Modular Power Supply Control for Low-Load Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional power architectures in ICT devices operate with low efficiency in low-load states, leading to significant energy waste due to continuous full-load operation, despite most systems operating in low-load scenarios for extended periods.
Innovation Solution
A power feeding equipment with a centralized control unit managing multiple power units, allowing selective activation and deactivation based on load requirements, ensuring efficient and energy-saving power supply by adjusting the number of active units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If the power architecture maintains full-load operation of each voltage conversion device to match input power requirements in different operation scenarios, then sufficient output power can be provided when the load requires relatively large input power, but power supply efficiency becomes low when the power architecture operates in a low-load state
Solution Approach 1:
The power architecture is divided into multiple independent voltage conversion devices (first power units) that can operate independently or in combination. Each device can be individually controlled based on the load requirements, allowing the system to segment the total power output across multiple units rather than overloading a single device, thereby maintaining high efficiency in low-load states while preserving full power capability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the number of active voltage conversion devices based on real-time load conditions. The control unit monitors the power requirements and activates or deactivates specific power units accordingly, making the power architecture adaptable to varying load states. This dynamic adjustment ensures that voltage conversion devices operate at optimal load points, preventing efficiency degradation during low-load operation while maintaining sufficient power output capability.
2Reliability
If the power architecture operates with all voltage conversion devices active to ensure sufficient power output, then the system can meet high power requirements, but energy consumption increases significantly during low-load operation
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of keeping all voltage conversion devices active at all times, the system applies partial action by activating only the necessary number of devices based on current power requirements. The control unit calculates the required power and activates sufficient power units to meet that demand without excessive margin, thereby reducing energy consumption during low-load operation while maintaining reliable power supply through selective device activation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters by adjusting the number of active voltage conversion devices according to load conditions. This parameter change allows the system to transition from a static configuration (all devices always on) to a dynamic configuration where the active device count matches the power requirements, thereby reducing energy consumption without compromising power supply reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If voltage conversion devices operate in low-load state for extended periods, then the system can meet low power requirements, but power supply efficiency remains low compared to high-load operation
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the power architecture into multiple independent voltage conversion devices, the system can allocate the load appropriately across active devices. This segmentation allows each device to operate at more optimal load points even when total system load is low, as the load can be distributed across fewer active units rather than diluting power across all devices, thereby improving overall power supply efficiency while maintaining load adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic control mechanism adjusts the operational state of voltage conversion devices based on real-time load conditions. When load requirements are low, the control unit activates only the necessary number of devices, ensuring that active devices operate at higher relative load levels with better efficiency. This dynamic adaptation maintains versatility in meeting varying power requirements while minimizing efficiency losses during low-load periods.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of this application disclose power feeding equipment and a power supply method, which relate to the field of power supply technologies, and resolve a problem that power supply efficiency of an existing power architecture is low, and high efficiency and energy saving cannot be implemented. A specific solution is power feeding equipment, including a power interface, a control unit, and N first power units. The power interface is coupled to each first power unit, and each first power unit is further coupled to a powered system. The control unit is coupled to each first power unit, and output power of the N first power units is greater than or equal to maximum required power of the powered system. The control unit is configured to: obtain current required power of the powered system; control, by using a control terminal of the control unit based on the current required power of the powered system, M first power units of the N first power units to supply power to the powered system; and control N - M first power units to be in an off state, where output power of the M first power units is greater than or equal to the current required power of the powered system.