Bidirectional DC-DC converters for distributed energy resources: Robust predictive control with structurally-adaptive extended state observers

Distributed energy resources (DER) are integrated into a microgrid through dc-dc power electronic converters. The bidirectional dc-dc converter regulates charging and discharging operations of ESS. Model predictive control (MPC), is a high-performance control technique for these converters, but it is limited in robustness to parameter mismatch, model uncertainties and sensor measurement noise. Therefore, in this paper, an improved hybrid cascade-parallel extended state observer (CP-ESO) is proposed, for model-free predictive control, to guarantee both robustness to parameter/model uncertainties and measurement noise suppression. A novel structurally-adaptive ESO scheme is also proposed to improve the disturbance rejection of CP-ESO during transient response. These results are supported by analysis and design guidelines for the selection of optimal sub-frequencies. Experimental results, for a bidirectional dc-dc boost converter, validate the effectiveness of the proposed methods against model uncertainties, external disturbances from variable input voltage and load, as well as measurement noise. •Analysis and design guidelines for multi-frequency extended state observers (ESO).•Improved cascade-parallel extended state observer with better noise suppression.•Novel structurally-adaptive ESO that gives better transient disturbance rejection.•Experimental validation with a bidirectional dc-dc boost power converter.