IDENTDIS
IDENTDIS: Identification techniques applied to the condition monitoring of Smart Power Distribution System in Satellites
Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2021-2023
Programa Estatal para Impulsar la Investigación Científico-Técnica y su Transferencia
Subprograma Estatal de Generación de Conocimiento
IDENTDIS - Técnicas de identificación aplicadas a la monitorización en sistemas de distribución de potencia inteligentes en satélites
Funding entity: Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI).
Involved entities: Universidad Carlos III de Madrid.
Duration: from September 1, 2022 to August 31, 2025
Principal Investigator: Pablo Zumel Vaquero
Number of participant researchers: 7
Summary
IDENTDIS: Digitalization and Intelligent Monitoring for Satellite Power Systems
The IDENTDIS subproject (Identification Techniques for the Digitalization of Electrical Power Systems in Satellites) is a cornerstone of the coordinated SECPOW project. Its primary mission is to transform how energy is managed in spacecraft, moving from conventional telemetry to an advanced, proactive Condition Monitoring system.
The Motivation: Beyond Conventional Telemetry
Currently, satellite Electrical Power Systems (EPS) rely on basic measurements such as voltage, current, and temperature. However, the degradation of critical components like capacitors and inductors often goes unnoticed until a drastic failure occurs. IDENTDIS addresses this challenge through digitalization, integrating operational data into a virtual environment that enables predictive maintenance and continuous optimization.
Technological Innovation: Frequency Response Analysis
The technical heart of IDENTDIS lies in the use of dynamic identification techniques:
- Signal Injection: The system injects broadband signals (such as multisinusoidal or Pseudo-Random Binary Sequences – PRBS) by leveraging existing hardware, such as Latching Current Limiters (LCL) or the power converters themselves.
- Parameter Estimation: By analyzing the resulting frequency response in real-time, the system can estimate critical values like the resistance of transistors or the capacitance of filters.
- Fault Libraries: These measurements are compared against predefined patterns and fault simulations, allowing the system to predict issues before they jeopardize the mission.
Strategic Objectives and Benefits
- Predictive Maintenance: It allows for the implementation of rapid mitigation measures, such as reducing the load on specific lines, thereby extending the satellite’s operational life.
- Design Optimization: By collecting real operational data, engineers can improve the designs of future missions, reducing oversizing and, consequently, the satellite’s weight and cost.
- Digital Twins: The data is used to feed «digital twin» models, enabling unprecedented precision in remote supervision from ground stations.
Scientific Challenges
The IDENTDIS project tackles complex technical hurdles, particularly achieving accurate identification within modular architectures and power converters operating with variable switching frequencies, where synchronization and noise filtering are critical for reliable results.
Collaboration and Industrial Impact
Developed by research groups from the University of Oviedo and University Carlos III of Madrid, IDENTDIS has garnered significant interest from industry. The project not only seeks to advance scientific knowledge but also to ensure that the European aerospace industry remains at the forefront of technological efficiency and reliability.
Presentations
IDENTDIS project was presented during the SAAEI ’24 Conference.
Team
Principal researchers: Pablo Zumel
Research team: Cristina Fernández, Emilio Olias
Work team: Leonardo Ortega, David Ortega, Pablo Cita, Javier González, Marcos Fernández
Publications
Authors: V. Díaz, A. Barrado, P. Zumel and A. Lázaro
Title: Optimized modulation for the Four-Switch Buck-Boost Converter with reduced current ripple
Publication reference: IEEE Open Journal of the Industrial Electronics Society
DOI: 10.1109/OJIES.2026.3653129
Authors: S. Toledano-Dus, J. González-Pérez, C. Fernández and P. Zumel
Title: Static and Dynamic Models of a DAHB Converter
Conference: 2025 Energy Conversion Congress & Expo Europe (ECCE Europe), Birmingham, United Kingdom, 2025, pp. 1-6
DOI: 10.1109/ECCE-Europe62795.2025.11238562.
Authors: Alejandro Lorenta, Pablo Zumel, Andrés Barrado, Cristina Fernández
Title: Modelado y análisis de estabilidad para sistemas de convertidores en cascada empleando el teorema de la cadena y el teorema del elemento extra
Conference: Seminario Anual de Automática, Electrónica Industrial e Instrumentación SAAEI 2025
Authors: Facundo E. Conti, Marlon Granda, Pablo Zumel, Cristina Fernández
Title: Modelado e identificación de un convertidor reductor síncrono con doble lazo de control digital haciendo uso de la señal PRBS como perturbación
Conference: Seminario Anual de Automática, Electrónica Industrial e Instrumentación SAAEI 2025
Authors: Sergio Toledano, Cristina Fernández, Andrés Barrado, Pablo Zumel
Title: Modelado y control de Dual-Active Half-Bridge en configuración ISOP
Conference: Seminario Anual de Automática, Electrónica Industrial e Instrumentación SAAEI 2025
Authors: David Ortega, Cristina Fernández, Pablo Zumel, F. Naya y Jesús Pernas
Title: Calentamiento por inducción aplicando presión en materiales CFRP
Conference: Seminario Anual de Automática, Electrónica Industrial e Instrumentación SAAEI 2024
Authors: Cristina Fernández, Antonio Lázaro, Marina Sanz, Emilio Olías, Andrés Barrado y Pablo Zumel
Title: Revisión y modificación de las prácticas en la asignatura de nueva implantación Convertidores Electrónicos de Potencia
Conference: Seminario Anual de Automática, Electrónica Industrial e Instrumentación SAAEI 2024
Authors: Adrián Ocaña Bravo, Cristina Fernández, Antonio Lázaro y Pablo Zumel Vaquero
Title: Control de convertidor reductor elevador de cuatro interruptores para aplicación espacial
Conference: Seminario Anual de Automática, Electrónica Industrial e Instrumentación SAAEI 2024
Authors: Javier González-Pérez, Cristina Fernández, Sergio Toledano-Dus y Pablo Zumel Vaquero
Title: Modelado estático en tiempo continuo del convertidor DAHB
Conference: Seminario Anual de Automática, Electrónica Industrial e Instrumentación SAAEI 2024
Authors: Cristina Fernández, Alejandro Lorenta, Andrés Barrado y Pablo Zumel
Title: Análisis del impacto del Latching Current Limiter en la estabilidad de un sistema de distribución de potencia de un satélite
Conference: Seminario Anual de Automática, Electrónica Industrial e Instrumentación SAAEI 2024
Authors: David Ortega, Cristina Fernandez, Jesus Pernas and Pablo Zumel
Title: Análisis de los defectos causados por el calentamiento por inducción en materiales CFRP
Conference: Seminario Anual de Automática, Electrónica Industrial e Instrumentación SAAEI 2023
Authors: Sergio Toledano-Dus, Cristina Fernandez, Andres Barrado and Pablo Zumel
Title: Modelo en tiempo discreto del convertidor Dual Actve Half Bridge (DAHB) en condiciones cercanas a la Resonancia
Conference: Seminario Anual de Automática, Electrónica Industrial e Instrumentación SAAEI 2023
Authors: P. Zumel, M. García-Valderas, M. F. Costales, J. A. Oliver, A. Fernández and C. Fernández
Title: Digital Control for a Modular System of DC/DC Converters for Primary Distribution System
Conference: 2023 13th European Space Power Conference (ESPC), Elche, Spain, 2023, pp. 1-6
DOI: 10.1109/ESPC59009.2023.10298170.
Authors: Sergio Toledano-Dus; Cristina Fernández; Andrés Barrado; Pablo Zumel
Title: Modeling of Dual Active Half Bridge (DAHB) converter based on discrete time techniques
Conference: 2022 IEEE 23rd Workshop on Control and Modeling for Power Electronics (COMPEL)