Sensorless Motor Drive PWM Control for Immediate Restart

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Solution Overview

Problem

Motor drive systems with sensorless control face challenges in immediate restart functionality during stop operations, requiring additional algorithms to manage PWM signal duty ratios effectively.

Innovation Solution

A motor drive apparatus with an inverter and control unit that decreases the PWM signal duty ratio during a stop command, allowing for immediate restart by increasing the duty ratio when a restart command is input, maintaining sensorless control throughout the process.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If sensorless control is used to reduce production costs, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but immediate restart capability during stop operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction costVSAvoidrestart speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit maintains sensorless control algorithms active during stop operations, performing preliminary estimation of rotor position and speed even when the motor is stationary. This preliminary action ensures that when a restart command is received, the control unit already has the necessary rotor information to immediately restart the motor without requiring additional algorithms or sensors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Speed

If PWM duty ratio is decreased during stop command, then motor speed is reduced to stop, but response time for restart increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotor speedVSAvoidresponse time
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit continues to execute sensorless control algorithms continuously during stop operations, maintaining the estimation of rotor position and speed throughout the stop period. This continuous action ensures that when a restart command is received, the control unit immediately has updated rotor information available, enabling immediate restart without waiting for additional measurements or algorithms to initialize.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Productivity

If additional algorithms are implemented for quick restart, then restart speed is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverestart speedVSAvoidcontrol algorithm complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit is designed to perform multiple functions using the same sensorless control algorithms: it estimates rotor position and speed during both operation and stop periods, and uses this information for both normal control and immediate restart. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate additional algorithms specifically for restart, as the existing sensorless control framework handles both scenarios.

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

Data Source

PatentEP3651348B1Motor drive apparatus
Publication Date: 2024.03.20 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP3651348B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3651348B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3651348B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to a motor drive apparatus and, more particularly, to a motor drive apparatus capable of immediately restarting by maintaining sensorless control during a stop operation of a motor. The motor drive apparatus comprises: an inverter for driving a motor by using an AC voltage; and a control unit for controlling operations of a switching element included in the inverter. At this time, when a stop command is input, the control unit decreases a duty ratio of a PWM signal until a present speed of the motor becomes smaller than a predetermined minimum speed, thereby decreasing the revolutions per minute of the motor. Then, when a restart command is input in a state where the duty ratio of the PWM signal is decreased, the control unit can immediately restart the motor by increasing the duty ratio of the PWM signal.