FEEED CHAIN FOR A SYNCHRONOUS ELECTRIC MACHINE, ELECTRIC TRACTION SYSTEM COMPRISING SUCH A CHAIN, AND CONTROL METHOD FOR SUCH A CHAIN

• US 20130229732A1
• Filed: 02/28/2013
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alstom Transport Technologies
• Original Assignee: Alstom Transport SA (Alstom SA)
• Inventors: Cypers, David, Giacomoni, Olivier, Belin, Sebastien, Desportes, Guillaume
• Granted Patent: US 9,362,735 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/31
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/007 Physical arrangements or structures of drive train converters specially adapted for the propulsion motors of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/425 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/083 for three-phase systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/065 against excitation faults
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 7/0805 for synchronous motors
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 9/041 using a short-circuiting device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A feed chain (16) has M feed outputs (31) for supplying a synchronous electric machine (14) with M phases. The feed chain comprises: a converter (22) for converting a direct input current into a polyphase alternating current; a storage bank; a detector (30) for detecting a short-circuit outside or inside the electric machine (14), a device (26) for insulating the electric machine (14) from overvoltages and/or overcurrents of the polyphase alternating current, and a controller (28) for controlling the converter (22) and the insulating device (26). The feed chain (16) includes short-circuiting device (27) capable of connecting the M power supply outputs (31) to each other, the controller (28) being capable of commanding the short-circuiting device (27) to perform that operation.

Claims

1. A feed chain having M feed outputs for supplying a synchronous electric machine with M phases, the chain comprising:

a converter for converting a direct input current into a polyphase alternating output current including a plurality M of phases, the converter comprising two input terminals and M output terminals, and capable of delivering the polyphase alternating current to said electric machine,

a storage bank including at least one storage capacitor arranged between the input terminals of the converter,

a detector for detecting an outside short-circuit,

an insulator device for insulating the electric machine from overvoltages and/or overcurrents of the polyphase alternating current, the insulating device being arranged between the converter and the M feed outputs, and including a plurality M of branches, each branch including at least one electric switch for disconnecting the considered phase, arranged between the converter and one of the M outputs, and

a controller for controlling the converter and the insulating device,

wherein the detector can also detect a short-circuit inside the electric machine, the feed chain also including a short-circuiting device capable of connecting the M power supply outputs to each other, the controller being capable of commanding the short-circuiting device to perform that operation.

2. The feed chain according to claim 1, wherein the short-circuiting device is arranged between the converter and the M power supply outputs.

3. The feed chain according to claim 1, wherein the short-circuiting device includes M electronic switches, each switch having three possible switching states.

4. The feed chain according to claim 1, wherein the short-circuiting device is arranged between the storage bank and the converter.

5. The feed chain according to claim 1, wherein the controller and the detector means share a same computer situated within the controller.

6. The feed chain according to claim 1, wherein the number M of phases is equal to three.

7. An electric traction system comprising a synchronous electric machine and a feed chain of the machine, wherein the feed chain is according to claim 1, and is capable of feeding a stator of the electric machine, the stator being connected as output to the feed chain.

8. A control method for a feed chain according to claim 1, comprising a step for detecting a short-circuit outside or inside the electric machine, wherein, if the short-circuit detected during the detection step is inside the electric machine, it comprises a step for short-circuiting, using the short-circuiting means, the M phases of the electric machine, by electrical connection between the M power supply outputs of the chain.