Asymmetrical Multi-Lane Motor Drive Fault Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional multi-phase motor drives are expensive, complex, and bulky due to their dependency on single DC links and physical/electrical connections between motor phases, lacking true fault tolerance in safety-critical applications where a single fault can cause complete system interruption.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of an asymmetrical multi-lane motor drive system with each lane having a different number of phases, electrically isolated from others, and supplied by a DC link through a multi-leg inverter, providing fault-tolerant control and redundancy to maintain performance under faults in motor windings and inverter switches.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a symmetrical multi-fed drive based on two five-phase five-leg bridges is used, then fault-tolerant operation is achieved, but the component count increases to 20 switches resulting in high complexity and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by using lanes with different numbers of phases (e.g., one lane with 3 phases, another with 2 phases) instead of symmetrical configuration. This asymmetric topology reduces the total switch count from 20 to 14 switches while maintaining fault-tolerant operation, directly resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The drive system is segmented into multiple electrically isolated lanes, where each lane can operate independently. This segmentation allows the system to maintain fault-tolerant operation through lane isolation while reducing overall complexity by eliminating the need for inter-lane connections and reducing total switch requirements
2Reliability
If a modular-phase system with multiple isolated DC sources and multiple full-bridge inverters is used, then fault tolerance is improved, but the system becomes very expensive, complex, and bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple full-bridge inverters into multi-leg inverters that share common DC links and switch resources across lanes. This merging reduces the total number of independent inverter units required, thereby reducing system complexity, cost, and physical size while maintaining the fault tolerance benefits of isolated lane operation
3Ease of operation
If a symmetrical multi-fed drive is used, then simple control under fault condition is achieved, but a single open-circuit fault causes complete interruption of a faulty module
Solution Approach 1:
The drive system is divided into electrically isolated lanes that function as independent segments. When a fault occurs in one lane, the isolation prevents fault propagation to other lanes, allowing continued operation of healthy lanes. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining reliability while preserving control simplicity through independent lane management
Data Source
AI summary
Motor drives and drive systems are provided. A motor drive of the subject invention can be an asymmetrical, multi-lane, multi-phase motor drive. The motor drive can include a master lane and slave lane having fewer phases than the master lane has. Each lane can be powered by a single direct current link.