Switched reluctance generator

• US 7,394,229 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2005
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Choi, Yong-won, Lim, Jun-young
• Primary Examiner(s): Gonzalez; Julio
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cuevas; Pedro J
• Application Number:
  US11/296,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20060232069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 322/59, 318/701
• US Class Current: 322/59
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 25/092 Converters specially adapted for controlling reluctance motors
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 25/18 with arrangements for switching the windings, e.g. with mechanical switches or relays
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 9/00 Arrangements for controlling electric generators for the purpose of obtaining a desired output

Abstract

A Switched Reluctance (SR) generator having improved efficiency at low and high speed is disclosed. The SR generator includes a step-up converter for controlling an excitation voltage of an excitation capacitor capable of providing a phase winding with an excitation current. Therefore, the SR generator can control the excitation current, and can provide a phase winding with a sufficient excitation current, thereby improving efficiency. The step-up converter is arranged between a battery capable of storing generated power and the excitation capacitor, boosts a voltage of the battery, and provides the excitation capacitor with the boosted voltage. Therefore, the SR generator does not include an additional power-supply unit for a boosting function, resulting in simplification of an overall structure and reduction of a production cost.

Claims

1. A Switched Reluctance (SR) generator comprising:

an excitation capacitor which provides a phase winding with an excitation current;

a current source connected to the excitation capacitor which generates an initial excitation current that charges the excitation capacitor;

a step-up converter arranged between a battery that stores generated power and the excitation capacitor, and which boosts a voltage of the battery and provides the excitation capacitor with the boosted voltage;

a speed detector that detects a rotation speed of a rotor; and

an excitation controller that operates the step-up converter in response to the detected rotor rotation speed being equal to or less than a predetermined speed.

2. The SR generator according to claim 1, wherein the excitation controller increases an excitation current in inverse proportion to the rotor rotation speed.

3. The SR generator according to claim 1, wherein the step-up converter is a boost converter.

4. A Switched Reluctance (SR) generator comprising:

an excitation capacitor which transmits an excitation current to a phase winding comprising a plurality of unit windings, connections of which are switched by one or more winding switches;

a current source connected to the excitation capacitor which generates an initial excitation current that charges the excitation capacitor;

a step-up converter arranged between a battery that stores generated power and the excitation capacitor, and which boosts a voltage of the battery and provides the excitation capacitor with the boosted voltage;

a speed detector that detects a rotation speed of a rotor; and

an excitation controller that operates the step-up converter in response to the detected rotor rotation speed being equal to or less than a predetermined speed.

5. The SR generator according to claim 4, wherein the one or more winding switches connect the unit windings so that an inductance of the phase winding is increased when the detected rotor rotation speed is a low speed and the inductance of the phase winding is decreased when the detected rotor rotation speed is a high speed.

6. The SR generator according to claim 4, wherein the one or more winding switches connect the unit windings, so that the unit windings are connected in series at a low speed, and are connected in parallel at a high speed.

7. The SR generator according to claim 4, wherein the phase winding has a single-phase structure.

8. The SR generator according to claim 4, wherein:

in the unit windings of the phase winding, radially-arranged stator magnetic poles are divided into predetermined magnetic pole groups, each of which includes predetermined magnetic poles adjacent to each other, such that each unit winding is allocated to each group, and the unit windings are wound to allow neighboring magnetic poles to be alternated with each other in each group.

9. The SR generator according to claim 4, wherein the excitation controller increases an excitation current in inverse proportion to the rotor rotation speed.

10. The SR generator according to claim 4, wherein the step-up converter is a boost converter.