Multi-Phase Voltage Regulator Control for Balanced Tap Changing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multi-phase voltage regulators face challenges in efficiently controlling and regulating voltage levels across multiple phases, particularly in maintaining balanced voltages and adjusting tap positions effectively.
Innovation Solution
A multi-phase voltage regulator controller is implemented using voltage regulator controls connected to a single printed circuit board, which includes an electronic processor to determine voltage levels, control relays, and adjust tap changers to maintain optimal voltage regulation across all phases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a multi-phase voltage regulator uses separate control circuits for each phase, then each phase can be regulated independently, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple phase control circuits into a single integrated control device that manages all phases through shared components including a common microcontroller, unified voltage reference, and integrated feedback mechanisms. This merging approach maintains independent phase regulation capability while reducing overall device complexity and manufacturing cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The control device is designed with universal functionality to handle multiple phases using the same control architecture. The microcontroller executes unified control algorithms that can regulate any phase, and the feedback system processes voltage information from all phases through a common pathway, making the control circuit applicable to any phase without requiring phase-specific dedicated circuits.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the voltage regulator uses multiple tap changers for each phase, then voltage adjustment range increases, but the device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the voltage regulation function into separate tap changers for each phase, allowing independent voltage adjustment of each phase. This segmentation enables the system to achieve wide voltage adjustment range while maintaining manageable structural complexity by handling each phase's tap changing operations independently rather than requiring a single complex multi-phase tap changer.
Data Source
AI summary
A control system may include a first tap changer, a second tap changer, and a third tap changer, wherein each of the first tap changer, the second tap changer, and the third tap changer associated with a respective phase line. The control system may include an electronic processor configured to: determine whether a voltage level of the first phase line exceeds a threshold, control power to the first tap changer with power converted from the first phase line to affect a tap change on the first phase line when the voltage level of the first phase line exceeds the threshold; and control power to the first tap changer with power converted from the second phase line to affect a tap change on the first phase line when the voltage of the first phase line does not exceed the threshold.