Electric energy dissipating system for a vehicle

An electric energy dissipating system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

• a fluid conduit, an air flow producing unit configured to provide a pressurized air flow through said fluid conduit, a polyphase electric machine configured to run on a predefined number of phases, wherein the air flow producing unit is mechanically connected to, and operated by, the polyphase electric machine, an electric brake resistor arrangement located in said fluid conduit downstream of the air flow producing unit, the electric brake resistor arrangement comprising one resistor unit for each one of said predefined number of phases, an electric power system configured to be electrically connected to an electric traction motor of the vehicle and configured to receive electric power generated by the electric traction motor during braking, wherein the electric power system comprises an inverter which converts a DC input into a polyphase AC output, wherein the polyphase electric machine and the electric brake resistor arrangement are electrically connected to the inverter in parallel, such that each phase of the AC output of the inverter is connected to a respective phase of the polyphase electric machine and to a respective resistor unit, in parallel;
• comprising a control unit which is configured to:
• receive a brake request signal, and based on the brake request signal, activate the inverter so as to provide power to at least one of the polyphase electric machine and the electric brake resistor arrangement;
• wherein the control unit is configured to:
• receive input data, based on the input data, determine if only the polyphase electric machine is to be powered from the inverter or if the electric brake resistor arrangement is also to be powered from the inverter, and when the control unit determines that only the polyphase electric machine is to be powered from the inverter, then the control unit is configured to electrically disconnect each resistor unit from the respective phase of the AC output of the inverter at a zero-crossing of said respective phase.