Interleaved Buck Converter with Overvoltage Protection

Abstract

Efficient DC–DC power conversion is essential in modern electrical and electronic systems such as electric vehicles, renewable energy setups, and industrial power supplies. Interleaved Buck Converter with Overvoltage Protection presents the design and implementation of a Two Phase Interleaved Buck Converter using a PI controller for stable and efficient voltage step down operation. The system converts a DC input of 30V into a regulated 12V DC output with improved performance and efficiency. By operating two buck converter phases at 180° out of phase, the design significantly reduces input and output current ripple, enhances thermal distribution, and efficiency. A digital PI control algorithm implemented on the DSPIC30F2010 microcontroller ensures precise voltage regulation and equal current sharing between phases. As an innovation, an overvoltage protection mechanism is integrated to automatically detect and respond to overvoltage conditions by disconnecting the circuit, thereby preventing component damageandenhancingsystemreliability.The combineduseof interleaving,digitalPI controlwithovervoltage protection makesthe converter efficient, safe, and suitable for advanced applications in electric vehicles, solar energy systems, and industrial automation.

Introduction

The paper presents the design and implementation of a two-phase interleaved buck converter with an integrated overvoltage protection system for efficient and reliable DC–DC power conversion. This converter is suitable for applications like electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, and industrial power supplies.

The interleaved buck converter uses two parallel phases operating with a 180° phase shift, which reduces input/output current ripple, lowers electromagnetic interference (EMI), and improves efficiency and thermal distribution. A PI controller implemented using a dsPIC30F2010 microcontroller ensures accurate voltage regulation and balanced current sharing between phases. The system also includes an overvoltage protection circuit that detects abnormal voltage conditions and shuts down the system to prevent damage.

The design includes key components such as MOSFET switches, inductors, diodes, capacitors, and opto-isolated gate drivers. Proper inductor (720 µH) and capacitor (16 µF) values are calculated to maintain stable operation with minimal ripple.

Simulation results demonstrate stable output voltage, fast transient response, and reduced ripple under dynamic conditions. Hardware implementation confirms the practical performance of the system, showing efficient switching, smooth output voltage, and reliable PWM signal generation.

Waveform analysis verifies correct interleaved operation, with phase-shifted switching signals and reduced ripple in current and voltage. The overvoltage protection mechanism effectively prevents excessive voltage by disabling switching during fault conditions.

Conclusion

The proposed two-phase interleaved buck converter with overvoltage protection demonstrates an efficient and reliable DC–DC power conversion system. By operating the two converter phases with a 180° phase shift, the design effectively reduces input and output current ripple, improves voltage regulation, and distributes thermal stress across components. The use of a dsPIC30F2010 microcontroller with PI-based control enables accurate PWM generation and stable closed-loop regulation of the output voltage from 30 V to 12 V. Simulation and experimental results confirm smooth switching operation, reduced ripple in inductor currents, and stable output voltage under varying conditions. The integrated overvoltage protection circuit successfully detects abnormal voltage levels and disconnects the load to prevent damage to power devices and the connected system. Overall, the proposed converter provides improved efficiency, enhanced protection, and reliable performance, making it suitable for applications such as renewable energy systems, battery charging units, electric vehicles, and other embedded power supply applications.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Shahanas Moideen, Reva V, Adhithya K R, Rijoy E R, Dr. Veena Mathew, Prof. Binoj Thomas. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.