CONTROL DEVICE FOR A DC-DC CONVERTER, DC-DC CONVERTER, AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A DC-DC CONVERTER

Abstract

The invention relates to a control device (100) for a DC-DC converter (110) having multiple parallel-connected DC-DC converter modules (120_1, . . . , 120_n). The control device measures individual target current values for the DC-DC converter modules so that these are operated with a common degree of utilisation.

Claims

1. A control device (100) for a DC-DC converter (110) comprising a plurality of DC-DC transducer modules (120_i) connected in parallel on an output side, the control device (100) comprising: a first ascertaining unit (130) for ascertaining a total degree of utilization (G_tot) of the DC-DC converter (110) depending on at least one selected from a group consisting of output currents (I_i), output voltage (U_i) of the DC-DC transducer modules (120_i), and maximum powers (P_i) thereof, or depending on variables representing these variables, a plurality of utilization ascertaining units (140_i), wherein each DC-DC transducer module (120_i) is assigned a utilization ascertaining unit (140_i), for ascertaining the degree of utilization (G_i) of the assigned DC-DC transducer module (120_i) depending on at least one selected from a group consisting of the output current (I_i), the output voltage (U_i) of the assigned DC-DC transducer module (120_i), and the maximum power (P_i) thereof, or depending on variables representing these variables, a plurality of utilization equalizing controllers (150_i), wherein each DC-DC transducer module (120_i) is assigned a utilization equalizing controller (150_i), and the utilization equalizing controllers (150_i) are each configured to generate a setpoint current value (Is_i) for the respectively assigned DC-DC transducer module (120_i) based on the ascertained total degree of utilization (G_tot) as setpoint value and the degree of utilization (G_i) as actual value.

2. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a utilization equalizing controller (150_i) is activated depending on a difference between the total degree of utilization (G_tot) and the degree of utilization (G_i) of the assigned DC-DC transducer module (120_i), wherein, in particular, the utilization equalizing controller (150_i) is activated when the difference between the total degree of utilization (G_tot) and the degree of utilization (G_i) of the assigned DC-DC transducer module (120_i) is greater than a first predefinable difference value.

3. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a utilization equalizing controller (150_i) is deactivated when one of the DC-DC transducer modules (120_i) exceeds a maximum current thereof owing to operation of the utilization equalizing controller (150_i).

4. The control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a utilization equalizing controller (150_i) is activated or deactivated depending on a change in an operating point of the DC-DC converter (110), wherein the utilization equalizing controller (150_i) is activated when the operating point is constant for longer than a first predefinable period, and the utilization equalizing controller (150_i) is deactivated when the operating point is constant for less than a second predefinable period.

5. A DC-DC converter (110), comprising: a plurality of DC-DC transducer modules (120_i), which are configured to convert a DC input voltage to a DC output voltage (U_i), wherein the DC-DC converter (110) comprises a control device (100) as claimed in claim 1.

6. A method for controlling a DC-DC converter (110) comprising a plurality of DC-DC transducer modules (120_i), the method comprising the steps of: ascertaining (S210) a total degree of utilization (G_tot) of the DC-DC converter (110) depending on at least one selected from a group consisting of output currents (I_i), output voltage (U_i) of the DC-DC transducer modules (120_i), and maximum powers (P_i) thereof, or depending on variables representing these variables, ascertaining (S220) a degree of utilization (G_i) of a DC-DC transducer module (120_i) depending on at least one selected from a group consisting of the output current (I_i), the output voltage (U_i) of the DC-DC transducer module (120_i), and the maximum power (P_i) thereof, or depending on variables representing these variables, generating (S230) a setpoint current value (Is_i) for a DC-DC transducer module (120_i) based on the ascertained total degree of utilization (G_tot) as setpoint value and the degree of utilization (G_i) as actual value.

7. A computer program, which is set up to execute the method as claimed in claim 6.

8. A machine-readable storage medium, on which the computer program as claimed in claim 7 is stored.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Further features and advantages of the invention are explained below with reference to the figures, in which:

[0027] FIG. 1: shows a schematic illustration of a DC-DC converter comprising a control device in accordance with one embodiment;

[0028] FIG. 2: shows a schematic illustration of a flowchart for a method for controlling a DC-DC converter, such as forms a basis of one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a DC-DC converter 110 in accordance with one embodiment. The DC-DC converter 110 comprises a plurality of DC-DC transducer modules 120_i. In particular, all of the DC-DC transducer modules 120_i are fed in parallel on the input side with an input voltage U_i (not shown in the drawing for reasons of clarity). The DC-DC transducer modules 120_i are likewise connected in parallel on the output side and supply an output voltage U_i corresponding to the output voltage of the DC-DC converter 110 U_tot. The DC-DC transducer modules 120_i may be what are known as DC/DC transducers, which convert a DC input voltage to a DC output voltage. The DC-DC transducer modules 120_i may be both DC-DC transducer modules that convert a DC voltage supplied on the input side to a higher output voltage and/or convert a DC voltage supplied on the input side to a DC voltage that is lower than the DC voltage supplied on the input side.

[0030] The parallel-connected DC-DC transducer modules 120_i may be a plurality of identical or similar DC-DC transducer modules. Furthermore, it is also possible, however, for some or, if appropriate, also all of the parallel-connected DC-DC transducer modules 120_i to have a different structure. In particular, it is also possible to connect DC-DC transducer modules 120_i with different maximum powers in parallel. Even in the case of similar DC-DC transducers, the maximum powers may deviate from one another on account of component tolerances.

[0031] FIG. 1 also shows a control device 100, which comprises a first ascertaining unit 130 for ascertaining a total degree of utilization G_tot of the DC-DC converter 110 depending on the output currents I_i, the output voltage U_i of the DC-DC transducer modules 120_i and/or the maximum powers P_i thereof, or depending on variables representing these variables. The control device 100 also comprises a plurality of utilization ascertaining units 140_i, wherein each DC-DC transducer module 120_i is assigned a utilization ascertaining unit 140_i for ascertaining the degree of utilization G i of the assigned DC-DC transducer module 120_i depending on the output current I_i, the output voltage U_i of the assigned DC-DC transducer module 120_i and/or the maximum power P_i thereof, or depending on variables representing these variables. The control device 100 also comprises a plurality of utilization equalizing controllers 150_i, wherein each DC-DC transducer module 120_i is assigned a utilization equalizing controller 150_i, and the utilization equalizing controllers 150_i are each configured to generate a setpoint current value Is_i for the respectively assigned DC-DC transducer module 120_i based on the ascertained total degree of utilization G_tot as setpoint value and the degree of utilization G_i as actual value.

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a flowchart, such as forms a basis of a method 200 for controlling a DC-DC converter 110 comprising a plurality of DC-DC transducer modules 120_i. The method starts in step S205. In step S210, a total degree of utilization G tot of the DC-DC converter 110 is ascertained. In step S220, a degree of utilization G_i of a DC-DC transducer module 120_i is ascertained. In step S230, a setpoint current value Is_i for a DC-DC transducer module 120_i is generated. The method ends with step S240.