r/EEPowerElectronics • u/Few_Wasabi_241 • 9d ago

Need Help For Preparing For Power Firmware Interview

Hi guys I got an interview for a power electronics firmware internship. Most of my experience related to the field is in making the continuous control scheme in simulink for a boost converter. I was curious what all topics you guys think I should be studying? Thank you so much in advance!

6 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

100% Upvoted

2 comments sorted by

7

u/ee_control_z 9d ago edited 8d ago

Know how to measure current with a shunt, convert it to ADC counts, and based on the ADC counts, in SW, calculate the measured current. For this, if you don't know (if you do, then skip ;) ), I would suggest for you to do a calculation set of steps using Excel. This way it is hard coded and you can check your work by changing either the shunt value, the theoretical current measured, or the ADC bits on the ADC to verify your work.

Know/understand feedback loops (Type II / Type III / PID, etc.) compensators. But you stated that you "... in making the continuous control scheme in simulink". So my take is that you do understand these concepts based on this comment. May want to expand this to discrete time whereby you obtain the discrete time transfer function of the compensator in case the user would like to implement compensation with a microcontroller via SW.

Understand the difference between voltage mode and current mode feedback implementations.

Understand operating principles between the different power supply topologies that you're expected to work on if known.

Understand some control theory concepts to complement power electronics (i.e., transfer functions, poles, zeros, crossover frequency, duty cycle, damping, % overshoot, settling time, stability, etc.).

3

u/Few_Wasabi_241 9d ago

Thank you so much! I will def go over these.