A microcontroller based control and monitoring system on an SPI interface for a DC-HVDC power supply module

摘要

India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) collaboration is planning to build a massive 50,000 ton Iron Calorimeter (ICAL) detector. Particle detectors called Resistive Plate Chambers (RPCs) - about 30,000 in number, will be used as active detector elements. RPCs require a high voltage of about 10KV to be applied across its parallel glass electrodes for producing the required uniform field needed for their operation. A differential voltage (±5KV) solution using two low-ripple DC-HVDC units is proposed. This solution is superior from the points of view of cost besides ease of integration, which is a crucial for ICAL detector. Aim of this work is to design and build a microcontroller based control and monitoring system on an SPI interface for the twin DC-HVDC controllers based power supply module. Main functions of the control and monitoring system are setting the required voltage at the specified ramp up or ramp down rate and monitoring the voltage and load current of the module.