Position sensor emulator for a synchronous motor/generator

Electricity: motive power systems – Synchronous motor systems

Reexamination Certificate

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

C318S132000, C318S254100, C318S434000, C318S430000, C318S432000, C318S434000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06809496

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to position sensor emulators for wound rotor motors and generators of aerospace and industrial power and drive systems. Further, the invention relates to sensorless control of wound rotor motors and generators.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventionally motor controllers for applications requiring a controlled torque use discrete sensors to determine rotor position in a rotating machine. This technique however increases system complexity and decreases system reliability. The electric machine must have a sensor built in or attached mechanically to the rotor. Interfaces and wiring must be added for control (excitation) and feedback signals between the controller and the sensor. Typical sensors include resolvers, encoders, and the like. The location of the rotating machine could be far from the controller, creating the need for unwanted extra wiring in the system.
A conventional motor control system having a position sensor is shown in FIG.
1
A. The primary components of the system include a power source
110
, a controller
120
, a motor/generator
130
and a speed/position sensor
140
. The Motor/Generator and Starter/Generator terms are used interchangeably in the following descriptions and claims. The controller
120
includes an inverter controls
126
that receives signals from the sensor
140
(e.g., speed/rotor position) and the motor/generator (e.g., current, voltage). These signals are used to control the main inverter
122
and exciter inverter
124
, thereby providing a conventional closed loop system to regulate the current as a function of the speed of the motor/generator
130
, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
FIG. 1B
illustrates a block diagram of a sensorless system. As is apparent from the block diagram, the sensor and related signals to the controller
120
are absent. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that this requires the controller
120
to process the rotor position/speed of the motor/generator to allow closed loop current regulation or to execute certain control functions (e.g., current control) or operate in an open loop mode.
However, sensorless motor control techniques can increase system reliability and eliminate the need for extra wiring in the system. In addition these techniques will eliminate the need for a position sensor and also reduce the system cost. A sensorless motor control technique is a more flexible/adaptable solution for a motor drive system than one that relies on a separate position sensor. It is particularly valuable for aircraft system where increased reliability and reduction of weight (e.g., through elimination of the sensor and additional wiring) are extremely important.
Motor controller applications in systems with existing electrical machines can use a sensorless motor control scheme. For example, sensorless control systems are advantageous in retrofit applications, where a sensor and appropriate wiring may be unavailable and not easily installed. Some of these systems have synchronous generators that can be used as a motor/generator but they do not have discrete sensors. Additional applications for this technique include motor controllers in the environmental control systems, electric power systems, industrial drive systems, and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,920,162 issued to Hanson et al. describes a system that utilizes feed through from the exciter winding of twice the fundamental frequency of excitation thereof which is detected synchronously in one of a plurality of stator phase windings of a main motor generator. The one of a plurality of stator phase windings is maintained in a non-commutated state during operation as a motor to determine rotor position of the main motor generator for control of commutation of current in all other commutated stator phase windings. The amplitude modulation of the voltage across each stator phase winding which is maintained in a non-commutated state represents the rotary position of the rotor of the main motor generator which is used to control commutation of current flow in an at least one and preferably all remaining commutated stator phase.
However, although the above-described system operates as in a sensorless mode, it requires that the position sensing take place only on the non-commutated stator windings. Accordingly, the position sensor emulation must shift from phase to phase as respective phases are commutated, which complicates the sensor emulation. Therefore, it is desired to have a sensor emulation technique and sensorless control system that truly emulates a continuous position sensor and is not dependent on the commutated state of the stator windings. Further, the prior art sensorless systems fail to provide an initial position sensing, which is beneficial at start-up under high load torque of the motor/generator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, the deficiencies in prior systems are overcome by providing a position sensor emulator that processes continuously the rotor position from, and including, the standstill to a certain speed. This position sensor emulator includes a first bandpass filter that filters phase voltage signals from a stator of a synchronous machine. A converter that converts the filtered phase voltages into balanced two-phase quadrature signals. Additionally, the position sensor emulator can provide a rectifier that rectifies exciter voltage signals of the synchronous machine and a second bandpass filter that filters the rectified exciter voltage signals to generate a reference signal.
According to another embodiment of the invention, a method for emulating a position sensor comprises: bandpass filtering phase voltage signals from a stator of a synchronous machine; and converting the filtered phase voltages into balanced two-phase quadrature signals. Additionally, the method can provide a reference signal by rectifying exciter voltage signals of the synchronous machine; and bandpass filtering the rectified exciter voltage signals to generate a reference signal.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3748555 (1973-07-01), Hoffmfan
patent: 4763058 (1988-08-01), Heining et al.
patent: 5182499 (1993-01-01), Inaji et al.
patent: 5363032 (1994-11-01), Hanson et al.
patent: 5384527 (1995-01-01), Rozman et al.
patent: 5428275 (1995-06-01), Carr et al.
patent: 5430362 (1995-07-01), Carr et al.
patent: 5444349 (1995-08-01), Rozman et al.
patent: 5461293 (1995-10-01), Rozman et al.
patent: 5493200 (1996-02-01), Rozman et al.
patent: 5495162 (1996-02-01), Rozman et al.
patent: 5495163 (1996-02-01), Rozman et al.
patent: 5581168 (1996-12-01), Rozman et al.
patent: 5585709 (1996-12-01), Jansen et al.
patent: 5594322 (1997-01-01), Rozman et al.
patent: 5608300 (1997-03-01), Kawabata et al.
patent: 5644205 (1997-07-01), Nguyen Phuoc et al.
patent: 5920162 (1999-07-01), Hanson et al.
patent: 6081091 (2000-06-01), Mitchell et al.
patent: 6271720 (2001-08-01), Sevastopoulos
patent: 6344725 (2002-02-01), Kaitani et al.
patent: 6414462 (2002-07-01), Chong
patent: 0748039 (1996-06-01), None
Krause, Paul C. et al., “Analysis of Electric Machinery,” IEEE Power Engineering Society, Reference-Frame Theory, p. 135 and p. 161, 1995, New York.
Analog Devices, “Universal Syhnchro/Resolver Transformer Isolated Interface,” AD2S75, Rev. A, C1906-7.5-4/94, pp. 1-8.
Analog Devices, “Variable Resolution, Monolithic Resolver-to-Digital Converter,” AD2S80A, Rev. B, C00008-2.5-9/00[rev. B], pp. 1-16.

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for the USA inventors and patents. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Position sensor emulator for a synchronous motor/generator does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Position sensor emulator for a synchronous motor/generator, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Position sensor emulator for a synchronous motor/generator will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3309925

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.