IP Library Granted Patent US 8,278,855
Granted Patent B2
US 8,278,855 · App. 12/675,159 · Granted Oct 2, 2012

Controller of motor preventing an increase in inverter loss

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,278,855
App. No.
12/675,159
Granted
Oct 2, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

In configuring a power conversion device to drive an alternating-current motor for an electric vehicle, the device is configured in a small size, light weight, and at a low cost, while avoiding size increase of a cooler. A current-command generating unit provided in a controller to control the alternating-current motor is adjusted not to increase a loss of an inverter in a state that the inverter as a main circuit within the power conversion device is outputting a maximum voltage that can be generated at an output voltage of a direct-current power source and when a torque command is reduced, and outputs a current command to cause the alternating-current motor to generate a torque based on the torque command.

Claims (31)

1. A controller of a motor comprising:

a voltage-command generating unit that generates a pulse-width modulation signal to control a switching element provided in an inverter, to the inverter connected to a direct-current power source and outputting a three-phase alternating current of an arbitrary frequency and an arbitrary voltage to an alternating-current motor; and

a current-command generating unit that generates and outputs a current command to cause the alternating-current motor to generate torque based on an input torque command, wherein

the current-command generating unit is configured to output the current-command that is calculated based on a relationship between the torque command and a state quantity of the alternating-current motor, to maintain a terminal voltage of the alternating-current motor to a maximum value that can be generated under the direct-current power source, and to output a current command adjusted to maintain or decrease a loss of the inverter under a predetermined condition in which the loss of the inverter increases or estimated to increase.

2. The controller of a motor according to claim 1 , wherein

the predetermined condition includes a case that the torque command is reduced in a state that the inverter is outputting a maximum voltage that can be generated at an output voltage of the direct-current power source.

3. The controller of a motor according to claim 1 , wherein

when the inverter includes at least an asynchronous pulse mode, a synchronous pulse mode, and a one-pulse mode as a pulse mode,

the predetermined condition includes a case that the torque command is reduced while the inverter is operating in the one-pulse mode.

4. The controller of a motor according to claim 1 , wherein

when the inverter includes at least an asynchronous pulse mode, a synchronous pulse mode, and a one-pulse mode as a pulse mode,

the predetermined condition includes one of a case that the inverter loss becomes larger than that in the asynchronous pulse mode and a case that the inverter loss is estimated to become larger than that in the asynchronous pulse mode.

5. The controller of a motor according to claim 1 , wherein

the predetermined condition includes one of a case that an output frequency of the inverter is equal to or larger than a predetermined value and a case that an output frequency of the inverter is estimated to become equal to or larger than a predetermined value.

6. The controller of a motor according to claim 1 , wherein

the predetermined condition includes one of a case that an output current of the inverter is equal to or larger than a predetermined value and a case that an output frequency of the inverter is estimated to become equal to or larger than a predetermined value.

7. The controller of a motor according to claim 1 , wherein

the predetermined condition includes one of a case that a switching frequency of the switching element is equal to or larger than a predetermined value and a case that a switching frequency of the switching element is estimated to become equal to or larger than a predetermined value.

8. The controller of a motor according to claim 1 , wherein

the predetermined condition includes a case that the inverter is stopped in a state that the alternating-current motor is operated by the inverter.

9. The controller of a motor according to claim 1 , wherein

the predetermined condition includes a case that the inverter is started from a stopped state, while the alternating-current motor is in a free-run rotation.

10. The controller of a motor according to claim 1 , wherein

a current command adjusted to maintain or decrease the loss of the inverter is a value at which an output voltage of the inverter becomes a maximum value at an output voltage of the direct-current power source.

11. The controller of a motor according to claim 1 , wherein

a current command adjusted to maintain or decrease the loss of the inverter is a value generated according to need by switching between a value satisfying a minimum current condition where the torque is obtained by a minimum current and a value satisfying a condition where an output voltage of the inverter at an output voltage of the direct-current power source is maximized.

12. The controller of a motor according to claim 1 , wherein

a current command adjusted to maintain or decrease the loss of the inverter is a value generated according to need by switching between a value satisfying a maximum efficiency condition where efficiency of the alternating-current motor is maximized and a value satisfying a condition where an output voltage of the inverter at an output voltage of the direct-current power source is maximized.

13. The controller of a motor according to claim 1 , wherein

when the alternating-current motor is a permanent-magnet synchronous motor and when the current command is defined by a dq coordinate system having a d-axis as a direction of a permanent magnet flux of the alternating-current motor and a q-axis as a direction orthogonal to the d-axis,

a current command adjusted to maintain or decrease the loss of the inverter is selected from any one of a value that a vector of the current command is present on the q-axis and a value satisfying a condition where an output voltage of the inverter at an output voltage of direct-current power source is maximized.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 19, 2021
From: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
To: NEXGEN CONTROL SYSTEMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 055576/0372 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2010
From: KITANAKA, HIDETOSHI
To: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 023989/0056 →