2013 IEEE International Conference on Control System, Computing and Engineering, 29 Nov. - 1 Dec.

2013, Penang, Malaysia

Design and Simulation of Fuzzy Logic Controller

for Boost Converter in Renewable Energy
Application
A.Z. Ahmad Firdaus, M. Normahira, K.N. Syahirah and J. Sakinah
School of Mechatronic Engineering
Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Pauh Putra, Perlis, MALAYSIA
Correspondent E-mail: ahmadfirdaus@unimap.edu.my

Abstract- This paper presents the design and simulation of a

DC-DC boost converter which uses wind energy as input
source. Nowadays, wind is a type of renewable energy that is
sustainable and clean compared to other alternative energy.
Generally wind in Malaysia blows at variably low speed thus
producing variably low input voltage as energy source. DC-
DC boost converter can be used to increase the output voltage
to a level suitable for domestic use. In this project, a closed-
loop DC-DC boost converter circuit was designed and
simulated using MATLAB SIMULINK based from a
topological circuit. In the simulation, the circuit was tested
with different low input voltage values to a setpoint of 240V.
In order to improve the output voltage transient response,
Fuzzy Logic Controller is designed and implemented at the
circuit to set the duty cycle of the switching device for the
boost converter. The result has indicated better performance
for boost DC-DC converter with FLC controller.
Keywords- DC-DC Boost Converter, Renewable Energy, Fuzzy
Logic Controller, Duty Cycle
II. LITERATURE REVIEW
A. Wind Turbine
Wind turbine is a machine that transforms wind as kinetic
energy into mechanical energy (rotational movement). The
mechanical energy can be used to drive the generator to
generate electricity [8].
The total theoretical wind power is 59% which is
also the maximal achievable extraction of wind power by a
wind turbine [9].
Figure 1 shows the block diagram for a wind
energy power converter system. Boost converter is the sub-
system where it increases the rectified low power input to
high power before being inverted to AC power [10].

I. INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, many renewable energy sources such as
wind energy and solar photovoltaic (PV) are well
developed and have been put in the public interest as the
alternative energy as part of effort in limiting the
dependency on the conventional energy sources such as
fossil fuels, coal, and natural gas [1].
Boost converter, also known as a step up converter is a
type of dc-to-dc converter circuit that produce output Fig.1. Block diagram of a wind power converter system [10].
voltage that is greater than input voltage [3]. Boost
converter has been widely used in many renewable energy B. Review of Boost Converter
system such as PV system, wind generator and also hybrid Boost converter only can increase the value of output
wind-PV system. voltage whereby the output voltage is greater than input
Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) mostly used application voltage. The boosts converter circuit will step-up the low
of fuzzy set theory. In this project, FLC used to control the DC voltage to high DC voltage. The basic circuits of boost
operation circuit and more simple between the other converter using power MOSFET are shown in Figure 2
controllers. Fuzzy set described by membership function of [11]. When the power supply is ON the circuit operates and
which is the main of fuzzy operation [5]. The FLC has the current flow by way of inductor, L and it will store the
faster transient responses and is more robust than several energy. The stored energy in the inductor will be taken out
control methods [6,7] . flow to load if the power supply is OFF.

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 2013 IEEE International Conference on Control System, Computing and Engineering, 29 Nov. - 1 Dec. 2013, Penang, Malaysia

C = capacitor

Figure 3 shows the typical open-loop response of

voltage gain for the boost converter when switched at
different duty cycle values, k [11].

Fig.2. Boost converter circuit

Every step operation has divide into two modes

which are Mode 1 and Mode 2. Mode 1 start when the
transistor ON and it is show in Figure 2a and Mode 2 start
when the transistor is in OFF condition and it is shown in
Figure 2b [11].

Fig.3. Graph of voltage gain versus duty cycle, k

For close loop control, the output of the circuit is fed

back and compared with set point voltage value where the
error was used to drive the gate of the switching device as
Fig.2a. Mode 1 duty cycle. This design was previously simulated using
SIMULINK for a 240V DC output against set of different
low level input [10]. However, integrating a controller such
as FLC to drive the switching gate may improve the
transient response of the circuit [6,7].

C. Basic of Fuzzy Logic Controller

Fuzzy logic system is easy to understand, simple to
design and better than using the other type of controller.
Fig.2b. Mode 2
Fuzzy logic controller is form into an automatic of a way
The equations for boost converter circuit are as changing language of control step by performing basic rules
follows (equations 2.1-2.3) which serve as component governing the behavior of the system. Fuzzy logic allows
design guideline [11]: modeling of complex systems that comes from the
knowledge and experience by combining alternative way of
Duty cycle, k: thinking using a higher level of abstraction [12].
The variables of fuzzy logic are described for the
control algorithm that influences the system variables and a
rule table. The gain is defined as a division between the
(2.1) input voltage and average output voltage value. For fuzzy
logic system, the duty cycle just can be referring to Figure
The critical value for inductor, L: 3. By determining the gain for fuzzy logic, the value for
duty cycle can be known [11].

(2.2) D. Mamdani Fuzzy Inference

Mamdani methods are widely used and easy for
The critical value for capacitor, C: capturing expert knowledge. It describe the expertise in
more a human manner. Usually the Mamdani fuzzy
inference process is present in four steps which are:
(2.3)
• Fuzzification of the input variable
where: • Rule evaluation
Vs = input voltage/voltage source • Aggregation of the rule output
Va = average output voltage • Defuzzification
k = duty cycle
R = resistor Figure 4 shows the example of complete set of
f = switching frequency membership function for five level fiuzzification. Whereby
L = inductor

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 2013 IEEE International Conference on Control System, Computing and Engineering, 29 Nov. - 1 Dec. 2013, Penang, Malaysia

LP is large positive, MP is medium positive, S is small, MN

is medium negative and LN is large negative [13].

Fig. 4.Set of membership function

Figure 5 shows the example on how to develop the Fig.6. Boost converter circuit design and simulated using SIMULINK
fuzzy logic control rule [13].
For simulation purpose, based from design
guideline values of R, L, C and F were selected as shown in
Table 1. The setpoint for output voltage was 240V. A set of
different low level input voltages ranging from 12V to 24V
was used to test the circuit. The duty cycle, K varied as the
gain ratio changes.

TABLE I. BOOST CONVERTER PARAMETER SPECIFICATION

Fig. 5. Rule of fuzzy logic control
Parameter Value
Va, output voltage 240V DC
R, resistor 200Ω
III. METHODOLOGY L, inductor 10µH
C, capacitor 150µF
The methodology for this project follows these steps: F, frequency 25kHz

• Develop and design the boost converter circuit

based from the literature. B. Design of Fuzzy Logic Controller
Fuzzy logic must have a rule based to built the
• Design and develop the Fuzzy Rules for the Fuzzy
controller and implement it in simulation circuit. The rule
Logic Controller based from the gain response
should base on the value of gain and error and duty cycle.
graph.
Table 2 shows the parameter values of membership function
• Simulate the boost converter with/without the FLC
for rule based system.
integrated for transient response based from
different input voltage levels.
TABLE II. SPECIFICATION FOR RULE BASE FUZZY LOGIC
CONTROLLER
A. Design of Boost DC-DC Converter Class Error Range Error Gain Duty cycle, k
The design of closed-loop boost converter in this (Va / Vs)
project introduced some improvisations compared to the Very Big,
VB 43 - 45 10 0.90 ↑
previous design in [10]. Instead of using error due to Biggest,
summation of setpoint and output, the feedback output was BT 40 – 42 9 0.85
scaled with the setpoint to get the gain which was used to Bigger,
drive the duty cycle, k for the switch. Consequently, a FLC BR 35 – 39 8 0.76
was embedded in the design at the gain line to improve the Big,
B 30 – 34 7 0.65
transient performance. Figure 6 shows the circuit design Medium Big,
with FLC embedded. Simulation was done using MATLAB MB 25 – 29 6 0.52
SIMULINK.
Medium,
M 20 – 24 5 0.40
Medium Small,
MS 15 – 19 4 0.31
Small,
S 10 – 14 3 0.23
Smaller,
SR 5–9 2 0.14
Smallest,
ST 0–4 1 0.08

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 2013 IEEE International Conference on Control System, Computing and Engineering, 29 Nov. - 1 Dec. 2013, Penang, Malaysia

The membership function for fuzzy logic
controller for input variable and output variable is described
in Figure 7a and 7b.
better than the previous design.[10] For the circuit with
FLC embedded, average transient time for all test input was
0.02sec compared to 0.035sec for the circuit without FLC.
Meanwhile, for SSE both circuits performed on par.
Overall, this shows that the transient response performance
for this boost converter circuit with FLC was slightly better
than the circuit without FLC.

250
240

200

Output Voltage (V)

100
Fig.7a. Input variable of membership function
24V
12V
15V
18V
20V
0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45 0.5
Time (sec)

Fig.9. Transient response of converter output voltage for Boost converter

without controller.

250
240

200
Fig. 7b.Output variable of membership function
Output Voltage (V)

The surface for the rule base of fuzzy logic is

plotted in Figure 8 in two dimensional. Basically the graph 100

is relationship of output control K and gain. If both axis of

the graph is interchanged then it will resemble the open-
loop response plot in Figure 3.
0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45 0.5
Time (sec)

Fig.10. Transient response of converter output voltage for Boost converter

with Fuzzy Controller.

V. CONCLUSION

This paper describes the design and development

of fuzzy logic controller boost DC-DC converter for
renewable energy. Based on comparison simulation
result, by using the MATLAB SIMULINK is the most
convenient way to design the circuit. This project is
liable with the design and simulation of boost DC-DC
converter with application of fuzzy logic controller.
The performance for this project can be increased by
Fig.8. Two dimensional plots for rule base reducing the voltage ripple on the output voltage. To
maintain a constant output voltage by designing the
boost converter of switching regulator within an
IV. SIMULATION RESULT acceptable regulation.

Simulation results are shown in Figure 9 and 10. Both

circuits were tested for a set of low input voltage ranging
from 12V to 24V. For the closed-loop boost converter, the
steady state error (SSE) and settling time were slightly

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 2013 IEEE International Conference on Control System, Computing and Engineering, 29 Nov. - 1 Dec. 2013, Penang, Malaysia

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We would like to acknowledge Universiti

Malaysia Perlis for financially supporting the project
through research grant. Last but not least, we would like to
express gratitude to our parents, colleagues and all people
who have contributed to the successful completion of this
project.

REFERENCES

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