (15 articles)