DC-DC Converter Controller Uniformizing Switching Element Deterioration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manufacturing variations among switching elements in DC-DC converters lead to uneven deterioration, causing premature termination of product life even if some elements are still within the allowable range, as differences in use frequencies result in quicker deterioration of certain elements.
Innovation Solution
A DC-DC converter with a controller that measures temperatures of all switching elements, determines a preservation target switching element with the highest temperature, and adjusts the output current by driving non-preservation target switching elements to reduce their frequency of use and increase that of less deteriorated elements, thereby uniformizing deterioration across all elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If only a part of the plurality of switching elements is driven to reduce losses, then energy efficiency is improved, but differences in use frequencies among switching elements are generated causing uneven deterioration
Solution Approach 1:
The controller periodically switches between different combinations of switching elements. When only one switching element is needed, the controller selects which element to use based on temperature measurements, rotating through different elements in a periodic manner. This ensures that while energy losses are minimized by using only necessary elements, the wear and deterioration are distributed uniformly across all switching elements over time.
2Reliability
If all switching elements are driven at the same frequency, then uniform deterioration is achieved, but energy losses increase compared to selective driving
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts which switching elements are activated based on real-time temperature measurements. Rather than statically assigning fixed roles to each switching element, the controller continuously monitors temperatures and rotates the selection of active elements, creating a dynamic load distribution that adapts to the actual thermal states of the components.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller performs preliminary temperature measurements on all switching elements before selecting which ones to activate. By measuring temperatures in advance and using this information to make selection decisions, the system prevents any single element from being overused, thereby preemptively distributing the wear uniformly across all elements before deterioration becomes problematic.
3Productivity
If switching elements with higher use frequency are allowed to operate, then productivity is improved, but deterioration of these elements progresses quicker reducing product life
Solution Approach 1:
The controller implements periodic rotation through different switching elements. High productivity is maintained by keeping one or more switching elements actively operating at any given time, while the specific element(s) used are rotated periodically based on temperature measurements. This ensures that no single element bears the full burden continuously, distributing the wear over time and extending the overall product life while maintaining high converter efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach extends the product life of the DC-DC converter by reducing the frequency of use for more deteriorated elements and increasing it for less deteriorated ones, ensuring uniform deterioration and maintaining performance without sacrificing converter efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of temperature sensors connected to the controller and configured to measure respective temperatures of the plurality of switching elements
Data Source
AI summary
A controller of a DC-DC converter is configured to: obtain respective temperatures of a plurality of switching elements from a plurality of temperature sensors while the controller is driving all of the plurality of switching elements; determine at least one preservation target switching element from the plurality of switching elements based on the respective temperatures of the plurality of switching elements such that the at least one preservation target switching element includes a switching element a temperature of which is highest among the plurality of switching elements; and drive at least one non-preservation target switching element other than the at least one preservation target switching element to adjust an output current of a DC-DC converting circuit to a target value.