FPGA digital control
This from D. via e-amil
“What are the advantages of digital control of a fpga please?”
“I can use several small op-amps to implement voltage or current controlled feedback. Replacing analog control using a small fpga is a big and expensive change, e.g. several op-amps vs. a 100 or 200 pin fpga. why even bother? thanks”
Whether digital control is a good solution for an application or not depends on what you are doing.
For smaller DC power supplies analogue control is great and I am not saying that you should change.
In controlling
- grid connected converters like solar or wind
- high power converters > 10kW up to 1GW
- induction motor drives and
- high efficiency telecom power supplies
digital control is really useful.
For some of these converters it is absolutely required.
FPGA when?
The choice to use an FPGA is indicated when
- The control needs to have very low processing latency
- The control needs to have well managed numeric precision (this avoids limit cycle oscillations)
- The application is safety critical
- The control will be implemented in an ASIC
- FPGAs are great for controller prototyping
- The controller needs both microprocessor and programmable logic – a soft core on the FPGA gives the best of both. A hard core as in the Zynq is also a great solution.
Hope that helps.
Download one of our reference documents at https://www.elmgdigitalpower.com/free-reports/
Hope to talk soon.
Hamish