A Novel Cascaded Quadratic Converter for Small‐Scale PV With the Zero‐Current Clamping Diode

ABSTRACT This paper presents a non‐isolated high‐voltage boost DC–DC converter. The converter employs a quadratic topology and consists of two coupling inductors (CIs), switched capacitors (SCs), a voltage‐multiplying cell (VMC), and two power switches. The paper proposes a design method for zero‐current diode clamping and buffer capacitors; the proposed converter achieves high voltage gain with a lower turn ratio and duty cycle than conventional square‐law converters. The common ground between the input power supply and the load facilitates closed‐loop control, whereas the wider operating voltage range makes this converter suitable for low‐power, high‐boost applications such as automotive photovoltaics. In addition, the proposed converter offers advantages such as lower voltage stress on semiconductor devices (switches/diodes), a more compact structure, and high efficiency; compared to similar converters, it features a smaller footprint and higher power density. This paper details the operating principles and steady‐state analysis of the proposed converter, followed by a discussion of the generalized derivation of voltage gain, theoretical efficiency analysis, and performance comparisons with other converters. Finally, a prototype with an output voltage of 400 V was fabricated according to the design specifications, and experimental results validated the accuracy of the theoretical analysis.