Abstract:
The disclosure relates to thermal management of a power electronics converter. An example embodiment includes a power electronics converter comprising: a first set of terminals connectable to a first voltage supply; a second set of terminals connectable to a second voltage supply; a plurality of semiconductor switches connected between the first and second sets of terminals; a voltage sensor connected to measure a voltage across the second supply; a current sensor connected to measure a current through the second supply; and a controller connected to provide switching signals to the semiconductor switches and to receive voltage and current signals from the voltage and current sensors, the controller configured, for each of the semiconductor switches, to: determine a junction temperature of the semiconductor switch; compare the determined junction temperature to a reference temperature; and adjust a switching gate voltage applied to the semiconductor switch.
Abstract:
A method of classifying a stator winding fault in a brushless synchronous generator includes measuring an electrical parameter of the stator winding and classifying the fault by calculating positive or negative sequence harmonics of the parameter and comparing one or more harmonic component to a threshold.
Abstract:
A method of open-switch fault detection in a two-level voltage source power converter comprises the steps of: i. acquiring the waveforms of three-phase alternating current of the two-level voltage source power converter; ii. calculating at least a first time derivative of each acquired waveform; and iii. using the at least first time derivatives to determine whether an open-switch fault is present in the two-level voltage source power converter.
Abstract:
A method of detecting a fault in an induction machine having one or more windings arranged to draw current at a supply frequency, the method including: performing a process of judging whether a respective sideband of one or more selected harmonics of the supply frequency exists at a predetermined fault frequency in a signal in the one or more windings; and determining that a fault has occurred if the judgement is positive; wherein in the judging process each of the selected harmonics of the supply frequency is a harmonic frequency of the supply frequency other than the supply frequency itself.
Abstract:
A method of detecting a diode fault in an AC signal rectifier circuit, the AC signal rectifier circuit including a plurality of diodes, and being arranged to supply a rectified output voltage to a load, wherein the method includes the steps of deriving an operating value indicative of the ratio of the voltage magnitudes of a first harmonic frequency and another harmonic frequency of the rectified output voltage across the load; and determining whether a fault has occurred in one or more diodes on the basis of the derived operating value. The first harmonic frequency is preferably the fundamental harmonic frequency, and/or the another harmonic frequency is preferably the 6th harmonic frequency.
Abstract:
A method for gathering inflight data during operation of an electric or hybrid-electric aircraft. The aircraft includes: a swappable battery pack, connected to an electrical system of the aircraft, the swappable battery pack including a data storage module accessible via a data interface of the swappable battery pack; and a control unit, connected to the swappable battery pack via the data interface. The method includes, while the aircraft is in flight, gathering, by the control unit, the inflight data from the aircraft and saving the gathered inflight data to the data storage module of the swappable battery pack.
Abstract:
A data logging device for an electric aircraft having charging port for on-ground charging of energy storage system of electric propulsion system of aircraft. Device includes an aircraft-side data storage unit, data interface, trigger signal interface, and control unit. Control unit is configured to detect connection of charging port to ground-side charger based on trigger signal received by control unit from ground-side charger via trigger signal interface. Control unit is configured wherein a state of flight of electric aircraft, control unit collects inflight data from electric aircraft via data interface and saves inflight data to aircraft-side data storage unit. Control unit is also configured wherein a state of on-ground charging of electric aircraft, control unit, on receipt of trigger signal, sends inflight data saved on aircraft-side data storage unit via data interface to charger for forwarding to at least one of a data transmitter and a ground-side data storage unit.
Abstract:
A computer-implemented method of determining a value of a reliability parameter of an electrical machine, the method includes: estimating an operating temperature of at least a part of the electrical machine based on a measure of a current drawn or supplied by the electrical machine; and determining the value of the reliability parameter based on the estimated operating temperature.
Abstract:
There is disclosed a method for diagnosing a fault condition in an electric machine 4. The method comprises measuring S2 at least one physical parameter generated during operation of the electric machine 4; analysing S4 the or each measured parameter in a frequency domain; and determining S12 whether the electric machine 4 has a stator or rotor winding fault based on a comparison of an amplitude of the or each analysed parameter at a first predetermined frequency and a first threshold amplitude for the first frequency. The at least one physical parameter comprises a sound generated by the electric machine 4.
Abstract:
A method of controlling an inverter, in which the inverter includes a single-phase inverter arrangement having a complementary pair of power switches, including the steps of: controlling the complementary pair of power switches with a modulating signal to output an AC signal; monitoring a collector-emitter voltage of each of the pair of power switches; if the collector-emitter voltage exceeds a predetermined value, the corresponding one of the pair of power switches is judged to be in a short circuit condition; and if either one of the pair of power switches is judged to be in a short circuit condition, executing a shutdown operation to switch off the corresponding one of the pair of power switches.