Active Electronic Emulation of Passive Circuit Components
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Passive power conversion systems require large, bulky, and unreliable electrolytic capacitors for power supply filtering, which limits system reliability and efficiency due to the need for high capacitance values to manage power ripple, especially in systems above several hundred watts, and existing active solutions are complex, application-specific, and difficult to implement.
Innovation Solution
An electronic unit that emulates a passive capacitor or inductor using a power converter and controller to decouple the capacitance or inductance from the external circuit, allowing a smaller, more manageable component to appear as a larger one externally, with the ability to vary the emulated value, thus reducing the required capacitance and improving reliability and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If large electrolytic capacitors are used to reduce power ripple in high-power systems, then power supply regulation is improved, but system reliability decreases and lifetime is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the passive mechanical/electrical system of large electrolytic capacitors with an active electronic system consisting of a power converter and control circuitry. The electronic capacitor emulator uses switching devices and control algorithms to synthesize the desired capacitance effect, substituting the physical capacitor with an active electronic equivalent that achieves the same ripple filtering function without the reliability drawbacks of large electrolytic capacitors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of capacitance from a fixed physical property of a large electrolytic capacitor to a controllable electrical parameter synthesized by the power converter. By dynamically adjusting the switching duty cycle and control parameters, the system emulates the desired capacitance value while using much smaller physical components, thereby improving reliability while maintaining power supply regulation.
2Stability of the object's composition
If capacitance value is increased to handle higher power ratings, then power ripple damping is improved, but system weight and volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes the mass-dependent physical capacitor with a lightweight active electronic system. The power converter uses switching devices, inductors, and control circuitry to create an electronic equivalent of the large capacitor, achieving the same ripple damping effect without the proportional increase in weight that would be required for larger physical capacitors.
Solution Approach 2:
The power converter circuit performs multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as both the main power conversion device and the electronic capacitor emulator. By integrating the ripple damping function into the existing power converter structure, the system achieves power ripple damping without adding separate heavy capacitor banks, thereby reducing overall system weight while maintaining effective damping.
3Stability of the object's composition
If multiple discrete capacitor units are connected in parallel to increase capacitance, then power ripple filtering is improved, but system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the power conversion function and the capacitor emulation function into a single integrated power converter system. Instead of using multiple separate capacitor units connected in parallel, the system combines the switching circuitry, energy storage elements, and control algorithm into one unified active electronic structure that performs both power conversion and ripple filtering simultaneously, thereby reducing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the passive parallel capacitor configuration with an active electronic system that uses switching devices and control circuitry to achieve the same filtering effect. This substitution eliminates the need for multiple discrete capacitor units and their associated connections, mounting hardware, and parallel configuration complexity, while maintaining effective power ripple filtering.
4Reliability
If active power electronics based auxiliary circuits are used to emulate capacitance, then capacitance value is reduced, but control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The power converter is designed to perform dual functions: main power conversion and electronic capacitance emulation. By utilizing the existing switching devices, energy storage inductors, and control infrastructure of the power converter for both functions simultaneously, the system achieves capacitance reduction without requiring a completely separate auxiliary control system, thereby limiting the increase in control complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback control mechanisms where the controller monitors the power converter operation and adjusts the switching duty cycle to maintain the desired electronic capacitance effect. This feedback approach allows the control system to manage the emulation function efficiently using the existing control infrastructure, minimizing the additional complexity required compared to open-loop or more complex control architectures.
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic emulation component for actively emulating a passive electronic component such as a capacitor or inductor having a desired value, comprises a pair of terminals for connection to an external circuit and across which the desired value is to appear, a power convertor, and a passive electronic component of the type to be emulated but having a value different from the value to be emulated and isolated from the pair of terminals by the convertor.