Page 14 - Power Electronics News - December 2020

Smart Energy
Figure 3: PRBX Smart Power supply digitally controlled by microprocessor and built
in storage capacitor for peak load and backward energy.
warehouse to a final shipping point. In that pro-
cess parcels are tagged (Bare code or RF ID) and
identified at the start of the process by sending
volume, weight and special handling information
(e.g. fragile, no-flip) to a central database part
of the Hub Process Controller (HPC). From that
point, during its journey from the warehouse to
the shipping platform, the energy required at
every station will be known and communicated
from the HPC to the specific station.
One example can be seen in energy-optimized
conveyors that are based on a succession of
belts powered by brushless DC motors. As the
parcel moves forwards the energy profile of each
power system (figure 03) powering the DC motor
will be communicated by the HPC to the specif-
ic section of the conveyor, making it possible to
pre-charge the supercapacitor bank when peak
For More Information
▶ PowerBox
▶ Smart Power
14 DECEMBER 2020 | www.powerelectronicsnews.com
TEST & MEASUREMENTS
energy is required, or adjust
other parameters such as volt-
age, current limitation.
Very advanced systems utilize
machine-to-machine com-
munication and for example,
when a parcel is approaching a
handling robot on the convey-
er belt, the last station sends
energy profile data to the han-
dling robot to preset all param-
eters in advance.
In all of those steps the power
supply forms part of the eco-system and commu-
nication links with the HPC. We are talking about
power systems that are much more complex than
the stand-alone versions that we have been used
to in the past. But factory automation designers
are expecting power supply manufacturers to not
only think out of the box, but to make it possible
for them to be part of the machine-to-machine Test & Measurements
network.
for Power Electronics
IN CONCLUSION
From a control IC to a complete factory, Smart By Maurizio Di Paolo Emilio, Editor-in-Chief of Power Electronics News and EEWeb
Power is everywhere and as we used to say, Smart
Factories will be powered by Smart Power, de- Accessing the quality and durability of electron- WBG power modules offer features and capabil-
signed by curious and innovative ‘Smart Designers’. ic devices is done by testing and measuring the ities that are orders of magnitude greater than
staying power. Testing to evaluate Gallium Nitride their silicon counterparts, including 10× voltage
(GaN) value is imperative, because of its immense blocking capability, 10× to 100× switching speed
potential since its inception, to achieve more capability, and one-tenth the energy losses. They
efficient power conversion, as the key disruptor are also intrinsically radiation-hardened (rad-
in power electronics applications. The charac- hard) and offer a theoretical junction tempera-
teristics of GaN-based switches, such as high ture operation of up to 600°C. This technology
electron mobility, wide-bandgap, high breakdown could provide power systems with power densi-
field, and much lower on-resistance, has encour- ties up to 10× higher than current silicon-based
aged power design engineers to start considering devices together with lower cooling require-
the endless possibilities that an improved power ments.
conversion could provide.
DECEMBER 2020 | www.powerelectronicsnews.com 15