Power Supply Drooping Characteristic Control for Overcurrent
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing power supply devices face challenges in temporarily increasing output current without enlarging the device and its components, as excessive current leads to elevated temperatures, necessitating larger designs to prevent overheating.
Innovation Solution
A power supply device and method that select a drooping characteristic based on detected load current, allowing for temporary increases in output current within safe temperature ranges, using existing components and masking drooping characteristics for heat radiation design optimization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the output current is temporarily increased to exceed the rated current, then the load current capability is improved, but the temperature of components exceeds the rated temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The power supply device dynamically switches between a first drooping characteristic (for normal operation at rated current) and a second drooping characteristic (for temporary overcurrent). The controller selects the appropriate drooping characteristic based on operational conditions, enabling the output current to temporarily exceed the rated current while managing temperature through the drooping effect that reduces current as voltage drops.
2Temperature
If the size of the power supply device and components is increased to prevent overheating, then the temperature control is improved, but the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the drooping characteristic parameter (the relationship between output voltage and current) to enable temporary overcurrent operation. By switching to a second drooping characteristic with a different slope or threshold, the system allows higher current to flow temporarily while the drooping effect naturally limits the current as voltage decreases, preventing sustained overheating without requiring larger heat dissipation components.
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A storage (80) stores a first drooping characteristic of a rated current Ioc1, and a second drooping characteristic of an allowable current value Ico2 that is greater than the rated current value Ioc1. A controller (70) is configured to select a drooping characteristic stored in the storage (80) in accordance with the current value detected by an output current detector (50) and a mask condition, and perform droop control.