Extending the constant power speed range of the brushless dc motor through dual-mode inverter control

An inverter topology and control scheme has been developed and tested to demonstrate that it can drive low-inductance, surface mounted permanent magnet motors over the wide constant power speed range (CPSR) required in electric vehicle applications. This new controller, called the dual-mode inverter controller (DMIC) [1], can drive both the Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machine with sinusoidal back emf, and the brushless dc machine (BDCM) with trapezoidal emf as a motor or generator. Here we concentrate on the application of the DMIC to the operation of the BDCM in the motoring mode. Simulation results, supported by closed form analytical expressions, show that the CPSR of the DMIC driven BDCM is infinite when all of the motor and inverter loss mechanisms are neglected. The expressions further show that the ratio of high-to-low motor inductances accommodated by the DMIC is 11 making the DMIC compatible with both low-and high-inductance BDCMs. Classical hysteresis-band motor current control used below base speed is integrated with DMICs phase advance above base speed. The power performance of the DMIC is then simulated across the entire speed range. Laboratory testing of a low-inductance, 7.5-hp BDCM driven by the DMIC demonstrated a CPSR above 6:1. Current peak and rms values remained controlled below rated values at all speeds. A computer simulation accurately reproduced the results of lab testing showing that the limiting CPSR of the test motor is 8:1.