Parallel Component Wear Management for DC/DC Converter Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
In systems with parallel-connected components such as DC/DC converters in motor vehicles, uneven loading can lead to premature failure due to varying ambient conditions and operational states, causing some components to be overworked and others underutilized, resulting in reduced service life.
Innovation Solution
A method to determine the wear value of each component based on ambient conditions, operating states, and supply parameters, allowing for the optimal number of components to be activated or deactivated dynamically, ensuring that components with the highest wear value are switched off and those with the lowest wear value are activated, thereby maintaining even loading and extending the service life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If components are operated in parallel to handle high power requirements, then the power handling capability is improved, but uneven loading causes premature failure of individual components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic load distribution by continuously monitoring operating conditions (temperature, humidity, supply voltage, supply current) and adjusting which parallel components are active. The control unit dynamically determines the wear value of each component and selectively activates or deactivates components to balance the load, preventing any single component from being consistently overworked and failing prematurely.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes operational parameters by introducing wear value calculations based on environmental and operational conditions. By computing wear values from temperature, humidity, voltage, and current data, the system adapts its component selection strategy, switching between different parallel components based on their current wear state rather than using a fixed rotation pattern.
Data Source
AI summary
The method determining one or more components of a number of components which can be driven in parallel according to power requirements. A wear value of a respective component is ascertained in dependence on ambient conditions, operating states, the supply voltage, and/or the supply current. An optimal number of components to be operated in parallel is ascertained for a current power requirement and is compared with the currently operated number of components. If the number of currently operated components is greater than the optimal number, the component with the greatest wear value is deactivated. If the number of currently operated components is less than the optimal number, the component or components which can be activated in principle are ascertained and then the activatable component with the lowest wear value is activated.