Multilevel DC link inverter

• US 6,577,087 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2001
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: UT-Battelle LLC
• Original Assignee: UT-Battelle LLC
• Inventors: Su, Gui-Jia
• Primary Examiner(s): Fletcher, Marlon T.
• Application Number:
  US09/853,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20020175644A1
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 318/138, 318/254, 318/439, 318/700-701, 318/721-722, 318/801
• US Class Current: 318/400.07
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/04 using dc
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/06 using substantially sinusoidal ac
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 15/20 for control of the vehicle or its driving motor to achieve a desired performance, e.g. speed, torque, programmed variation of speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/40 DC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/14 Synchronous machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2220/16 DC brushless machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/427 Voltage
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/429 Current
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/68 Traffic data
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0061 relating to electrical machines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/51 characterised by AC-motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/19 Switching between serial connection and parallel connection of battery modules
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/21 having the same nominal voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 7/483 Converters with outputs that each can have more than two voltages levels
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 2209/07 Trapezoidal waveform
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 27/14 with three or more levels of voltage
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/085 in a bridge configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 6/10 Arrangements for controlling torque ripple, e.g. providing reduced torque ripple
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles

Abstract

A multilevel DC link inverter and method for improving torque response and current regulation in permanent magnet motors and switched reluctance motors having a low inductance includes a plurality of voltage controlled cells connected in series for applying a resulting dc voltage comprised of one or more incremental dc voltages. The cells are provided with switches for increasing the resulting applied dc voltage as speed and back EMF increase, while limiting the voltage that is applied to the commutation switches to perform PWM or dc voltage stepping functions, so as to limit current ripple in the stator windings below an acceptable level, typically 5%. Several embodiments are disclosed including inverters using IGBT'"'"'s, inverters using thyristors. All of the inverters are operable in both motoring and regenerating modes.

Claims

1. A circuit for controlling a three-phase machine having a stator with stator windings and a rotor, the circuit comprising:

a plurality of commutation switches which are connected to supply current to the stator windings;

a plurality of dc source connections for receiving a plurality of incremental dc voltages and for applying a selected sum of said incremental dc voltages to said plurality of commutation switches to provide a base dc voltage, while controlling one of the incremental dc voltages to provide a varying pulsed signal to said commutation switches relative to said base dc voltage;

at least one sensor for sensing a parameter of the motor from which a speed and rotor position of the motor can be determined; and

a controller responsive to said sensor for determining the speed and rotor position of the motor, said controller being connected for control of said dc source connections to change base dc voltage in response to changes in speed of the motor without increasing current ripple in the stator windings substantially above a current ripple resulting from applying the varying pulsed signal derived from one of the incremental dc voltages to said commutation switches, said controller being connected also for control of said commutation switches to sequentially excite the stator windings of said motor.

2. The circuit of claim 1, wherein said commutation switches are semiconductor devices whose turn-on and turn-off can be controlled through a gating terminal, and a plurality of diodes, each in parallel connection to a respective one of the plurality of said commutation switches for allowing conduction in a reverse direction to bypass each respective primary commutation switch.

3. The circuit of claim 2, wherein said dc source connections include a plurality of control switches for controlling connection to a plurality of dc sources.

4. The circuit of claim 3, wherein at least one of the dc source connections includes at least two control switches, comprising a first control switch for applying the incremental dc voltage to said commutation switches and a second control switch for bypassing the incremental dc voltage and wherein the first and second control switches perform pulse width modulation in response to signals from the controller.

5. The circuit of claim 4, wherein said dc source connection also includes a capacitor for storing an incremental voltage derived from an external voltage source and a diode for clamping the voltage across each of said first and second control switches to said incremental voltage.

6. The circuit of claim 4, wherein said commutation switches are adapted for connection to a stator of a PM motor.

7. The circuit of claim 4, wherein said commutation switches are adapted for connection to a stator of a switched reluctance motor.

8. The circuit of claim 1, wherein said commutation switches are semiconductor devices in which turn-on can be controlled but in which turn-off cannot be controlled through a gating terminal.

9. The circuit of claim 8, wherein said dc source connections include a plurality of control switches for controlling connection to a plurality of dc sources.

10. The circuit of claim 8, wherein said dc source connection for each external dc voltage source includes a bridge network of four control switches for operating alternatively in the motoring mode or in the regenerating mode.

11. The circuit of claim 1, wherein the incremental dc voltages are not all equal.

12. A method of controlling a three-phase machine having a stator with stator windings and a rotor, the circuit comprising:

turning on in sequence a plurality of primary commutation switches connected to supply current to the stator windings;

receiving a plurality of incremental dc voltages and selecting a sum of the incremental dc voltages to apply to said plurality of commutation switches as a base dc voltage;

varying one of the incremental dc voltages to apply a varying pulsed signal to the commutation switches in relation to said base dc voltage;

sensing a parameter of the motor from which a speed of the motor can be determined;

determining a speed of the motor, and wherein the base dc voltage is selected in response to changes in speed of the motor without increasing current ripple in the stator windings substantially above a current ripple resulting from varying said one of the incremental dc voltages to apply the varying pulsed signal to said commutation switches; and

determining a rotor position of the motor, and turning on and off said commutation switches to sequentially excite the stator windings of said motor.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising dividing a dc voltage from an external dc voltage source into incremental dc voltages.

14. The method of claim 12, current from said commutation switches is supplied to a stator of a PM motor.

15. The method of claim 12, current from said commutation switches is supplied to a switched reluctance motor.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising controlling signals applied to the primary commutation switches from said motor to direct the commutation sequences for operating in the motoring mode or for operating in the regenerating mode.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the incremental dc voltages are not all equal.

18. A circuit for controlling a three-phase machine having a stator with stator windings and a rotor, the circuit comprising:

a plurality of commutation switches which are connected to supply current to the stator windings;

a plurality of voltage-controlled cells in cascade arrangement for applying a resulting dc voltage to said plurality of commutation switches, said resulting dc voltage comprising at least one of a plurality of incremental dc voltages corresponding to said plurality of voltage-controlled cells, at least one of said cells also providing a varying pulsed signal to said commutation switches;

at least one sensor for sensing a parameter of the motor from which a speed and rotor position of the motor can be determined; and

a controller responsive to said sensor for determining the speed and rotor position of the motor, said controller being connected for control of said dc source connections to change said resulting dc voltage in response to changes in speed of the motor without increasing current ripple in the stator windings substantially above a current ripple resulting from the varying pulsed signal supplied from said one of the voltage-controlled cells to said commutation switches.

19. The circuit of claim 18, wherein at least one of the voltage-controlled cells includes at least two control switches, comprising a first control switch for applying the incremental dc voltage to said commutation switches and a second control switch for bypassing the incremental dc voltage and wherein the two control switches perform pulse width modulation in response to signals from the controller.