A Novel CAD Tool for Electric Educational Diagrams

Computer-aided design (CAD) is a technological revolution, very powerful and with large applicability to problem solving. It is essential in many different disciplines ranging from architecture to education, medicine, physics, or gaming. In this work, we propose a novel CAD tool, called CADDi, to assist in the design of electric diagrams in the educational context. We are applying the theory of formal languages to create WDLang, an easy-to-use, highly expressive, unequivocal, and correct programming language for designing electric circuits. This programming language is the cornerstone of CADDi, which automatically generates the equivalent ladder diagram (explains the circuit operation) to the programmed circuit, offering additional features that allow analysis of its functionality in an interactive way. It also offers a graphical interface to directly design ladder diagrams, or to modify the automatically generated ones. The existing electrical CAD tools are either very simple, e.g., for creating good-looking diagrams with no functionality, or too complex, for professional systems design. CADDi is extremely useful for learning purposes. It assists users on how to generate ladder diagrams, and on understanding the behavior of electrical circuits. Additionally, it serves as an assessment tool for self-evaluation in the translation from wiring diagrams to ladder ones. In order to make CADDi highly accessible, it was implemented as a web page

Integration of magnetic amplifier switch model into computer aided design for power converters

Зазвичай у джерелах вторинного електроживлення (ДВЕЖ) комутаційну та регулюючу функції виконують напівпровідникові компоненти. Однак вони не можуть забезпечити високу якість вихідних характеристик у багатоканальних джерелах живлення та в ДВЕЖ із високим рівнем струму навантаження. В таких випадках як силові ключі використовують високочастотні магнітні підсилювачі (ВМП) на основі аморфних магнітом’яких сплавів з прямокутною петлею гістерезису. Розроблення перетворювачів електроенергії на основі ВМП не є повністю автоматизованим. ВМП є магнітним компонентом з нелінійними властивостями. Системи автоматизованого проектування (САПР) для комп’ютерного імітаційного моделювання електричних кіл не призначені для розрахунків магнітних полів та працюють з дискретними електричними компонентами. Існує проблема інтеграції моделі компонента з магнітним гістерезисом у бібліотеку моделей САПР. Крім того, досить складно оцінити оптимальні параметри такого компонента. У статті запропоновано нову математичну модель силового ключа на основі ВМП, що ґрунтується на функції, яку можна генерувати з допомогою цифрових технологій. Досліджено цифровий генератор синуса, що складається з цифрових дискретних компнентів для моделювання силового ключа на основі ВМП. Запропоновану математичну модель силового ключа на основі ВМП інтегровано у САПР. Проведено комп’ютерне імітаційне моделювання електричного кола, що містить ВМП. Розраховано абсолютну похибку та середньоквадратичне відхилення моделі процесів перемагнічення ВМП у порівнянні з експериментально отриманими даними. Така часткова автоматизація процесу розроблення високочастотних перетворювачів електроенергії на основі ВМП суттєво зменшить його складність, тривалість і вартість, а також сприятиме розвиткові нових схемотехнічних рішень.The designing of electrical power converters based on Magnetic Amplifier (MagAmp) switches is not fully automated. MagAmp is a magnetic component with nonlinear properties. Computer aided design (CAD) programmes are built to simulate electric circuits without electromagnetic field with distributed components. There is a problem of integration of a model of a component with magnetic hysteresis into the set of CAD models. In addition, estimation of the optimal parameters of such a component is rather complicated. The article proposes a new model of MagAmp switch which is based on a function that can be generated using digital technology. The digital generator of sinusoidal signals, consisting of discrete digital components for modeling the MagAmp switch, is investigated. Integration of the model into CAD programme and simulation of the electric circuit, which includes MagAmp switch, are obtained. Partial automation will reduce complexity, duration and cost of the design procedure, and will enhance the development of power converters

Regulated Electric Drainage and its Interference with Track Circuits

Electric drainage is a power electronic device used to protect underground metal devices (such as piping) from the corrosive effects of stray currents. Stray currents are usually caused by DC electric traction, such as trams or railways. In places where stray currents leave the underground device and return into rails, they cause significant electrochemical corrosion of buried devices. The principle of electric drainage is based on electrical connection between the underground device and electric traction rails, which ensures that current flows through this connection, instead of flowing into the ground. Nowadays, the most widely used type is regulated electric drainage, where current is regulated by means of Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). Because of this modulation, current flowing through the drainage contains harmonic components with different frequencies. In modern railways, track circuits are often used as an important part of the track security system. For safe operation, it is necessary to ensure that frequencies generated by the drainage do not interfere with track circuits. This paper describes the design of a regulated drainage control system, with regard to its compatibility with track circuits and this paper contains related computer simulations and discussion of the result

Electronics and control technology

Until recently, there was no requirement to learn electronics and control technology in the New Zealand school curriculum. Apart from isolated pockets of teaching based on the enthusiasm of individual teachers, there is very little direct learning of electronics in New Zealand primary or secondary schools. The learning of electronics is located in tertiary vocational training programmes. Thus, few school students learn about electronics and few school teachers have experience in teaching it. Lack of experience with electronics (other than using its products) has contributed to a commonly held view of electronics as out of the control and intellectual grasp of the average person; the domain of the engineer, programmer and enthusiast with his or her special aptitude. This need not be true, but teachers' and parents' lack of experience with electronics is in danger of denying young learners access to the mainstream of modern technology

Interpolation-based parameterized model order reduction of delayed systems

Three-dimensional electromagnetic methods are fundamental tools for the analysis and design of high-speed systems. These methods often generate large systems of equations, and model order reduction (MOR) methods are used to reduce such a high complexity. When the geometric dimensions become electrically large or signal waveform rise times decrease, time delays must be included in the modeling. Design space optimization and exploration are usually performed during a typical design process that consequently requires repeated simulations for different design parameter values. Efficient performing of these design activities calls for parameterized model order reduction (PMOR) methods, which are able to reduce large systems of equations with respect to frequency and other design parameters of the circuit, such as layout or substrate features. We propose a novel PMOR method for neutral delayed differential systems, which is based on an efficient and reliable combination of univariate model order reduction methods, a procedure to find scaling and frequency shifting coefficients and positive interpolation schemes. The proposed scaling and frequency shifting coefficients enhance and improve the modeling capability of standard positive interpolation schemes and allow accurate modeling of highly dynamic systems with a limited amount of initial univariate models in the design space. The proposed method is able to provide parameterized reduced order models passive by construction over the design space of interest. Pertinent numerical examples validate the proposed PMOR approach

Physics-based passivity-preserving parameterized model order reduction for PEEC circuit analysis

The decrease of integrated circuit feature size and the increase of operating frequencies require 3-D electromagnetic methods, such as the partial element equivalent circuit (PEEC) method, for the analysis and design of high-speed circuits. Very large systems of equations are often produced by 3-D electromagnetic methods, and model order reduction (MOR) methods have proven to be very effective in combating such high complexity. During the circuit synthesis of large-scale digital or analog applications, it is important to predict the response of the circuit under study as a function of design parameters such as geometrical and substrate features. Traditional MOR techniques perform order reduction only with respect to frequency, and therefore the computation of a new electromagnetic model and the corresponding reduced model are needed each time a design parameter is modified, reducing the CPU efficiency. Parameterized model order reduction (PMOR) methods become necessary to reduce large systems of equations with respect to frequency and other design parameters of the circuit, such as geometrical layout or substrate characteristics. We propose a novel PMOR technique applicable to PEEC analysis which is based on a parameterization process of matrices generated by the PEEC method and the projection subspace generated by a passivity-preserving MOR method. The proposed PMOR technique guarantees overall stability and passivity of parameterized reduced order models over a user-defined range of design parameter values. Pertinent numerical examples validate the proposed PMOR approach

Reduced order modeling of delayed PEEC circuits

We propose a novel model order reduction technique that is able to accurately reduce electrically large systems with delay elements, which can be described by means of neutral delayed differential equations. It is based on an adaptive multipoint expansion and model order reduction of equivalent first order systems. The neutral delayed differential formulation is preserved in the reduced model. Pertinent numerical results validate the proposed model order reduction approach