Method and apparatus for controlling an induction machine
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsAllan Roy Gale, Feng Liang, Michael W Degner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electrical machine (10) suitable for use as a starter/alternator for an automotive vehicle, has an inverter circuit (12), a rectifier circuit (14), and a stator circuit (16) that couples the inverter circuit (12) to the rectifier circuit (14). In addition, a switch circuit (18) having a first switch, switch A, and a second switch, switch B, is used to couple inverter circuit (12) to rectifier circuit (14). By controlling the operation of switch circuit (18) so that in a start up mode the switches are closed and in a generating mode the switches are open, a high output torque may be obtained from the electrical machine while a wide operating speed range may be also achieved.
Claims20
An electric machine having a power supply comprising:
- an inverter circuit;
- a rectifier circuit;
- a stator circuit coupling said inverter circuit to said rectifier circuit;
- a pair of switches selectively coupling said inverter circuit to said power supply so that in a starting mode said switches are closed and in a generating mode said switches are open.
An electric machine having a power supply comprising:
- an inverter circuit;
- a rectifier circuit;
- a stator circuit coupling said inverter circuit to said rectifier circuit, said stator circuit having a first winding, a second winding, and a third winding coupled in a wye configuration;
- each winding having a phase lead coupled to said inverter circuit and tapped phase lead coupled to said rectifier circuit;
- and,
- a pair of switches selectively coupling said inverter circuit to said power supply so that in a starting mode said switches are closed and in a generating mode said switches are open.
A method of operating an electrical machine having a power supply, stator winding circuit, an inverter circuit and a rectifier circuit comprises the steps of:
- in a starting mode of operation, directly coupling the power supply to the inverter circuit though a pair of switches;
- in a generating mode of operation, opening the pair of switches to decouple the inverter circuit from the power supply.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.