Steady-state analysis of DC converter using Galerkin’s method

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present the Galerkin method for analysis of steady-state processes in periodically time-varying circuits. Design/methodology/approach A converter circuit working on a time-varying load is often controlled by different signals. In the case of incommensurable frequencies, one can find a steady-state process only via calculation of a transient process. As the obtained results will not be periodical, one must repeat this procedure to calculate the steady-state process on a different time interval. The proposed methodology is based on the expansion of ordinary differential equations with one time variable into a domain of two independent variables of time. In this case, the steady-state process will be periodical. This process is calculated by the use of the Galerkin method with bases and weight functions in the form of the double Fourier series. Findings Expansion of differential equations and use of the Galerkin method enable discovery of the steady-state processes in converter circuits. Steady-state processes in the circuits of buck and boost converters are calculated and results are compared with numerical and generalized state-space averaging methods. Originality/value The Galerkin method is used to find a steady-state process in a converter circuit with a time-varying load. Processes in such a load depend on two incommensurable signals. The state-space averaging method is generalized for extended differential equations. A balance of active power for extended equations is shown.