RESEARCH PAPER A New Dual Input Boost Converter with Zero Voltage Switching Mohammad Foroughi 1 • Mohammad Reza Amini 1 Received: 7 September 2018 / Accepted: 1 October 2019 Ó Shiraz University 2020 Abstract In order to reducing number of elements and increasing voltage gain in renewable energy systems, the multi-input converters are used. In this paper, a new soft switching multi-input boost converter is presented. In the proposed converter number of extra elements that be used to achieve soft switching is reduced and only one auxiliary switch is used. The main switches are turned on and off at zero voltage switching conditions, and the auxiliary switch is turned on and off at zero current switching conditions. This converter is analyzed, and its operating modes are explained. Design considerations for the proposed converter is presented in the paper. The simulation and experimental results for a 200 W prototype converter confirm the theoretical analysis. Keywords Multi-input converter (MIC)  Boost converter  Zero voltage switching (ZVS)  Zero current switching (ZCS) 1 Introduction In recent years, new types of converters have been devel- oped which can be connected to several power generation sources at the same time. In these systems, all of the sources can transmit the power to output simultaneously. Also, in lack of some sources the output power should be provided. These converters are known as multi-input con- verters that have different structures. The main advantages of these converters are using fewer semiconductor ele- ments, inductors and capacitors. Therefore, total cost of converter is reduced (Khosrogorji et al. 2015). Multi-input converters are classified into two types: magnetically coupled converters and electrically coupled converters. Variant topologies for multi-input converters have been proposed in recent years that the main purposes of them are high efficiency and using few elements. In Buswig et al. (2014) a multi-input converter is pro- vided using the interleaved technique. In Banaei et al. (2014) a multi-input boost converter has been presented with the non-isolated structure and high-voltage transfer gain. In this converter, the conventional buck–boost and boost converters are combined. The benefits of this con- verter are low-semiconductor current stress, no limitation for duty cycle of switching and wide control range for different input powers. In Haghighian and Hosseini (2015) and Hosseini et al. (2010) multi-input boost converter for grid connected hybrid PV/FC/Battery power system has been proposed. The proposed structure can combine three various input sources into a single output DC link. Using these converters and setting the duty cycle of the switches, the maximum available power of the photovoltaic panels can be extracted and the fuel cell output power can be adjusted, also battery charging and discharging can be controlled. In Yalamanchili et al. (2006) two double input converter for automotive applications has been proposed where integrated buck–buck converter and integrated buck– buckboost converter are used. In Teja et al. (2016) a multi- input non-isolated converter for photovoltaic applications has been proposed that uses coupled inductors to achieve high voltage gain. In Wai et al. (2011) a multi-input boost converter has been presented that uses active clamp aux- iliary circuit to achieve soft-switching conditions. In this converter, the property of ZVS turn-on for all switches guarantees. The auxiliary circuit includes a capacitor, an inductor and a switch. & Mohammad Reza Amini mr.amini@khuisf.ac.ir Mohammad Foroughi m.foroughi.a@gmail.com 1 Department of Electrical Engineering, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran 123 Iranian Journal of Science and Technology, Transactions of Electrical Engineering https://doi.org/10.1007/s40998-020-00383-9