FPGA Power Supply Controller Using Volt-Seconds Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing use of electronics on aircraft requires additional electrical power, leading to increased weight and fuel costs due to the need for larger and heavier power generators and components, which can be mitigated by reducing the size and weight of power electronics through higher PWM frequencies, but this increases complexity and heat generation, requiring efficient control systems.
Innovation Solution
A control system for power supplies that uses an FPGA to implement a PWM frequency of several hundred kHz without a DSP or microprocessor, employing a simplified Bang-Bang control based on volt-seconds measurement, eliminating the need for damping resistors and achieving active damping through virtual resistance, thereby reducing component size and weight while maintaining efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of stationary object
If PWM frequency is increased to reduce component size and weight, then the size and weight of power electronics are reduced, but the complexity and speed requirements of controllers increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex DSP or microprocessor-based control systems with a simplified FPGA implementation that uses a counter and comparator to generate PWM signals. This substitution of control architecture reduces device complexity while maintaining the ability to operate at high PWM frequencies needed for compact power electronics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the control approach from traditional PID control to Bang-Bang control based on volt-seconds measurement. This parameter change in control strategy simplifies the controller architecture while enabling operation at higher PWM frequencies, thus allowing reduced component size and weight.
2Volume of stationary object
If PWM frequency is increased to reduce component size, then filter size is reduced, but oscillations and instability increase requiring additional damping
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by measuring the actual volt-seconds delivered to the load and using this measurement to adjust the PWM duty cycle. This feedback mechanism naturally damps oscillations and maintains system stability at high PWM frequencies without requiring additional damping resistors or complex control algorithms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an integrator as an intermediary element that accumulates volt-seconds over time. This integrator acts as a natural low-pass filter and damping element, stabilizing the system at high frequencies without requiring physical damping resistors that would increase heat generation.
3Stability of the object's composition
If damping resistors are added to reduce oscillations, then system stability is improved, but efficiency decreases and heat generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes physical damping resistors with an active control mechanism implemented in FPGA. The Bang-Bang control based on volt-seconds measurement provides oscillation damping through software/logic control rather than physical resistance, eliminating the energy losses and heat generation associated with damping resistors.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system uses the existing PWM switching mechanism and volt-seconds measurement to provide self-damping of oscillations. The system serves its own stabilization needs through the integrator and comparator logic, eliminating the need for separate damping components that would consume energy and generate heat.
4Stability of the object's composition
If active damping is added through conventional control architecture, then oscillations are reduced, but very fast sampling times are required increasing controller complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic PWM switching at fixed high frequency combined with periodic integration of volt-seconds. This periodic action approach allows the use of a simple counter and comparator in FPGA without requiring very fast sampling times, as the integration naturally accumulates energy over complete switching cycles rather than requiring individual cycle analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex fast-sampling control architecture with a simpler FPGA implementation using counters and comparators. The Bang-Bang control mechanism substitutes for complex PID controllers that would require high-speed sampling, achieving oscillation damping through voltage-second integration instead of high-frequency error signal processing.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for controlling an electrical power supply are provided. One system includes an input configured for receiving voltage measurement signals for the power supply and a controller for one or more electrical phases of the power supply. The controller includes an integrator configured to integrate the received voltage measurement signals and to generate integrated control signals or integrated error signals. The controller is configured to generate an output signal using the integrated control signals or the integrated error signals. The system also includes an output configured to output the output signal to control switching of the power supply.