AC Rotating Machine Control Device with Backup Master Station

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing power conversion systems for alternating current rotating machines lack the ability to connect and share information from accompanying instruments like temperature sensors with inverter devices, leading to incomplete control and lack of automatic recovery in case of communication failures.

Innovation Solution

An alternating current rotating machine control device with a secondary communication means connecting power conversion devices and accompanying instruments, allowing for shared control status information and automatic recovery by designating one device as a master station and enabling communication between power conversion devices and instruments, with the capability to switch to a backup master station in case of communication failure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a single master station is used to control multiple power conversion devices, then the system structure is simple and easy to manage, but the system lacks reliability and cannot automatically recover from communication failures

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem structureVSAvoidcommunication reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designates a backup master station in advance before communication failures occur. When the current master station fails, the backup master station can immediately take over, enabling automatic recovery without manual intervention. This preliminary preparation of a standby controller resolves the contradiction by maintaining simple system structure while ensuring reliability through pre-configured failover capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a backup master station as a cushioning measure against communication failures. This redundant component acts as a safety buffer, ensuring that when the primary master station fails, the system can continue operating without interruption. The backup station cushions the impact of communication failures, maintaining both system simplicity and reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Device complexity

If only power conversion devices are connected via communication line, then the communication system is simple, but accompanying instruments like temperature sensors cannot share information with inverter devices

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication systemVSAvoidinstrument information sharing
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the communication line universal by enabling it to connect not only power conversion devices but also accompanying instruments such as temperature sensors and pressure sensors. This multi-functional communication infrastructure allows information from various instruments to be shared across the system, resolving the contradiction by maintaining communication system simplicity while eliminating information loss through expanded connectivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of operation

If the master station centrally controls all information, then the control structure is centralized and manageable, but automatic recovery is not possible when communication fails

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontrol managementVSAvoidautomatic recovery capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designates a backup master station in advance that is prepared to take over control functions automatically when the current master station fails. This preliminary preparation enables automatic recovery without requiring manual intervention, resolving the contradiction by maintaining centralized control manageability while introducing automation through pre-configured failover capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2677657B1Alternating-current rotating machine control device
Publication Date: 2019.10.30 FUJI ELECTRIC CO LTD
  • EP2677657B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2677657B1 patent drawingFigure 2(A)~2(B)
  • EP2677657B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

There is provided an alternating current rotating machine control device wherein, by sharing information among a plurality of power conversion devices and other accompanying instruments, and thus strengthening an alternating current rotating machine drive linkage, the optimization of a whole power conversion system is facilitated. A power conversion system has a distributed configuration of a top level control device (10) configuring a master station, a plurality of power conversion devices (11 to 13), accompanying information instruments (various kinds of sensor instrument such as a temperature sensor (14) and a pressure sensor (15)), and the like. The top level control device (10) is connected to the power conversion devices (11 and 12) by a first communication line (22). Furthermore, the power conversion devices (11 and 12) are provided with two or more communication functions, and are connected to the remaining power conversion device (13), temperature sensor (14), and pressure sensor (15) by a second communication line (23).