Electric vehicle propulsion system employing AC induction motor control

• US 5,831,409 A
• Filed: 02/28/1997
• Issued: 11/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Perfect Galaxy International Limited
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Smith, Brian H., Lansberry, Geoffrey B., Young, Richard M., Munro, James L., DeAbreu, Brian A., Schantz, David L. Jr., Ankrom, Michael J., Mohler, Eric L., DeOms, James H., Zaranski, Todd M., Kerfoot, Charles S., Herman, Beth A., O'Donnell, Patricia A., Springer, Joseph J., Valdivia, Aaron D., Jones, Marshall G., Altoz, Frank E., Winkel, William B., Hall, William B., Underwood, Thomas C., Lindberg, Frank A., Nguyen, Ngon B., Starling, Ronnie L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cabeca, John W.
• Application Number:
  US08/808,354
• Time in Patent Office: 613 Days
• Field of Search: 318/139, 318/254, 318/798, 318/800, 318/803, 318/587, 318/811, 318/549, 318/810, 318/807, 318/802, 318/806, 318/808, 364/426.02, 364/426.03, 180/165, 180/197, 180/65.8, 180/65.1, 180/246, 180/76, 180/65.4, 363/50, 363/55, 363/56
• US Class Current: 318/801
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/003 to auxiliary motors, e.g. for pumps, compressors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/02 to electric heating circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/025 using field orientation; Vector control; Direct Torque Control [DTC]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/2009 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/10 DC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/30 AC to DC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/46 with more than three phases
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/12 Induction machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/12 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/34 Cabin temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/36 Temperature of vehicle components or parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/421 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/547 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/549 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2270/147 electro magnetic [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/003 relating to inverters
• 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 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/20 : having different nominal voltages
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 7/14 : for vehicles propelled by ac motors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20927 : Liquid coolant without phase change
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 : Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

An electric vehicle propulsion system having a motor with first and second electrically isolated windings and a system control unit for controlling the motor, wherein the system control unit includes a first power bridge for driving the first windings and a second power bridge for driving the second windings.

Claims

1. An electric vehicle propulsion system, comprising:

a motor assembly for propelling a vehicle including a 3-phase AC induction motor having first and second sets of identical, electrically isolated windings;

a system control unit having a motor controller including a vector control board responsive to driver initiated acceleration and braking commands for controlling the motor assembly, the system control unit further including a first and a second power bridge responsive to pulse width modulated control signals generated by the vector control board for respectively driving the first and second set of windings;

wherein the first power bridge includes a first set of insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) switching circuits responsive to said pulse width modulated control signals for applying one half of the total drive currents to respective ones of the first set of windings, and wherein the second power bridge includes a second set of IGBT switching circuits responsive to said pulse width modulated control signals for applying the other half of the total drive currents to respective ones of the second set of windings; and

cooling means comprising, a liquid coolant circulating cold plate on which said system control unit is mounted and being in thermal contact therewith, a pump controlled by said motor controller for pumping liquid coolant, a radiator/fan also controlled by said motor controller, and a filter for filtering said liquid coolant,

wherein said cold plate, pump, radiator/fan, and filter form a closed loop cooling system for said coolant to cool the electric vehicle propulsion system.

2. The electric vehicle propulsion system of claim 1 wherein the liquid coolant comprises oil.