초록 ▼

A control algorithm provides automatic control of the turn-on angle used to excite the switched-reluctance motor (SRM). The control algorithm determines the turn-on angle that supports the most efficient operation of the motor drive system, and consists of two pieces. The first piece of the control

A control algorithm provides automatic control of the turn-on angle used to excite the switched-reluctance motor (SRM). The control algorithm determines the turn-on angle that supports the most efficient operation of the motor drive system, and consists of two pieces. The first piece of the control technique monitors the position of the first peak of the phase current (θ p ) and seeks to align this position with the angle where the inductance begins to increase (θ m ). The second piece of the controller monitors the peak phase current and advances the turn-on angle if the commanded reference current cannot be produced by the controller. The first piece of the controller tends to be active below base speed of the SRM, where phase currents can be built easily by the inverter and θ p is relatively independent of θ m . The second piece of the controller tends to be active above base speed, where the peak of the phase currents tends to naturally occur at θ m , regardless of the current amplitude. The two pieces of the controller naturally exchange responsibility as a result of a change in command or operating point.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of automatic excitation angle control that supports efficient operation of a switch reluctance motor over an entire speed region to improve performance and efficiency, said method comprising the steps of:providing the switched reluctance motor;providing a controller for the switched relu

1. A method of automatic excitation angle control that supports efficient operation of a switch reluctance motor over an entire speed region to improve performance and efficiency, said method comprising the steps of:providing the switched reluctance motor;providing a controller for the switched reluctance motor;a first monitoring step of continuously monitoring a first turn-on angular position (θ p ) indicative of a first peak of a phase current;aligning said first turn-on angular position (θ p ) with a second turn-on angular position (θ m ) indicative of where the inductance begins to increase;a second monitoring step of monitoring said first peak of said phase current; andadvancing or retarding a detected turn-on angle to said desired turn-on angle (θ on ) when a commanded reference current (I ref ) cannot be produced by the controller;wherein said controller determines a desired turn-on angle (θ on ) that supports the most efficient operation of a drive system for the switched reluctance motor. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said first monitoring step and said aligning step are active below a base speed of the switched reluctance motor, where phase currents can be built by an inverter and said first turn-on angular position (θ p ) is relatively independent of said second turn-on angular position (θ m ). 3. The method of claim 2, wherein said second monitoring step and said advancing or retarding step are active above said base speed, where said first peak of said phase current occurs at said second turn-on angular position (θ m ), regardless of current amplitude. 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of forcing said first peak of said phase current to match a commanded phase current. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the desired turn-on angle is advanced or retarded automatically according to an error between said first turn-on angular position (θ p ) and said second turn-on angular position (θ m ). 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of feed-forward control of said detected turn-an angle to speed convergence to the desired turn-on angle (θ on ). 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:a third monitoring step of continuously monitoring a first turn-on current (I p ) indicative of said first peak of said phase current;aligning said first turn-on current (I p ) with said commanded reference current (I ref ) indicative of where the inductance begins to increase. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein said controller enters a current regulation mode if at least one of said reference current (I ref ) and a motor speed is reduced and said first turn-on angular position (θ p ) occurs before said second turn-on angular position (θ m ). 9. A controller for controlling an automatic excitation angle of a switch reluctance motor over an entire speed region to improve performance and efficiency, said controller comprising:a first monitoring part that continuously monitors a first turn-on angular position (θ p ) indicative of a first peak of a phase current and aligns said first turn-on angular position (θ p ) with a second turn-on angular position (θ m ) indicative of where the inductance begins to increase; anda second monitoring part that monitors said first peak of said phase current and advances or retards a detected turn-on angle to said desired turn-on angle (θ on ) when a commanded reference current (I ref ) cannot be produced by the controller;wherein said controller determines a desired turn-on angle (θ on ) that supports the most efficient operation of a drive system for the switched reluctance motor. 10. The controller of claim 9, wherein said first monitoring part is active below a base speed of the switched reluctance motor, where phase currents can be built by an inverter and said first turn-on angular position (θ p ) is relatively inde pendent of said second turn-on angular position (θ m ). 11. The controller of claim 10, wherein said second monitoring part is active above said base speed, where said first peak of said phase current occurs at said second turn-on angular position (θ m ), regardless of current amplitude. 12. The controller of claim 11, further comprising the step of forcing said first peak of said phase current to match a commanded phase current. 13. The controller of claim 9, wherein the desired turn-on angle is advanced or retarded automatically according to an error between said first turn-on angular position (θ p ) and said second turn-on angular position (θ m ). 14. The controller of claim 9, wherein said second monitoring part conducts a feed-forward control of said detected turn-on angle to speed convergence to the desired turn-on angle (θ on ). 15. The controller of claim 9, wherein said second monitoring part further continuously monitors a first turn-on current (I p ) indicative of said first peak of said phase current and aligns said first turn-on current (I p ) with said commanded reference current (I ref ) indicative of where the inductance begins to increase. 16. The controller of claim 15, wherein said controller enters a current regulation mode if at least one of said reference current (I ref ) and a motor speed is reduced and said first turn-on angular position (θ p ) occurs before said second turn-on angular position (θ m ). 17. The controller of claim 9, wherein said switched reluctance motor includes:a hollow stator disposed about an axis and having at least one pair of opposing radially inwardly extending stator poles;a rotor supported within said stator about said axis concentrically with said stator for rotation relative thereto, said rotor having at least one pair of opposing radially outwardly extending rotor poles, a magnetic reluctance being defined between said rotor poles and said stator poles, said magnetic reluctance varying between a minimum reluctance when said rotor poles are radially aligned with said stator poles and a maximum reluctance when said rotor poles are not radially aligned with said stator poles;at least one phase winding wound about said at least one pair of said stator poles; anda circuit for delivering electric current from said at least one phase winding to an electric storage battery of a vehicle. 18. The controller of claim 9, wherein said switched reluctance motor includes:a hollow rotor disposed about an axis and having at least one pair of opposing radially inwardly extending rotor poles;a stator supported within said rotor about said axis concentrically with said rotor for rotation relative thereto, said stator having at least one pair of opposing radially outwardly extending stator poles, a magnetic reluctance being defined between said stator poles and said rotor poles, said magnetic reluctance varying between a minimum reluctance when said stator poles are radially aligned with said rotor poles and a maximum reluctance when said stator poles are not radially aligned with said rotor poles;at least one phase winding wound about said at least one pair of said rotor poles; anda circuit for delivering electric current from said at least one phase winding to an electric storage battery of a vehicle.