RF Communication Device for High-Voltage Power Electronics
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Solution Overview
Problem
High-voltage power electronics systems face challenges with wired control signal communication due to complexity, high cable counts, flammability risks, and interference, which are exacerbated by the harsh environment within valve halls, leading to unreliable wireless communication.
Innovation Solution
A high-voltage power electronics system utilizing multiple RF modules and an RF merger module to merge and split RF signals, providing redundant communication channels with differing frequencies, time slots, and encoding, and using multiple antennas for reliable signal transmission and reception.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wired communication with optical fibres is used, then communication reliability is improved, but device complexity and installation costs increase due to thousands of cables
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical wired communication system (optical fibres and cables) with a wireless RF communication system. The controller and power electronics modules communicate via RF signals transmitted through antennas, eliminating the need for physical cable connections while maintaining communication functionality in the harsh high-voltage environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the wireless communication system into multiple independent RF modules, each with its own transmitter and receiver components. This segmentation allows individual modules to operate autonomously and provides redundancy, where if one module fails, others can continue communication, thus maintaining reliability without requiring complex cable routing.
2Reliability
If optical fibres are used in high-voltage systems, then communication is established, but flammability risk increases due to high difference potentials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes optical fibre communication with wireless RF communication, eliminating physical cables that could be affected by high voltage potentials and flammability risks. The RF signals are transmitted through air space, completely avoiding contact with high-voltage components while maintaining communication reliability.
3Device complexity
If wireless communication is implemented in valve halls, then cable complexity is reduced, but communication reliability deteriorates due to signal reflections and interference from metal objects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple RF transmission channels and antennas into a unified communication system. By merging signals from multiple antennas and using signal combining techniques, the system overcomes individual signal weaknesses caused by reflections and interference, achieving reliable communication in the challenging valve hall environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces spatial diversity by deploying multiple antennas at different positions and orientations within the valve hall. This three-dimensional arrangement allows the system to exploit different propagation paths and reduce the impact of signal reflections from metal surfaces, improving communication reliability without requiring additional cables.
4Reliability
If multiple RF modules are used with different communication channels, then communication reliability is improved through redundancy, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs RF modules with multi-functional capabilities, where each module can operate on multiple communication channels and frequencies. This universality allows the same hardware design to provide redundancy across different channels, achieving improved reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity, as each module serves multiple purposes.
Data Source
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AI summary
It is provided a communication device (1) for communicating between a power equipment controller (11) and power equipment devices (i2a-b) of a high-voltage power electronics system (10). The communication device (1) comprises: a controller interface (2) for communicating with the power equipment controller (11); at least one RF, radio frequency, module (3, 3a-b) comprising circuitry for processing RF transmission signals and received RF signals; an RF splitter (5) connected to the at least one RF module (3, 3a-b), the RF splitter (5) being configured to split RF transmission signals received from the at least one RF module (3, 3a-b) to several corresponding RF antenna signals; and a plurality of antennas (6a-f) configured to transmit each one of the RF antenna signals to at least one power equipment device (12a-b).