Method and apparatus for sizing a drive unit for multiple applications with varying voltage requirements

• US 20060238147A1
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Published: 10/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated (Allen-Bradley Co., Inc.)
• Inventors: Martin, Timothy J., Elvis, Graham F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,966,168 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/66
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 23/0077 Characterised by the use of a particular software algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 5/00 Arrangements specially adapted for regulating or controlling the speed or torque of two or more electric motors H02P6/04, H02P8/40 take precedence

Abstract

A method for sizing components of a motor control system powered by a power supply includes receiving an upper nominal line voltage parameter for the power supply. A lower nominal line voltage parameter for the power supply is received. A first performance measure of the motor control system is determined based on the upper nominal line voltage parameter. A second performance measure of the motor control system is determined based on the lower nominal line voltage parameter. Components suitable for use in the motor control system are identified based on at least the first and second performance measures.

Claims

1. A method for sizing components of a motor control system powered by a power supply, comprising:

receiving an upper nominal line voltage parameter for the power supply;

receiving a lower nominal line voltage parameter for the power supply;

determining a first performance measure of the motor control system based on the upper nominal line voltage parameter;

determining a second performance measure of the motor control system based on the lower nominal line voltage parameter; and

identifying components suitable for use in the motor control system based on the first and second performance measures.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first performance parameter further comprises determining a regenerative load parameter of the motor control system.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the second performance parameter further comprises determining a velocity performance parameter of the motor control system.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an upper tolerance parameter, wherein determining the first performance measure further comprises determining the first performance measure of the motor control system based on the upper nominal line voltage parameter and the upper tolerance parameter.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising receiving a lower tolerance parameter, wherein determining the second performance measure further comprises determining the second performance measure of the motor control system based on the lower nominal line voltage parameter and the lower tolerance parameter.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a set of candidate motor control system arrangements;

determining the first and second performance measures for each of the candidate motor control system arrangements; and

ranking the set of candidate motor control system arrangements based on the first and second performance measures associated with each candidate.

7. A program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processing device, perform a method for sizing components of a motor control system powered by a power supply, the method comprising:

receiving an upper nominal line voltage parameter for the power supply;

receiving a lower nominal line voltage parameter for the power supply;

determining a first performance measure of the motor control system based on the upper nominal line voltage parameter;

determining a second performance measure of the motor control system based on the lower nominal line voltage parameter; and

identifying components suitable for use in the motor control system based on at least the first and second performance measures.

8. The program storage device of claim 7, wherein determining the first performance parameter in the method further comprises determining a regenerative load parameter of the motor control system.

9. The program storage device of claim 7, wherein determining the second performance parameter in the method further comprises determining a velocity performance parameter of the motor control system.

10. The program storage device of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an upper tolerance parameter; and

determining the first performance measure of the motor control system based on the upper nominal line voltage parameter and the upper tolerance parameter.

11. The program storage device of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a lower tolerance parameter; and

determining the second performance measure of the motor control system based on the lower nominal line voltage parameter and the lower tolerance parameter.

12. The program storage device of claim 7, wherein the method further comprises:

identifying a set of candidate motor control system arrangements;

determining the first and second performance measures for each of the candidate motor control system arrangements; and

ranking the set of candidate motor control system arrangements based on the first and second performance measures associated with each candidate.

13. A sizing tool for sizing components of a motor control system powered by a power supply, comprising:

a component database;

an application requirements interface including a first field specifying an upper nominal line voltage parameter for the power supply and a second field specifying a lower nominal line voltage parameter for the power supply; and

a motion analyzer engine operable to determine a first performance measure of the motor control system based on the upper nominal line voltage parameter, determine a second performance measure of the motor control system based on the lower nominal line voltage parameter, and identify components in the component database suitable for use in the motor control system based on at least the first and second performance measures.

14. The sizing tool of claim 13, wherein the first performance parameter comprises a regenerative load parameter of the motor control system.

15. The sizing tool of claim 13, wherein the second performance parameter comprises a velocity performance parameter of the motor control system.

16. The sizing tool of claim 13, wherein the application requirements interface includes a third field specifying an upper tolerance parameter, and the motion analyzer engine is operable to determine the first performance measure of the motor control system based on the upper nominal line voltage parameter and the upper tolerance parameter.

17. The sizing tool of claim 16, wherein the application requirements interface includes a fourth field specifying a lower tolerance parameter, and the motion analyzer engine is operable determine the second performance measure of the motor control system based on the lower nominal line voltage parameter and the lower tolerance parameter.

18. The sizing tool of claim 13, wherein the motion analyzer engine is further operable to identify a set of candidate motor control system arrangements, determine the first and second performance measures for each of the candidate motor control system arrangements, and rank the set of candidate motor control system arrangements based on the first and second performance measures associated with each candidate.