Multi-load active protection type direct current power supply

Abstract

The invention provides a multi-load active protection type direct-current power supply. The multi-load active protection type direct-current power supply comprises a main power supply module, a control circuit unit and a plurality of branch elements, the branch element comprises a thermal control unit and a load which are connected. And a plurality of output ends of the main power supply module are respectively connected with the thermal control units of the plurality of branch elements. And the control circuit unit is connected with the thermal control unit and the load of each branch element. And the control circuit unit is used for applying an excitation signal to the load of each branch before each branch element is electrified, collecting the characteristics of the excitation signal after passing through the load, comparing and judging the characteristics after passing through the load with the overload characteristics stored in the control circuit unit, and controlling the thermal control unit to be disconnected if the characteristics are the same. By additionally arranging the control circuit unit and utilizing the control circuit unit to protect a plurality of branch elements, the technical problems that an existing direct-current power supply is only in single-path output, lacks an advanced active protection function and cannot more accurately protect and manage the power supply are solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application belongs to the field of hardware circuit technology in electrical engineering, and specifically relates to a multi-load active protection DC power supply. Background Art

[0002] In modern industry and technology, DC power supplies play a vital role as the primary power source for various electronic devices and systems. However, some existing DC power supplies on the market have limitations and drawbacks. Traditional DC power supplies typically feature a single output, used to supply a single load, primarily for basic electronic equipment or single-purpose applications. Traditional DC power supplies may have some basic overcurrent protection features, but generally lack more advanced active protection capabilities. When load anomalies occur, they can easily lead to safety issues such as circuit overload and thermal runaway. Furthermore, the lack of the ability to identify load type is a major shortcoming of existing DC power supplies on the market. This makes it impossible to analyze load characteristics in advance, making it difficult to make targeted adjustments and protections, and preventing more precise protection and management of the power supply. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of this, the present application provides a multi-load active protection DC power supply, which, by adding a control circuit unit, uses the control circuit unit to protect multiple branch components to solve the technical problems that the existing DC power supply has only a single output, lacks advanced active protection functions, and cannot protect and manage the power supply more accurately.

[0004] The present application provides a multi-load active protection DC power supply, which includes a main power supply module, a control circuit unit and multiple branch elements. Each branch element includes a connected thermal control unit and a load. The thermal control unit is used to control the on and off of the corresponding branch element. The main power supply module is a DC switching power supply with multiple outputs. The multiple output ends of the main power supply module are respectively connected to the thermal control units of multiple branch elements, and are used to provide multiple branch power supplies to the multiple branch elements respectively. The control circuit unit is powered by the main power supply module and is connected to the thermal control unit and load of each branch element. The control circuit unit is used to apply an excitation signal to the load of each branch before each branch element is energized, collect the characteristics of the excitation signal after passing through the load, and compare the characteristics after passing through the load with the overload characteristics stored in the control circuit unit. If the characteristics are the same, the thermal control unit is controlled to remain disconnected and the load is not allowed to be connected to the main power supply module.

[0005] In a specific embodiment of the present application, the control circuit unit has a storage function for storing the response and waveform characteristics of the load under the excitation signal when a branch element is disconnected due to overload.

[0006] In a specific embodiment of the present application, the main power supply module is a 24V / 5A multi-output DC switching power supply.

[0007] In one embodiment of the present application, the thermal control unit comprises a MOS transistor, a thermistor, and a current-limiting resistor. The MOS transistor is configured to cut off power to the branch component when the resistance of the thermistor reaches a preset threshold. Alternatively, the control circuit unit is further configured to control the on / off switching of the MOS transistor to cut off power to the branch component when the resistance of the thermistor reaches a preset threshold.

[0008] In a specific embodiment of the present application, the core of the control circuit unit is an STM32 microcontroller, which is based on an ARM Cortex-M processor core.

[0009] The beneficial effects of the technical solution of the present application are: by utilizing the control circuit unit to protect multiple branch components, an excitation signal is added to the load of each branch before each branch component is energized, the characteristics of the excitation signal after passing through the load are collected, and the characteristics after passing through the load are compared with the overload load characteristics previously stored by the control circuit unit. If the characteristics are the same, the thermal control unit is controlled to remain disconnected and the load is not allowed to be connected to the power supply, thereby realizing the active protection function of the power supply and overcoming the defect that the existing power supply cannot actively protect. In addition, the embodiment of the present application adopts a modular design. The main power supply module can flexibly select a suitable multi-output DC switching power supply according to the power and voltage requirements of the user. The power supply of each branch component is independently output and controlled, and does not interfere with each other, which can maximize the satisfaction of the needs of different users. The thermal control unit can also be replaced for easy maintenance. The control circuit unit of the embodiment of the present application can continuously learn or add load types that cause overload, continuously increase the number and accuracy of its load type recognition, and increase the intelligence level of the power supply. In short, it overcomes the shortcomings of existing power supplies that cannot provide active protection and have insufficient intelligence level. It can perform power estimation before the load is connected, plays a role of active protection, improves the intelligence level of the power supply, and greatly increases the service life of the power supply. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 FIG2 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a multi-load active protection DC power supply provided in one embodiment of the present application.

[0011] Figure 2 FIG2 is a schematic diagram showing the overall connection of a multi-load active protection DC power supply provided by an embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0012] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0013] At least one embodiment of the present application provides a multi-load active protection DC power supply, referring to Figure 1 The multi-load active protection DC power supply includes a main power supply module 1, a control circuit unit 2 and multiple branch elements. Each branch element includes a connected thermal control unit 3 and a load 4. The thermal control unit 3 is used to control the on and off of the corresponding branch element. The main power supply module 1 is a DC switching power supply with multiple outputs. The multiple output ends of the main power supply module 1 are respectively connected to the thermal control units 3 of multiple branch elements, and are used to provide multiple branch power supplies to the multiple branch elements respectively. The control circuit unit 2 is powered by the main power supply module 1 and is connected to the thermal control unit 3 and load 4 of each branch element. The control circuit unit 2 is used to apply an excitation signal to the load 4 of each branch before each branch element is energized, collect the characteristics of the excitation signal after passing through the load 4, and compare the characteristics after passing through the load 4 with the overload characteristics stored in the control circuit unit 2. If the characteristics are the same, the thermal control unit 3 is controlled to remain disconnected and the load is not allowed to be connected to the main power supply module 1.

[0014] It should be noted that the number of branches can be determined based on actual needs. Each branch's thermal control unit 3 is connected to each branch's load 4, and the branches do not interfere with each other. Each branch's thermal control unit 3 functions as a switch for each branch. The control circuit unit 2 can, as needed, pre-store and learn the load types that will cause overloads in the multi-load active protection DC power supply and program them into the system. "Identical features" can be understood as essentially identical, rather than absolutely identical.

[0015] According to the technical solution provided in the embodiment of the present application, by utilizing the control circuit unit 2 to protect multiple branch components, an excitation signal is added to the load 4 of each branch before each branch component is energized, the characteristics of the excitation signal after passing through the load 4 are collected, and the characteristics after passing through the load 4 are compared and judged with the overload load characteristics previously stored by the control circuit unit 2. If the characteristics are the same, the thermal control unit is controlled to remain disconnected and the load is not allowed to be connected to the power supply, thereby realizing the active protection function of the power supply and overcoming the defect that the existing power supply cannot actively protect. In addition, the embodiment of the present application adopts a modular design. The main power supply module 1 can flexibly select a suitable multi-output DC switching power supply according to the power and voltage requirements of the user. The power supply of each branch component is independently output and controlled, and does not interfere with each other, which can maximize the satisfaction of the needs of different users. The thermal control unit 3 and the like can also be replaced for easy maintenance. The control circuit unit 2 in the embodiment of the present application can continuously learn or add load types that cause overload, continuously increase the number and accuracy of its recognition of load 4 types, and increase the intelligence level of the power supply. In short, the shortcomings of the existing power supply, such as its inability to provide active protection and insufficient intelligence level, are overcome. Power estimation can be performed before the load 4 is connected, which plays a role of active protection, improves the intelligence level of the power supply, and greatly increases the service life of the power supply.

[0016] The main power supply module 1 is responsible for supplying power to multiple branch components and the control circuit unit 2. The output voltage, power, and number of output paths of the main power supply module 1 can be determined in advance according to actual needs. The embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific type of the main power supply module 1. For example, in at least one embodiment of the present application, the main power supply module 1 is a 24V / 5A multi-output DC switching power supply. In this way, a switching power supply with different output voltages and output powers can be selected according to different needs. The embodiment of the present application can be combined with an existing switching power supply to control the output power of the switching power supply, without the need to design a separate protection circuit for the switching power supply.

[0017] In at least one embodiment of the present application, the thermal control unit 3 is composed of a MOS tube, a thermistor, and a current-limiting resistor. The MOS tube is used to cut off the power supply of the branch element when the resistance of the thermistor changes to a preset threshold; or the control circuit unit 2 is further used to control the on and off of the MOS tube to cut off the branch power supply corresponding to the branch element when the resistance of the thermistor changes to a preset threshold. In this way, when the power of the load 4 at the rear stage of the thermal control unit 3 is too large, the current increases and heat is generated, causing the resistance of the thermistor to change. When the resistance reaches the preset threshold, the MOS tube is activated to cut off the branch power supply corresponding to the MOS tube to protect the branch power supply. At the same time, the thermal control unit can also control the MOS tube by the high and low levels output by the control circuit unit 2, thereby controlling the on and off of each branch element, thereby achieving the effect of actively protecting the power supply of the branch element.

[0018] It should be noted that the thermal control unit 3 composed of the MOS transistor, thermistor and current-limiting resistor can also be called a thermal control MOSFET module. MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor) can be called a metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor or MOS field effect transistor.

[0019] A thermistor and current-limiting resistor are connected in series to create a voltage divider, with their midpoint connected to the MOS transistor's gate (G). When the load is excessive or abnormal, the temperature rises, causing the thermistor's resistance to change. This results in a decrease in the voltage midway between the thermistor and current-limiting resistor, which in turn shuts off the MOS transistor and isolates the circuit. For example, if the thermistor is a negative temperature coefficient resistor (NTC), the recommended connection is to connect the reference voltage to the current-limiting circuit, then connect the NTC in series to ground, with the midpoint between the two resistors connected to the MOS transistor's gate (G). As the temperature rises, the NTC's resistance decreases, reducing the gate voltage and shutting off the MOS transistor, isolating the circuit. The purpose of the current-limiting resistor is to limit the current flowing through the NTC when the temperature is high, preventing damage from excessive current.

[0020] The control circuit unit 2 is a control center, which is used to control the on and off of the thermal control unit 3 to control the output of each branch power supply of the main power supply module 1, thereby playing an active protection effect on the main power supply module 1. On this basis, the embodiment of the present application does not limit the specific type of the control circuit unit 2. For example, in at least one embodiment of the present application, the core of the control circuit unit 2 is an STM32 single-chip microcomputer, and the STM32 single-chip microcomputer is based on the ARM Cortex-M processor core. In this way, the core of the STM32 single-chip microcomputer provides high performance and low power consumption. The STM32 single-chip microcomputer has a wide range of product lines, including different processor cores, memory configurations and peripheral integration, which can meet the needs of this product to store load types and control the thermal control unit. The multi-load active protection DC power supply of the embodiment of the present application is an active protection power supply device manufactured using power supply technology and single-chip microcomputer control technology. An excitation signal is added to the load 4 of each branch through the control circuit unit 2. The STM32 microcontroller collects the waveform of the excitation signal after passing through the load 4. If the waveform characteristics are the same as the load characteristics causing overload stored in the STM32 microcontroller, the thermal control unit 3 is controlled to cut off the power supply of the branch element, thereby actively protecting the branch element.

[0021] The control principle of the control circuit unit 2 is described below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0022] The thermal control unit 3 of each branch is connected to a load, which may include various types. Many different types of loads have different power requirements. When the load power is too large and exceeds the rated power of the power supply, there is a risk of burning out the power supply. At this time, the branch power supply must be disconnected in time to avoid long-term overload and burning out the power supply.

[0023] The above-mentioned embodiment of the present application provides a multi-load active protection DC power supply. By adding a control circuit unit 2 to the multi-load active protection DC power supply, the control circuit unit 2 can be an STM32 single-chip microcomputer. The control circuit unit 2 controls the output of each branch power supply of the main power supply module 1. Before each branch power supply is turned on, a very short excitation signal is applied to the load at the downstream stage of each branch power supply. When the excitation signal passes through different loads, the current and voltage of different load types will have different phase differences, and the waveform will also have different characteristics. For example, in the time domain, different loads will have different root mean square (RMS) values ​​and peak-to-valley ratios. In the frequency domain, after Fourier transform (FFT), the spectrum information of the signal can be obtained. The excitation signal will have different spectral characteristics when passing through different loads. By identifying the differences in these characteristics, the control circuit unit 2 can perform power estimation. When it is predicted that the power may be overloaded based on these characteristics, the control circuit unit 2 will control the thermal control unit 3 to remain in the off state, thereby actively protecting the main power supply module 1.

[0024] In at least one embodiment of the present application, the control circuit unit 2 has a storage function for storing the response and waveform characteristics of the load under the excitation signal when a branch element is disconnected due to overload. In this way, when a branch element is disconnected due to excessive power overload, the control circuit unit 2 will store the response and waveform characteristics of the load under the excitation signal. When the response of the next load connected under the action of the excitation signal is the same as the load characteristics that caused the overload this time, the control circuit unit 2 will be controlled by outputting high and low levels to promptly cut off the output of the branch power supply, thereby achieving the purpose of power estimation, actively protecting the power supply, greatly slowing down the aging speed of the device, and improving the service life and stability of the power supply. In addition, the control circuit unit 2 can continuously learn new load types that may cause overload, continuously improve the number of load types it can identify overload, and make the multi-load active protection DC power supply increasingly intelligent.

[0025] It should be noted that common loads include resistive loads, capacitive loads, and inductive loads. There are also mixed loads, such as RC loads, RI loads, and RC-I loads. In addition, there are nonlinear loads. Common resistive loads include incandescent lamps and heaters; common inductive loads include motors and transformers. Mixed loads contain resistance, capacitance, and inductance. For example, a circuit may contain resistance, capacitance, and inductance, thus exhibiting the characteristics of resistive, capacitive, and inductive loads.

[0026] The internal circuit connection of the multi-load active protection DC power supply is described below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0027] Figure 2 In the embodiment shown, the main power supply module 1 of a multi-load active protection DC power supply takes a 3-way 24V / 5A output as an example. The main power supply module 1 constitutes a DC switching power supply (24V / 5A) including 3 outputs. The multi-load active protection DC power supply has a total of 3 branch elements. The 3-way 24V / 5A output end of the main power supply module 1 is connected to the thermal control unit in each branch element. The 3-way output DC switching power supply simultaneously outputs a 5V DC through the control power port and is connected to the control circuit unit 2 for powering the control circuit unit 2 (such as an STM32 single-chip microcomputer). The thermal control unit of each branch is separately connected to the load of each branch. Before each branch element is connected, the control circuit unit 2 outputs a suitable excitation signal to each branch subsequent load through the D / A conversion port. Different load types have different phase differences between their voltage and current, and different loads have different values ​​in the time domain and in the frequency domain after FFT transformation. The A / D converter on the control circuit unit 2 collects the waveform of the excitation signal after passing through each branch load, and then obtains the waveform characteristics after processing such as FFT transformation by the control circuit unit 2. The control circuit unit 2 compares the characteristics of the branch load waveform with the load waveform characteristics of the past that caused overload stored in the control circuit unit 2. When the characteristics are consistent or similar, the control circuit unit 2 will control the thermal control unit 3 to disconnect the output of this branch component by controlling the high and low level outputs of the control pin GPIO port. At the same time, the red light on this branch will warn that the branch load is overloaded. This achieves load power estimation and has the effect of actively protecting the power supply. The control circuit unit 2 is programmed and stores the load characteristics of the overload. After power is turned on, the thermal control unit 3 controls the output of each branch component according to the logic of the program. The control circuit unit 2 can continuously add and learn new load types that will cause power overload, making it more intelligent. In addition, the multi-output power supply module can be determined based on the actual voltage and power requirements and the number of output channels.

[0028] The three 24V / 5A outputs of the multi-output DC power supply are connected to the thermal control MOSFETs of each branch. The multi-output DC power supply also outputs a 5V DC output to power the STM32 microcontroller. Each thermal control MOSFET is connected to a separate load. The STM32 microcontroller outputs an appropriate excitation signal to each subsequent load through the DAC module. The ADC port on the microcontroller collects the waveform of the excitation signal after passing through the load. The collected waveform is then processed by the STM32 pre-programmed logic and outputs high and low levels to the thermal control unit through the GPIO port. The output voltage, power, and number of output channels of the multi-output power supply module can be selected according to the needs.

[0029] It should be noted that the combination of the various technical features in the embodiments of the present application is not limited to the combination described in the embodiments of the present application or the combination described in the specific embodiments. All technical features described in the present application can be freely combined or combined in any way unless there is a contradiction between them.

[0030] As used in this application and the claims, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the words "a," "an," and / or "the" are not intended to refer to the singular but may include the plural. Generally speaking, the term "comprising" only implies the inclusion of the steps and elements specifically identified, and these steps and elements do not constitute an exclusive list. A method or apparatus may also include other steps or elements.

[0031] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present application and is not intended to limit the present application. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present application shall be included in the scope of protection of the present application.

Claims

1. A multi-load active protection DC power supply, characterized in that: It includes a main power supply module, a control circuit unit and multiple branch components. Each branch component includes a connected thermal control unit and a load. The thermal control unit is used to control the on and off of the corresponding branch component. The main power supply module is a DC switching power supply with multiple outputs. The multiple output ends of the main power supply module are respectively connected to the thermal control units of multiple branch elements, and are used to provide multiple branch power supplies for multiple branch elements respectively; the control circuit unit is powered by the main power supply module and is connected to the thermal control unit and load of each branch element; the control circuit unit is used to add an excitation signal to the load of each branch before each branch element is energized, collect the characteristics of the excitation signal after passing through the load, and compare the characteristics after passing through the load with the overload load characteristics stored in the control circuit unit. If the characteristics are the same, the thermal control unit is controlled to remain disconnected, and the load is not allowed to be connected to the main power supply module.

2. A multi-load active protection DC power supply according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control circuit unit has a storage function for storing the response and waveform characteristics of the load under the excitation signal when a branch element is disconnected due to overload.

3. The multi-load active protection DC power supply according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main power supply module is a 24V / 5A multi-channel output DC switching power supply.

4. The multi-load active protection DC power supply according to claim 1, characterized in that: The thermal control unit consists of a MOS tube, a thermistor and a current-limiting resistor. The MOS tube is used to cut off the power supply of the branch component when the resistance of the thermistor changes to a preset threshold; or the control circuit unit is also used to control the on and off of the MOS tube to cut off the branch power supply corresponding to the branch component when the resistance of the thermistor changes to a preset threshold.

5. A multi-load active protection DC power supply according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: The core of the control circuit unit is the STM32 microcontroller, which is based on the ARM Cortex-M processor core.

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