FOPID Control of Boost Converters Using Slime Mould Algorithm for PV Applications

In the modern world, power electronics play a vital role in energy conversion as well as control and it supports the transitions towards sustainability. One of the essential among them is the dc-dc boost converter which requires precise control to maintain a stable output voltage. The proportional integral derivative (PID) controller is a preferred choice for majority of the applications because it is easy to implement and provide a reliable control. The fractional order PID controller (FOPID) is an enhanced version of conventional PID controller, where the integral and derivative are in fractional orders, which provides flexibility and improved performance in control. The performance of both controllers heavily depends on the tuning of their parameters. This paper proposes the Slime Mould Optimization Algorithm (SMA) for tuning the PID controller of a boost converter, aiming to enhance voltage regulation. The overall performance of the SMA-tuned PID controller is compared with another well-established algorithm, Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO). Simulation results shows that the boost converter with PID and FOPID tuned using SMA provides better output voltage regulation when compared with GWO. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of SMA in tuning PID and FOPID for boost converters, offering a promising approach for enhanced power electronics control.