581 research outputs found
Efficient and Robust Simulation, Modeling and Characterization of IC Power Delivery Circuits
As the Moore’s Law continues to drive IC technology, power delivery has become one
of the most difficult design challenges. Two of the major components in power delivery are
DC-DC converters and power distribution networks, both of which are time-consuming to
simulate and characterize using traditional approaches. In this dissertation, we propose a
complete set of solutions to efficiently analyze DC-DC converters and power distribution
networks by finding a perfect balance between efficiency and accuracy.
To tackle the problem, we first present a novel envelope following method based on
a numerically robust time-delayed phase condition to track the envelopes of circuit states
under a varying switching frequency. By adopting three fast simulation techniques, our
proposed method achieves higher speedup without comprising the accuracy of the results.
The robustness and efficiency of the proposed method are demonstrated using several DCDC
converter and oscillator circuits modeled using the industrial standard BSIM4 transistor
models. A significant runtime speedup of up to 30X with respect to the conventional
transient analysis is achieved for several DC-DC converters with strong nonlinear switching
characteristics.
We then take another approach, average modeling, to enhance the efficiency of analyzing
DC-DC converters. We proposed a multi-harmonic model that not only predicts the
DC response but also captures the harmonics of arbitrary degrees. The proposed full-order
model retains the inductor current as a state variable and accurately captures the circuit
dynamics even in the transient state. Furthermore, by continuously monitoring state variables,
our model seamlessly transitions between continuous conduction mode and discontinuous
conduction mode. The proposed model, when tested with a system decoupling
technique, obtains up to 10X runtime speedups over transistor-level simulations with a maximum output voltage error that never exceeds 4%.
Based on the multi-harmonic averaged model, we further developed the small-signal
model that provides a complete characterization of both DC averages and higher-order
harmonic responses. The proposed model captures important high-frequency overshoots
and undershoots of the converter response, which are otherwise unaccounted for by the
existing techniques. In two converter examples, the proposed model corrects the misleading
results of the existing models by providing the truthful characterization of the overall
converter AC response and offers important guidance for converter design and closed-loop
control.
To address the problem of time-consuming simulation of power distribution networks,
we present a partition-based iterative method by integrating block-Jacobi method with
support graph method. The former enjoys the ease of parallelization, however, lacks a
direct control of the numerical properties of the produced partitions. In contrast, the latter
operates on the maximum spanning tree of the circuit graph, which is optimized for
fast numerical convergence, but is bottlenecked by its difficulty of parallelization. In our
proposed method, the circuit partitioning is guided by the maximum spanning tree of the
underlying circuit graph, offering essential guidance for achieving fast convergence. The
resulting block-Jacobi-like preconditioner maximizes the numerical benefit inherited from
support graph theory while lending itself to straightforward parallelization as a partitionbased
method. The experimental results on IBM power grid suite and synthetic power grid
benchmarks show that our proposed method speeds up the DC simulation by up to 11.5X
over a state-of-the-art direct solver
A Variable-Structure Variable-Order Simulation Paradigm for Power Electronic Circuits
Solid-state power converters are used in a rapidly growing number of applications including variable-speed motor drives for hybrid electric vehicles and industrial applications, battery energy storage systems, and for interfacing renewable energy sources and controlling power flow in electric power systems. The desire for higher power densities and improved efficiencies necessitates the accurate prediction of switching transients and losses that, historically, have been categorized as conduction and switching losses. In the vast majority of analyses, the power semiconductors (diodes, transistors) are represented using simplified or empirical models. Conduction losses are calculated as the product of circuit-dependent currents and on-state voltage drops. Switching losses are estimated using approximate voltage-current waveforms with empirically derived turn-on and turn-off times
Ono: an open platform for social robotics
In recent times, the focal point of research in robotics has shifted from industrial ro- bots toward robots that interact with humans in an intuitive and safe manner. This evolution has resulted in the subfield of social robotics, which pertains to robots that function in a human environment and that can communicate with humans in an int- uitive way, e.g. with facial expressions. Social robots have the potential to impact many different aspects of our lives, but one particularly promising application is the use of robots in therapy, such as the treatment of children with autism. Unfortunately, many of the existing social robots are neither suited for practical use in therapy nor for large scale studies, mainly because they are expensive, one-of-a-kind robots that are hard to modify to suit a specific need. We created Ono, a social robotics platform, to tackle these issues. Ono is composed entirely from off-the-shelf components and cheap materials, and can be built at a local FabLab at the fraction of the cost of other robots. Ono is also entirely open source and the modular design further encourages modification and reuse of parts of the platform
SCR-Based Wind Energy Conversion Circuitry and Controls for DC Distributed Wind Farms
The current state of art for electrical power generated by wind generators are in alternating current (AC). Wind farms distribute this power as 3-phase AC. There are inherent stability issues with AC power distribution. The grid power transfer capacity is limited by the distance and characteristic impedance of the lines. Furthermore, wind generators have to implement complicated, costly, and inefficient back-to-back converters to generate AC. AC distribution does not offer an easy integration of energy storage. To mitigate drawbacks with AC generation and distribution, direct current (DC) generation and high voltage direct current (HVDC) distribution for the wind farms is proposed. DC power distribution is inherently stable. The generators convert AC power to DC without the use of a back-to-back converter. DC grid offers an easy integration of energy storage.
The proposed configuration for the generator is connected to a HVDC bus using a 12 pulse thyristor network, which can apply Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT). To properly control the system, several estimators are designed and applied. This includes a firing angle, generator output voltage, and DC current estimators to reduce noise effects. A DSP-based controller is designed and implemented to control the system and provide gate pulses. Performance of the proposed system under faults and drive train torque pulsation are analyzed as well. Additionally, converter paralleling when turbines operate at different electrical power levels are also studied. The proposed new Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS) is described in detail and verified using MATLAB®/ Simulink® simulation and experimental test setup. The proposed solution offers higher reliability, lower conversion power loss, and lower cost. The following is proposed as future work:
1) Study different control methods for controlling the SCR\u27s.
2) Investigate reducing torque pulsations of the PMSG and using the proposed power conversion method for DFIG turbines.
3) Explore options for communication/control between PMSG, circuit protection and grid-tied inverters.
4) Investigate the best possible configuration for DC storage/connection to the HVDC/MVDC bus.
5) Study the filtering needed to improve the DC bus voltage at the generator
An Overview of Modelling Techniques and Control Strategies for Modular Multilevel Matrix Converters
The Modular Multilevel Matrix Converter is a relatively new power converter topology appropriate for high-power Alternating Current (AC) to AC purposes. Several publications in the literature have highlighted the converter capabilities such as modularity, control flexibility, the possibility to include redundancy, and power quality. Nevertheless, the topology and control of this converter are relatively complex to design and implement, considering that the converter has a large number of cells and floating capacitors. Therefore multilayer nested control systems are required to maintain the capacitor voltage of each cell regulated within an acceptable range. There are no other review papers where the modelling, control systems and applications of the Modular Multilevel Matrix Converter are discussed. Hence, this paper aims to facilitate further research by presenting the technology related to the Modular Multilevel Matrix Converter, focusing on a comprehensive revision of the modelling and control strategies.Agencia Nacional de Investigacion y Desarrollo (ANID) of Chile
Fondecyt 11191163
Fondecyt 1180879
Fondecyt 11190852
Fondef ID19I10370
University of Costa Rica
322-B9242
University of Santiago
Dicyt 091813D
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