In this paper, an intelligent control strategy for DC/DC converters is proposed. The converter connects two DC busses, a high-voltage and a low-voltage bus. The control scheme is composed by a two-layer architecture, a low-level control based on the concept of sliding manifold, and high gain control, and a high-level control used to guarantee the achievement of various objectives. The proposed control strategies are based on solid mathematical arguments, with stability proofs for the non-linear case, and decision trees for parameter selection. The paper results are analyzed and discussed by using simulation at different detail levels in MATLAB/Stateflow/PowerSystem, and validated by experimental results, also considering MIL standard performance indices.

Future aircraft will make more and more use of automated electric power system management onboard. Different solutions are currently being explored, and in particular the use of a supercapacitor as an intelligent energy storage device is addressed in this paper. The main task of the supercapacitor is to protect the electric generator from abrupt power changes resulting from sudden insertion or disconnection of loads or from loads with regenerative power capabilities, like electromagnetic actuators. A controller based on high-gain concepts is designed to drive a DC/DC converter connecting the supercapacitor to the main electric bus. Formal stability proofs are given for the resulting nonlinear system, and strong robustness results from the use of high-gain and variable structure control implementation. Moreover, detailed simulations including switching devices and electrical parasitic elements are provided for different working scenarios, showing the effectiveness of the proposed solution.