Low Voltage BLDC Automotive Motor Management Reference Design

The analysis board for automotive functions enhances motor administration with microcontroller unit expertise and pace management via algorithms.

BLDC motor management is more and more important within the automotive business, enhancing efficiency, effectivity, and environmental sustainability. These motors are most popular for reliability, longevity, and superior operational traits, reminiscent of greater torque and higher pace management than conventional brushed motors. Using low-voltage BLDC motors in automotive functions presents vital benefits, together with decreased vitality consumption, decrease emissions, and decreased upkeep prices. Because the business shifts towards extra sustainable and modern automobile designs, the mixing of BLDC motor expertise turns into important for assembly trendy automotive requirements and client expectations. The AEK-MOT-3P99081 analysis board from STMicroelectronics is provided with the SPC560P Pictus 32-bit MCU and the L9908 gate driver, enabling the administration of six N-channel FETs for brushless motors in automotive functions. 

The design helps impartial encoder inputs and Corridor sensors, offering exact motor pace detection and management. The drive system makes use of a field-oriented management (FOC) algorithm, making certain compact dimension, quiet operation, and excessive precision. It’s managed via a typical CAN command set from any present area or zone controller, simplifying the administration of management loop bandwidth and useful resource calls for.

As a part of the AutoDevKit ecosystem, the board operates as a standalone motor drive controllable by way of CAN by a number microcontroller. On this configuration, the microcontroller acts because the communication grasp, with the board and its related BLDC motor working because the enslaved particular person. The board’s devoted CAN communication protocol permits for real-time knowledge trade between the grasp and slave boards. This setup allows instructions to begin or cease the motor, modify the motor’s goal pace, reverse its rotation path, and relay error notifications throughout faults.

The analysis board is a sturdy meeting designed particularly for automotive functions. At its core, the Microcontroller Unit (MCU), the SPC560P50L5, is a 32-bit energy structure MCU suited to automotive chassis and security functions. Programming could be executed by way of the built-in programmer/debugger utilizing the FTDI module FT2232HL or an exterior adapter related to the JTAG connector.

Moreover, the board features a gate driver and an automotive three-phase motor gate driver outfitted with all the required options for BLDC motor management. This contains three differential high-accuracy present screens for monitoring ground-referred currents. Security is paramount within the board’s energy provide unit, which guards towards battery polarity inversion and ensures dependable energy technology. It contains a DC-DC converter producing a ten.9 V reference voltage from the enter bus voltage and two voltage regulators that present 5 V to energy each the microcontroller and the gate driver.

Furthermore, the board encompasses a high-speed CAN versatile knowledge charge transceiver, the L9616, which reinforces CAN communication with the grasp board, facilitating seamless integration and management inside automotive techniques.

STMicroelectronics has examined this reference design. It comes with a invoice of supplies (BOM), schematics, meeting drawing, printed circuit board (PCB) structure, and extra. The corporate’s web site has further knowledge in regards to the reference design. To learn extra about this reference design, click on right here.