Crowbar Protection for a Power Electronics Hardware Trainer

This paper presents the design, simulation, and analysis of a crowbar circuit intended for over-voltage protection in electrical systems. The problem addressed is the need to safeguard sensitive components, particularly in the Universal Two Leg (U2L) system, from over-voltage events that could compromise system integrity and safety. To address this issue, a crowbar circuit is designed to activate when the voltage exceeds predefined cutoff levels, diverting excessive current away from critical components. The proposed solution involves designing a robust crowbar circuit capable of effectively detecting and responding to overvoltage conditions. This includes determining appropriate cutoff levels, considering factors such as battery voltage variations and component ratings. Simulation studies are conducted using Caspoc simulation software to evaluate the performance of the crowbar circuit. Three tests are are performed, Burn-in, Overvoltage and Fuse protection, to validate the proposed circuitry