Skateboards have been around since at least the 1950’s, and skateboarding is most commonly knownas an extreme sport. However, skateboards can be very useful when commuting as they have continued to evolve since the 1950’s, not quite in to the hover board that Marty McFly rides on in Back to the Future, but in to skateboards equipped with electric motors that propels them forward. Electric skateboards, as they are called, are one of the vehicle types that are changing the way humans move around cities. Vehicles that are needed in order to fulfill present and future commuting needs. However, electric skateboards have not yet reached their full potential, especially regarding how their speed is controlled. Current speed control systems gives a riding experience that feels unnatural compared to riding a regular skateboard, and improving upon them can potentially make electric skateboards even safer to ride. In this thesis, an active style of riding, like skateboarding, is compared to the reactive style of riding that is provided by the speed control systems existent in electric skateboards today. The thesis presents a speed control system that utilizes an active style of riding, and the concept is tested by the development of a pedobarography system that can read the interaction between the riders feet and the skateboard deck.

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An efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) lamp driver circuit is proposed for retrofitting the conventionally used incandescent lamps with existing TRIAC dimmer. The dimming feature in a wide range of firing angle from 30¢X to 130¢X can be accomplished by means of double pulse-width modulation (DPWM) and analog current regulation. The LED lamp driver adopts a flyback converter with an auxiliary active power MOSFET for synchronous switch and an associated inductor for zero voltage switching (ZVS), leading to lower switching loss and thus achieving a higher circuit efficiency. In the thesis, the mode operation of the driver circuit is analyzed and the design equations are derived accordingly. A laboratory circuit is designed for an 50 W LED lamp which is composed of 45 high-brightness white LEDs in series. Experiments are carried out to test the circuit performances with two dimming schemes. The experimental results indicate that the driver can achieve a circuit efficiency of 95 % at the rated output. When the LED lamp is dimmed, the circuit efficiency with DPWM is higher than that with the analog current regulation. On the other hand, the LED lamp dimmed by analog current regulation has a higher efficiency but a less color shift by DPWM.

Switched mode power supplies (SMPS) are being extensively used in most power conversion processes. The analysis, design and modeling processes of hard-switched converters are mature, where the switching frequency was limited to a few 10's of kHz. The present direction of evolution m SMPS is towards higher efficiency and higher power density. These twin objectives demand high switching frequency and low overall losses. Soft switching results in practically zero switching losses and extends the switching frequency to 100's of kHz and beyond. This thesis presents novel variants of push-pull and half-bridge DC-DC converters with soft switching properties. The proposed topology uses two additional switches and two diodes. The additional switches introduce freewheeling intervals m the circuit and enable loss-less switching. Switch stress, control and small signal model are similar to hard-switched PWM converter. Synchronous rectifiers are used in the ZVS push-pull converter to achieve high efficiency. It is interesting to see that the drives for the synchronous rectifier device are practically the same as the additional switches. The contributions made in this thesis are 1) Idealized analysis and design methodology for the proposed converters. 2) Validation of the design through circuit simulation as well as prototypes - a 300kHz, 200W push-pull converter and a 300kHz, 640W half-bridge converter. 3) Closed loop control design for desired bandwidth and accuracy Verification of loop gain through network analyzer instrumental for the same The loop gain bandwidth achieved is about 30kHz for the push-pull converter and 20kHz for half-bridge converter. An appendix has been devoted to explain the use of network analyzer. Characterization of coil, transformer and capacitor are explained in detail. Measurement techniques for measuring the small signal parameters of power supply are also explained in the appendix.

L'électronique de puissance d'aujourd'hui est de plus en plus exigeante vis à vis des dispositifs semi-conducteurs. Es doivent être performants tant en statique qu'en dynamique: faibles pertes en conduction et en commutation, vitesses élevées, grandes capacités en surcharge... . Grâce à sa structure, associant le thyristor avec le MOS, le MCT offre une faible tension directe et une grande facilité de commande. H est l'un des nouveaux dispositifs pouvant éventuellement répondre aux exigences actuelles. Ce mémoire est composé de deux parties. Dans la première nous présentons une étude du comportement individuel du MCT dans les différents modes de commutation (commutation dure, commutations douce ZVS, ZCS) et en cas de surcharge (pouvoir de coupure et aire de sécurité). Cette étude comportementale est réalisée par deux voies distinctes et complémentaires: la voie expérimentale en utilisant le Simulateur Analogique de l'Electronique de Puissance et la voie physique interne basée sur une modélisation simplifiée et qualitative. Dans la deuxième partie nous intéressons à l'association du MCT dans la mise en série et dans la mise en parallèle. Cette étude fait le point sur l'ensemble des problèmes et présente les solutions envisageables pour la réalisation des commutateurs haute tension et forts courants avec le MCT.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This Ph. D. Thesis presents a in deep study of the mechanism of resonant transition soft-switching techniques. By means of the principles that rules the PWM resonant transition converters, a novel tool for analysis and synthesis have been developed. This novel tool also permit to be verified some of the main factors that made possible to he ZVT technique to achieve its technology level. By means of this tool and with the definition of the basic requirements of the resonant transition converters a new concept concerning the ZCZVT technique have been generated, the ZCZVT converters with discontinuous auxiliary voltage source . The development of this new concept gives rise to a new family of ZCZVT converters with magnetically coupled auxiliary circuit. It also allowed a better perspective of the ZCZVT converters characteristics, advantages, drawbacks and limitations, which contributed significantly with the grown of the technology. Two of the six topologies with bi-directional auxiliary circuits proposed in the thesis have been mathematically analised. A design methodology based on constrains and dynamic characteristics of the IGBT and diode semiconductors under ZCS and ZVS conditions have been presented. Finally, experimental results proved the efficiency gain of the novel ZCZVT inverters with magnetically coupled auxiliary circuit. The ZCZVT inverter with magnetically coupled auxiliary circuit prototype have been compared with its Undeland snubber counterpart, presenting an efficiency of about 4% superior. It corroborates to the thesis proposal of developing novel topologies with better performance and simplicity. / O presente trabalho apresenta um estudo aprofundado do mecanismo de comutação presente nas técnicas de comutação suave com transição ressonante. Por meio da definição dos princípios que governam as comutações dos conversores PWM com transição ressonante, desenvolveu-se uma nova ferramenta para análise e síntese de novos circuitos com características aperfeiçoadas. Também através desta ferramenta de análise pode-se verificar alguns dos principais fatores que possibilitaram o amadurecimento da técnica de comutação ZVT. Com esta ferramenta e com a definição dos requisitos básicos para a operação dos conversores com transição ressonante foi gerado o conceito de conversores ZCZVT com fonte auxiliar descontínua. O desenvolvimento deste conceito deu origem a uma nova família de conversores ZCZVT com acoplamento magnético. O desenvolvimento de uma nova família de conversores ZCZVT permitiu uma melhor percepção das características destes circuitos e o amadurecimento da técnica de comutação suave ZCZVT. Duas das seis topologias de circuitos auxiliares bidirecionais propostas na tese para os novos inversores ZCZVT monofásicos com acoplamento foram analisadas matematicamente. Uma metodologia de projeto para estes inversores foi apresentada. Esta metodologia é baseada em restrições obtidas das características dinâmicas dos IGBTs e dos diodos que operam sob comutação em zero de corrente (ZCS) e zero de tensão (ZVS). Por fim, foram apresentados resultados experimentais que comprovam o ganho de eficiência do inversores ZCZVT com acoplamento magnético e circuitos auxiliares em derivação proposto. O protótipo do inversor ZCZVT foi comparado experimentalmente com um inversor utilizando snubber de Undeland, apresentando uma eficiência em média 4% superior. O que corroborou com a proposta inicial de desenvolver topologias ZCZVT com desempenho melhorado e maior simplicidade.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T14:54:55Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 JeanPD_TESE.pdf: 2551926 bytes, checksum: 0cea6096dad85829234a17d89574bd1e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-07-15 / This work describes the study, the analysis, the project methodology and the constructive details of a high frequency DC/AC resonant series converter using sequential commutation techniques for the excitation of an inductive coupled thermal plasma torch. The aim of this thesis is to show the new modulation technique potentialities and to present a technological option for the high-frequency electronic power converters development. The resonant converter operates at 50 kW output power under a 400 kHz frequency and it is constituted by inverter cells using ultra-fast IGBT devices. In order to minimize the turn-off losses, the inverter cells operates in a ZVS mode referred by a modified PLL loop that maintains this condition stable, despite the load variations. The sequential pulse gating command strategy used it allows to operate the IGBT devices on its maximum power limits using the derating and destressing current scheme, as well as it propitiates a frequency multiplication of the inverters set. The output converter is connected to a series resonant circuit constituted by the applicator ICTP torch, a compensation capacitor and an impedance matching RF transformer. At the final, are presented the experimental results and the many tests achieved in laboratory as form to validate the proposed new technique / Este trabalho descreve o estudo, a an?lise, a metodologia de projeto e os detalhes de constru??o de um conversor ressonante CC/CA de alta freq??ncia usando t?cnicas de comuta??o seq?encial (sequential pulse gating), para a excita??o de uma tocha indutiva a plasma t?rmico. Esta tese objetiva mostrar a potencialidade desta nova t?cnica de modula??o e apresentar uma alternativa tecnol?gica para o projeto de conversores eletr?nicos de pot?ncia em altas freq??ncias. O conversor ressonante opera na freq??ncia nominal de 400 kHz, com pot?ncia de 50 kW, e ? constitu?do por c?lulas inversoras empregando chaves IGBTs de comuta??o r?pida. Para minimizar as perdas de comuta??o no corte, as c?lulas ressonantes operam no modo de chaveamento suave ZVS, referenciado por uma malha PLL modificada que mant?m esta condi??o est?vel apesar das varia??es de carga. A estrat?gia de comando por comuta??o seq?encial permite operar os dispositivos IGBTs no seu limite superior de pot?ncia usando as propriedades de redu??o (derating) e de al?vio (destressing) de corrente, assim como propicia um efeito de multiplica??o na freq??ncia final do conjunto de inversores. A sa?da do conversor ? conectada a um circuito ressonante s?rie formado pelo aplicador da tocha ICTP e um capacitor de compensa??o, por interm?dio de um transformador RF de adapta??o de imped?ncias. No final, s?o apresentados resultados experimentais e ensaios conduzidos em laborat?rio como forma de validar a nova t?cnica proposta

The current study presents an induction heating system design for fiber optics pipes joints. Remote heating methods are probably inconvenient due to non-uniform heat distribution resulting in unreliable joints. The induction heating generates uniform heat distribution which can be achieved by proper designing of inductive heating coil, and power system inverter that drives the induction system. Two different shaped open jaw type heating coils were designed i.e open claw type coil (OCTC) and curved spiral rectangular coil (CSRC). The coils were designed in COMSOL simulation software to check the coil and workpiece behaviours. These coil designs were then wounded by hand and resistance and inductance of each coil were measured. The OCTC is a short loop coil, having small inductance while the CSRC has a long loop so its inductance is high. CSRC design was selected in the current application. The CSRC inductance was calculated through modified Wheeler formula and current sheet approximation. To design the power inverter, firstly the power density of heating material i.e workpiece was calculated. Then the thermal losses of the coil were calculated, these losses were due to skin effect and proximity effect; and switch losses due to drain to source resistance(RDS) of Mosfets were estimated. The Mazzilli inverter was proposed for power system inverter design which works as a parallel resonant circuit. It was designed in Mandi simulation software and then implemented on hardware. Theoretical results were compared with the practical measurements through Matlab software. Coil efficiency, power inverter efficiency and overall system efficiency were also calculated. This induction heating method for fiber optics joints is repeatable, consistent, generates uniform heat and is more convenient for site-specific heat generated on workpiece. It is portable, user friendly and environmental friendly as well.

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