Control IP-cores
Control of power electronics converters is a complex problem requiring advanced signal processing. Our advanced control systems are based on Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology. Since long we have been working on flexible control cores implemented in FPGA chips for power converters control purposes. Arithmetic-logic units (ALU) of our signal processing IP cores are tailored to execute different algorithms for hard and soft-switching converters. Cores developed for vector-control purposes allow us to easily develop diverse control strategies for modern Active Front End (AFE) Converters .
Our core consists of three hardware layers:
- Low level hardware blocks responsible for converter protection against control algorithm malfunction. This hardware layer allows to easily develop new control strategies without a risk of destroying power converter by exceeding electronic components operation range.
- Main Digital Signal Processing (DSP) block. Special arithmetic units are responsible for digital signal processing and realization of control algorithm computations. Hardware is optimized for power converters control computations what results in low cost of FPGA hardware along with very fast parallel, pipelined computations. During algorithm development user is supported by access from the pipeline level to the already implemented procedures (various transformations or signal processing routines used in power electronics). Pipeline control may be realized by means of memory stored microcode or by direct access to the hardware on the VHDL level (what gives wide possibilities of core customization). For any purposes we offer preparation of adequate core.
- High-level controller. Our processing cores, described above, are connected to the soft-core controller programmed in C language. This high-level controller is also implemented inside FPGA chip. This processor is responsible for interaction with external environment (sensors, other systems) through the communication interfaces and for the digital signal processing core operation management (assigning parameters and receiving state information).
Modulation unit available in the low-level hardware layer allows to freely choose number of controlled power switches and to implement various PWM modulation patterns.
Digital protection blocks of power devices offer diverse possibilities of fault signal management (e.g. sequential turning off in case of multilevel converter).
Number of simultaneously sampled measurement channels is practically unlimited. One control system may be adapted to wide range of converter types. Cost of hardware (FPGA chip) is dependent on requirements (different size of FPGA for different converters and control core possibilities). Digital signal processing power is practically unconstrained. In case of lack of the processing power, higher degree of parallelization may be used (by higher cost of the FPGA chip necessary to implement the core).
Software licenses
We offer realization of any custom algorithm on top of the presented control IP-core (complete control solution for your converter).
We sell licenses for the presented digital signal processing cores. For any type of power converter we prepare project of the control system (electronic board) along with technical documentation and wide user's manual. For particular application we select proper arithmetic precision of the core, processing power, as well as any other aspect.