Product category: Microprocessors, Microcontrollers and DSPs
News Release from: Texas Instruments (April 2001-March 2006) | Subject: TMS320F2810
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 13 September 2005
Controller enables prize-winning power
system
A highly efficient power convertor solution based on the TMS320F2810 digital signal controller has won a $10,000 first-place prize in the 2005 IEEE International Future Energy Challenge.
A team of undergraduate students from Monash University, Victoria, Australia has recently won a $10,000 first-place prize in the 2005 IEEE International Future Energy Challenge (FEC) for their highly efficient power convertor solution based on one of TI's leading DSP chips - the TMS320F2810 digital signal controller The FEC competition, held in Skokie, Illinois, is intended to foster innovative designs of a flexible electrical utility inverter for use in small, distributed generation systems that can ultimately be used in individual buildings and small communities, among other applications
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 6 Sep 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
Related stories
DSPs integrate Flash for industrial control
Texas Instruments claims its two new high-precision control DSPs will reduce development time from hours to minutes while delivering up to 12x performance existing devices.
DSP SoCs feature A/D convertors and Flash
Two new devices from Texas instruments combine high-performance DSP cores with high-precision analogue functions and Flash memory.
As alternative energy sources such as wind and solar power gain acceptance, solutions such as those developed by Monash University that convert raw energy into usable electricity become increasingly important.
The solution developed by the Monash University team achieved a 90% conversion efficiency using a digitally controlled current-fed, push-pull direct current to direct current (DC/DC) convertor system to produce a high voltage DC bus from a low voltage DC source, and an H-bridge convertor output stage to connect from this DC bus to the alternating current (AC) grid.
Both convertor stages switch at high frequencies to minimise size and weight and to improve efficiency.
Further reading
Controller samples sensors faster
The TMS320F2810 digital signal controller is enabling Chronotek to increase sampling rates by more than one hundred times in its new ultrasonic transit time liquid flow sensor system.
Controllers enhance mobile machinery
Allowing OEMs to reduce design time while increasing system features and functionality, Sauer-Danfoss Plus 1 hardware modules are based on TMS320F2810 and F2812 digital signal controllers.
Data buffer has dual multiplexer
Texas Instruments has introduced the industry's first 0- to 4-Gbps data buffer/signal conditioner with a dual multiplexer.
Dual F2810 controllers supervise the system, co-operating via a serial communications port to eliminate the need for isolated analogue measurement circuitry.
This structure also allows sophisticated control strategies to be implemented in software that actively manage energy flow through the convertor, to achieve further reduction in size and weight of many passive components.
"The Future Energy Challenge competition gave the Monash team the chance to leverage the TI controller's inherent high integration level, performance and ease-of-use to create a truly innovative 'green' power-saving solution", said Grahame Holmes, Associate Professor at Monash University and departmental adviser to the team.
"Winning the top prize by applying theoretical classroom knowledge to this important, real-world application has given the team members an exciting opportunity to participate in the growing field of digital power systems".
By designing with TI digital signal controllers and recently announced Fusion Digital Power line of UCD9K, UCD8K and UCD7K power solutions, power supply or inverter designs can tap into a powerful, programmable software platform that not only controls power supply, but offers enhanced features such as intelligent fault management, digital current sharing and active inrush control.
This enhanced capability speeds time to market and reduces overall costs by lowering the part count and improving power supply products' production yields.
Better production, in turn, yields better inventory logistics and easier production flow.
With power supplies enabled by TI's digital power solutions, end users will see increases in the efficiency and reliability of their end applications and will also enjoy smaller footprints through component integration and the ability to upgrade applications based on next-generation digital power architectures.
The Monash University team competed with 14 additional international universities in the competition sponsored by the IEEE Power Electronics Society.
The winning team consisted of ten undergraduate students from the electrical engineering, computer science and mathematics disciplines: Chris Beckett, John Luo, Praveen Atmuri, Matthew Bull, David Ng, Nirooshan Sachchithananthan, Pascal Su, Damian Ware, Przemyslaw Wrzos and Wang Yui Kong.
Associate Professor Grahame Holmes from the Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering department at Monash mentored the team.
Monash University is one of the leading universities in TI's worldwide university programme, which consists of more than 1000 institutions that utilise TI devices in their research and education programmes.
• Texas Instruments (April 2001-March 2006): contact details and other news
• Email this article to a colleague
• Register for the free Electronicstalk email newsletter
• Electronicstalk Home Page
