The Kynix Blog - Power

Overview: This article explores how the smart grid, with its IoT-based transactions, can help address energy challenges in the 21st century. Learn about the role of renewable power generation and electrical grid infrastructure in energy conservation.  "Smart Grid" (SG) refers to the upgraded electrical grid that was made possible by advances in communication and sensor technology. Developing smart grid infrastructure is one of the solutions to many problems regarding energy conservation.Challenges in Energy TransactionsThere is an increase in the amount of energy produced by solar and wind sources. Additionally, there are new loads, such as electric vehicles, heat pumps, smart residential cities, commercial and industrial usage, infrastructure, substations, etc. Due to these characteristics, additional technological challenges, notably the unpredictability of solar, wind, and electric vehicle charging stations, represent a significant challenge in the process of distributing energy, which is a critical issue.  Energy demand has been rising rapidly due to the expansion of industries and population density. To prevent an energy crisis in the future, attention is being paid to energy consumption. Due to a lack of dependability, efficiency, security, seamless connectivity, etc., conventional electrical energy and networks would not be able to meet the needs of the industry in the 21st century. As a result, many new technologies (including communication and sensors) have developed to offer the features listed above.Evolution of Internet of EnergyThe Internet of Things (IoT) has evolved due to the expansion of heterogeneous networks and smart devices, enabling all networks and devices to interact with one another and create communication links with one another. The Internet of Things will be very helpful in the smart grid because it manages numerous components and seeks to give users the best possible energy.  The Internet of Things (IoT) is becoming more popular in smart grids under the "Internet of Energy" (IoE). To deliver the best energy and share relevant data among the numerous entities connected to the grid, smart grid technology uses all newly developed communication technologies and creates a completely connected network. A major problem has been the administration of enormous amounts of real-time data and its integration.  In contrast to the Internet of Things, the Internet of Energy is one of the most recent approaches to addressing issues like uninterruptible services, optimal use, etc. This article describes how the smart grid will use the Internet of Things to manage energy effectively. This also discusses how communication technologies integrate various smart grid components, infrastructure entities, substations, electric vehicles, etc. Advantages of Internet of Energy-based Smart GridsThe Internet of Energy enables optimal power distribution to all grid-connected devices and information sharing inside the grid network. Energy management, electric vehicle integration, and network integration will all be crucial in smart grids. Vehicle-to-grid (V2G) and grid-to-vehicle (G2V) technology have established a road to deal with the integration. With this technology, automobiles can communicate data with infrastructure about their state of charge (SOC), battery life, and condition, in addition to receiving the best possible energy supply. Due to the rapidly expanding energy consciousness, a dependable system that can deliver high-quality energy with optimal output and a sustainable backup system is required. This is why the smart grid is so unique because of the way it became linked to the bidirectional network system. The multi-agent system (MAS) will be employed in industries to manage the smart grid without human interaction. The software component known as the multi-agent system is responsible for gathering and delivering necessary data throughout the network. Challenges in SecurityThe effective formation of communication between entities aids in the handling of the massive amount of real-time data using reliable, secure encryption techniques. Only permitted entities should be able to manage network data exchange. Data management and security will become important challenges while dealing with a large volume of data and powering every device connected to the grid. The grid network will be more vulnerable to cyberattacks, which might cause individual components and the network as a whole to malfunction.  It results in the flow of incorrect information between entities and end users. Therefore, it is necessary to give the grid high security. Strong protocols (including encryption and decryption), anti-malware software, and highly secure network management protocols are required for high security.Features of Internet of EnergyThe smart energy infrastructure shown in Fig. 1 is a networked system comprising loads, energy metering units, energy storage devices, and automated and centralized distribution systems. Power and energy distribution across the network is the Internet of Energy’s primary goal, and it also enables information sharing with all linked devices. It deals with the security and management of real-time data. Cloud and edge-based systems are fully necessary for implementing the "Internet of Energy" concept.  Open-source interfaces are necessary for creating customer-specific applications to make the Internet of Energy quick and effective. The cloud-based application system at the power grid substation compares the actual target with the current target demand. It offers services like security management and power delivery to remote locations. The substation-connected assets were tracked, examined, and shared using the Internet of Energy.  Once the data analysis process is complete, the appropriate entity will permit the necessary steps, transforming the power plant and smart grid from a traditional into a virtual system. The advanced distributed energy management system's use of technology improves the effectiveness of power usage. Utilizing appropriate optimization techniques at various levels maximizes output while lowering costs, boosting profitability, improving dependability, and incorporating more renewable resources into the smart grid network.  The administration of smart meters, grid analytics, sub-station devices, low voltage outage management systems, and distributed energy resource management systems are some advanced applications integrated with the Internet of Energy. By integrating real-time data and devices into the digital world, smart grids offer quick and safe transport of information and power. Fig. 1. Internet of Things-based efficient energy transactions at the grid and charging stations. Source: IET Renewable Power Generation Summarizing the Key PointsThe use of Internet of Things-based efficient energy transactions is crucial in addressing the challenges faced by conventional electrical energy and networks in meeting the demands of the industry in the 21st century.The Internet of Things has played a significant role in the evolution of the electrical grid, enabling all networks and devices to interact with one another and create communication links.The Internet of Things-based efficient energy transaction can help prevent an energy crisis in the future by ensuring that energy demand is met efficiently and securely.The Internet of Energy is becoming more popular in smart grids as it seeks to give users the best possible energy by managing numerous components and providing uninterruptible services.The administration of enormous amounts of real-time data and its integration has been a major problem in smart grids, which can be addressed using Internet of Things-based efficient energy transactions. This blog post is part of a full research article from IET Renewable Power Generation. The featured image is courtesy of Midjourney. 

Overview: The availability of charging infrastructure is the most critical factor in the market penetration of commercial electric vehicles. In this article, a concise evaluation of a variety of topics related to the development of such infrastructure is provided.Charging InfrastructureThe SAE J1772 standard categorizes the electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure into three levels based on the charging power rate, voltage, current, and installation location, as shown in Table 1. Levels 1 and 2 are known as slow chargers, while level 3 is a fast charger. These levels indicate how long EVs take to charge.Table 1. Charging Levels of EV According to the SAE J1772 Standard. Source: IEEE Accessi The standard of North America.ii Typical values of DC charging station.iii Developed DC charging station. By the end of 2018, there were roughly 5.2 million light-duty vehicles (electric truck) charging stations installed worldwide. While public charging stations reached 1,44,000 fast chargers and 3,95,000 slow chargers, the majority of these stations were installed as slow-charging private stations. Numerous plans to accelerate the deployment of charging infrastructure were also announced. The majority of these announcements concerned chargers from the private sector with various capacities. Other announcements deal with publicly accessible chargers and make fewer promises for infrastructure for charging on highways. The power needs of these vehicles determine whether the current charging infrastructure is appropriate for commercial EVs (CEVs). Light- and medium-duty (electric trucks) ETs can be charged overnight using level 2 chargers, while small- and medium-duty ETs can be charged quickly using level 3 chargers. Additionally, some heavy-duty ETs can be overnight charged using level 3 chargers.  However, the majority of medium- and heavy-duty EVs with long driving distances need specialized fast-charging infrastructure with higher power capacities than the current fast level 3 chargers. As a result, several businesses, including Tritium, Phoenix Contact, BMW Group, and Charge Point, have revealed new plans to install high-power capacity charging infrastructure with a 400 kW or higher rating. Additionally, Tesla Inc. has revealed plans to expand its network of 1 MW mega chargers, each of which can travel 640 km in just 30 minutes. In accordance with the operational schedules of commercial EVs, charging infrastructure can be installed at locations where vehicles are parked (depots, yards, aggregators, etc.) to enable overnight charging or between shifts, as well as in open areas to enable charging along a commercial vehicle's daily route. Two proposed methods for charging commercial EVs are suitable: return-to-base model charging infrastructure and public charging infrastructure. Return-To-Base Model Charging Infrastructure The majority of commercial enterprises use a "return-to-base" strategy, where high-power charging infrastructure is installed at their commercial facilities (depots, yards, industrial micro-grids, etc.) to enable the full charging of electric trucks (ET) outside of working hours, such as overnight or between shifts, as shown in Fig. 1. This is due to the spatial and temporal distribution of commercial truck fleet activities and a lack of suitable public charging stations.  Installing a dedicated charging station for each ET that needs to be charged at the commercial facility is the easiest strategy to implement during the early stages of ET adoption. However, it is possible for several ETs to share a single charging station in order to lower the upfront cost of the infrastructure necessary for charging, provided that this decrease in the number of charging stations does not interfere with the ETs' operational schedules.Fig. 1. Operation model of the return-to-base strategy. Source: IEEE Access Charging at Public Charging Infrastructure Commercial vehicles should ideally be charged where they park, but for a variety of reasons, as shown in Fig. 2, it may still be necessary to charge them while they are on the road during their daily driving cycles. Particularly for small commercial enterprises, charging commercial vehicles while they are on the road can help to reduce the capital cost investment of charging infrastructure required at a parking area. The development of contact-free charging infrastructure, mainly inductive power transfer (IPT) charging systems, has been the subject of extensive research.  Installation of battery swapping charging infrastructure, which allows EVs to swap out their nearly empty battery bank for a fully charged battery bank, is another way to put electric vehicles on the road. Contrarily, conductive charging stations can be gradually sized and scaled up to meet the power needs of CEVs. Therefore, compared to other options, charging stations do not require as much infrastructure investment.Fig. 2. Operation model of public charging infrastructure. Source: IEEE Access Charging Infrastructure for Long-Haul Commercial EVs Large battery banks need to be charged at warehouses because long-distance commercial vehicles have large daily ranges. The payload ratings of long-haul vehicles, however, would be impacted by the weight of the large battery banks. For a few long-haul CEVs that are currently on the market, Table 2 displays the battery weight ratio of the total GVW. As can be seen, increasing battery capacity will result in a higher battery weight to gross vehicle weight ratio, which will lower the maximum payload capability.  According to an analysis, the maximum payload of long-distance CEVs is lower than that of commercial diesel vehicles, as shown in Fig. 3. This graph displays the weight distribution of the major parts for CEVs and diesel vehicles with various battery capacities. As can be seen, compared to diesel vehicles, the CEV's maximum payload is limited to a maximum of 23%.Table 2. The battery weight ratio of the total GVW of some long-haul CEVs. Source: IEEE Accessi The battery weight is calculated based on the energy density 0.125 kWh/kgFig. 3. Weight breakdown of main components for diesel vehicles and CEVs with different battery capacities. Source: IEEE Access In order to electrify long-distance commercial vehicles, the best possible combination of battery bank size and high-power public charging stations along a route is required. Due to the strict operational schedules of these vehicles, charging long-haul vehicles on the road presents numerous difficulties. The number of hours that long-haul vehicles may be operated each day before being required to take a break is subject to many regulations.  For instance, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, a division of the US Department of Transportation, sets a daily cap on the number of hours of service at 10.5 hours before requiring eight hours of rest. Similarly to this, driving is only permitted for a maximum of 4.5 hours per day and must be followed by a minimum of a 45-minute break. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 4, charging activities for long-distance vehicles must take place when the vehicle is at rest. To keep up with their operational schedules, long-distance vehicles will have to stop at places with lots of high-power charging stations. However, running multiple chargers simultaneously imposes significant challenges on the power grid, requiring expensive network reinforcement. Additionally, the stability of a grid system is impacted by these numerous charging stations, particularly during peak hours. These limitations have an effect on the number of vehicles that can be charged at a particular location and, consequently, the rate at which charging infrastructure is utilized. Fig. 4. Operation model of haulage trucks. Source: IEEE Access The right size and localization of charging infrastructure along highway routes will be necessary to overcome the aforementioned difficulties with charging long-haul vehicles. Electric utilities, fleet owners, and truck stops should work together to identify the best locations for the charging infrastructure while taking into account the reliability of the power systems and the schedules of long-haul vehicles.Summarizing with Key Points: Some of the takeaways from the article are as follows: SAE J1772 standard divides EV charging infrastructure into three levels based on power rate, voltage, current, and installation location. Levels 1 and 2 are slow chargers, while Level 3 is a fast charger.Tritium, Phoenix Contact, BMW Group, and Charge Point have announced plans to install 400 kW or higher charging infrastructure. Tesla Inc. plans to expand its 1 MW mega charger network, which can travel 640 km in 30 minutes.There are two suggested ways to charge commercial EVs: infrastructure for Return-to-base model charging and infrastructure for public charging.Return-to-base strategy is installing high-power charging infrastructure at their commercial facilities (depots, yards, industrial micro-grids, etc.) to fully charge ETs and reduce infrastructure costs. Several ETs can share a charging station.In public charging infrastructure, road charging commercial vehicles reduces parking area charging infrastructure capital costs. IPT charging systems, battery swapping infrastructure, and conductive charging stations have been studied.To charge long-haul vehicles, highway charging infrastructure must be properly sized and located. Electric utilities, fleet owners, and truck stops should consider power system reliability and long-haul vehicle schedules when choosing charging locations. This blog post is part of a full research article from IEEE Access.

Overview: Transportation electrification began with small electric vehicles and gradually entered into medium-duty and heavy-duty vehicle electrification. In this article, we will understand the importance of commercial vehicle electrification and the challenges ahead. Significance of Commercial Vehicles Electrification Global climate change has resulted from human-caused greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which have raised the earth's temperature over the past century. The 2016 Paris Agreement sought to reduce global GHG emissions in order to keep the average global warming within two °C above pre-industrial temperatures in order to combat this threat from climate change. The transportation industry, which produces nearly 25% of the world's CO2 emissions, is one of the biggest sources of GHG emissions. Road vehicles account for nearly 75% of all CO2 emissions in the transportation industry among all modes of transportation. Therefore, a crucial step in reducing direct CO2 emissions is the electrification of road transportation. Many governments have therefore established transitional plans to electrify their transportation sector by 2050. Around 10 million electric vehicles (EVs) were in use worldwide as of the end of 2020, with battery electric vehicles making up two-thirds of this total. These EVs are predominantly light passenger cars. Challenges in Commercial Vehicles Electrification Nearly 40% of the world's road transportation sector's CO2 emissions in 2015 came from commercial vehicles, and under the "business as usual" scenario, those emissions are expected to at least double between 2015 and 2050. Therefore, the electrification of commercial vehicles is a crucial research area because it offers a promising chance to significantly reduce these emissions. Due to the small size of electric vehicle batteries, their low mileage, and the lack of public charging infrastructure, the majority of studies on electrifying commercial vehicles have concentrated on the hybridization of these vehicles.  Light-duty trucks (LDTs), which have been successfully electrified without significantly altering travel habits, have been the primary focus of the initial deployment of zero-emission commercial electric vehicles (CEVs), including electric trucks (ETs). Heavy-duty truck (HDT) deployment is in the pilot stage, whereas the deployment of medium-duty trucks (MDT) is still in the early stages. According to recent studies, there have been around 2,50,000 light-duty commercial electric vehicle sales, including trucks, with a stock of close to 31,000 medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. When compared to light passenger vehicles, commercial electric vehicle adoption has lagged, which has been attributed to the unsatisfactory policies implemented in this sector. With the availability of suitable charging infrastructure that meets the charging needs of these vehicles, the possibility of electrifying commercial vehicles grows. Commercial vehicle drivers are unlikely to switch to electric vehicles if the charging process is more challenging, uncertain, and time-consuming. However, as can be seen from Table 1, there are a variety of uses for commercial vehicles, which also affects the average load, trip length, and daily mileage of these vehicles. Furthermore, compared to passenger vehicles, the operational schedules of commercial electric vehicles can affect how quickly these vehicles charge up at charging infrastructure. Table 1. Different applications of commercial vehicles. Source: IEEE AccessVMTi refers to Vehicle Miles Travelled,PTOii refers to Power Take-Off,Percentageiii The percentage of the truck population by vocations depends on California truck population. Recent Advancements in Commercial Vehicles Electrification  In contrast to diesel and alternative fuel trucks, however, recent advancements in lithium battery technology have made electric trucks both technically and financially feasible. Existing studies have examined the potential advantages of ETs over diesel trucks over a vehicle's lifetime. These studies have found that, despite the high upfront costs of ETs, they can perform at least as well as diesel trucks over their entire lifecycle, particularly if the latter have long battery lives and high annual mileage. Moreover, the use of ETs, particularly MDTs, and HDTs, has increased as a result of regulations and government incentives encouraging the use of zero-emission vehicles. With battery sizes ranging from 300 kWh to roughly 990 kWh, a number of truck manufacturers, including DAF, Daimler, MAN, Navistar, Nikola, PACCAR, Volkswagen, Volvo, Tesla Inc., and Thor Trucks, have made significant plans to electrify their MDTs and HDTs. Due to their short-range needs and compact batteries, MDTs have drawn the most attention from these announcements regarding electrification. All of the announcements have a model for medium-duty trucks, and some manufacturers, like Daimler and BYD, have already released their commercial trucks for certain markets. In their announcements, some manufacturers, including Navistar, Volkswagen, Thor Trucks, Freightliner, and Tesla Inc., have mentioned the production of HDTs.  On the other hand, a lot of businesses have started incorporating ETs into their fleets or have made an announcement regarding their procurement of ETs. For instance, Walmart Inc. reported 45 class 8 Tesla Semi HDT pre-orders for the coming year. Similar orders for electric delivery trucks were made by Amazon and Rivian in 2019, and Anheuser-Busch announced plans to use 21 HDTs from BYD in California by the end of the year. In general, commercial vehicles, such as trucks, can be divided into three groups based on their gross vehicle weight (GVW). LDTs fall into this category if their GVW is less than 3.5 tonnes (t), MDTs fall into this category if their GVW is between 3.5t and 15t, and HDTs fall into this category if their GVW is above 15t. Each category has a wide range of vehicle types appropriate for their range of occupational operations, such as long-haul freight and garbage collection trucks.  Due to policies encouraging the adoption of zero-emission vehicles and advancements in battery technology, the electrification of MDTs and HDTs has been increasingly adopted in recent years. MDT models with battery bank capacities ranging from 48.5 kWh to about 350 kWh and an estimated range of up to 400 km have been produced by numerous truck manufacturers. Many models of HDTs with battery bank capacities between 120 kWh and 1000 kWh to cover an estimated range of up to 800 km have been introduced or produced. Table 2 lists the specifications of some MDTs and HDTs that are currently advertised or reported. Table 2. Specification of some commercial electric vehicles. Source: IEEE Access The estimated range of CEVs and the availability of appropriate charging infrastructure determine whether or not they can be used to cover the daily travel distance of commercial vehicles. According to surveys, most medium-duty commercial vehicles travel an average daily distance of 80 km to 250 km, while heavy-duty commercial vehicles travel an average daily distance of up to 700 km. As a result, at locations where they park overnight or in between shifts, the reported range of medium-duty CEVs can cover a sizable portion of the daily travel distance with just one charging event per day.  However, some medium- and heavy-duty CEVs require high charging rates to be met in a single charging event over the times they are parked because of high charging requirements (such as long-haul operation, multiple-shift operation, etc.). A high percentage of the daily travel distance is covered by multiple charging events per day at various locations along commercial vehicles' routes due to the constrained capacity of some electrical power infrastructure, which restricts the charging rate of charging infrastructure. Therefore, the number of times a CEV may need to be charged each day will depend on the daily mileage of commercial vehicles, the CEV's estimated range, and the infrastructure's charging rate. Summarizing With Key Points: Some of the takeaways from the article are as follows: Transportation emits nearly 25% of the world's CO2 and GHGs. Thus, many governments have transitional plans to electrify transportation by 2050. As of 2020, there were 10 million electric vehicles (EVs), two-thirds of which were battery-electric. Light passenger cars dominate these EVs.Most studies on electrifying commercial vehicles have focused on hybridization because electric vehicle batteries are small, have low mileage, and lack charging infrastructure.If charging is difficult, uncertain, and time-consuming, commercial vehicle drivers will not switch to electrifying their vehicles.Recently, MDTs and HDTs have been electrified due to policies encouraging zero-emission vehicles and advances in battery technology.  This blog post is part of a full research article from IEEE Access.*******************************************************************************************************************************************

Introduction The introduction of grounding technology was originally a protective way to prevent electrical or electronic equipment from being struck by lightning. At the same time, it is also an effective means to protect personal safety. When the phase line (such as poor wire insulation, aging, etc.)  touches the equipment shell for some reason, dangerous voltage will be generated on the equipment shell, thus the generated fault current will flow through the PE line to the ground, thus playing a protective role. With the development of electronic communication and other digital fields, only considering lightning protection and safety in the grounding system is far from meeting the requirements. Electrical Grounding Explained | Basic Concepts Catalog Introduction Ⅰ Basic: Q&A Related to Electrical Ground Ⅱ DC Power Supply Ground 2.1 Basic Overview 2.2 DC Power Supply Ground Analysis with Diagrams 2.3 Ground Bounce for Buck Converters 2.4 Ground Bounce for Boost Converters 2.5 Summery Ⅲ Useful Concepts for Grounding Analysis Ⅳ Conclusion Ⅴ FAQ Ⅰ Basic: Q&A Related to Electrical Ground The signal between each device needs a "ground" as the reference ground of the signal. Moreover, with the complexity of electronic equipment, the signal frequency is getting complicated. Therefore, in the grounding design, special attention must be paid to electromagnetic compatibility issues such as mutual interference between signals. Otherwise, improper grounding will seriously affect the reliability of system operation. Here the following are doubts that may arise in the power grounding. Q1: What is the definition of grounding?A: As for grounding concepts, to line engineers, the term usually means "reference point for line voltage". For system designers, it is often a cabinet or rack. For electrical engineers, it means green safety ground or connection to the earth. A more general definition is "A ground is a low impedance path for current to return to its source", and the key points are "low impedance" and "passage". Q2: What are the common grounding symbols in circuit?A: PE, PGND, FG-protective ground or chassisBGND or DC-RETURN-DC-48V (+24V) power supply (battery) returnGND: working groundDGND: digital groundAGND: analog groundLGND: lightning protection ground Q3: What is the appropriate grounding method?A: There are many ways to ground, including single-point grounding, multi-point grounding and mixed types of grounding. Among them, the single is divided into series single-point grounding and parallel single-point grounding. Generally speaking, single-point grounding is used for simple circuits, while grounding distinction between different functional modules, and multi-point grounding or multi-layer boards (complete ground plane layer) are used in low-frequency (f10MHz) circuits. Q4: Why should the analog ground and digital ground be separated?A: Both the analog signal and the digital signal return to the ground, the digital signal changes fast with large noise, while the analog signal needs a clean ground reference to work. If the analog and digital grounds are mixed, noise can affect the analog signal.According to the above mentioned, the analog ground and the digital ground should be processed separately, and then connected together through thin wires, or together at a single point. The general idea is to try to block the noise on the digital ground from flowing to the analog ground. Of course, this is not a very strict requirement that they must be separated, because it depends on the actual situation. Q5: How to ground the signal on the board?A: Under normal circumstances, it is best to use the nearest ground when designing, and after a complete multi-layer board design, it is very easy to ground common signals. The basic principle is to ensure the continuity of the traces and reduce number of vias, close to ground plane or power plane, etc. Q6: How to ground the interface devices of the board?A: Some single boards have external input and output interfaces, such as serial port connectors, network port connectors, etc, if they are not properly grounded, it will also affect normal work, such as network port interconnection errors, packet loss, etc., and will become an external source of electromagnetic interference, sending the noise inside the board to the outside. Generally speaking, an independent interface ground will be divided, and the connection with the signal ground will be connected by thin traces, and a o small resistance or 0ohm resistor can be connected in series. Thin traces can be used to block signal ground noise from passing to the interface ground. Similarly, the filtering of interface ground and interface power should also be carefully considered. Q7: How to ground the shielding layer in the cable with shielding layer?A: The layer of the shielded cable must be connected to the interface ground of the single board, not the signal ground. This is because there are various noises on the signal ground. If the shielding layer is connected to the signal ground, the noise voltage will drive the common mode current along the shielding. Therefore, cables with unreasonable design are generally the largest noise output source of electromagnetic interference.   Ⅱ DC Power Supply Ground 2.1 Basic Overview In power supply design, safety is often in the first place, and the same is true in switching power supplies. Grounding can protect the personal safety of users and ensure the normal operation of power equipment. So what is the appropriate grounding method in switching power supplies? What are the common ground symbols in circuits? This article will popularize the grounding basic in DC power supplies.DC-DC is a commonly used power supply circuit in electronic hardware design. It has high efficiency in realizing high input voltage and low output voltage. It is widely used, from power adapters, mobile phone chargers, and internal power conversion of electronic equipment to DC-DC circuits. Each semiconductor manufacturer has its own DC-DC chips, and also there are many optional chips. For a well-designed DC-DC circuit, not only the peripheral resistance, capacitance, but also the inductance parameters of the DC-DC circuit should be considered. There are also high requirements for the PCB layout design. This paper proposes a method to guide the grounding in the PCB layout from the perspective of the current flow in DC circuits. 2.2 DC Power Supply Ground Analysis with Diagrams Circuit grounding looks simple in a circuit schematic, but the actual characteristics of a circuit are determined by the layout of its PCB. And the analysis of the grounding point is very difficult, especially for the DC-DC converter circuit, the grounding point of the circuit will gather a large current that changes rapidly. When grounded nodes move, system performance suffers and the system radiates EMI. Here a good understanding of the physical nature of "ground" induced ground noise can provide an intuitive understanding of ground noise reduction problems.The change of the transmission current in the ground loop will generate a magnetic field in the loop. The magnetic field strength is proportional to the current, and the magnetic flux is proportional to the product of the loop area and the magnetic field strength, which is expressed by the formula: Figure 1. Right Hand Rule Suppose there is a sudden break in the current loop, as shown in Figure 2. When the switch is turned off, the magnetic flux disappears, which will generate a large transient voltage along the wire. If part of the wire is a grounding return pin, the voltage referenced to the ground level will have a spike, resulting in a false signal in any circuit that uses that pin as a ground reference. Figure 2. Function of Start Switch The traces on the PCB circuit board are not ideal wires and have resistance. 1 ounce (oz) copper has a resistance of 500 microohms/square, so a 1 amp change in current will only produce a bounce voltage of 500uV/square -- the problem only exists if you use long thin traces or daisy chain grounds or Precision electronic circuits.The best way to reduce ground bounce in a DC-DC switching circuit is to control the magnetic flux variation—minimizing current loop area and loop area variation. The principle of DC-DC circuit buck or boost is to use electronic switches to quickly switch to charge and discharge the energy storage element to achieve voltage conversion, and at the same time change the loop area of the current in the circuit, resulting in ground bounce and electromagnetic radiation.In some cases, as shown in Figure, the current remains constant, while the switching causes a change in the loop area and therefore a change in the magnetic flux. In switching state 1, an ideal voltage source is connected to an ideal current source through an ideal conductor. In addition, current flows in a loop that includes a ground return.In switch state 2, the same current flows in different paths when the switch changes position. The current source is DC and there is no change, but the loop area has changed. A change in the loop area means a change in the magnetic flux, so a voltage is generated. Because the ground loop is part of the change loop. Figure 3. Figure Loop Area In the case of switching changes, the loop area changes. Everywhere along the wire in the lower left, when the current I1 becomes 0, a voltage is generated where the magnetic field disappears. 2.3 Ground Bounce for Buck Converters The buck converter (step-down converter) circuit is very similar to the circuit structure in Figure 3 above, and the circuit of the step-down converter is simplified, as shown in Figure. Figure 4. Step-down Converter Circuit At high frequencies, a large capacitor such as the input capacitor Cin of the step-down converter can be regarded as a DC voltage source. Similarly, an inductor such as the output inductor LBuck can be regarded as a DC current source. These approximations help to visualize understanding and theoretical analysis.As shown in Figure 5, when the switch alternates between the two positions, the change in the path through which the current flows causes a change in the magnetic flux. The large inductor LBuck keeps the output current approximately constant. Similarly, the large capacitor Cin holds the voltage approximately equal to Vin. Since the voltage across the input lead inductance does not change, the input current also remains approximately constant. Figure 5. Effect of Switch on Loop Area Although the input current and output voltage are essentially constant, when the switch is switched from position 1 to position 2, the total loop area rapidly changes by half. Loop area changes imply rapid changes in magnetic flux, causing ground bounce along the loop circuit.In practice, a buck converter consists of a pair of semiconductor electronic switches, as shown in Figure 6. Although the complex procedure increases in each figure, the analysis method for ground bounce caused by changes in magnetic flux remains simple and intuitive. Figure 6. Magnetic Flux Changes Cause Ground Bounce The fact that changes in magnetic flux create voltages along the ground loop raises an interesting question: where is the real ground? Because ground bounce means that, to some ideal point called ground (that point needs to be defined), a bounce voltage is created on the ground return trace. In a power regulator circuit, the real ground should be connected to the low-voltage side of the load. After all, the purpose of a DC-DC converter is to provide a stable voltage and current to the load. All other points on the current loop are not true ground, but the part of ground loop.Since the low-voltage end of the load is grounded and the change in the loop area is the cause of the ground bounce, then reducing the ground bounce and electromagnetic radiation, and optimizing the grounding of the circuit are to minimize the current loop area in the DC-DC circuit. Here is a way to optimize the layout. For example, the location of the input capacitor, output capacitor, and energy storage inductor reduces the current loop area. Figure shows how to carefully place the input capacitor Cin to reduce the loop area and ground bounce. Figure 7. Reduce Ground Bounce Capacitor Cin in Figure bypasses the high-side switch on the top layer of the PCB directly to both ends of the bottom low-side switch, thereby reducing the variation in loop area and isolating it from the ground return. When the switch switches from one state to another, from the bottom of Vin to the bottom of the load, there is no loop area change or switch current change. Therefore no ground bounce occurs in the ground loop.Figure is an unreasonable PCB layout. When the high-side switch is turned on, the DC current flows along the red loop of the outer ring. When the low-side switch is turned on, the DC current flows along the blue loop. It can be seen that this circuit layout produces a large loop change when the switch changes, causing a change in the magnetic flux, resulting in ground bounce and electromagnetic radiation interference. Figure 8. Unreasonable Layout For the clarity, in single-layer PCB routing, even using a second-layer monolithic ground plane cannot solve the bounce caused by grounding. Figure 9 is a simple box to illustrate that the ground plane cannot solve the problem. Here we use a double layer PCB to add a bypass circuit at the top level power line vertical. Figure 9. Ground Floor In the Figure 9 (a), the ground plane is monolithic and uncut. The top layer print current flows through the capacitor, through the via, and to the ground plane. Because AC always flows along the path of least impedance, ground return current returns to the power source around the corners of its path. So when the amplitude or frequency of the current changes, the magnetic field of the current and its loop area change, thereby changing the magnetic flux. The regularity of current flow along the path of least impedance means that ground bounce can occur even with a monolithic ground plane - independent of its conduction.In the Figure 9 (b), a properly cut ground plane limits the return current to minimize loop area, thus greatly reducing ground bounce. Any residual ground bounce voltage developed within the cut return line is isolated from the common ground plane.The PCB layout in Figure 10 uses a double-layer PCB to mount the input capacitor and two switches on islands in the ground plane. This wiring doesn't have to be the best, but it works well and speaks to key points. It should be noted that the loop area surrounded by the red and blue currents is large, but the difference between the two loop areas is small. A small change in loop area means a small change in magnetic flux—small ground bounce. However, in general, keep the loop area small. Figure 10. is just to illustrate the importance of AC current path matching. Figure 10. Converter Layout   Additionally, ground bounce along any ground loop is limited by ground cutting within ground loop islands where magnetic fields and loop areas vary. Also, it may appear at first glance that the input capacitance Cin is not located between the top-level high-side switch and the lower-level low-side switch shown in Figure 10. Although physical proximity can be fine, what really works is the electronic proximity achieved by minimizing the loop area. 2.4 Ground Bounce for Boost Converters A boost converter (step-down converter) is actually a reflection of a buck converter, as shown in Figure 11, where the output capacitor must be placed between the top high-side switch and the bottom low-side switch to minimize loop area change. Figure 11. Changes in Loop Area In the same way that a buck converter places Cvin at a critical position, a boost converter places Cvout at a key position. 2.5 Summery The ground bounce voltage is mainly due to changes in the magnetic flux. In a DC-DC switching power supply, the magnetic flux variation is caused by switching the DC current at high speed between different current loop areas. But careful placement of the buck converter's input capacitors and the boost converter's output capacitors, and a good cut of the ground plane can isolate ground bounce. Pay attention to, it is important to be careful when cutting the ground plane to avoid increasing the loop area for other return currents in the circuit.Another reasonable layout should place the real ground on the bottom layer connecting the load, which will not cause changes in loop area or current. Any other point related to conduction can be called "ground", but it's just a point along the return path.   Ⅲ Useful Concepts for Grounding Analysis If you follow the basic concepts, you will have a clear idea of what will cause ground bounce. Figure 12. shows that two conductors that are perpendicular to each other are not subject to the mutual influence of the magnetic field. Figure 12. Two Conductors Perpendicular to Each Other   The magnetic field lines created around two parallel wires carrying equal currents in the same direction traditionally cancel each other out between the two wires, so the total energy stored by the two wires is less than the energy stored by one wire alone. Therefore, the inductance of PCB wide traces is smaller than that of narrow traces. Figure 13. Two Parallel Wires with Current Flowing in Same Directions   The magnetic field lines generated around two equal conductors carrying equal currents in opposite directions cancel each other out of the two conductors, and strengthen between the two conductors. If the inner loop area is reduced, so does 4the total magnetic flux. This phenomenon can explain why the return current of the AC ground plane always flows under the trace conductors on the top layer of the bath. Figure 14. Two Parallel Wires with Current Flowing in Opposite Directions Figure 15. shows why corners add inductance. A straight wire only sees its own magnetic field, but at the corners, the magnetic field of a vertical wire is also visible. Therefore, the corners store more magnetic field energy, and their inductance is greater than that of straight wires. Figure 15. Add Inductance at the Corners Figure 16. shows that cutting the ground plane under the transmission line conductor increases the loop area by diverting the loop current, thereby increasing the loop size and contributing to ground bounce. Figure 16. Return Current Flows Along the Path of Least Impedance   Figure 17. Effect of Component Orientation   Ⅳ Conclusion Ground bounce has always been a potential problem. For monitors or TVs, it means the image is noisy, for audio equipment it means the noise floor. In digital systems, ground bounce can cause calculation errors -or even system crashes. Careful estimation of parasitic elements and simulation are effective methods for predicting the magnitude of ground bounce.First, when designing the PCB, the low-voltage side of the load should be set to true ground. Then, replace the large inductors and capacitors with current and voltage sources to simplify the circuit dynamics. Observing the current loop under each switch combination, the loops should be made to overlap, and if this is not possible, an island should be carefully cut out in the ground plane to ensure that only islands of DC inflow and outflow are present.In most cases, good grounding performance can be obtained with these efforts. If that doesn't work, the resistance of the ground plane should be considered first, then the displacement currents flowing across all switches and parasitic capacitors entering the return path. In short, no matter what circuit, the principle is the same, that is, to reduce the loop area and its difference when the switch changes.   Ⅴ FAQ 1. Does power supply need to be grounded?While it will likely be fine (I've run many computers in old houses that had no grounding), it's not advised. A static charge will build up, and depending on where it discharges may cause damage to the electronics. 2. What is the purpose of a ground wire?The ground wire offers an additional path for the electrical circuit to flow into the earth so as to not endanger anyone working with the electricity nearby in the event of a short circuit. Without ground wire, your body could instead complete the ground path and may cause shock or electrocution. 3. Which wire is ground on power supply?In a DC circuit, the convention in most of the world is that black is the “ground” and any other color carries a signal or power rail of some sort, with red and yellow being popular for power wiring, but it can really be any color on any particular connector. For example, for a typical PC “ATX” power supply. 4. What is the purpose of a ground?Grounding gives electricity the most effective way to return to the ground via your electrical panel. A grounding wire gives an appliance or electrical device a safe way to discharge excess electricity. 5. Should you ground the negative of a DC power supply?As long as both the negative terminal of the LED and the negative terminal of the battery both have good enough connections to ground then the ground will carry enough current between the two connection to complete the circuit and light the LED. The same applies in the mains electricity supply. 6. How do I know if my power supply is grounded?Insert one probe of the circuit tester into the small slot and the other probe into the large probe. If the circuit tester lights up, you have power to the outlet. Now place one probe in the small slot and the other probe into the "U" shaped ground hole. The indicator should light up if the outlet is grounded. 7. Can you ground yourself by touching PSU?It looks pretty, but it's impossible to ground yourself to a case that has no bare metal. Instead, I just installed my power supply and touched the ground prong every now and then. All that said, if all you're doing is touching a metal part on the computer, you aren't really grounding yourself. 8. Can I tie the neutral and ground together?No, the neutral and ground should never be wired together. This is wrong, and potentially dangerous. When you plug in something in the outlet, the neutral will be live, as it closes the circuit. If the ground is wired to the neutral, the ground of the applicance will also be live. 9. What is ground in DC circuit?Traditionally, "ground" is the lowest potential in a circuit, e.g. the minus side of a battery or DC supply. 10. What happens when electricity goes to ground?The majority of the energy of the lightning discharge is dissipated in the air as it travels from the clouds to the ground through the air. The remainder is dissipated in the ground in the area surrounding the location of the strike, over a fairly short distance. 11. What is difference between earthing and grounding?Earthing and grounding are similar terms. ... The main difference between earthing and grounding is that the earthing refers that the circuit is physically connected to the ground with Zero Volt Potential. But, grounding refers that the circuit is not physically connected to ground, but still has zero potential. 12. Does a DC power supply need a ground?The answer comes from the NEC section 250.162, referring to the grounding of two-wire DC systems, which includes the 5V and 24V outputs, depending on your case. ... So, the short answer for a 24V DC system is no, the output is not required to be connected to ground. 13. How do you ground a DC power supply?You ground the device by connecting a grounding cable to earth ground and then attaching it to the grounding point on the DC power supply. You must provide the grounding cables. The cable lug used on the grounding cable should have a #10 stud hole and accommodate a minimum of 12-AWG wire.

Introduction In the FOC(Field Oriented Control) algorithm, the sampling current is the basis of the algorithm implementation and a very important part. So accurate current sampling can bring better result to the algorithm. In other words, if the current sampling is accurate, it will be very helpful for the subsequent coordinate transformation to obtain required results. From this we can see the role of current sampling in the entire FOC algorithm. Understanding Field-Oriented Control Catalog Introduction Ⅰ Current Sampling Method Ⅱ Three Sampling Methods and Precautions 2.1 Single-resistor Sampling 2.2 Dual-resistor Sampling 2.3 Triple-resistor Sampling Ⅲ The Key to Sampling Ⅳ Delay Source Ⅴ Delay Type and Typical Time Ⅵ Analysis in Details 6.1 PWM Dead Time Insertion 6.2 Optocoupler Delay and Pre-Driver Delay 6.3 Transistor Switching Delay 6.4 Other Delays Ⅶ FAQ Ⅰ Current Sampling Method In motor control, the current sampling method is generally to use PWM to trigger ADC to convert. Taking SoC(System-on-a-Chip) as an example, the ADC module will be configured to automatically sample and trigger conversion. When the trigger point set by the PWM module matches, the signal will be given to the ADC module. At this time, the sampling switch in circuit will be disconnected, and then the ADC module will start to convert, and the voltage of the corresponding sampling current can be obtained after the conversion is completed. The AD value of the signal, you can use this value in the program to write and verify the algorithm. Figure 1. Current Sampling Time Ⅱ Three Sampling Methods and Precautions Current sampling is the basis of FOC, including current sensor sampling and resistor sampling. Resistor sampling is widely used for its simple and low-cost characteristics. The method includes single-resistor sampling, dual-resistor sampling, and triple-resistor sampling. 2.1 Single-resistor Sampling The biggest difference between the single-resistor and the other two methods is that it cannot obtain two current signals at the same time. Even if two current signals are obtained, there is an error in estimating the third current signal. The formula Iu+Iv+Iw=0 is conditional, that is, the three currents must be recorded at the same time. When the inductance of the motor is larger, the two currents obtained are closer to the real situation. When the inductance is small, the deviation may be relatively large. So if the inductance of the current is large, single-resistor sampling can be selected.This method requires two samplings in one PWM cycle. In this case, it is necessary to analyze the switch state in the algorithm to clarify which phase current the reconstructed current corresponds to at the time of sampling. 2.2 Dual-resistor Sampling In the case of dual-resistor sampling, the sampled two-phase current must be used directly. Even if there is a deviation, it needs to be used. This method cannot be used to calculate the third-phase current based on the other two-phase sampling like the triple-resistor sampling. That is to say, this method needs to consider the problem of the sampling window. If the sampling current is to be guaranteed to be accurate, the sampling window must be large enough. To make the sampling window large enough, the PWM waveform needs to be deformed. But this will increase the execution time of the algorithm. The advantage of this approach is to reduce a current-sense resistor and an op amp.As shown in the figure below, the front of the red circle is the oscillating area. If the sampling window is small, only the oscillating area will not be able to obtain an accurate current. To process the sampling window, you can refer to the following figure, so that the obtained current will be more accurate. Figure 2. Current Sampling Zone 2.3 Triple-resistor Sampling This method is the simpler among the three methods. It directly uses three current-sensing resistors to sample the three-phase phase current of the motor, and the result obtained in this way is relatively straightforward. Using the formula Iu+Iv+Iw=0, recalculate the phase current of one phase with a small sampling window. So that the accuracy of the result obtained is the highest, and the implementation of the following related algorithms is easier. It is the advantage of this method. However, three current-sense resistors and three op amps are used, the hardware cost will be higher than the other two.   Ⅲ The Key to Sampling The current sampling includes peak current and average current sampling. Generally, the most common is the average current sampling and its control, so there are actually two ways to sample the average current. One is that the current-sense resistor is placed on the upper bridge of the inverter bridge. The other is that the current-sense resistor of the inverter bridge is connected to the lower end of the lower bridge.The general method is the latter. The current detection circuit corresponding to this method is relatively simple, and the corresponding power consumption will also be reduced. In this case, the freewheeling current is collected at the lower end, and then we can sample at the midpoint of the lower bridge opening. At this time, the corresponding current reflects the average current, so the corresponding current control is the average.Then, if we use the three-resistor sampling method, the selected ADC module must have at least the function of simultaneous sampling of three channels. So as to ensure that the three-phase currents obtained by sampling are the currents at the same time, and at this time, to meet the condition, Iu+ Iv+Iw=0.In the case of dual-resistor sampling, there are only two sampling resistors, and the obtained current cannot use the formula Iu+Iv+Iw=0. Therefore, even if the sampling window is small, if the algorithm is not processed, the double-resistor scheme has limitations. In order to get a better adaptation to the scene, algorithm compensation must be performed on the dual-resistor method, which is also the key point of it.Similarly, for the single-resistor sampling way, the corresponding current needs to be obtained according to different switch combinations, and it needs to be sampled twice in a PWM cycle. This method cannot satisfy Iu+Iv+Iw=0, and can only be determined by an algorithm. Compensation and correction are performed, so the single-resistor method is more difficult to take. However, if the difficulty can be solved, this method is the best and cheapest one.   Ⅳ Delay Source During the development of the motor-driven FOC control, have you encountered the situation that the motor is too noisy, inefficient or even unable to operate? All of this may be due to sampling anomalies of the phase currents, resulting in the inability to reconstruct the correct three-phase currents in the FOC algorithm. Here is an analysis of a factor that affects current sampling: the delay source.In the motor drive FOC control of double-resistor sampling, the sampling point is set as the middle moment when the lower tube of the drive bridge is turned on. Note that this is the middle moment when the lower tube of the drive bridge is turned on, not the middle moment of the PWM cycle output by the MCU. There are as many as seven delay sources in this typical drive topology because the PWM is calculated from the MCU to the ADC module where the current signal is sent to the MCU. Figure 3. MCU Output Ⅴ Delay Type and Typical Time The table below details the seven sources of delay that exist in motor drive system topologies and their typical timings. These delays will be superimposed together, and the effect is that the actual output PWM waveform lags behind the PWM waveform that the MCU calculates the expected output. According to this calculation, the phase current sampling point needs to lag the middle moment of the MCU calculating the expected output PWM waveform. Delay Type Typical Time PWM Dead Time Insertion 100ns-2μs Optocoupler Isolation to Pre-driver 40ns-300ns Pre-driver Switch Delay About 50ns MOSFET Switching Time 100ns-1μs Amplifier Delay <1μs Low-pass Filter Delay 1-2μs ADC Delay 50ns-200ns   Ⅵ Analysis in Details 6.1 PWM Dead Time Insertion In the three-phase brushless motor drive system, three bridge arms are required to control the current flow of the phase line, and there are two power devices on each bridge arm, such as MOSFET and IGBT. The pair of power devices cannot be turned on at the same time, otherwise a short circuit will occur. Here MOSFET is used as a power device to illustrate. In the control, dead time must be inserted to ensure that the upper and lower MOSFETs are not turned on at the same time. Typical values of dead time may be between 100ns and 2μs, depending on various factors in the system, such as MOSFET drive voltage and type.After the required PWM waveform is inserted into the dead time, what you get is that both the PWM midpoint and the rising edge are shifted to the right. When using the FOC control algorithm calculates the proper PWM, we start seeing the first delay, recording the dead time. Figure 4. Dead Time Insertion 6.2 Optocoupler Delay and Pre-Driver Delay The signal response of the various optocouplers and pre-drivers causes additional delays between the moment the MCU controls the FTM module to output the PWM waveform and the moment the MOSFET gate is controlled. The output of the pre-driver is delayed by a period of time (Delay1) compared to the waveform output from the MCU pins. Figure 5. Delay 1 6.3 Transistor Switching Delay Through the pre-driver, the PWM waveform reaches the MOSFET transistors, but due to their inherent characteristics, all transistors take a certain amount of time to turn on and off. This delay time varies depending on the transistor type and the voltage level required to switch between on/off. Delay 2 is the total delay between the theoretical switching point (CMP2) of the phase line voltage and the instant of the actual switching point. Figure 6. Delay 2 Finally, the gate voltage reaches the level that can make the transistor turn on, the current passes through the phase line and the sampling resistor, and a voltage difference is generated across the sampling resistor. The red waveform is the phase current waveform in an ideal state. At this time, there is a total delay time between the midpoint of the PWM cycle calculated and generated by the MCU, and the "phase current midpoint shift" is shown in the figure. Figure 7. Phase Current Midpoint Shift 6.4 Other Delays As shown in the figure below, the final delay chain that affects the current sampling is formed by the amplifier slew rate, the low-pass filter on the MCU pins, and the ADC slew rate. The time marked by the red circle in the figure is the correct current sampling time. It can be seen that the phase current sampling point is greatly delayed compared with the PWM midpoint output by the FTM. Figure 8. Other Delay In all and electrical and electronic circuits, there will be signal delay problems. And it is impossible to completely eliminate them, but the impact can be reduced by selecting low-delay devices. In the motor drive, in addition to selecting the appropriate device, it is also necessary to perform software compensation for the signal delay. The precise delay time of these delay sources mentioned in the article can be obtained by oscilloscope and calculation, and the correct current sampling time can be obtained by compensating for these delays in software. In this way, the data collected at the correct moment can be used as the data source for reconstructing the three-phase current of the motor in the FOC control.   Ⅶ FAQ 1. What is FOC algorithm?Field-oriented control (FOC), or vector control, is a technique for variable frequency control of the stator in a three phase AC induction motor. 2. What is FOC drive?Vector control, also called field-oriented control (FOC), is a variable-frequency drive (VFD) control method in which the stator currents of a three-phase AC or brushless DC electric motor are identified as two orthogonal components that can be visualized with a vector. 3. What is FOC brushless motor?FOC implementation allows the BLDC motor to run more efficiently (high power factor and better light load efficiency), more smoothly (lower torque ripples) with quick dynamic response (better dynamic performance to load and speed changes). 4. What is FOC in BLDC motor?Field oriented control (FOC) is an important control approach for Brushless DC motors. It resembles sinusoidal commutation but adds a major mathematical twist. Figure 3a shows control schemes for both sinusoidal commutation and field oriented control. 5. How is Bldc phase current measured?With a BLDC motor use an ac voltmeter to measure the voltage between any 2 wires of the 3 motor wires and then convert the line-to-line voltage to the phase voltage value by dividing the line-to-line voltage by 3 =1.73. 6. Do BLDC motors have inrush current?Handle Peak Inrush Current of a BLDC Motor to protect the Power Supply. Summary: BLDC motors have a Peak current on startup which is 3x or more the rated current. The motor has a rated current of 7.3A. 7. What causes motor inrush current?When an electrical device, such as an AC induction motor, is switched on, it experiences a very high, momentary surge of current, referred to as inrush current. ...The interaction of these two magnetic fields produces torque and causes the motor to turn.

ⅠIntroduction The most common system is single-phase, which is mostly used in homes, whereas three-phase is commonly used in industrial or commercial buildings where heavy loads of power are required. Catalog ⅠIntroduction Ⅱ Three-phase Power Related Video: Ⅲ Single-phase AC Power Basics 3.1 What is Single-phase AC power? 3.2 Advantages of Single-phase 3.3 Disadvantages of Single-phase   Ⅳ 3-phase Power Explained 4.1 What is 3-phase Power? 4.2 Advantages of Three-Phase System 4.3 Disadvantages of Three-Phase System Ⅴ Why We Need 3-phase Power？ Ⅵ What Are the Differences Between Single-Phase Power and Three-Phase Power? Ⅶ FAQ   Ⅱ Three-phase Power Related Video: Three-Phase Power Explained   Three-phase Video Description: This video will take a close look at three-phase power and explain how it works. Three-phase power can be defined as the common method of alternating current power generation, transmission, and distribution. It is a type of polyphase system, and is the most common method used by electric grids worldwide to transfer power.   Ⅲ Single-phase AC Power Basics Single-phase electric power is the distribution of alternating current electric power using a system in which all of the supply voltages vary in unison. When the loads are mostly lighting and heating, with only a few large electric motors, single-phase distribution is used.   3.1 What is Single-phase AC power? Before delving into that topic, it's a good idea to first understand single-phase alternating current (AC). Single-phase alternating current (AC) power is delivered via a three-wire system consisting of one "hot" wire, one neutral wire, and one ground wire. With alternating current power, the power current or voltage reverses on a regular basis, flowing one way on the hot wire that supplies power to the load and the other way on the neutral wire. During a 360-degree phase change, a full power cycle occurs, and the voltage reverses itself 50 or 60 times per second, depending on the system in use in different parts of the world. It is 60 times or 60 hertz in North America (Hz). It is critical to note that the two current-carrying legs are always 180 degrees apart. Consider the power as riding a wave, specifically a sine wave with a defined frequency and amplitude. During each cycle, the waves on each wire pass through zero amplitude twice (see Figure 1). There is no power delivered to the load during these times. Figure1:Single-phase   These brief interruptions have no effect on residential and commercial building applications such as office environments, but they have serious consequences for the motors that power large machinery, as well as computers and other IT equipment.   3.2 Advantages of Single-phase Single-phase connections are designed for household supplies and residential homes. This is due to the fact that most appliances, such as televisions, lights, fans, refrigerators, and so on, require only a small amount of electricity to function.A single-phase connection works in a straightforward manner. It consists of a compact and lightweight unit in which the flow of electricity through the wires is reduced as the voltage increases.Because of the power reduction, it ensures that the power from a single-phase connection operates at peak efficiency and effectively transmits power.A single-phase connection is best suited for units rated up to 5 horsepower.   3.3 Disadvantages of Single-phase     Ⅳ 3-phase Power Explained Three-phase electric power (abbreviated 3), is a type of alternating current that is commonly used in power generation, transmission, and distribution. It is a type of polyphase system that uses three wires (or four if a neutral return wire is used) and is the most common method used by electrical grids around the world to transfer power.   4.1 What is 3-phase Power? As the name implies, three separate currents are provided by three-phase power systems, each separated by one-third of the time it takes to complete a full cycle. However, unlike single-phase, where the two hot legs are always 180 degrees apart, the currents in 3-phase are separated by 120 degrees. Figure 2 shows that when one line is at its peak current, the other two are not. When phase 1 reaches its positive peak, phases 2 and 3 are both at -0.5. In contrast to single-phase current, there is no point at which no power is delivered to the load. In fact, one of the lines is at a peak positive or negative position at six different points in each phase. In practice, this means that the total amount of power supplied by all three currents remains constant; there are no cyclical peaks and valleys as with single-phase. Many computers and motors used in heavy machinery are built with this in mind. Instead of having to account for the variation inherent in single-phase AC power, they can draw a steady stream of constant power. They use less energy as a result. Consider the difference between a single-cylinder and a three-cylinder engine. Both use a four-stroke engine (intake, compression, power, exhaust). With a single-cylinder engine, you only get one "power" cycle for every four-cylinder stroke, resulting in rather uneven power delivery. A three-stroke engine, on the other hand, produces power in three alternating phases (again separated by 120 degrees), resulting in smoother, more consistent, and efficient power. Figure2:Three-phase 4.2 Advantages of Three Phase System There are numerous reasons why this power is preferable to single-phase power. The single phase power equation is   Figure3: single phase power equation Which is a function that changes over time. In contrast, the three-phase power equation is   Figure4: three-phase power equation Which is a constant function that is independent of time. As a result, the single-phase power is pulsing. This has no effect on low-rated motors, but it causes excessive vibration in higher-rated motors. As a result, three-phase power is preferable for high-tension power loads. A three-phase machine has a 1.5 times higher rating than a single-phase machine of the same size. Because single-phase induction motors have no starting torque, we must provide an auxiliary means of starting, whereas three-phase induction motors are self-starting and do not require any auxiliary means. In the case of a three-phase system, the power factor and efficiency are both higher. Which is a constant function that is independent of time. As a result, the single-phase power is pulsing. This has no effect on low-rated motors, but it causes excessive vibration in higher-rated motors. As a result, three-phase power is preferable for high-tension power loads. A three-phase machine has a 1.5 times higher rating than a single-phase machine of the same size. Because single-phase induction motors have no starting torque, we must provide an auxiliary means of starting, whereas three-phase induction motors are self-starting and do not require any auxiliary means. In the case of a three-phase system, the power factor and efficiency are both higher.   4.3 Disadvantages of 3-phase Power The most significant disadvantage of a three-phase connection is that it cannot handle the overload. As a result, it may cause damage to the equipment, increasing the likelihood of costly repairs. This is due to the high cost of individual components. Because the unit voltage is so high, a three-phase power connection necessitates a significant investment in insulation. Insulation varies with voltage, and wire size is determined by power distribution.   Ⅴ Why We Need 3-phase Power？ The ability to deliver ever-increasing amounts of power is especially important as data centers and server rooms become denser. More powerful computing systems are being crammed into the same spaces that once housed servers that used a fraction of the electrical power that today's computers and networks require. Not long ago, a single IT rack of ten servers would consume a total of five kilowatts (kW). Today, that same rack may house dozens of servers, each drawing 20 or 30 kW. At those levels, efficiency is important, as even a small percentage improvement in power consumption will result in significant dollar savings over time. Another issue is wiring. Take a look at a 15 kW rack. Using single-phase power at 120 volts AC (VAC), it takes 125 amps to power the rack, which would necessitate a wire almost one-quarter inch in diameter (AWG 4) — too thick to work with easily, let alone affordably. Because three-phase is more efficient, it can deliver the same amount of power (and more) while using less wiring. To support the same 15 kW rack with 3-phase power, three wires capable of supplying 42 amps (AWG 10) are required, each less than one-tenth of an inch in diameter.   Ⅵ What Are the Differences Between Single-Phase Power and Three-Phase Power? The following are the key distinctions between a single-phase and three-phase connection. Ⅶ FAQ 1. How is 3phase power generated? Electric power is generated as three phase alternating current (AC) by turning mechanical turbines from the forces of water, steam, or other means in order to turn generators, thereby, converting the mechanical energy into electric energy. In the US, generators turn at 60 revolutions per second or at 60 hertz (Hz). 2. Why does three phase not need a neutral? A neutral wire allows the three phase system to use a higher voltage while still supporting lower voltage single phase appliances. In high voltage distribution situations it is common not to have a neutral wire as the loads can simply be connected between phases (phase-phase connection). 3. How many wires does 3 phase have? four wires Three-phase has four wires: three actives (called phases) and one neutral. The neutral wire is earthed at the switchboard. 4. How do you make 3 phase voltage? In a 3 phase system, there are three equal voltages or EMFs of the same frequency having a phase difference of 120 degrees. These voltages can be produced by a three-phase AC generator having three identical windings displaced apart from each other by 120 degrees electrical. 5. Does three-phase need a ground? Does the National Electrical Code (NEC) require a 480-volt (V), three-phase, 3-wire, delta-connected system to be grounded? No, it is optional. This article examines the NEC's electrical-system grounding provision. 6. What is the symbol for 3 phase? A three-phase system may be arranged in delta (∆) or star (Y) (also denoted as wye in some areas). 7.Is 240V single phase or 3 phase? 240V power is used in the US and parts of the world. In the US 120 / 240V 1 Phase 3 Wire is the standard for homes and 240V 3 Phase Open Delta is the standard for small buildings with large loads. In parts of the world 240V Single Phase 2 Wire is the standard for homes. 8. What is the value of 3 phase voltage? 3 phase system is expressed with line voltages. The line votage is 440 volt. Also the voltage between any one phase and neutral for a 3 phase system is 240 volts. 9. What is single-phase power used for? Single-Phase Power generates electricity to residential homes and domestic supplies, since most appliances require only a small amount of power to function, including fans, heaters, television, refrigerator, and lights. 10. Why does single phase have 2 wires? Two hot wires and one neutral wire provide the power. Each hot wire provides 120 volts of electricity. The neutral is tapped off from the transformer. A two-phase circuit probably exists because most water heaters, stoves and clothes dryers require 240 volts to operate. 11. Can we use 2 AC in single phase? You can, yes. The main MCB has a current rating of at least 25 ampere. If you use 1.5 ac, it has max load current of 7 to 8 amperes for a single ac, and the MCB size is to be selected. 12.Is 240 volt single-phase? Single Phase 120/240 It may also be called Split Phase 240. This configuration consists of 2 voltage legs that are 180 degrees apart. The voltage between the two legs (called phase to phase or line to line) is 240V and the phase to neutral voltage is 120V.