Systems and methods for controlling super capacitor charge voltage to extend super capacitor life
A method of determining a lifetime parameter of a capacitor in a failsafe device includes measuring an amount of energy required to return the failsafe device to a failsafe position, measuring an effective capacitance of the capacitor, and comparing the amount of energy to the effective capacitance to determine the lifetime parameter of the capacitor.
1 . A method of determining a lifetime parameter of a capacitor in a failsafe device, the method comprising:
measuring an amount of energy required to return the failsafe device to a failsafe position;
determining an effective capacitance of the capacitor using a measured value associated with energy used by a resistor or a motor of the failsafe device and a constant value representing energy of remaining components of the failsafe device;
comparing the amount of energy to the effective capacitance to determine the lifetime parameter of the capacitor;
determining, based on the effective capacitance, a charge voltage for the capacitor; and
charging the capacitor using the charge voltage with a boost buck circuit, wherein the boost buck circuit is configured to step-down an input voltage provided to the capacitor and step-up an output voltage from the capacitor that is provided to the motor.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lifetime parameter is a length of time associated with a remaining operational period of the capacitor.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the failsafe device is an actuator.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lifetime parameter is an amount of time required to charge the capacitor to a level associated with the amount of energy required to return the failsafe device to the failsafe position.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the lifetime parameter is diagnostic information associated with physically testing an ability of the capacitor to return the failsafe device to the failsafe position.
6 . The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising sending the lifetime parameter to a building management system (BMS), wherein the lifetime parameter indicates that the capacitor should be replaced.
7 . A method of charging a capacitor in a failsafe device, the method comprising:
measuring an amount of energy required to return the failsafe device to a failsafe position;
measuring an effective capacitance of the capacitor using a measured value associated with energy used by a resistor or a motor of the failsafe device and a constant value representing energy of remaining components of the failsafe device;
determining, based on the effective capacitance and the amount of energy, a charge voltage for the capacitor; and
charging the capacitor using the charge voltage with a boost buck circuit, wherein the boost buck circuit is configured to step-down an input voltage provided to the capacitor and step-up an output voltage from the capacitor that is provided to the motor.
8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the failsafe device is an actuator.
9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
comparing the amount of energy to the effective capacitance to determine a lifetime parameter of the capacitor; and
sending the lifetime parameter.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the lifetime parameter indicates that the capacitor should be replaced.
11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the lifetime parameter is a length of time associated with a remaining operational period of the capacitor.
12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the lifetime parameter is an amount of time required to charge the capacitor to a level associated with the amount of energy required to return the failsafe device to the failsafe position.
13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the lifetime parameter is diagnostic information associated with physically testing an ability of the capacitor to return the failsafe device to the failsafe position.
14 . A failsafe device assembly, comprising:
an actuator;
a capacitor; and
a processing circuit comprising a processor and memory, the memory having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processing circuit to:
compare an amount of energy required to return the actuator to a failsafe position to an effective capacitance of the capacitor to determine an operational parameter of the actuator, wherein the effective capacitance of the capacitor is determined using a measured value associated with energy used by a resistor or a motor of the actuator and a constant value representing energy of remaining components of the actuator;
operate the actuator according to the operational parameter;
determine, based on the effective capacitance, a charge voltage for the capacitor; and
charge the capacitor using the charge voltage.
15 . The failsafe device assembly of claim 14 , wherein the operational parameter describes a speed with which the actuator returns to the failsafe position.
16 . The failsafe device assembly of claim 15 , wherein determining the operational parameter of the actuator further includes receiving a selection of the speed from a user.
17 . The failsafe device assembly of claim 14 , wherein the memory has further instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the processing circuit to:
compare the amount of energy to the effective capacitance to determine a lifetime parameter of the capacitor; and
send the lifetime parameter.
18 . The failsafe device assembly of claim 17 further comprising an artificial intelligence module that is configured to correlate a control charge voltage of a voltage regulator to the lifetime parameter to determine the control charge voltage that is applied to the capacitor.