Fault-tolerant magnetic bearing position sensing and control system
First Claim
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1. An active magnetic bearing sensing and control system for rotationally suspending a rotor that is configured to rotate about a rotational axis, the system comprising:
- a first primary displacement sensor configured to sense rotor displacements in a first axis that is perpendicular to the rotational axis and supply a displacement signal representative thereof;
a second primary displacement sensor configured to sense rotor displacements in a second axis that is perpendicular to the rotational axis and supply a displacement signal representative thereof;
a first secondary displacement sensor configured to sense rotor displacements in the first axis and supply a displacement signal representative thereof;
a second secondary displacement sensor configured to sense rotor displacements in the second axis and supply a displacement signal representative thereof; and
a controller coupled to receive the displacement signals from each of the displacement sensors and a speed signal representative of a rotational speed of the rotor, the controller operable, in response to receipt of the displacement signals and the speed signal, to determine whether each of the displacement signals is valid.
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Abstract
A magnetic bearing sensing and control system and method provides increased tolerance to faults associated with the associated displacement sensors. The system includes a plurality of redundant displacement sensor sets to provide dual or triple displacement sensor redundancy, or higher if desired, and implements a process for determining when one or more displacement sensors is faulty. The system also compensates for determined sensor-related faults.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An active magnetic bearing sensing and control system for rotationally suspending a rotor that is configured to rotate about a rotational axis, the system comprising:
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a first primary displacement sensor configured to sense rotor displacements in a first axis that is perpendicular to the rotational axis and supply a displacement signal representative thereof;
a second primary displacement sensor configured to sense rotor displacements in a second axis that is perpendicular to the rotational axis and supply a displacement signal representative thereof;
a first secondary displacement sensor configured to sense rotor displacements in the first axis and supply a displacement signal representative thereof;
a second secondary displacement sensor configured to sense rotor displacements in the second axis and supply a displacement signal representative thereof; and
a controller coupled to receive the displacement signals from each of the displacement sensors and a speed signal representative of a rotational speed of the rotor, the controller operable, in response to receipt of the displacement signals and the speed signal, to determine whether each of the displacement signals is valid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. In a system including at least a rotor that is configured to rotate about a rotational axis, and one or more active magnetic bearings configured to rotationally suspend the rotor, a method of determining system operability, comprising the steps of:
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sensing a first primary rotor displacement in a first axis that is perpendicular to the rotational axis;
sensing a second primary rotor displacement in a second axis that is perpendicular to the rotational axis;
sensing a first secondary rotor displacement in the first axis;
sensing a second secondary rotor displacement in the second axis;
determining a rotational speed of the rotor; and
determining a validity of each of the sensed rotor displacements based, at least in part on, the sensed rotor displacements and the determined rotational speed. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification