I'm curious if this has been done before, and if anyone had any design ideas about how to do it.
Hypothetical - let's say you wanted to make a relay actuate as a diode would.
If there is a voltage across the contacts greater than some threshold, then the coil is driven so the contacts close. But when the contacts close, that voltage drops to zero, so you either need some time hysteresis and/or a forward current sensor.
If the current reverses, you have to break the coil current, preferably as close to zero as possible. You need some hysteresis there as well, so you don't chatter on current noise close to zero amps.
Anyone seem something like this before? Any design thoughts? I bet there will be some questions about why you would ever want something like this - it could be quite useful if you had high current and needed low loss.
Hypothetical - let's say you wanted to make a relay actuate as a diode would.
If there is a voltage across the contacts greater than some threshold, then the coil is driven so the contacts close. But when the contacts close, that voltage drops to zero, so you either need some time hysteresis and/or a forward current sensor.
If the current reverses, you have to break the coil current, preferably as close to zero as possible. You need some hysteresis there as well, so you don't chatter on current noise close to zero amps.
Anyone seem something like this before? Any design thoughts? I bet there will be some questions about why you would ever want something like this - it could be quite useful if you had high current and needed low loss.