Method and apparatus for controlling a switched reluctance electric motor

A method for controlling a multi-phase switched reluctance motor including a rotor and a stator, an electronic commutator subassembly including an electronic motor control unit, a power inverter, and a rotational position sensor, wherein the power inverter is electrically connected to the stator of the switched reluctance motor, the method comprising:

• characterizing operation of the switched reluctance motor,
• dynamically determining inductance of the switched reluctance motor based upon the characterized operation, and
• executing a closed-loop torque control routine to control the switched reluctance motor based upon the dynamically determined inductance of the switched reluctance motor;
• wherein the torque output from the switched reluctance motor is dynamically determined based upon the dynamically determined inductance.

A method for controlling a multi-phase switched reluctance motor including a rotor and a stator, an electronic commutator subassembly including an electronic motor control unit, a power inverter, and a rotational position sensor, wherein the power inverter is electrically connected to the stator of the switched reluctance motor and wherein the rotor includes a first plurality of rotor poles and wherein the stator includes a second plurality of stator poles, the method comprising:

• characterizing operation of the switched reluctance motor;
• dynamically determining inductance of the switched reluctance motor based upon the characterized operation;
• dynamically determining a torque output from the switched reluctance motor based upon the dynamically determined inductance;
• and
• controlling the switched reluctance motor based upon the dynamically determined inductance of the switched reluctance motor and the torque output from the switched reluctance motor.