This paper presents research results of voltage gain number control methods of a power electronic resonant zero-current switching (ZCS) dc-dc switched-capacitor (SC) voltage multiplier (SCVM) in a topology with fault tolerance capability (FSCVM). The converters operated under the basic switching patterns are constant-voltage-gain dc-dc series-parallel resonant SC converters. However, this paper presents a method for the output voltage regulation by a special switching strategy. A variable voltage gain is made possible by selecting the number of active switching cells, using an appropriate control method. This creates a set of voltage ratio ranges. In addition, the proposed topology and method of control enable a fault-tolerant operation of the FSCVM under various failures of the device. The paper presents an analysis of the concept, simulation results and an experimental verification in a three-cell FSCVM dc-dc resonant boost converter operating at a 200 watt charge. Issues regarding the selection of components related to the problem of inrush currents which can occur during the voltage ratio increase are also analyzed in this paper, and the design for low inrush currents is demonstrated.

This paper presents a concept for the operation of a resonant DC–DC switched-capacitor converter with very high efficiency and output voltage regulation. In its basic concept, such a converter operates as a switched-capacitor voltage doubler (SCVD) in the Zero Current Switching (ZCS) mode with a constant output voltage. The proposed methods of switching allow for the switched-capacitor (SC) converter output voltage regulation, and improve its efficiency by the operation with Zero Voltage Switching (ZVS). In this paper, various switching patterns are proposed to achieve high efficiency and the output voltage control by frequency or duty cycle regulation. Some examples of the application of the proposed switching patterns are presented: in current control at the start-up of the converter, in a bi-directional converter, and in a modular cascaded system. The paper also presents an analytical model as well as the relationships between the switching frequency, voltage ratio and efficiency. Further, it demonstrates the experimental verification of the waveforms, voltage ratios, as well as efficiency. The proposed experimental setup achieved a maximum efficiency of 99.228%. The implementation of the proposed switching patterns with the ZVS operation along with the GaN-based (Gallium Nitride) design, with a planar choke, leads to a high-efficiency and low-volume solution for the SCVD converter and is competitive with the switch-mode step-up converters.

This paper presents the concept of an innovative control of a central heating system in a multifamily building based on the original thermodynamic model, the resulting architecture of the control system, and the originally designed and manufactured wireless temperature sensors for thermal zones. The novelty of this solution is the developed layers of the control system: distributed measurement and correction analysis, which is based on the existing infrastructure and the local HVAC controller. This approach allows for the effective use of the measured temperature data from thermal zones and finally sending the value of the calculated correction of settings to the controller. Moreover, in the analytical layer, a model was also implemented that calculates the necessary amount of energy based on data from the subsystem of temperature sensors located in the thermal zones of the building. The use of the algorithmic strategy presented in this paper extends the functionality and significantly improves the energy efficiency of the existing, classic, reference heating control algorithm by implementing additional control loops. Additionally, it enables integration with demand-side response systems. The presented concept was successfully tested, achieving real energy savings for heating by 12%. These results are described in a case-study format. The authors believe that this concept can be used in other buildings and thus will have a positive impact on the energy savings used to maintain thermal comfort in buildings and significantly reduce CO₂ emissions.

The energy consumption of buildings is a significant contributor to overall energy consumption in developed countries. Therefore, there is great demand for intelligent buildings in which energy consumption is optimized. Online control is a crucial aspect of such optimization. The implementation of modern algorithms that take advantage of developments in information technology, artificial intelligence, machine learning, sensors, and the Internet of Things (IoT) is used in this context. In this paper, an architecture for testing central heating control algorithms as well as the control algorithms of the heating system of the building is presented. In particular, evaluation metrics, the method for seamless integration, and the mechanism for real-time performance monitoring and control are put forward. The proposed tools have been successfully tested in a residential building, and the conducted tests confirmed the efficiency of the proposed solution.

This paper presents a novel concept of a DC-AC converter that ensures AC voltage modulation on four levels using a single branch and achieves voltage boosting. The proposed boost inverter is based on a single-stage topology and does not use a DC-DC boosting part. Compared with a cascaded boost inverter topology, the proposed converter is bidirectional and allows operation at a lower DC-link voltage, which reduces voltage stress across devices. The inverter topology contains an additional DC capacitor. An adequate voltage level for this capacitor is maintained by a switched-capacitor-based (SC)-based balancing circuit. The balancing process is of low complexity because it only requires the synchronization of the SC branch control signals with the PWM of the inverter. The balancing circuit operates in resonant mode to avoid inrush currents. The main power circuit of the converter does not use diodes, and can be adequate for MOSFET or GaN-based implementations. It can be configured as a single-phase or multiphase system. The results presented in this paper demonstrate the correctness of the converter concept and its modulation, voltage stresses of switches, and balancing process of the auxiliary capacitor. The experimental results confirm the feasibility of this concept and demonstrate the operation and efficiency of the inverter.

This paper explores the development and optimization of a hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) integrated with a hybrid battery energy storage system (HBESS) to achieve energy autonomy for an e-Houseboat. The e-Houseboat is a floating residential unit equipped with advanced sustainable technologies, including photovoltaic panels, wind turbines, and a hybrid battery storage system consisting of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and lead-acid batteries. The primary goal of this study was to design an energy-autonomous e-Houseboat capable of sustaining energy demands for at least one month without external power sources, regardless of the season. This study included a comprehensive analysis of energy generation potential from renewable sources across different European locations, detailed simulations of the energy storage system, and the development of energy management function for a houseboat automation system. The results demonstrate the feasibility of achieving the desired energy autonomy by leveraging the synergistic benefits of multiple energy storage technologies and optimizing energy management strategies. The experiment demonstrated that the implemented solutions enabled the facility to achieve energy autonomy for a period of 7 months.