Switched reluctance generators

• US 5,705,918 A
• Filed: 08/04/1995
• Issued: 01/06/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nidec S R Drives Ltd (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Switched Reluctance Drives Limited (Nidec Corporation)
• Inventors: Davis, Rex M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stephan, Steven L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ponomarenko, Nicholas
• Application Number:
  US08/511,352
• Time in Patent Office: 886 Days
• Field of Search: 318/701, 322/3, 322/94, 310/168
• US Class Current: 322/94
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/40 by variation of reluctance of magnetic circuit of generator

Abstract

A switched reluctance generator is controlled such that flux growth in a phase winding occurs at a faster rate during the initial part of the phase inductance cycle and at a second, slower rate during the subsequent part of the phase inductance cycle. The difference between flux growth and decay may be achieved either by applying different voltages during the two parts of the phase inductance cycle or by applying the same voltage over only part of the phase winding during the initial part of the phase inductance cycle and then applying that voltage across the phase winding thereafter. It is advantageous to make the increase in flux more rapid than its decay because minimizing the length of time that the flux is present while the phase inductance is rising will minimize the production of unwanted (motoring) torque.

Claims

1. A switched reluctance generator system comprising a rotor;

a stator having at least one phase winding, switch means, means for supplying energy to the phase winding according to actuation of the switch means, means for rotating the rotor relative to the stator and control means operable to control the switch means, the control means being arranged to actuate the switch means for supplying energy at a first voltage across at least part of the phase winding to cause flux growth at a first rate during a first part of a phase inductance cycle, and being arranged to actuate the switch means to switch a second voltage across the phase winding to cause flux decay at a second rate, which second rate of decay is slower than the first rate of flux growth, rotation of the rotor causing energy to be supplied at the second voltage from the phase winding during the second part of the phase inductance cycle.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 in which the first voltage is larger than the second voltage.

3. A system as claimed in claim 1, including voltage boosting means arranged to receive the energy generated at the second voltage and to boost it to another voltage.

4. A system as claimed in claim 3 in which the voltage boosting means are arranged to boost the energy generated at the second voltage to the first voltage.

5. A system as claimed in claim 1 in which the phase winding is tapped such that the first voltage is applied to a first part of the phase winding and the second voltage is applied across the first and second parts of the phase winding.

6. A system as claimed in claim 5 in which the first and second voltages are substantially the same.

7. A system as claimed in claim 5 or 6 in which the first and second parts of the phase winding are arranged to be closely magnetically coupled.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7 in which the first and second parts of the phase winding are connected in series.

9. A system as claimed in claim 7 in which the first and second parts of the phase winding are bifilar wound.

10. A system as claimed in any of claim 1 in which the means for supplying energy comprise an electrical storage device.

11. A system as claimed in claim 10 in which the electrical storage device is also arranged to absorb the energy generated at the second voltage.

12. A method of operating a switched reluctance generator comprising a rotor and a stator having at least one stator winding, the method comprising:

rotating the rotor;

switching a first voltage across at least part of the phase winding during a first part of a phase inductance cycle to cause flux growth at a first rate during the first part of the phase inductance cycle;

switching a second voltage across the phase winding during a second part of the phase inductance cycle to cause flux decay at a second rate, which second rate of decay is slower than the first rate of flux growth, during the second part of the phase inductance cycle.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 in which the first voltage is larger than the second voltage.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13, including boosting the second voltage to the first voltage.

15. A method as claimed in claim 12, including applying the first voltage to one of two parts of the phase winding during the first part of the phase inductance cycle and applying the second voltage to both parts of the phase winding during the second part of the phase inductance cycle.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 in which the first and second voltages are substantially the same.

17. A switched reluctance generator comprising:

a rotor;

a stator having at least one phase winding, the rotor being rotatable relative to a stator;

switch means; and

control means operable to control the switch means, the control means being arranged to actuate the switch means to switch a first voltage across at least part of the phase winding to cause flux growth at a first rate during a first part of a phase inductance cycle of the rotor, and being arranged to actuate the switch means to switch a second voltage across the phase winding to cause flux decay at a second rate, which second rate of decay is slower than the first rate of flux growth, rotation of the rotor causing energy to be generated at the second voltage from the phase winding during the second part of the phase inductance cycle.

18. A generator as claimed in claim 17, including voltage boosting means arranged to receive energy generated at the second voltage and to boost it to another voltage.

19. A generator as claimed in claim 17 in which the phase winding is arranged into first and second parts such that the first voltage is applicable to the first part of the phase winding and the second voltage is applicable across the first and second parts of the phase winding.

20. A generator as claimed in claim 19 in which the first and second parts of the phase winding are arranged in a closely magnetically coupled relationship.

21. A generator as claimed in claim 19 or 20 in which the first and second parts are connected in series.

22. A generator as claimed in claim 20 in which the first and second parts are bifilar wound.

23. A generator as claimed in any of claim 19 in which the first and second voltages are substantially equal.

24. A generator as claimed in claims 17 in which the switch means comprise an active switch and a diode, the active switch being arranged to permit flux growth when conducting, the diode being arranged such that generated energy is constrained to flow therethrough when the active switch is non-conducting.