Magnet-flux-ing control of interior PM Machine drives for improved steady-state response to short-circuit faults

This paper proposes a control method to the magnet flux in an interior permanent-magnet (IPM) motor following short-circuit-type faults in either the inverter drive or motor stator windings. Phase-based control is employed to implement the flux-ing-control method so that it is possible to take advantage of a zero-sequence current in order to minimize the current in the shorted phase. It is shown that phase-based control results in a smaller induced current than when employing a synchronous-frame dq0 current regulator. The induced torque is also less than that when employing a purposely commanded symmetrical short circuit in response to a short-circuit-type fault. In the paper, the complete magnet-flux-ing-control algorithm is derived with reference to the proposed phase-current-control method. The impact of controlling the zero-sequence current on the resulting phase currents is presented. Both simulation and experimental results are presented, verifying the operation of the proposed methods.     

IPM synchronous machine drive response to symmetrical and asymmetrical short circuit faults

A closed-form solution is presented for the steady-state response of interior permanent magnet (IPM) synchronous machines to symmetrical short circuits including the effects of q-axis magnetic saturation. Machine response to single-phase asymmetrical short circuits is also investigated. Experimental data are presented to verify predicted behavior for both types of short circuits. It is shown that single-phase asymmetrical short circuit faults produce more severe fault responses with high pulsating torque and a significant threat of rotor demagnetization. A control strategy that purposely transitions such faults into symmetrical three-phase short circuits can minimize the fault severity and associated demagnetization risks. Implications for the design of IPM machines with improved fault tolerance are discussed.     

Uncontrolled generation in interior permanent-magnet Machines

The movement toward higher power automotive electrical systems has spurred research into low-cost alternators capable of operating over a wide constant-power speed range. A promising candidate for this application is a specially designed interior permanent-magnet (IPM) machine operating in uncontrolled generation (UCG). This paper investigates the modeling and performance of IPM machines in UCG. The concept of the voltage-current locus is introduced to explain the presence of hysteresis in the machine stator current and this effect is experimentally demonstrated. The effect of nonidealities such as magnetic saturation and stator resistance are also examined, to achieve a more accurate steady-state and dynamic modeling of the machine behavior. The predictions of these models are tested against experimental results.     

A three-level MOSFET inverter for low-power drives

This paper proposes operating a three-level neutral-point-clamped (NPC) inverter using a two-level pulsewidth-modulation method. This allows for the clamping diodes to be rated at a fraction of the main switches due to their low average current requirement. The use of a bootstrap charge pump as a low-cost method to obtain the isolated gate drive power supplies is extended for use with the NPC topology. Using this control method and circuits, an inverter based on high-volume, low-cost, low-voltage power MOSFETs is experimentally demonstrated as a possible economic alternative to an insulated-gate-bipolar-transistor-based drive for 120-Vrms-supplied systems.     

The influence of topology selection on the design of EV/HEV propulsion systems

The adoption of the 42 V Powernet standard has focused substantial research effort into the design of electric machines for hybrid vehicles. This letter investigates the potential performance benefits afforded by adopting a cascaded inverter topology on the overall system and motor performance. As a particular design example, this letter shows that a cascaded inverter driving an open winding motor can increase the high-speed power density of an induction motor by 73%. For an interior permanent magnet motor, the cascaded topology can increase low-speed torque by 9% and high-speed power by up to 300%. In all cases, the power increase is achieved without increasing the phase current over a more traditional system.     

IPM synchronous machine drive response to a single-phase open circuit fault

This paper investigates the steady-state and dynamic response of an interior permanent magnet (IPM) synchronous machine drive to a single-phase open-circuit fault. This fault results in rotational electromagnetic asymmetry on both the stator and rotor, making it difficult to analyze using classical dq-transformation techniques. This paper presents a new dq synchronous-frame machine model that is capable of handling this highly asymmetrical fault condition, including the effects of q axis magnetic saturation. Fault responses with two alternative post-fault control strategies are investigated: (1) opening all of the inverter switches so that the machine behaves as an uncontrolled generator (UCG), with the two unfaulted phases connected to the inverter DC link via the antiparallel diodes; and (2) shorting the two remaining unfaulted phases together using the inverter switches. Results of this investigation show that the fault response is generally more benign using the UCG control strategy, with significantly lower phase currents and pulsating torque than corresponding values delivered using the phase-shorting strategy.