Design and Experimental Verification of 300 W DAB Converter for Educational Applications

Dual Active Bridge (DAB) converters can be considered promising devices for isolated bidirectional DC-DC power converters; however, there are certain difficulties related to transformers, high-current PCB design, switch behavior, and heat dissipation. This paper describes the design, simulation, implementation, and measurements of the 300 W DAB converter created as an educational example for power electronics. The converter works with 12 V and 48 V ports and provides bidirectional energy transmission by means of phase-shift modulation. The design procedure comprises calculating parameters of the transformer, estimation of leakage inductances and capacitances, analysis of current stresses, and selecting semiconductors. Results of analytical calculations were tested by simulations carried out in PLECS software; a four-layer PCB including measuring circuits was designed for use with Texas Instruments C2000 LaunchPad development kits. High-current PCB design and transformer construction from wound Litz wire were of particular interest. Measurement results confirmed bidirectional work mode and Zero Voltage Switching (ZVS); good agreement between simulation and measurement waveforms was achieved. Thermal measurements showed overheating of the transformer due to improper winding connections. An improved transformer design greatly enhanced the performance in terms of heat dissipation and raised the efficiency of the entire converter system by about 2% when working under the experimental conditions. This shows how crucial it is to consider both the design of the transformer and its thermal performance in order to make a highly efficient and reliable DAB. The developed platform integrates analytical design, simulation, hardware implementation, and experimental measurements, providing a practical educational resource for studying bidirectional power conversion, switching behavior, and the relationship between design choices and converter performance.