3 phase motor controller for high power systems

This is the hardware repository of a 3 phase inverter brain, UNTESTED but designed with the following specs in mind:

• Compatible with VESC firmware and software tools
• Embedded security features (overcurrent protection, pwm overlap elimination, etc)

Microcontroller

The core of the system is a 32 bit ARM Cortex M4 MCU (STM32F405) running ChibiOS RTOS.

Communication interfaces

• CAN bus for control, configuration and monitoring
• USB for light usage, firmware upload/upgrade and configuration.
• UART, I2C and ADCs and GPIOs available

Motor inputs

• Bus Voltage (differential)
• Phase current (differential)
• Phase voltage (differential)
• Gate driver fault
• Power_good from gate driver
• Motor temperature
• Hall/encoder
• Resolver

Gate driver outputs

• PWM high/low
• dynamic gate drive current (pwm)
• 24v power

You can also check the layout here

Made open source with KiCAD, an open source EDA tool.

Interface boards

This controller can be interfaced directly to a power stage, or through an interface board. An example of interface board is at adaptor boards/power_integrations_2SP0115T2A/ and looks like this

An example of system assembly is also included in this repository

Control board setup

First you need to flash the VESC bootloader. To do so, connect a STLinkv2 to connector J9. In a Linux machine open a terminal and clone the bootloader repository:

1. git clone git@github.com:vedderb/bldc-bootloader.git
2. cd bldc-bootloader
3. make upload <- this will compile and flash the bootloader

Next step is to flash the VESC firmware.

1. git clone git@github.com:vedderb/bldc.git
2. Make sure you go to conf_general.h and uncomment the line #define HW_VERSION_PALTA. This will enable all the features especific to this high power control board.
3. Configure the DEADTIME required for your power switches, look for the line #define HW_DEAD_TIME_VALUE 181 // 1.4usec in hw_palta.h
4. cd bldc
5. make upload <- this will compile and flash vesc firmware

Connect the board via USB (conn J4) and launch the latest VESC-tool.

1. Press the connect button (top right). The status bar should show your PALTA board connected.
2. Load a sample configuration for this board, you probably need to tune the deadtime compensation field.
3. Run the motor setup wizard.

System setup

A high power controller would generally need a battery, wiring, contactor, DC link, gate drivers, switches, an interface board, 3 current sensors, a heatsink and a motor. Make sure you have everything you need and you understand all the connections and dangers involved, especially the safety related stuff.

License

This documentation describes Open Hardware and is licensed under the CERN OHL v. 1.2