DC-DC
DC-to-DC converter
A DC/DC converter changes a documented DC input into another DC output.
SLD / Schematic
Symbols · DC/DC BI
Bidirectional DC-to-DC converter
A DC/DC stage that can pass power in either direction, linking a battery or supercapacitor to a DC bus.
In plain English
What does Bidirectional DC-to-DC converter mean?
A bidirectional DC/DC converter moves power in either direction between two DC voltage levels. In microgrids and DC-coupled solar plants it connects a battery or supercapacitor to a common DC bus, charging the store from surplus and discharging it when the bus voltage falls.
A simple example
The drawing is the DC/DC converter box with DC marks on both sides and a bidirectional arrow, or a double-headed arrow along the box. Detailed schematics may show a half-bridge buck-boost or dual-active-bridge circuit arrangement inside.
What the drawings help you do
The symbol does not state whether the two sides are galvanically isolated, the current limits in each direction, or the control mode, which may regulate bus voltage or battery current. These must come from the converter data.
This particular reference
A DC/DC stage that can pass power in either direction, linking a battery or supercapacitor to a DC bus. A bidirectional converter transfers power both ways; a standard DC/DC converter passes power from input to output only.
- DC
- Direct current: electricity flowing in one direction.
- Rating
- A value stating the conditions for which equipment is specified.
- Schematic
- A drawing showing function and connections rather than physical appearance.
Read the source: TIDA-010054: bidirectional dual-active-bridge reference design · Autodesk IEC-60617 preview: Energy-flow qualifiers
SLD / Schematic · DC/DC BI
What it represents
A bidirectional DC/DC converter moves power in either direction between two DC voltage levels. In microgrids and DC-coupled solar plants it connects a battery or supercapacitor to a common DC bus, charging the store from surplus and discharging it when the bus voltage falls.
The drawing is the DC/DC converter box with DC marks on both sides and a bidirectional arrow, or a double-headed arrow along the box. Detailed schematics may show a half-bridge buck-boost or dual-active-bridge topology inside.
The symbol does not state whether the two sides are galvanically isolated, the current limits in each direction, or the control mode, which may regulate bus voltage or battery current. These must come from the converter data.
How to read it
- Check the arrow direction marks for confirmation that power flows both ways.
- Isolation is not implied unless stated or a transformer is shown.
Information to show or reference
- State voltage ranges and power in each direction.
- Show isolation if present.
- Reference control mode.
A distinction that matters
A bidirectional converter transfers power both ways; a standard DC/DC converter passes power from input to output only.
Sources you can follow
These public references support the explanation and provide further detail. Their graphics and downloadable files remain with their publishers.
TIDA-010054: bidirectional dual-active-bridge reference design
Public bidirectional DC/DC reference design context.
Autodesk IEC-60617 preview: Energy-flow qualifiers
Public IEC-context energy-flow qualifier family.
About this graphic
This illustration was authored independently by Elora Grid to explain the concept. It is not reproduced from a customer drawing, an official standard graphic or a manufacturer CAD file. Its correspondence to an exact IEC or IEEE symbol identifier has not been certified.
SVG and DXF downloads contain this original artwork. DXF uses unscaled drawing units; a GA envelope supplies no product dimensions, clearances or fabrication information. Original artwork is available under CC BY 4.0. Third-party references retain their own terms.
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Dual-active-bridge topology
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