Multi-Phase Converter Fault Isolation for Load Disparity

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Multi-phase power converters often experience load disparities, leading to unreliable operation, potential device damage, and unplanned downtime due to undetected faulty phases, which can conceal the root cause of the failure.

Innovation Solution

A controller monitors the electrical power output of each phase, compares it to an expected average, and disables suspected faulty phases to prevent damage and downtime, while redistributing power among remaining phases to maintain system stability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If power is distributed between multiple phases to balance load, then system reliability is improved, but load disparity can still occur causing device damage and downtime

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem reliabilityVSAvoiddevice damage and downtime

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The controller performs preliminary detection of load disparities by comparing actual phase currents against expected values before damage occurs. By identifying and disabling faulty phases early through continuous monitoring and comparison logic, the system prevents harmful effects such as device damage and unplanned downtime, rather than waiting for failure to manifest.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If a faulty phase is not detected, then the system continues operating, but the root cause of failure is concealed leading to potential damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontinuous operationVSAvoidconcealed root cause

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring phase currents, comparing actual values against expected values calculated from total power and phase count. When a discrepancy exceeds a threshold, the controller receives feedback about the faulty phase and responds by disabling it. This feedback loop ensures the root cause is detected and communicated to the user while maintaining continuous operation of healthy phases.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Object-affected harmful factors

If the system disables a suspected faulty phase, then device protection is improved, but system complexity increases due to monitoring and control logic

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice protectionVSAvoidmonitoring and control logic

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The controller performs self-service by autonomously detecting load disparities, identifying faulty phases through comparison logic, and disabling problematic phases without external intervention. The system monitors its own operational state and automatically responds to anomalies, reducing the need for complex external monitoring equipment while providing robust device protection through built-in intelligence.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS11073540B2Load disparity detection

Publication Date: 2021.07.27 HEWLETT PACKARD ENTERPRISE DEV LP

AI summary

In some examples, a controller may include a processing resource and a memory resource storing machine readable instructions executable to cause the processing resource to set an electrical power threshold, monitor an amount of electrical power distributed between a plurality of phases of a multi-phase converter operation. The controller may detect a load disparity between a particular phase of the plurality of phases, disable the particular phase, and redistribute the electrical power amongst the remaining phases of the multi-phase converter operation.