Method for controlling a voltage/frequency converter controlled single-phase or polyphase electric motor

• US 6,208,112 B1
• Filed: 12/24/1999
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Grundfos A/S (Poul Due Jensens Fond)
• Original Assignee: Grundfos A/S (Poul Due Jensens Fond)
• Inventors: Vadstrup, Pierre, Jensen, Niels Due
• Primary Examiner(s): Masih, Karen
• Application Number:
  US09/471,671
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 318/805, 318/254, 318/439, 318/138
• US Class Current: 318/805
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/085 in a bridge configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/185 using inductance sensing, e.g. pulse excitation

Abstract

The method for controlling a voltage/frequency converter controlled single-phase or polyphase electric motor evaluates the phase shifting between the EMF and BEMF by way of the deviation between the zero crossing of the phase current and the voltage produced by the intrinsic induction and readjusts the frequency of the converter accordingly. The measurement of the intrinsic induction is effected in the zero crossing of the current courses of the associated phase, wherein during the measurement the phase is separated from the supply network.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a voltage/frequency converter controlled single-phase or polyphase electric motor (PM) with which to the converter (10) there is supplied a variable for control which corresponds to the induced voltage (16, 17) in at least one phase winding (1, 2, 3) of the motor (PM), characterized in that the intrinsic induction (BEMF) of the at least one motor phase winding (1, 2, 3) is measured and it is evaluated whether the phase position of the intrinsic induction is in a predetermined ratio or not to that of the phase winding current (15) of a motor phase winding (1, 2, 3), and that when the phase positions are not at this predetermined ratio and that of the intrinsic induction (16, 17) leads that of the phase winding current (15) with respect to this ratio, the variable supplied to the converter is produced such that the converter increases the frequency supplied to the motor in the next control interval and/or reduces the voltage supplied to the motor in the next control interval until the phase positions of the intrinsic induction (16, 17) and of the phase winding current (15) are at the predetermined ratio, and when the phase position of the intrinsic induction (16, 17) lags that of the phase winding current (15) with respect to this ratio, the variable (V, F) supplied to the converter (10) is produced such that the converter reduces the frequency supplied to the motor in the next control interval and/or increases the voltage supplied to the motor in the next control interval, until the phase positions of the intrinsic induction (16, 17) and of the phase winding current (15) are at this predetermined ratio.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that it is applied for commutating a single-phase or polyphase permanent magnet motor (PM), wherein the predetermined ratio between the phase position of the intrinsic induction (16, 17) and the phase position of the phase winding current (15) is determined preferably by the coincidence of the two phase positions.

3. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the method is applied for the power/efficiency optimization of the motor.

4. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the variable supplied to the converter (10) is produced such that the converter increases or reduces the frequency and/or voltage in the next control interval in dependence on the measured phase difference between the intrinsic induction (16, 17) and the phase winding current (15).

5. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the intrinsic induction (16, 17) of each motor phase winding (1, 2, 3) is measured.

6. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the motor phase winding (1, 2, 3), whose intrinsic induction is measured, before the beginning up to the completion of the measurement is separated from the supply network.

7. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the motor phase winding (1, 2, 3) whose intrinsic induction is measured, is short-circuited, wherein the intrinsic induction is acquired by current measurement in this motor phase winding.

8. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the intrinsic induction (16, 17) of a motor phase winding (1, 2, 3) is measured at least two points in time, at which the phase winding current (15) of the corresponding motor phase winding (1, 2, 3) in succession is zero.

9. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the intrinsic induction (16, 17) per motor phase winding (1, 2, 3) is measured at two points in time at which in each case a zero crossing of the phase winding current (15) takes place.

10. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the measuring signal indicates the respective positive or negative polarity of the phase position of the intrinsic induction (16, 17) with respect to the zero crossing (18) of the phase winding current (15), wherein under the assumption of an increasing phase winding current (15) with a positive measuring signal (25) the frequency supplied to the motor (PM) is increased in the next control interval and/or the voltage supplied to the motor is reduced in the next control interval and with a negative measuring signal (24) the frequency supplied to the motor is reduced in the next control interval and/or the voltage supplied to the motor is increased in the next control interval or vice-versa, when the phase winding current (15) falls.

11. A device for controlling a voltage/frequency converter controlled single or polyphase electric motor (PM) with a voltage/frequency converter (10) which supplies to each motor phase winding (1, 2, 3) an alternating voltage with a frequency fixed per control interval and with a control means (21) which supplies to the converter (10) a variable which corresponds to the induced voltage in at least one motor phase winding (1, 2, 3), for the frequency and/or voltage control, characterized by at least one measuring means (20) for acquiring the current flowing in a motor phase winding and an evaluation means which is connected to the control means (21) and which is set up to evaluate whether the phase position of the intrinsic induction (16, 17) is at a predetermined ratio or not to that of the phase winding current (15) of the same motor phase winding or not and which supplies a corresponding evaluation signal to the control means (12), wherein the control means, when the evaluation signal indicates to the evaluation means that the ratio of the phase position in each case of the intrinsic induction (16, 17) and of the phase winding current (15) does not correspond to the predetermined ratio, with a phase of the intrinsic induction (17) which leads with respect to this ratio, to the converter (10) supplies a control signal which effects a frequency increase and/or voltage reduction in the next control interval until the phase positions of the intrinsic induction (16, 17) and of the winding phase current (15) are at the predetermined ratio and with a phase of the intrinsic induction (16) which lags with respect to this predetermined ratio, to the converter (10) supplies a control signal which effects a frequency reduction and/or voltage increase in the next control interval until the phase positions of the intrinsic induction (16, 17) and of the phase winding current (10) are at the predetermined ratio or lie in previously fixed limits.

12. A device according to claim 11, characterized in that there are provided a first measuring means (23), connected to at least one motor phase winding, for measuring the intrinsic induction (BEMF) of at least this one motor phase winding, and a second measuring means (20), connected to at least one motor phase winding, for measuring the current flowing through this motor phase winding.

13. A device according to claim 11, characterized in that the first measuring means (23) is set up for measuring the intrinsic induction (16, 17) of each motor phase winding (1, 2, 3).

14. A device according to claim 11, characterized in that the second measuring means (20) evaluates the zero crossings (18) of the phase winding current (15) at least of one motor phase (1, 2, 3) and that the evaluation means evaluates the respective polarity of the measured phase position of the intrinsic induction (16, 17) with a zero crossing (18) of the associated phase winding current (15), wherein a positive evaluation signal (25) indicates to the first evaluation means a leading phase of the intrinsic induction (17) and a negative evaluation signal (24) a lagging phase of the intrinsic induction (16).

15. A device according to claim 11, characterized in that the control means (21), to the converter (10), supplies a correcting variable which increases, reduces or keeps constant the frequency and/or voltage applied to the motor (PM) in dependence on the acquired phase difference between the intrinsic induction (16, 17) and the phase winding current (15).

16. A device according to claim 11, characterized in that the converter (10) supplies to the motor (PM) an approximately sinusoidal three-phase voltage.