Charge control of second life EV batteries on the DC link of a back-to-back converter

Rural electricity customers are often subject to weak single-phase network connections. In this circumstance, powering three-phase equipment is not straightforward. This study addresses this problem through the development of a single- to three-phase power conversion system which is supplemented by the addition of energy storage on the DC bus of the converter. The storage is provided by a pair of second life electric vehicle (EV) batteries and charging is controlled by adjusting the DC bus voltage. The approach to, and challenges encountered in, developing this system are presented.