Abstract:
A method of operating an electrical machine having first and second phase windings. The method includes: (1) applying positive first current to the first phase winding while the first phase winding's back electromotive force (emf) is positive; (2) applying negative second current to the first phase winding while the first phase winding's back emf is negative; and (3) applying positive third current to the second phase winding while the second phase winding's back emf is positive. The first current is conducted through a circuit composed of a battery, the first phase winding, and a first switch. The second current is conducted through a circuit composed of a first capacitive storage element, the battery, the first phase winding, and a second switch, and the third current is conducted through a circuit composed of the battery, the second phase winding, and a third switch.
Abstract:
A power factor correction system includes a rectifier that rectifies the voltage of an alternating current (ac) power source to produce a voltage waveform that transitions, in a half sinusoid, from a minimum amplitude to a maximum amplitude and back to the minimum amplitude twice in the period of the ac power source. A phase winding of a motor conveys current induced by the voltage waveform, and a regulator regulates the flow of the current conveyed by the phase winding for storage as energy in a storage component.
Abstract:
An improved single-switch control circuit for use in a multi-phase switched reluctance machine is provided. The control circuit includes at least first and second phase windings, a switch, a capacitor, and a diode. The capacitor may have a polarity opposite that of a power source in the control circuit. The first winding may be connected in series with the switch and connected in parallel with a circuit block comprising the second winding. The second winding may be connected in parallel with the capacitor and in series with the diode. In operation, the switch may be used to redirect current from the first winding to the second winding. The capacitor can become charged by the redirected current until it eventually stores enough energy to essentially discontinue current flow in the first winding. Then, the capacitor can discharge its stored energy as a current through the second winding. In this manner, substantially all of the energy from the first winding can be transferred to the second winding.
Abstract:
An improved single-switch control circuit for use in a multi-phase switched reluctance machine is provided. The control circuit includes at least first and second phase windings, a switch, a capacitor, and a diode. The capacitor may have a polarity opposite that of a power source in the control circuit. The first winding may be connected in series with the switch and connected in parallel with a circuit block comprising the second winding. The second winding may be connected in parallel with the capacitor and in series with the diode. In operation, the switch may be used to redirect current from the first winding to the second winding. The capacitor can become charged by the redirected current until it eventually stores enough energy to essentially discontinue current flow in the first winding. Then, the capacitor can discharge its stored energy as a current through the second winding. In this manner, substantially all of the energy from the first winding can be transferred to the second winding.
Abstract:
A rotor for an electrical motor may include a plurality of salient radial field rotor poles and a plurality of salient axial field rotor poles. The radial field rotor poles and the axial field rotor poles are respectively oriented on the rotor to receive or convey substantially perpendicular flux fields. Additionally, the radial field rotor poles may include both inner and outer peripheral rotor poles for communicating radial flux fields with separate coaxial stators.
Abstract:
A switched reluctance machine having salient stator and rotor poles. Alternating ones of the stator poles having windings and the others having permanent magnets attached on their pole faces. The alternate stator pole windings are provided with polarities that are suitable for unidirectional and bidirectional current operation of the switched reluctance machine. The alternate poles with permanent magnets in the switched reluctance machines can have also concentric windings placed on them and excited with currents to further augment the flux linkages in the stator poles. The windings on the poles with permanent magnets can be excited from the same source as the windings on the poles without permanent magnets to enhance power output or provide power factor correction.
Abstract:
A power converter having a first switch and a first unidirectional current device that conducts current unidirectionally. The first switch and first unidirectional current device are interconnected such that when interconnected with a dc voltage supply, battery, and first phase winding of an electrical machine: (1) a first operational state exists in which a conductive state of the first switch causes the dc voltage supply to conduct current through the first switch and first phase winding, so as to store energy within the first phase winding and (2) a second operational state exists in which a non-conductive state of the first switch causes the first phase winding to discharge its stored energy by conducting current through the first unidirectional current device and battery, so as to store energy in the battery.
Abstract:
A method for collecting operational parameters of a motor may include controlling the energization of a phase winding of the motor to establish an operating point, monitoring operational parameters of the motor that characterize a relationship between the energization control applied to the motor's phase winding and the motor's response to this control, and collecting information of the operational parameters for the operating point that characterizes the relationship between the applied energization control and the motor's response. The collected information characterizing the relationship between the applied energization control and the motor's response may be employed by a neural network to estimate the regions of operation of the motor. And a system for controlling the operation of motor may employ this information, the neural network, or both to regulate the energization of a motor's phase winding during a phase cycle.
Abstract:
A method for controlling a multi-phase motor includes withholding energization of a first phase of the motor for a non-zero period when the first phase's dwell time begins. Energization of the first phase is activated upon the expiration of the non-zero period. Energization of the first phase is deactivated for the remainder of the dwell time at a deactivation time occurring before or at the expiration of the dwell time.
Abstract:
A TPSRM may include a stator, having a plurality of poles and a ferromagnetic or iron back material, and a rotor having a plurality of poles and a ferromagnetic or iron back material. A current flowing through coils wound around a first set of the plurality of stator poles induces a flux flow through the first set of stator poles and portions of the stator back material during a first excitation phase. A current flowing through coils wound around a second set of the plurality of stator poles induces a flux flow through the second set of stator poles and portions of the stator back material during a second excitation phase. The numbers of stator and rotor poles for this TPSRM are selected such that substantially no flux reversal occurs in any part of the stator back material as a result of transitioning between the first and second excitation phases.