SR Motor Control Device Switching Drive and Brake Torque

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional motor control devices for switched reluctance motors (SR motors) face issues with excessive current generation when switching between drive control and brake control, particularly due to unrecouped regenerative current and increased excitation current.

Innovation Solution

A motor control device that switches between drive control and brake control by ensuring a non-energized phase with no excitation current flowing through the winding wire, reducing the current to below a prescribed value, and selectively magnetically attracting salient poles to generate torque, avoiding magnetic attraction for the next salient pole during mode transitions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If drive control is started with regenerative current remaining in the SR motor, then drive torque can be generated, but excessive current is generated in the SR motor

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedrive torqueVSAvoidexcessive current
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit provides a non-energized section before switching from brake control to drive control, during which excitation current does not flow through the winding wire. This preliminary action reduces the current to below a prescribed value, preventing excessive current generation when drive control starts while ensuring drive torque can be generated subsequently

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Power

If switching from drive control to brake control, then braking torque can be generated, but excitation current increases and regenerative current becomes excessive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebraking torqueVSAvoidexcessive regenerative current
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit provides a non-energized section before switching from drive control to brake control, during which excitation current does not flow through the winding wire. This preliminary action reduces the current to below a prescribed value, preventing excessive regenerative current when brake control starts while ensuring braking torque can be generated subsequently

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Power

If magnetic attraction is performed for all salient poles during mode switching, then torque generation is maintained, but current overlap occurs between regenerative and excitation currents

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetorque generationVSAvoidcurrent overlap
Core Design Contradiction:
PowerVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The control unit extracts or removes the magnetic attraction action for at least one salient pole during mode switching by providing a non-energized section. This selective removal prevents current overlap between regenerative and excitation currents while the patent ensures torque generation is maintained through appropriate control of other salient poles

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The control unit provides a non-energized section before switching modes, during which excitation current does not flow. This preliminary action reduces current to below a prescribed value, preventing current overlap while allowing torque generation to resume after the transition

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach effectively suppresses excessive current generation in SR motors during mode switching, preventing regenerative current overlap and maintaining efficient control.

Implementation Method 1

The control unit enables the first salient pole to magnetically attract the second salient pole by selectively energizing the winding wires, to generate the drive torque or the braking torque in the rotor

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMagnetic attraction: Magnetism

Data Source

PatentEP3723275B1Motor control device
Publication Date: 2023.06.07 MITSUBA CORP
  • EP3723275B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3723275B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3723275B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention suppresses the generation of an excessive current in a SR motor during switching between drive control and brake control. This motor control device is for controlling rotation of a multiphase SR motor, and is provided with a control unit that controls the rotational speed of the SR motor while switching between drive control for generating drive torque in the SR motor and brake control for generating braking torque in the SR motor, wherein the control unit performs switching from the drive control to the brake control or vice versa under the condition that the current flowing through a winding wire of an energized phase is less than a prescribed value.