DC-to-DC Converter Voltage Surge Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing DC-to-DC converters experience a surge phenomenon in output voltage when the load changes or is removed, potentially causing damage to the converter or the load due to inability to discharge stored energy effectively.
Innovation Solution
A DC-to-DC converter with a first switching circuit and a power allocation circuit, controlled by control signals to generate pulse voltage, store, and convert or recuperate electrical energy, including a control circuit to detect output voltage and manage energy flow to prevent voltage surges by turning off or on switching and power paths accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the load of the DC-to-DC converter is dramatically changed or removed, then the output voltage will surge, but this causes damage to the converter or load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by detecting the load change condition in advance and activating the energy discharge path before the voltage surge can cause damage. The control circuit monitors the output voltage and load conditions, and when a sudden load change is detected, it automatically switches the power allocation circuit to discharge the stored energy to the power source, preventing the harmful voltage surge from damaging the converter or load.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the output voltage and load conditions through the control circuit. When the load changes dramatically or is removed, the control circuit detects this condition and automatically adjusts the power allocation circuit to discharge the stored energy, creating a closed-loop feedback mechanism that prevents voltage surge damage.
2Productivity
If the power allocation circuit converts electrical energy to DC output voltage, then the load receives power, but the stored energy cannot be discharged when load changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the discarding and recovering principle by providing a bidirectional power allocation circuit that can both deliver power to the load and return stored energy to the power source. When the load changes or is removed, the control circuit switches the power allocation circuit to the discharge mode, allowing the stored energy in the switching circuit to be recovered and returned to the DC power source, preventing energy loss and potential damage.
3Reliability
If a power recuperation mechanism is added, then voltage surge is suppressed, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing the power allocation circuit to perform multiple functions: it can allocate power from the DC power source to the load during normal operation, and it can also discharge stored energy back to the DC power source when the load changes. This multi-functional design integrates the voltage surge suppression capability into the existing power allocation circuit rather than adding a separate dedicated circuit, thereby reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the power allocation function and the energy discharge function into a single integrated power allocation circuit. The circuit includes a first power allocation path for normal power delivery and a second power allocation path for energy discharge, both controlled by the same control circuit. This merging approach consolidates the voltage surge suppression mechanism with the power management function, reducing the number of separate components and simplifying the overall device structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A DC-to-DC converter and a power allocation method thereof are provided. The DC-to-DC converter includes a switching circuit and a power allocation circuit. The switching circuit is coupled to a DC power source to receive a DC input voltage and controlled by a first control signal to generate a pulse voltage. The power allocation circuit is coupled to the switching circuit to receive the pulse voltage and store an electrical energy. The power allocation circuit is further coupled to the DC power source. The power allocation circuit is controlled by a second control signal to convert the electrical energy into a DC output voltage and provides the DC output voltage to a load, or the power allocation circuit is controlled by the second control signal to recuperate the electrical energy to the DC power source.