Learning-Platform for Mixed Domain Control of Power Electronics Converters

Mixed (analog and digital) domain control is preferred for fast transient response of high frequency power converters. A matching signal processing and conversion circuitry along with digital communication is required for this purpose. A student of power electronics needs to understand the intricacies of such complex provisions in context of modern power electronics equipment and control. A mixed domain control platform is developed for the ease of learning modern control schemes for high frequency power electronic converters. In this platform, a combined FPGA-DSP (Field programmable gate array - Digital signal processor) based controller is used along with an interface PCB (printed circuit board). The interface PCB comprises of the circuits for signal conditioning, serial/parallel analog to digital and digital to analog converters (ADCs and DACs), Pulse width modulation (PWM) gating signal and protection etc. This paper presents the control platform design requirements, hardware details, module based learning methodology, and the preliminary results of control scheme implementation.

I. Introduction

The study of power electronics is multidisciplinary. It involves study of semiconductor physics, electronics, electromagnetics, control theory, and embedded systems. In last few decades, developments in electronics integrated circuits have pushed for adoption of digital control techniques for power converter control. Digital control systems are modifiable, reproducible, and communicable, whereas analog control systems are fast and cost effective. In the last decade, advances in Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) based power semiconductor devices have enabled development of high frequency (500 kHz to 5 MHz) power converter topologies. Mixed domain control is better suited for such high frequency applications that can not compromise on fast transient response [1].