Projeto e análise de aplicações de circuladores ativos para a operação em frequências de ultrassom Doppler de ondas contínuas
Data
2017-11-15
Autores
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Biblioteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações da USP
Universidade de São Paulo
Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos
Universidade de São Paulo
Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos
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Descrição
Os circuladores tradicionais são amplamente utilizados em telecomunicações e defesa militar para o simultâneo envio e recepção de sinais por um único meio. Esses circuitos passivos, fabricados a partir de materiais ferromagnéticos, possuem a desvantagem do aumento de dimensões, peso e custos de fabricação com a diminuição da frequência de operação definida no projeto destes dispositivos, inviabilizando sua aplicação em frequências abaixo de 500 MHz. O circulador ativo surgiu como uma alternativa aos tradicionais, tendo aplicações em frequências desde o nível DC até a ordem de dezenas de gigahertz. As suas maiores aplicações ocorrem quando são necessários dispositivos compactos, de baixo custo e de baixa potência. Os primeiros circuitos propostos possuíam uma grande limitação em termos de frequência de operação e de potência entregue à carga. Entretanto, com os avanços tecnológicos na eletrônica, tais problemas podem ser amenizados atualmente. Neste trabalho é apresentado o desenvolvimento de um circuito circulador ativo para a utilização em instrumentação eletrônica, em particular para a operação em frequências na ordem das utilizadas em equipamentos de ultrassom Doppler de ondas contínuas, na faixa de 2 MHz a 10 MHz. As possíveis vantagens da implementação de circuladores em sistemas de ultrassom estão relacionadas ao incremento da relação sinal-ruído, aumento da área de recepção do transdutor, simplificação da construção do transdutor, simplificação do circuito de demodulação/ processamento, e maior isolação entre os circuitos de transmissão e recepção de sinais. Na fase inicial, o circulador ativo proposto é modelado por equacionamento, utilizando-se tanto o modelo ideal dos amplificadores operacionais como o seu modelo de resposta em frequência. Simulações computacionais foram executadas para confirmar a validade do equacionamento. Um circuito montado em placa de prototipagem rápida foi apresentado, e testes de prova de conceito em baixas frequências foram realizados, mostrando uma grande semelhança entre o teórico, o simulado e o experimental. A segunda parte contou com o projeto do circuito circulador para a operação em maiores frequências. O circuito proposto é composto por três amplificadores operacionais de realimentação por corrente e vários componentes passivos. Uma análise de sensibilidade utilizando os métodos de Monte-Carlo e análise do pior caso foi aplicada, resultando em um perfil de comportamento frente às variações dos componentes do circuito e às variações da impedância de carga. Uma placa de circuito impressa foi projetada, utilizando-se de boas práticas de leiaute para a operação em altas frequências. Neste circuito montado, foram realizados os seguintes testes e medições: comportamento no domínio do tempo, faixa dinâmica, nível de isolação em relação à amplitude do sinal, largura de banda, levantamento dos parâmetros de espalhamento, e envio e recepção de sinais por transdutor de ultrassom Doppler de ondas contínuas. Os resultados dos testes de desempenho foram satisfatórios, apresentando uma banda de transmissão de sinais para frequências de 100 MHz, isolação entre portas não consecutivas de 39 dB na frequência de interesse para ultrassom Doppler e isolação maior que 20 dB para frequências de até 35 MHz. A faixa dinâmica excedeu a tensão de 5 Vpp, e o circuito teve bom comportamento no envio e na recepção simultânea de sinais pelo transdutor de ultrassom.
Traditional circulators are widely used in both telecommunications and military defense for sending and receiving signals simultaneously through a single medium. These passive circuits which are manufactured from ferromagnetic materials, have the disadvantages of having suffered an increase in dimensions, weight, and manufacturing costs along with the decrease in the operation frequency established in the designs of such devices, thus preventing their useful employment in frequencies below 500 MHz. The active circulator emerged as an alternative to the traditional ones, and has applications on frequencies ranging from a DC level to levels involving dozens of gigahertz. It is applicable when compact devices are made necessary, at a low cost, and for low frequencies. The first circuits to be introduced had a major limitation in terms of operating frequency and power delivered to the load. However, due to technological advances in electronics, problems such as the aforementioned can now be minimized. This research work presents the development of an active circulator circuit to be used in electronic instrumentation, particularly for operation at frequencies such as those used in continuous wave Doppler ultrasound equipment, ranging from 2 MHz to 10 MHz. The advantages made possible by implementing ultrasound systems with circulators are related to an increase in the signal-to-noise ratio, an increase in the transducers reception area, a simplified construction of the transducer, simplification of the demodulation/processing circuit, and a greater isolation between the transmission circuits and signal reception. In the initial phase, the proposed active circulator was modeled by means of an equating method, using both the ideal model of operational amplifiers and the model of frequency response. Computer simulations were carried out in order to confirm the validity of the equating method. A circuit mounted upon a breadboard was introduced and proof of concept assessments were performed at low frequencies, showing a great similarity among the theoretical, simulated and experimented data. The second phase is when the circulator circuits design was developed in order make its operation at higher frequencies possible. The proposed circuit is comprised of three currentfeedback operational amplifiers and several passive components. A sensitivity analysis was carried out using Monte-Carlo methods and worst-case analyses, resulting in a certain behavioral profile influenced by variations in circuit components and variations in load impedance. A printed circuit board was designed, employing good practice layout standards so that operation at high frequencies would be achieved. The following evaluations and measurements were performed on the circuit that was assembled: time domain behavior, dynamic range, isolation level relative to signal amplitude, bandwidth, survey of the scattering parameters, and transmission and reception of signals by a continuous wave Doppler ultrasound transducer. The results of the performance tests were satisfactory, presenting a 100 MHz signal transmission band, isolation between non-consecutive ports of 39 dB at the frequency of interest to the Doppler ultrasound, and an isolation greater than 20 dB for frequencies of up to 35 MHz. The dynamic range exceeded the 5Vpp and the circuit performed satisfactorily in the simultaneous transmission and reception of signals through the ultrasound\'s transducer.
Traditional circulators are widely used in both telecommunications and military defense for sending and receiving signals simultaneously through a single medium. These passive circuits which are manufactured from ferromagnetic materials, have the disadvantages of having suffered an increase in dimensions, weight, and manufacturing costs along with the decrease in the operation frequency established in the designs of such devices, thus preventing their useful employment in frequencies below 500 MHz. The active circulator emerged as an alternative to the traditional ones, and has applications on frequencies ranging from a DC level to levels involving dozens of gigahertz. It is applicable when compact devices are made necessary, at a low cost, and for low frequencies. The first circuits to be introduced had a major limitation in terms of operating frequency and power delivered to the load. However, due to technological advances in electronics, problems such as the aforementioned can now be minimized. This research work presents the development of an active circulator circuit to be used in electronic instrumentation, particularly for operation at frequencies such as those used in continuous wave Doppler ultrasound equipment, ranging from 2 MHz to 10 MHz. The advantages made possible by implementing ultrasound systems with circulators are related to an increase in the signal-to-noise ratio, an increase in the transducers reception area, a simplified construction of the transducer, simplification of the demodulation/processing circuit, and a greater isolation between the transmission circuits and signal reception. In the initial phase, the proposed active circulator was modeled by means of an equating method, using both the ideal model of operational amplifiers and the model of frequency response. Computer simulations were carried out in order to confirm the validity of the equating method. A circuit mounted upon a breadboard was introduced and proof of concept assessments were performed at low frequencies, showing a great similarity among the theoretical, simulated and experimented data. The second phase is when the circulator circuits design was developed in order make its operation at higher frequencies possible. The proposed circuit is comprised of three currentfeedback operational amplifiers and several passive components. A sensitivity analysis was carried out using Monte-Carlo methods and worst-case analyses, resulting in a certain behavioral profile influenced by variations in circuit components and variations in load impedance. A printed circuit board was designed, employing good practice layout standards so that operation at high frequencies would be achieved. The following evaluations and measurements were performed on the circuit that was assembled: time domain behavior, dynamic range, isolation level relative to signal amplitude, bandwidth, survey of the scattering parameters, and transmission and reception of signals by a continuous wave Doppler ultrasound transducer. The results of the performance tests were satisfactory, presenting a 100 MHz signal transmission band, isolation between non-consecutive ports of 39 dB at the frequency of interest to the Doppler ultrasound, and an isolation greater than 20 dB for frequencies of up to 35 MHz. The dynamic range exceeded the 5Vpp and the circuit performed satisfactorily in the simultaneous transmission and reception of signals through the ultrasound\'s transducer.
Palavras-chave
Faixa dinâmica, Método de Monte-Carlo, Circulador ativo, CFOA, PCB, Ultrassom Doppler, Análise do pior caso, Largura de banda, PCB, Monte-Carlo method, Active circulator, Dynamic range, Doppler ultrasound, CFOA, Bandwidth, Worst-case analysis