Method and apparatus for maximizing energy efficiency of an electric drive system

1. A method for maximizing energy efficiency of an electric drive system including an electric motor, a load, and a frequency converter controlling the motor, the method comprising:

determining, by using the frequency converter, torque characteristics of the electric drive system, wherein the torque characteristics are selected from two types of behavior: (i) linear behavior of a torque of the motor with respect to a rotational speed of the motor, and (ii) quadratic behavior of a torque of the motor with respect to a rotational speed of the motor;

selecting an operating mode on the basis of the determined torque characteristics; and

controlling the motor in the selected operating mode.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the determining of the torque characteristics comprises:

determining a torque of the motor and a rotational speed of the motor;

gathering a plurality of data points, each data point respectively representing the torque of the motor at the rotational speed of the motor;

calculating a value for a first parameter on the basis of the data points, the first parameter representing how much the data points deviate from the quadratic behavior of the torque;

calculating a value for a second parameter on the basis of the data points, the second parameter representing how much the data points deviate from the linear behavior of the torque;

comparing the first parameter with the second parameter; and

determining the torque characteristics on the basis of the comparison.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the calculating of the value for the first parameter comprises:

forming two equations on the basis of two data points, wherein, for each data point, the torque is the square of the rotational speed multiplied by a first coefficient and incremented by a second coefficient, and wherein the two equations both have the same coefficients;

solving the values of the coefficients;

calculating an expected torque for a rotational speed at a third data point on the basis of the coefficients and the rotational speed at the third data point;

calculating the difference between the expected torque and the torque at the third data point; and

using the difference as the value of the first parameter, and

wherein calculating of the value for the second parameter comprises:

forming two equations on the basis of two data points, wherein, for each data point, the torque is the rotational speed multiplied by a first coefficient and incremented by a second coefficient, and wherein the two equations both have the same coefficients,

solving the coefficients;

calculating an expected torque for a rotational speed at a third data point on the basis of the coefficients and the rotational speed at the third data point;

calculating the difference between the expected torque and the torque at the third data point; and

using the difference as the value of the second parameter.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the torque is calculated from a determined power supplied to the motor.

5. A method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the torque is calculated from a determined power supplied to the motor.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electric drive system is controlled on the basis of a torque reference, wherein the electric drive is initially set to an economic performance mode where flux is limited to achieve energy savings, and wherein the determining of the torque characteristics comprises:

determining a magnitude of a rate of change of the torque reference;

comparing the magnitude with a set limit; and

if the magnitude exceeds the set limit, setting the electric drive to a dynamic performance mode where the flux is not limited.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the electric drive system is controlled on the basis of a torque reference, wherein the electric drive is initially set to an economic performance mode where flux is limited in order to improve energy efficiency, and wherein the determining of the torque characteristics comprises:

determining a torque of the motor;

determining the difference between the torque reference and the determined torque;

comparing the difference with a set limit; and

if the difference exceeds the set limit, setting the electric drive to a dynamic performance mode where the flux is not limited.

8. An apparatus for maximizing energy efficiency of an electric drive system including an electric motor, a load, and a frequency converter controlling the motor, the apparatus comprising:

means for determining, by using the frequency converter, torque characteristics of the electric drive system, wherein the torque characteristics of the electric drive system are selected from two types of behavior: (i) linear behavior of a torque of the motor with respect to a rotational speed of the motor, and (ii) quadratic behavior of a torque of the motor with respect to a rotational speed of the motor; and

means for selecting an operating mode, on the basis of the determined torque characteristics.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the means for determining the torque characteristics comprise:

means for determining a torque of the motor and a rotational speed of the motor;

means for gathering a plurality of data points, each data point respectively representing the torque of the motor at the rotational speed of the motor;

means for calculating a value for a first parameter on the basis of the data points, the first parameter representing how much the data points deviate from the quadratic behavior of the torque;

means for calculating a value for a second parameter on the basis of the data points, the second parameter representing how much the data points deviate from the linear behavior of the torque;

means for comparing the first parameter with the second parameter;

means for determining the torque characteristics on the basis of the comparison; and

means for controlling the motor on the basis of the determined torque characteristics.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the apparatus comprises:

a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having a program tangibly recorded thereon; and

a processor configured to execute the program recorded on the non-transitory computer-readable recording medium,

wherein the means for determining the torque characteristics are comprised in the processor.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 , comprising:

means for controlling the motor in the selected operating mode.