Detection of loss of cooling air to traction motors
OwnerAjith Kuttannair Kumarinventor
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Abstract
A thermal protection apparatus for an AC traction motor including a stator, a rotor, a blower fan and an inverter includes a method and apparatus for predicting the motor temperature assuming that the blower is operational. The method and apparatus also determines an estimated motor temperature by measuring the motor resistance or the rotor slip. The estimated motor temperatures compared to the predicted motor temperature to determine the condition of the motor cooling system.
Claims16
A method for determining the adequacy of a cooling system associated with a motor, said method comprising:
- (a) calculating the predicted motor temperature;
- (b) estimating the motor temperature;
- (c) comparing the predicted motor temperature with the estimated motor temperature;
- and
- (d) producing a signal when the difference between the predicted motor temperature and the estimated motor temperature exceeds a preselected value.
An apparatus for determining the adequacy of a cooling system associated with a motor, said method comprising:
- a processor for providing a predicted motor temperature based on ambient conditions and motor physical parameters;
- sensors for measuring predetermined motor operational parameters;
- a processor responsive to said sensors for providing an estimated motor temperature;
- a comparator for comparing the predicted motor temperature with the estimated motor temperature;
- and
- a signal generator for producing a signal when the difference between the predicted motor temperature and the estimated motor temperature exceeds a preselected value.
An article of manufacture comprising:
- a computer product comprising a computer-usable medium having a computer-readable code therein for determining the adequacy of a cooling system associated with a motor, said computer-readable code in the article of manufacture comprising:
- a computer-readable program code module for calculating a predicted motor temperature;
- a computer-readable program code module for receiving motor operational parametric data and for determining an estimated motor temperature;
- a computer-readable program code module for comparing the predicted motor temperature with the estimated motor temperature;
- and
- a computer-readable program code module for producing a signal when the difference between the predicted motor temperature and the estimated motor temperature exceeds a predetermined value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.