DC Power Source Impedance Testing with Ripple Cancellation
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Solution Overview
Problem
High IT loads in data centers require efficient power management solutions to handle increasing densities and distributed configurations, especially for cloud computing applications, where existing technologies struggle to optimize power distribution and monitoring efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A system with a DC bus and multiple DC power sources connected through DC converters, where a processor injects test waveforms to determine ripples and offset waveforms to cancel them, allowing for real-time monitoring and adjustment of power sources, including batteries, to ensure optimal power distribution and determine charging states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If test waveforms are injected to monitor power sources, then measurement precision is improved, but ripple on the DC bus increases causing system instability
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by injecting offset waveforms into non-tested power sources before measuring the tested power source. These offset waveforms are specifically designed to counteract the ripple effects of the test waveform, thereby preventing DC bus instability while enabling accurate impedance measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback by continuously monitoring the DC bus response to test waveforms and adjusting the offset waveforms accordingly. The controller calculates the appropriate offset waveform based on the measured ripple and feeds it back to the non-tested power sources to maintain DC bus stability during impedance testing.
2Productivity
If multiple power sources are monitored simultaneously, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple converters and controllers
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies universality by designing each power source with an identical converter-controller unit that can perform both normal power conversion and impedance measurement functions. This multi-functional design allows any power source to serve as either a tested or non-tested unit, enabling flexible simultaneous monitoring of multiple power sources without requiring different hardware configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the measurement and control functions into a single integrated controller that manages all power sources. By combining the ripple measurement, offset waveform calculation, and power conversion control into one unified control system, the patent reduces overall system complexity while maintaining the capability to monitor multiple power sources simultaneously.
3Stability of the object's composition
If offset waveforms are injected to cancel ripple, then DC bus stability is improved, but energy loss increases due to additional waveform injection
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the harmful effect of test waveforms (which cause ripple and instability) into a beneficial measurement tool. By injecting test waveforms and measuring their effect on power sources, the system gains impedance information while using offset waveforms to cancel the negative ripple effects, thereby transforming a potentially harmful disturbance into a useful diagnostic mechanism.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes selecting a test waveform to inject from a first DC converter to at least one first DC power source other than a fuel cell, determining a first resulting ripple that will be generated in response to injecting the test waveform onto the battery, determining at least one offset waveform to inject from at least one second DC converter to at least one second DC power source to generate one or more second ripples which cancel the first resulting ripple, injecting the test waveform from the first DC converter to the at least one first DC power source, injecting the at least one offset waveform from the at least one second DC converter to the at least one second DC power source, and determining a characteristic of the first DC power source based at least in part on the impedance response of the first DC power source.