ELECTRONICS Designed to optimise the size The actuation power solution is designed to provide a plug-and-play option for MEA Microchip has amassed
years of experience in understanding aviation actuation applications
and power efficiency of actuation systems, the gate drivers can operate effectively at temperatures between -55°C and 110°C, which is critical for aviation applications that are often exposed to harsh environments. The isolated companion gate driver boards only require a single 15V DC input for the control and drive circuit; additional voltages needed are generated on the card. This significantly reduces the number of system components and simplifies system cabling.
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES “While there are many semiconductor companies that provide solutions for commercial and industrial markets, the aviation sector needs highly durable and reliable products with unprecedented design excellence, but also at a cost-optimised price point,” says Gole. “The reliability standards for aviation are challenging, including but not limited to 50,000 feet altitude, -55°C, stringent vibration, humidity and shock test requirements. Few suppliers can meet these standards.” Microchip’s new actuation power
solution is tested to conditions outlined in DO-160, “Environmental Conditions and Test Procedures for Airbourne Equipment”, featuring multiple protection features such as shoot-through detection, short circuit protection, desaturation protection, Under Voltage Lock Out (UVLO) and active miller clamping. “The aviation sector also needs
The value proposition of the actuation power solution
power actuation systems for Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft, MEA and all- electric aircraft. “The integrated solution comes in
different variants to suit the needs of the customer from 5kVA to 20kVA with the same footprint and reliability required for aviation, such as high thermal performance, low-weight and low-profile design, and cost efficiency,” Gole explains. “For further customisation the power solution is available in IGBT and SiC.” Essentially, the solution removes
the need for customers to design and develop their own drive circuitry,
which can reduce design time, resources and cost. The gate driver boards are driven with external PWN signals based on Low Voltage Differential Signalling (LVDS) compliant with TIA/EIA-644 for low Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) and good noise immunity. The boards provide differential outputs for telemetry signals like DC bus current, phase current and solenoid current by taking feedback from shunts present in Microchip’s HPD module and DC bus voltage. The solution also provides direct output of two PT1000 temperature sensors available in the HPD power module.
the ability to provide both standard and customised solutions,” Gole adds. “This is a rarity and one of the gaps that many system providers lack to scale their operation. Microchip is uniquely placed to provide standard, modified and customised solutions. The company provides customers with added flexibility to either use only power modules or fully integrated solutions based on where they are in their development roadmap. Having this design freedom will help the aviation sector to truly scale.”
For more information visit:
www.microchip.com
www.engineerlive.com 39
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