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High-speed electrical drives normally require converters capable of high-frequency operation. For this reason, converters based on SiC mosfets have been spreading in this field. Nevertheless, the problems caused by the high dv/dt imposed by SiC mosfets, like the premature failure of the motor winding insulation and the electromagnetic interference generation, are drawing more and more attention of the experts of this sector. In fact, these issues can deeply affect the system reliability and, hence, can represent a limiting factor for all those applications where the continuity of operation is the highest priority. To avoid the use of SiC mosfets in the most sensitive applications, this paper presents a solution, which consists of a Si-insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT)-based inverter fed by a Si-IGBT-based dc/dc converter performing a suitable dc voltage regulation. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to prove that a stable operation of a high-speed drive can be guaranteed through the proposed converter configuration. To prove the effectiveness of the proposed solution, experimental results on a laboratory setup have been presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multilevel converters with floating capacitors (FCs) are widely applied in recent years in a wide range of industrial applications from high-voltage direct current systems to high power drives. However, some FC topologies lack complete FC voltage balancing capability due to the inherent topology limitation or the insufficient switching state for capacitor balancing. This will result in large ripples on capacitors at low frequency (such as fundamental frequency), limiting their performance and application, particularly, when the fundamental frequency is very low in low-speed drive operations. Typical examples of those multilevel converters are modular multilevel converters (MMC), nested neutral-point-clamped (NNPC) converter, etc. In order to improve the FC balancing for this kind of multilevel converters, this paper proposes a carrier-based pulse-width modulation (PWM) method, named stair edge PWM method. This method can obtain sufficient redundant switching states for FC voltage balancing by producing multiple levels in one PWM period. The FC voltage balancing is thus achieved at switching frequency, which can greatly reduce the capacitor voltage ripple and therefore enable the use of much smaller FCs. Meanwhile, the voltage stress on each device and low $dv/dt$ feature are still the same as the normal multilevel operation, reserving two of the most salient features of multilevel converters. The proposed method also features much simpler and easier implementation compared with space-vector-based approaches, particularly when high-level converters are considered. An application example using a four-level NNPC converter is provided in this paper. The effectiveness and performance of the proposed method are verified by both simulation and experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past, subsynchronous cascade drive behavior at slips that are a multiple of 1/6 has caused controversy among researchers. A new approach for predicting and interpreting drive behavior at these slips is presented in this paper. With the help of the space vector theory, an analytical investigation that shows a specific synchronization of the induction motor with the diode rectifier is carried out. The method of analysis presented can also be generally applied when a specific symmetry of the space vectors of the motor electromagnetic quantities is imposed by a power electronic converter or other sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a power controller used for three-phase inverters with small dc-link capacitors fed by a single-phase diode rectifier. The effect of the reactive power was investigated based on a power flow analysis between a dc-link and three-phase inverter. These results enable the development of a direct active/reactive power controller in discrete time instead of adopting a classical proportional-integral (PI)-type current regulator, which directly leverages the total power flow of the system. A suitable reactive power selection method was presented to improve the overall system efficiency. The command voltage vector at each discrete time step can be simply and intuitively determined by an inverter power without requiring motor current-regulating PI gains and additional control functions. The proposed controller regulates an average motor velocity/airgap torque while simultaneously shaping a grid-side current with a high power factor and low harmonics to meet IEC61000-3-2 requirements. The proposed structure can be applied to three-phase inverters for a broad family of ac motors, such as induction and permanent magnet synchronous motors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a method to estimate the temperature of a permanent magnet of a traction motor for automotive applications is derived by analyzing the high-frequency inductance of an interior permanent-magnet synchronous motor. The derived method exploits the high-frequency inductance as an indicator of the magnet temperature, and it does not require a temperature sensor not only on the rotor side but also on the stator side. Hence, the method is truly noninvasive. The proposed method has been verified in a small-scale experimental setup. The performance of the method has been evaluated at various torques, speeds, and magnet temperatures ranging from −24 to 82 °C. Through testing at various operating conditions, it has been confirmed that the maximum error is less than 2.9 °C even when the speed and torque vary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the development and implementation of an on-line technique for the identification of the stator resistance and permanent magnet flux linkage on three-phase, open-end winding, permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) drives. The stator resistance and permanent magnet flux linkage are independently determined by exploiting a special current vector control strategy, which holds one of the phase currents at zero while suitably modifying the other two in order to keep the magnetomotive force unchanged. As will be demonstrated, no additional sensors or special tests are required by the proposed technique; moreover, motor electrical parameters can be on-line estimated in a wide operating range, avoiding any detrimental impact on the torque capability of the PMSM drive. Finally, the electrical machine thermal status can be also estimated from obtained values of the stator resistance and permanent magnet flux linkage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a special control solution called virtual voltage source (VVS) is developed for no-load tests of induction machines. This concept is applied to a 2 × 27 MVA high-power machine test bench where the test bench is requested to precisely characterize, e.g., 3 MW machines at no-load currents. The developed VVS thoroughly solves the stability issue of induction machines at low-speed ranges. A set of optimizations is presented here that systematically improves the voltage precision of the test bench. Experimental results prove that the proposed concept achieves 0.08–0.12% voltage unbalance, less than 3% current unbalance, with less than 0.3% harmonic-voltage-factor, and verified by more than 100 induction machines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An electric drive for high-speed applications is analyzed in this paper. The drive consists of a dual two-level inverter with a floating bridge, fed by a single voltage source, and a three-phase induction motor with open-ended stator windings. The floating bridge compensates the reactive power of the motor, so that the main inverter operates at unity power factor and fully exploits its current capability. The constant power speed range of the motor can be significantly extended depending on the dc-link voltage of the floating inverter. The details of the control system are examined and the feasibility of an electric drive is experimentally assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new converter for photovoltaic (PV) water pumping or treatment systems without the use of chemical storage elements, such as batteries. The converter is designed to drive a three-phase induction motor directly from PV energy. The use of a three-phase induction motor presents a better solution to the commercial dc motor water pumping system. The development is oriented to achieve a more efficient, reliable, maintenance-free, and cheaper solution than the standard ones that use dc motors or low-voltage synchronous motors. The developed system is based on a current-fed multiresonant converter also known as resonant two-inductor boost converter (TIBC) and a full-bridge three-phase voltage source inverter (VSI). The classic topology of the TIBC has features like high voltage gain and low input current ripple. In this paper, it is further improved with the use of a nonisolated recovery snubber along with a hysteresis controller and the use of a constant duty cycle control to improve its efficiency. Experimental results show a peak efficiency of 91% at a rated power of 210 W for the dc/dc converter plus the three-phase VSI and a peak efficiency of 93.64% just for the dc/dc converter. The system is expected to have a high lifetime due to the inexistence of electrolytic capacitors, and the total cost of the converter is below 0.43 U$/Wp. As a result, the system is a promising solution to be used in isolated locations and to deliver water to poor communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Model-predictive current control (MPCC) is widely recognized as a high-performance control strategy of permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) drives due to its quick response and simple principle. It uses a cost function to select the best voltage vector minimizing the current error between the reference value and the feedback value. However, as only one voltage vector is applied during one control period, it fails to give satisfactory performance due to the limited voltage vectors, especially in the case of two-level converters. This paper proposes an improved MPCC strategy for PMSM drives, which first estimates the back electromotive force (EMF) based on the past value of stator voltage and currents and then applies the estimated EMF in the stator current prediction. To achieve steady-state performance improvement, a null vector along with the active vector obtained from conventional MPCC is applied during one control period. Two methods are proposed to achieve optimal vector selection and vector duration. The first one requires six predictions and the calculation of current differentiation, while the second one only requires one prediction to obtain the best voltage vector and its optimal duty can be obtained in a very efficient way. The proposed methods are comparatively studied and compared to conventional MPCC and deadbeat control with space vector modulation. Both simulation and experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed methods in achieving good steady-state performance while maintaining quick dynamic response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents methods to enhance the quality of spatial information that can be extracted when using the motor drive as a diagnostic sensor. When using the state-of-the-art motor drive-based techniques for extracting spatial information related to the state of wear in a gear train driven by an ac machine, position sensor-induced periodic position measurement errors and machine-induced spatial harmonic torque ripple can degrade the quality and the detail of the information that can be extracted. In this work, this degradation of information is displayed experimentally, and it is demonstrated that the quality of the spatial information extracted can be significantly improved through implementation of existing model reference adaptive system (MRAS)-based nonideal sensor property decoupling techniques and newly developed MRAS-based spatial harmonic torque ripple decoupling techniques. Furthermore, it is identified and demonstrated in this work that by removing the gear mesh harmonic component from the gear wear information extracted using the state-of-the-art techniques, and then calculating the spatial rate of change of this new information, a new signal is generated that strongly correlates to local gear tooth defects in a gear train driven by an ac machine. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes and investigates a multilevel ac six-phase motor drive. The system is composed of five isolated three-leg voltage source inverters feeding the open-end windings of an asymmetrical six-phase induction motor (SPIM), which is adequate to generate multilevel voltages for high-power systems with voltage rating restrictions. A simple space vector pulse-width modulation (PWM) based on three similar individual planes and its implementation by means of equivalent level-shifted PWM are presented. A space vector pattern with a high number of voltage vectors redundancies is obtained. These redundancies and the application sequence of the voltage vectors are selected to minimize the amount of changes in the switching states and to decrease the harmonic distortion of the generated voltages. The vector pattern of this optimal modulation is obtained by analyzing only one plane and applied in the same way to the three planes as if they were independent. The developed PWM techniques have low computational complexity and are suitable for low-cost hardware implementations. Simulation results are used to compare the proposed topology with a conventional configuration in terms of harmonic distortion and semiconductor losses. Experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed drive system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the problems of the pulse-width-modulation (PWM)-controlled ac machines is the acoustic noise that could become unacceptable when used in sensitive environments. Random PWM (RPWM) in industrial and commercial adjustable-speed drives (ASD) results in the partial transfer of power from the discrete spectrum (narrowband noise) of the output voltage to the continuous spectrum (wideband noise), with advantageous effects on reducing the acoustic noise in the motor drive system. In this paper, the theoretical power spectrum analysis as the basis for RPWM is presented. Five state-of-the-art RPWM strategies, their voltage, current, and acoustic noise spectra characteristics are quantitatively evaluated. The PWM schemes and theoretical analysis are validated through a 2.2-kW 380-V 50-Hz ASD induction machine experimental setup. The results provide valuable data for practicing engineering community to choose the best option in real-world applications. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes a parametric optimization of a flux-switching electrical machine customized for a wind turbine application with a typical operating range for average and low-power wind energy sites. Statistics of wind resources are taken into consideration for the machine design for definition of the turbine power envelope. Both copper and iron losses for three different machine designs are evaluated. A very important consideration taken in this design is the elimination of gearbox requirements for coupling to the turbine. Although the developed approach makes the machine somewhat voluminous, the overall performance is highly improved because a direct-drive flux-switching electrical generator becomes very competitive for small-scale wind turbines. The design methodology presented in this paper will support widespread application of small-scale wind turbines for rural systems, farms, and villages. This paper concludes by demonstrating that a very cost-effective distributed wind system can be approached with this design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the design procedure followed to realize a high-speed synchronous reluctance machine for aeronautical application. The attention is mainly focused on the rotor design that is the most critical part of any synchronous reluctance machine; in particular for high-speed applications. After a preliminary optimization of the rotor geometry, a multiphysical design that considered mechanical, thermal, and electromagnetic properties was developed. The main steps of the design procedure together with an extensive analysis of the final design are presented here. Two prototypes have been realized using different rotor lamination materials in order to validate the design procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper aims to define a minimum set of finite-element (FE) solutions to be used in the design and analysis of saturated permanent-magnet motors. The choice of the FE solutions belonging to this set is strictly associated with the classical d-q axis theory, and it is described in terms of key points on the flux-magnetomotive-force diagram. When synchronous machines are considered, such a diagram has a regular shape, so that a huge reduction in FE field solutions is possible with no loss of accuracy. It is also shown that the torque computed by using the d-q axis theory is almost independent of the variation of the flux linkage with the rotor position. At last, this paper describes a technique in which few FE solutions allow the identification not only of the average torque but also of the main torque harmonics. As a result, the torque behavior versus rotor position can be rapidly predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of an extended Kalman filter (EKF) as a nonlinear speed and position observer for permanent-magnet synchronous motor drives is a mature research topic. Notwith-standing, the shift from research prototype to a market-ready product still calls for a solution to some implementation pitfalls. The major and still unsolved topic is the choice of the EKF covariance matrices. This paper replaces the usual trial-and-error method with a straightforward matrices choice. These matrices, possibly combined with a novel self-tuning procedure, should put the EKF drive much closer to an off-the-shelf product. The proposed method is based on the complete normalization of the EKF algorithm representation. Successful experimental results are included in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In modern electrical drives, all regulators are implemented in discrete-time domain. The design of the current controller in the continuous time and its following discretization is a common and effective procedure as long as the ratio between the fundamental frequency and the sampling frequency remains sufficiently small. If this condition is violated, the performance of the closed-loop system becomes increasingly poor or even unstable. Literature has proposed some effective strategies to design the controllers directly in the discrete-time domain, but these methods can be applied only to nonsalient machines. However, saliency is another major cause of loss of performance when not properly considered. This paper focuses on the extension of the discrete-time design rules to salient machines. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with modeling and control of three-phase permanent-magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) under open-phase fault conditions. Suitable reference frame transformations are introduced in order to obtain a q–d axis model similar to that normally used for machines working in healthy conditions. Adoption of such a model also allows implementing vector control strategies for PMSM drives under open-phase fault conditions in a wide operating range. Simulations and experimental tests confirm the validity of the theoretical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The five-level active neutral-point-clamped converter is a recently introduced topology that offers low harmonic distortion and a high output voltage. In addition to a neutral point potential in the dc link, this topology features, in each phase, a flying phase capacitor. Balancing these four internal converter voltages around their references while providing fast torque and/or current control for the machine is an intrinsically challenging control problem. Model predictive direct torque control (DTC) (MPDTC) is an ideal control methodology to address this problem. It is shown, in this paper, how MPDTC, originally developed for three-level inverters, can be adapted to this new five-level topology. Compared to DTC, the performance results of MPDTC are very promising—for the same switching frequency, the harmonic distortions of the stator currents and the torque can be more than halved. At the same time, the very fast torque response of DTC is maintained. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper proposes a novel low-cost control strategy of gearless traction permanent-magnet synchronous machines for direct-drive elevator applications. It can improve robustness of the weight-sensorless traction machine system installed with an ordinary incremental encoder. In order to improve the riding comfort for the passengers during brake releases, a novel starting torque compensation strategy without a weight transducer is presented. After analyzing the dynamic characteristics and the friction torque of the elevator traction system, two starting torque compensation methods based on the dichotomy and the staircase method are proposed for the weight-sensorless elevator applications. This way, electromagnetic torque can be generated to balance the load torque, and sliding can be prevented when the elevator brake releases during the starting operation. To achieve the current vector decoupling control for the traction machine installed with an incremental encoder, the initial rotor position estimation at standstill based on a hybrid signal injection method is adopted. First, a high-frequency oscillating sinusoidal voltage signal is injected to obtain the magnetic pole position. Then, two pulse voltage vectors are injected in the positive and negative directions to identify the magnet polarity. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed control strategy with an 11.7-kW traction machine. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Industrial applications of medium-voltage drives impose increasingly stringent performance requirements, particularly with regard to harmonic distortions of the phase currents of the controlled electrical machine. An established method to achieve very low current distortions during steady-state operation is to employ offline calculated optimized pulse patterns (OPP). Achieving high dynamic performance, however, proves to be very difficult in a system operated by OPPs. In this paper, we propose a method that combines the optimal steady-state performance of OPPs with the very fast dynamics of trajectory tracking control. A constrained optimal control problem with a receding horizon policy, i.e., model predictive control (MPC), is formulated and solved. Results show that the combination of MPC with OPPs satisfies both the strict steady-state as well as the dynamic performance requirements imposed by the most demanding industrial applications. The estimation of the fundamental components of the machine variables separately from their respective harmonic components is not required. As a result, complicated structures such as observers can be avoided, contrary to state-of-the-art methods. A further advantage of the MPC method is the use of a receding horizon policy, which provides feedback and a high degree of robustness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Practically all the diagnostic methods for opencircuit faults in voltage-source inverters (VSI) developed during the last decades are focused on the occurrence of single faults and do not have the capability to handle and identify multiple failures. This paper presents a new method for real-time diagnostics of multiple open-circuit faults in VSI feeding ac machines. In contrast with the majority of the methods found in the literature which are based on the motor phase currents average values, the average absolute values are used here as principal quantities to formulate the diagnostic variables. These prove to be more robust against the issue of false alarms, carrying also information about multiple open-circuit failures. Furthermore, by the combination of these variables with the machine phase currents average values, it is possible to obtain characteristic signatures, which allow for the detection and identification of single and multiple open-circuit faults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Control and modulation schemes for ac electrical drives synthesize switched three-phase voltage waveforms that control the electrical machine. Particularly in medium-voltage applications, the aim is to minimize both the switching losses in the inverter and the harmonic distortions of the stator currents and the torque. For a given modulation scheme, lower switching losses usually imply higher distortion factors and vice versa. This tradeoff can be described by a hyperbolic function, as shown in this paper for pulsewidth modulation (PWM). A number of predictive control concepts are rapidly emerging. Their characteristic hyperbolic tradeoff functions are derived, compared with each other, and benchmarked with respect to PWM and offline optimized pulse patterns (OPPs). It is shown that predictive schemes with long prediction horizons shift the performance tradeoff curve toward the origin, thus lowering both the switching losses and the harmonic distortions. As a result, at steady-state operating conditions, these predictive schemes achieve a performance similar to OPPs, while providing a superior dynamic performance during transients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last few decades, the production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) has been pushing the development of electric drives with increasingly high power ratings, up to several tens of megawatts. A consolidated technology in this field entails dual-star two-pole synchronous motors fed by load-commutated inverters with supply frequencies between 50 and 80 Hz. This paper presents a novel drive concept for very high-power and high-performance LNG applications based on a 45-MW four-pole 100-Hz quadruple-star synchronous motor supplied by four pulsewidth modulation multilevel voltage source inverters. The genesis, development, and industrial implementation of this new design concept are outlined. Full-load drive system testing and commissioning results are presented which successfully validate the proposed solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a control scheme for an induction motor that integrates, within a coherent solution, some of the features that are commonly required from an electric vehicle drive. The main features of the proposed control scheme are the capability to exploit the maximum torque in the whole speed range, a weak dependence on the motor parameters, a good robustness against the variations of the dc-link voltage, and, whenever possible, the maximum efficiency. The performance of the control scheme is verified by experimental tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an analysis of axial-leakage effects in high-speed slotless permanent-magnet (PM) motors for industrial hand-tool applications. Analytical predictions based on a 2-D model and results from a 3-D finite-element (3DFEM) simulation model are compared with experimental results from three series-produced PM motors. The reduction in flux density (resulting from 3DFEM simulations and measurements) outside the motor's axial ends is substantial; the flux density has practically vanished only a few millimeters outside the stator lamination stack. To predict the resulting flux linkage, a simple winding model is presented where the winding is made up of a discrete number of winding layers. Using this winding model, it is verified that the. reduction in flux linkage, manifested as a reduction in the back electromotive force, is not only dependent on the motor's axial length but also that the effect is minor for slotless PM motors with dimensions suitable for hand-tool applications. The results are also supported by no-load line-to-line voltage measurements on the three PM motors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the strategy to design and control an axial-flux (AxF) surface-mounted permanent-magnet machine for achieving a wide flux-weakening (FW) operating region. By using a slotted stator with fractional-slot windings and additional cores enclosing end windings, the AxF machine satisfies the specification of a wide constant-power speed range. The design procedure is presented for increasing FW capability while obtaining low-harmonic back electromotive force and low cogging torque. This technique is applied to design an 8-N m AxF prototype machine that exhibits about 3: 1 FW range. To the aim of exploiting full capability of the machine, an FW controller is designed and implemented. This controller utilizes the voltage difference between the current regulator and the output voltage, limited by a voltage source inverter. With this method, the output torque in the FW region is higher than that achieved using the conventional FW method based on the voltage-magnitude feedback. The goodness of both design and control algorithm is proved by experimental tests on a prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate measurement of phase currents in electric machines is a requirement for most high-performance drives. Incorrect current measurement gain estimates, caused by device tolerances, temperature drift, age, and noise, reduce the accuracy of the current measurements and degrade the drive's performance. This paper presents a method for compensating current measurement gain errors using a periodically injected high- frequency voltage. The positive and negative sequence components of the resulting high-frequency current are measured and used for balancing and scaling the phase current measurement gains. The method can be used either as part of an initial commissioning, or start-up sequence, or periodically during the regular operation of the machine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the postfault current control strategies of a five-phase permanent-magnet (PM) motor. The analysis covers both the open circuit of one and two phases and the short circuit at the machine terminal of one phase. The proposed control guarantees safe drive operation after any fault occurrence. For the sake of generality, an analytical model has been used to investigate the properties of each postfault strategy. The results are general, and they apply to PM motor of any power rating. Simulations and experimental results validate the theoretical predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]