Rapid Control Prototyping platform to regulate a high-current low-voltage DC/DC power converter prototype to feed superconducting electromagnets

Abstract

Superconducting electromagnets are key components in modern scientific particle accelerators. For example, among other tasks, they are used to focus particle beams in the collision points. Their magnetic field needs to be precisely controlled by regulating the power electronics that feed such magnets. This work discusses the most relevant aspects regarding the digital implementation of an FPGA-based Rapid Control Prototyping (RCP) platform intended to regulate a high-current low-voltage two-quadrant Series Capacitor (SC) DC/DC power converter prototype. This converter has been developed to study the powering of the Inner Triplet (IT) superconducting electromagnets of the High Luminosity (HL) upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. The design guidelines, based on the well-known Model Based Design (MBD) approach, are highlighted, and implementation details are provided. Experimental results that show the correct operation of the RCP platform are finally presented.