Universal Power Supply/Research Development

Inverter Concept

Charge Controller Concept

Uses

The universal power supply contains the power electronics and power supplies for:

• Welders
• Plasma Cutters
• Battery Chargers
• Induction Furnaces
• CO2 Laser Cutters
• Stepper Motors
• Charge Controllers

(1) Powering welders, plasma cutters, battery chargers, induction furnaces, CO2 laser cutters (2) Inverters for household power from batteries (3) Voltage regulation/conditioning to get grid-quality power from variable power sources such as windmills, steam engines (especially solar powered) (4) Battery charging from windmills, steam engines

(the other mechanical components of the above devices are covered as separate tools of the GVCS)

Other specifications

• Scalability via modular add-on
• Quick disconnect components wherever possible
• Logic circuits millable with basic CNC Circuit Mill
• Insulators printable with 3D Printer or Ceramic 3D Printer
• Ability to operate with any voltage from a few volts to 1kV
• Ability to generate any frequency
• Open Source Enclosure - enclosure design that allows maximum scalability and flexibility
• Design for flexible fabrication via Open Source Fab Lab, initially using off-shelf components

In practice, the above will be implemented by refining one functionality after another, and adding modules that will allow for different functions and scales.

We're interested in a universal, modular power conversion device for electricity. I am talking about different modules that can be plugged together for something like a Lego Set of power electronics. Each module would in itself be modular, so it can consist of a number of units connected for scaling current or voltage.

Modules

• 60 hz electricity at common voltages such as 110 or 220 or 440
• DC current for plasma cutters or welders
• Battery charge-controller current
• High frequency power for induction furnaces
• Regulation of variable voltage (say 60-220 v ac) to charge batteries
• DC-DC conversion.

That just about covers all power devices for advanced civilization, more or less.

Design Path

The general scheme would be to: (1) rectify a typically oscilating input from some power generating device, if it's not DC already, (2) chop it up, (3) scale it, (4) form it, (5) and finally, spit it out as DC or AC.

We want to create a universal switched mode power supply kit, with some power conditioning and regulation.

Please propose a basic starting circuit with the following specs: (1) Takes any AC input (from an ac generator) to either battery storage or an inverter/converter. (2) Specify parts for a system that can runs from 100W to about 20kW for starters. Is this feasible, or is the problem statement ill-defined?

After the above, we'd have to go to 3-phase converters, since many appliances of interest (such as induction furnaces) run off 3-phase.