Design and Development of Phase Sensitive Demodulator

Abstract

This thesis addresses the critical issue of resolver signal demodulation in the gun control system (GCS) of military battle tanks (MBTs). The GCS is responsible for two crucial functions: moving the gun in both azimuth and elevation based on signals from the gunner, and stabilizing the gun in bi-axes when the tank is in motion or on uneven terrain. To achieve these functions, the GCS requires an accurate and reliable resolver signal demodulation technique. Existing electronic amplifier techniques used in MBTs for translating console signals have become obsolete and their performance has been compromised. Therefore, a new and innovative technique for resolver signal demodulation in MBT GCS, Phase Sensitive Demodulation (PSD), has been proposed in this thesis. The PSD technique offers the same performance criteria as existing techniques, but at a significantly lower cost. To determine the most efficient and cost-effective solution, this thesis compares different techniques used for evaluating resolver signals. In-house and on-system tests are conducted to validate the proposed PSD technique. Even though the proposed technique does not compromise on performance, the results demonstrate that it provides a cost-effective solution for resolver signal demodulation in MBT GCS. With no significant changes to the existing GCS, the new technique can be easily incorporated into future MBTs. By proposing a new and cost-effective technique for resolver signal demodulation, this thesis makes an important contribution to the field of MBT GCS technology. In addition to improving the overall performance of MBT GCS, the proposed technique may also contribute to its reliability, which is a critical factor for military operations to be successful.