How much do you know about digital power supply in electric vehicles?

Traditional analog power supplies use analog controllers to adjust parameters such as voltage and current. Digital power supplies are power systems that use digital signal processing technology to control and adjust power. The method is very similar to analog power supplies, mainly using microprocessors or microcontrollers (MCUs) to accurately manage these parameters. Through digital signal processing technology, digital power supplies can not only improve the accuracy and response speed of regulation, but also achieve real-time monitoring and self-optimization.

The fully digitally controlled power supply system includes "digital control" and "digital power management". Among them, digital control includes power switch control feedback or feedforward loop, which is controlled by digital circuits or programmable controllers, and adjusts the output of the power system by driving the power switch duty cycle using pulse width modulation (PWM) technology. In digital power supplies, these advanced adaptive control systems, whose control circuits combine A/D conversion (ADC), pulse width modulation (PWM) and communication interfaces, operate completely or mostly in digital mode to obtain excellent system performance. Digital power management implemented by digital circuits or programmable controllers can provide configuration, diagnosis, monitoring, protection and communication functions.

Digital power supplies are mainly used in switch mode power supplies (SMPS), and focus on solutions for server and data center PSUs, telecom power supplies, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, UPS, and energy generation systems. Because they can be controlled independently of hardware, fully digitally controlled SMPS can be designed as a platform. The programmability advantage also makes it easier to implement adaptive control and nonlinear control algorithms, which helps improve the performance and efficiency of the system over the entire operating range, and makes it easier to expand functions, making the equipment more cost-effective in future upgrades.

The increasingly widespread applications have kept the digital power application market growing. According to The Brainy Insights, the global digital power application market is expected to reach US$204.9 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 14.5% from 2022 to 2030.

The core components of electric vehicles include battery management system (BMS), motor controller, on-board charger (OBC), etc. The performance of these systems will directly affect the endurance, charging speed and overall efficiency of electric vehicles. The application of digital power technology in these key areas has greatly improved the performance and user experience of electric vehicles, which is specifically reflected in the following aspects:

Power conversion is at the heart of EV charging designs, requiring advanced control methods and complex topologies such as multi-phase, totem-pole power factor correction (PFC), bidirectional or inverter DC/DC, etc. EV and power supply manufacturers can take advantage of the adaptability and versatility of digital power MCUs by leveraging the same software framework to control similar power topologies with different power ratings, different input/output voltages, and different pulse-width modulation (PWM) frequencies.

For smart battery management and charging systems, the same software developed for a specific topology such as Totem Pole Power Factor Correction (PFC) or Resonant (LLC) Full-Bridge DC/DC using a digital power MCU can be reused from low power to high power by simply changing the digital control parameters and some software parameters associated with the new power level. Therefore, digital power MCUs enable manufacturers to effectively reuse or reapply their investment in power control software again and again with a variety of power ratings to meet application requirements.

With the rapid development of electric vehicle technology, the advantages of digital power technology are becoming more and more obvious. First, the intelligent and automated characteristics of digital power technology enable electric vehicles to manage energy more efficiently, extend battery life, and enhance the overall driving experience; second, the high integration and flexibility of digital power enable it to be customized according to different models and needs, which is very attractive to automakers.

In the future, with the development of technologies such as 5G communications and the Internet of Things (IoT), the application of digital power technology in electric vehicles will become more extensive and in-depth. For example, the combination of digital power and cloud platforms can achieve remote real-time monitoring and data analysis, further improving the safety and intelligence level of electric vehicles. In addition, the advancement of digital power technology will promote the development of emerging technologies such as wireless charging and bidirectional charging, making the energy management of electric vehicles more convenient and efficient.

As an important technology in the field of electric vehicles, digital power technology is rapidly promoting the development of the industry. Through digital control technology, electric vehicles can achieve higher efficiency, longer driving range and more optimized user experience. In the future, with the continuous innovation of technology, digital power technology will play a more important role in the energy management, power control and intelligence of electric vehicles.