Three-Phase Supply Module for Drive Data and Energy Feedback

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems for decentralized drive supply require complex and costly cabling for both energy and data transmission, leading to increased assembly effort, material costs, and potential interference issues during commissioning or parameterization.

Innovation Solution

A system utilizing a supply module that connects consumers via three-phase voltage cables, where the phase sequence and frequency of the three-phase voltage system convey information about motor direction and speed, eliminating the need for separate data lines and external braking resistors, and allowing energy feedback for efficient cabling with commercially available three-phase current cables.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If separate cables are used for energy and data transmission to consumers, then reliable energy supply and data communication are achieved, but cabling complexity and material costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy supply reliabilityVSAvoidcabling complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines energy transmission and data communication functions into a single three-phase cable system. The supply module modulates data signals onto the three-phase power lines, allowing both power delivery and bidirectional communication through the same physical medium, thereby eliminating the need for separate data cables and reducing overall system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The three-phase cable is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it transmits both energy and data bidirectionally. The supply module can operate in different modes (power supply mode, data transmission mode, energy feedback mode) using the same cable infrastructure, making the cabling system universal and adaptable to various operational requirements

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

2Reliability

If separate control voltage supply and fieldbus connection are provided, then data transmission reliability is improved, but assembly effort and material costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission reliabilityVSAvoidassembly effort
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the fieldbus communication function with the three-phase power supply cable. The supply module implements communication protocols that allow bidirectional data exchange by modulating and demodulating signals on the power lines, eliminating the need for separate fieldbus cabling and reducing assembly complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Loss of energy

If braking resistors are integrated in each drive, then energy feedback capability is improved, but drive complexity and production costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveenergy feedback capabilityVSAvoiddrive complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the braking resistor function from individual drives and relocates it to the supply module. When drives operate in generator mode, the energy feedback is handled centrally by the supply module's braking resistor, eliminating the need for each drive to have its own external braking resistor and reducing overall system complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The supply module provides centralized energy management by automatically absorbing and dissipating regenerative energy from any drive operating in generator mode, making the system self-regulating without requiring additional active components in each drive unit

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

4Speed

If data transmission uses high-frequency modulation on energy signal, then data transmission speed is improved, but interference and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission speedVSAvoidinterference
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses parameter modulation of the three-phase voltage system (phase sequence and frequency) to encode data. By changing the phase sequence of the three-phase voltage, directional information is transmitted, and by varying the frequency, speed information is conveyed. This approach achieves data transmission without requiring high-frequency modulation, thereby reducing interference while maintaining adequate communication speed for drive control applications

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP1997208B1System and method
Publication Date: 2012.10.24 SEW EURODRIVE GMBH & CO KG
  • EP1997208B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1997208B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1997208B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed are a system and a method comprising a supply module via which power and data can be fed to consumers that are connected to the supply module by means of at least three lines. Two of said lines form a single-phase voltage supply while the third line is used for transmitting data.