EV controller with Arduino and IGBT, worth looking into?

Projects General Guidance
1

Hi,

my first post here, I know very little about Arduino so far. Question is, should I digg in, or is my plan not feaseble to begin with? Please let me know.

I'd like to build a 144V 500A motor controller for the EV conversion of a car. I would like to use a 1200V 600A IGBT power module to direct the power. I would like to use a PWM output signal of the Arduino board to activate the IGBT. So far I have come up with the following parameters:

  • Potmeter for the throttle position (analog signal)
  • Current sensor (analog signal)
  • Low voltage sensor (digital input, signal drops when voltage is too low).
  • Reverse sensor. The controller should not bother about reversing, but I'd like it to lower the amps allowed when reverse is selected (digital input)
  • Max temp sensor controller (digital input)
  • Max temp sensor motor (digital input)
  • Activate signal (digital input)
  • Motor RPM signal (digital input)

The program should control the IGBT so the current supplied is linear to the throttle position.
The program should limit forward current to 500 amps and reverse current to say 50, those numbers should be programmable. Also the max increase of current per second should be programmable; if you floor it the controller should keep you from tearing the vehicle apart (or sideways at speed).

Well, there is probably a lot I have forgotten, but please let me know if, with a lot of trail and error and a lot of learning, this would be a project that can be done with the Arduino controller.

Cheers,

Hugo

2

I don't see why not. May have to add some signal conditioning so the 5V, 20mA IO of the Arduino can drive & receive all the signals properly.

3

Yeah, signal conditioning will be done on a separate board I will make. Shouldn't be too hard. I will also need to increase output signal voltage from 5V to 12V probably to get the IGBT to 'move'.

Cheers,

Hugo

4

what kind of motor are you planning to use?