IP Library Granted Patent US 10,476,421
Granted Patent B1
US 10,476,421 · App. 16/115,148 · Granted Nov 12, 2019

Optimized switched reluctance phase current control in a continuous conduction mode

Inventors: Ahmed Khalil (Dunlap, IL); Carlos Nino Baron (Edwards, IL); Chad Brewer (West Peoria, IL); Jackson Wai (Dunlap, IL); Yash Bhatia (Peoria, IL)
Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
H02P23/0027H02P6/17H02P25/0805H02P6/08H02P25/092
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,476,421
App. No.
16/115,148
Granted
Nov 12, 2019
Kind
B1
Abstract

A device may select an operation mode based on at least one of a motor speed, a motor transient speed, or a motor power command value. The operation mode may be selected from a group of operation modes including a single pulse mode, a continuous conduction mode, and a variable dwell continuous conduction mode. The device may control a switched reluctance motor using the operation mode.

Claims (52)

1. A method, comprising:

selecting, by a processor, an operation mode based on at least one of a motor speed, a motor transient speed, or a motor power command value,

wherein the operation mode is selected from a group of operation modes including a single pulse mode, a continuous conduction mode, and a variable dwell continuous conduction mode; and

controlling, by the processor, a switched reluctance motor using the operation mode.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling the switched reluctance motor comprises:

providing a set of motor power commands to control a motor torque of the switched reluctance motor.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting comprises:

determining that the motor transient speed is greater than the motor speed; and

selecting the single pulse mode based on determining that the motor transient speed is greater than the motor speed.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting comprises:

determining that the motor speed is greater than or equal to the motor transient speed;

determining that the motor power command value satisfies a threshold; and

selecting the continuous conduction mode with a static conduction angle value based on determining that the motor speed is greater than or equal to the motor transient speed and determining that the motor power command value satisfies the threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selecting comprises:

determining that the motor speed is greater than or equal to the motor transient speed;

determining that the motor power command value does not satisfy a threshold; and

selecting the variable dwell continuous conduction mode based on determining that the motor speed is greater than or equal to the motor transient speed and determining that the motor power command value does not satisfy the threshold.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation mode is the variable dwell continuous conduction mode, and

wherein the variable dwell continuous conduction mode is defined by a dynamic conduction angle value.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation mode is the variable dwell continuous conduction mode, and

wherein the variable dwell continuous conduction mode is defined by a load-dependent soft transition.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

interpolating from a set of motor torque values to determine a motor torque value based on the operation mode; and

wherein the controlling comprises:

controlling the switched reluctance motor based on the motor torque value.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the controlling comprises:

performing current chopping based on the operation mode.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the controlling comprises:

maintaining a constant power using the operation mode.

11. A switched reluctance motor control system, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor configured to:

determine to transition from a single pulse operation mode to a continuous conduction operation mode;

select, based on determining to transition to the continuous conduction operation mode, a variable dwell continuous conduction operation mode or a fixed conduction angle continuous conduction operation mode; and

control a switched reluctance motor using the variable dwell continuous conduction operation mode or the fixed conduction angle continuous conduction operation mode.

12. The switched reluctance motor control system of claim 11 , wherein the fixed conduction angle continuous conduction operation mode is associated with a conduction angle greater than 180 degrees.

13. The switched reluctance motor control system of claim 11 , wherein a current value for the variable dwell continuous conduction operation mode is determined based on a peak current value associated with the single pulse operation mode.

14. The switched reluctance motor control system of claim 11 , wherein a conduction angle for the variable dwell continuous conduction operation mode is determined based at least in part on an interpolation value and a motor torque value.

15. The switched reluctance motor control system of claim 11 , wherein a current value for the fixed conduction angle continuous conduction operation mode is determined based at least in part on an interpolation value and a motor torque value.

16. A machine, comprising:

a motor;

an inverter coupled to the motor; and

a processor configured to:

select an operation mode, of a plurality of operation modes, for controlling a current provided by the inverter to the motor based on at least one of motor speed, a motor transient speed, or a motor power command value,

wherein a first operation mode, of the plurality of operation modes, is associated with a first fixed current value and a first fixed conduction angle and a motor speed less than or equal to a threshold,

wherein a second operation mode, of the plurality of operation modes, is associated with a second fixed current value and a variable conduction angle and the motor speed greater than the threshold, and

wherein a third operation mode, of the plurality of operation modes, is associated with a variable current value and a second fixed conduction angle and the motor speed greater than the threshold; and

control the motor using the selected operation mode.

17. The machine of claim 16 , wherein the first fixed current value of the first operation mode and the second fixed current value of the second operation mode are a common current value.

18. The machine of claim 16 , wherein the second fixed conduction angle is 185 degrees.

19. The machine of claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to perform current chopping to control the motor.

20. The machine of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of operation modes includes a fourth operation mode associated with less than a threshold current and the motor speed of less than another threshold that is smaller than the threshold.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 29, 2018
From: KHALIL, AHMED; NINO BARON, CARLOS; BREWER, CHAD; WAI, JACKSON; BHATIA, YASH
To: CATERPILLAR INC.
Reel/Frame 046739/0260 →
Cited By (15)
US 12,199,532 US 12,206,346 US 12,244,250 US 12,278,581 US 12,301,149 US 12,301,151 US 12,311,772 US 12,319,147 US 12,328,088 US 12,370,907 US 12,424,962 US 12,592,662 US 12,609,646 US 12,617,288 US 12,697,884