Fault tolerant operations of a six-phase machine
AssigneeCummins Inc.
InventorsAkm Arafat, Dakshina S. Murthy-Bellur
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of operating a multi-phase electric machine includes operating a six-phase machine with six phases that are configured into a first group having a first neutral connection and a second group having a second neutral connection. The method also includes determining whether at least one of the six phases is experiencing a fault. In response to the determining, the method includes combining the first and second neutral connections to form a common neutral connection to continue operating the six-phase machine by using the remaining phase not experiencing the fault.
Claims15
A method, comprising:
- operating, by a controller, a six-phase machine with six phases that are configured into a first group having a first neutral connection and a second group having a second neutral connection;
- determining, by the controller, whether at least one of the six phases is experiencing a fault;
- and
- in response to determining that at least one of the six phases is experiencing a fault, combining, by the controller, the first and second neutral connections to form a common neutral connection to continue operating the six-phase machine using remaining phases that are not experiencing the fault,
- wherein combining the first and second neutral connections includes operating a switch to connect the first and second neutral connections into the common neutral connection.
A controller, comprising:
- a processor;
- and
- a memory including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to:
- operate a six-phase machine with six phases that are configured into a first group having a first neutral connection and a second group having a second neutral connection;
- determine whether at least one of the six phases is experiencing a fault;
- and
- in response to determining that at least one of the six phases is experiencing a fault, combine the first and second neutral connections to form a common neutral connection to continue operating the six-phase machine using remaining phases that are not experiencing the fault,
- wherein the instructions further cause the controller to operate a switch to connect the first and second neutral connections into the common neutral connection.
A system, comprising:
- a six-phase machine with six phases that are configured into a first group having a first neutral connection and a second group having a second neutral connection;
- a switch;
- and
- a controller coupled to the six-phase machine, the controller configured to:
- operate the six-phase machine;
- determine whether at least one of the six phases is experiencing a fault;
- and
- in response to determining that at least one of the six phases is experiencing a fault, combine the first and second neutral connections to form a common neutral connection to continue operating the six-phase machine using remaining phases that are not experiencing the fault,
- wherein the controller is further configured to combine the first and second neutral connections by operating the switch to connect the first and second neutral connections into the common neutral connection.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.