JAJU857 December 2022
The DRV8220 drives current through the magnetic core to saturate the core. This device is the smallest, most cost-effective device capable of driving enough current.
The DRV8220 is an integrated motor driver with four N-channel power FETs, charge pump regulator, and protection circuitry. The device can supply up to 1.76 A of output current, operating on a supply voltage from 4.5 V to 18 V. The driver offers robust internal protection including undervoltage lockout, output overcurrent, and device overtemperature.
The low-side current sense resistor (R7) detects current through the DRV8220. The current spikes when the core reaches saturation, which is read by the saturation detection circuit.
The output of the DRV8220 is controlled by pins 1 and 2. The state of these pins determines which direction current flows through the magnetic coil. When the saturation detection circuit threshold is passed, the control signals to pins 1 and 2 flip, which flips the DRV8220 output.
DRV8220 output 1 and 2 are used to drive are used to drive the fluxgate sensor coil to saturation. The low-side current sense resistor is used by the saturation detection circuit to know when saturation is reached.
The current through VSENSE peaks when the core reaches saturation.