CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims foreign priority benefits under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to European Patent Application No. 19171846.9 filed on Apr. 30, 2019, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The disclosure relates to a device and to a method for estimating rotation speed and/or a direction of rotation of an induction machine. The device is usable when the induction machine does not have enough magnetic flux for flux-based determination of the rotation speed and/or the direction of rotation. Furthermore, the disclosure relates to a power electronic converter for driving an induction machine. Furthermore, the disclosure relates to a computer program for estimating rotation speed and/or a direction of rotation of an induction machine.

BACKGROUND

In many cases there is a need to energize a rotating induction machine the rotation speed of which is not measured, and which does not have enough magnetic flux for flux-based determination of the rotation speed and/or the direction of rotation. This type of scenario rises with applications where there is no tachometer or other speed measurement means and where an induction machine restarts after a power switch-off before the rotor stops rotating but after the magnetic flux has vanished. In applications of the kind mentioned above, a device supplying the induction machine such as e.g. a power electronic converter magnetizes the induction machine with voltages constituting a rotating voltage space-vector. If the rotation direction and/or the rotation speed of the voltage space-vector differ too much from the rotation direction and the rotation speed of the rotor, there can be generated high currents which may damage the induction machine and/or the device supplying the induction machine. The situation can be especially problematic when the voltage space-vector and the rotor of the induction machine have opposite directions of rotation. Therefore, there is a need to estimate the direction of rotation of the rotor and advantageously also the rotation speed of the rotor prior to starting to magnetize the induction machine with voltages constituting a rotating voltage space-vector.

A known method for estimating rotation speed and/or a direction of rotation of an induction machine comprises supplying a direct current pulse to stator windings of the induction machine and measuring stator voltages that are dependent on the direction and speed of rotation. A challenge related to this method is that the rotating dependent components of the stator voltages are small and that the stator voltages have a switching ripple as well as other components related to stator resistance and stator stray inductance. Thus, based on the above-mentioned stator voltages, it is challenging to estimate the rotation speed and/or the direction of rotation reliably enough.

Publications JP2007274900 and EP1536552 describe methods for determining rotation speed and direction of a free running induction machine. The methods are based on supplying direct current to the stator of the induction machine in a first space vector direction and detecting behavior of current induced in a second space vector direction perpendicular to the first space vector direction.

Publication US2012098472 describes a mechanism for a motor controller for engaging a spinning motor. A power section is configured to provide power to the motor. A control is configured to control the power section. The control is configured to search for a motor frequency of the motor by applying a small excitation voltage to the motor, and the excitation voltage is initially applied at a voltage frequency which is a maximum frequency. The control is configured to track the motor frequency until the motor frequency is below an equivalent speed command and engage the motor by applying a higher voltage to the motor.

Publication EP1049243 describes a system that comprises means for determining a stator voltage vector, for measuring a stator winding current vector, for deriving an estimated or model stator flux vector based on the current and voltage vectors, and for deriving a stator current vector demand value based on the flux vector. A current regulator produces a value for the stator voltage vector so that the stator current is regulated to the demand value.

Publication Kondo Keiichiro: “Re-stating technologies for rotational sensorless controlled AC motors at the rotating status”, 2015 10^thAsian Control Conference (ASCC), IEEE, 31 May 2015, pages 1-6 describes restarting methods associated with rotational sensorless control methods both for induction machines and permanent magnet synchronous machines.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of different invention embodiments. The summary is not an extensive overview of the invention. It is neither intended to identify key or critical elements of the invention nor to delineate the scope of the invention. The following summary merely presents some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to a more detailed description of exemplifying and non-limiting embodiments of the invention.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided a new device for estimating rotation speed and/or a direction of rotation of an induction machine when the induction machine does not have enough magnetic flux for flux-based determination of the rotation speed and/or the direction of rotation. A device according to the invention comprises a processing system implemented with one or more processor circuits configured to:

- control stator voltages of the induction machine to constitute a voltage space-vector having a fixed direction with respect to the stator of the induction machine,
- control a length of the voltage space-vector to regulate stator currents of the induction machine to fulfill a condition that a current space-vector constituted by the stator currents has a pre-determined length, and
- estimate at least one of the following based on a waveform of a q-component of the current space-vector: rotation speed of the rotor of the induction machine, a direction of rotation of the rotor,

wherein the d-component of the current space-vector is parallel with the voltage space-vector and the q-component of the current space-vector is perpendicular to the voltage space-vector.

The stator currents are inherently filtered by the windings of the induction machine and thus, compared to methods based on voltages, it is easier to form sufficiently reliable estimates for the rotation speed and/or the direction of rotation of the induction machine based on the waveform of the q-component of the current space-vector.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided also a new power electronic converter that comprises:

- a converter stage for forming stator voltages for an induction machine,
- a controller for controlling the stator voltages at least partly based on stator currents of the induction machine, and
- a device according to the invention for estimating at least one of the following: a rotation speed of the rotor of the induction machine, a direction of rotation of the rotor.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided also a new method for estimating rotation speed and/or a direction of rotation of an induction machine when the induction machine does not have enough magnetic flux for flux-based determination of the rotation speed and/or the direction of rotation. A method according to the invention comprises:

- controlling stator voltages of an induction machine to constitute a voltage space-vector having a fixed direction with respect to the stator of the induction machine,
- controlling a length of the voltage space-vector to regulate stator currents of the induction machine to fulfill a condition that a current space-vector constituted by the stator currents has a pre-determined length, and
- estimating at least one of the following based on a waveform of a q-component of the current space-vector: rotation speed of the rotor of the induction machine, a direction of rotation of the rotor.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided also a new computer program for estimating rotation speed and/or a direction of rotation of an induction machine when the induction machine does not have enough magnetic flux for flux-based determination of the rotation speed and/or the direction of rotation. A computer program according to the invention comprises computer executable instructions for controlling a programmable processor to

- control stator voltages of an induction machine to constitute a voltage space-vector having a fixed direction with respect to the stator of the induction machine,
- control a length of the voltage space-vector to regulate stator currents of the induction machine to fulfill a condition that a current space-vector constituted by the stator currents has a pre-determined length, and
- estimate at least one of the following based on a waveform of a q-component of the current space-vector: rotation speed of the rotor of the induction machine, a direction of rotation of the rotor.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided also a new computer program product. The computer program product comprises a non-volatile computer readable medium, e.g. a compact disc “CD”, encoded with a computer program according to the invention.

Various exemplifying and non-limiting embodiments are described in accompanied dependent claims.

Exemplifying and non-limiting embodiments both as to constructions and to methods of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, are best understood from the following description of specific exemplifying embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The verbs “to comprise” and “to include” are used in this document as open limitations that neither exclude nor require the existence of un-recited features. The features recited in dependent claims are mutually freely combinable unless otherwise explicitly stated. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the use of “a” or “an”, i.e. a singular form, throughout this document does not exclude a plurality.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

Exemplifying and non-limiting embodiments and their advantages are explained in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a power electronic converter that comprises a device according to an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment for estimating rotation speed and/or a direction of rotation of an induction machine when the induction machine does not have enough magnetic flux for flux-based determination of the rotation speed and/or the direction of rotation,

FIG. 2a shows a functional block-diagram of a device according to an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment,

FIG. 2b shows a functional block-diagram of a device according to another exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment, and

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a method according to an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment for estimating rotation speed and/or a direction of rotation of an induction machine when the induction machine does not have enough magnetic flux for flux-based determination of the rotation speed and/or the direction of rotation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The specific examples provided in the description below should not be construed as limiting the scope and/or the applicability of the accompanied claims. Lists and groups of examples provided in the description below are not exhaustive unless otherwise explicitly stated.

FIG. 1 illustrates a power electronic converter 100 according to an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment. The power electronic converter 100 comprises a converter stage 104 for forming stator voltages for an induction machine 105. The number of phases of the induction machine 105 is three for demonstration purposes, but a different number of phases is also possible. In FIG. 1, the stator phase voltages are denoted as u_u, u_v, and u_w. In the exemplifying case shown in FIG. 1, the input voltage of the power electronic converter 100 is direct “DC” voltage U_DC. It is also possible that the input voltage is e.g. three-phase alternating “AC” voltage. In this exemplifying case, the power electronic converter may comprise for example a rectifier and a DC-voltage intermediate circuit between the rectifier and the converter stage 104. The converter stage 104 can be configured to employ e.g. pulse width modulation “PWM” for converting the DC-voltage U_DCinto the stator voltages u_u, u_v, and u_w. It is however also possible that the converter stage 104 is a matrix converter stage for carrying out a direct conversion from e.g. three-phase input AC-voltage to the stator voltages u_u, u_v, and u_wof the induction machine 105. The power electronic converter 100 further comprises a controller 103 for controlling the stator voltages u_u, u_v, and u_wof the induction machine 105. In FIG. 1, a set of switch control values delivered by the controller 103 to the converter stage 104 is denoted with s. The controller 103 may comprise means for implementing different control modes such as one or more vector control modes and a scalar control mode. In a vector control mode, the controller 103 may control the stator voltages u_u, u_v, and u_wat least partly based on stator currents i_uand i_vof the induction machine 105 and on machine parameters i.e. inductances and resistances of the induction machine 105. In the exemplifying situation shown in FIG. 1, it is assumed that the sum of the stator currents i_u, i_v, and i_wis zero and thus the controller 103 needs only two stator currents i_uand i_vsince i_w=−i_u−i_v.

The power electronic converter 100 further comprises a device 101 according to an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment for estimating rotation speed ω_rand/or a direction of rotation of the induction machine 105 when the induction machine does not have enough magnetic flux for flux-based determination of the rotation speed ω_rand/or the direction of rotation.

FIG. 2a shows an exemplifying functional block-diagram corresponding to a processing system 102 of the device 101 when the processing system 102 is estimating the rotation speed ω_rand/or the direction of rotation of the induction machine 105. The processing system 102 is configured to control the stator voltages u_u, u_v, and u_wof the induction machine 105 to constitute a voltage space-vector having a fixed direction with respect to the stator of the induction machine 105. The voltage space-vector is defined as (⅔)(u_u+au_v+a²u_w), where a=(−1+j√3)/2, where j is the imaginary unit. In FIG. 2a, the direction of the voltage space-vector is depicted with a d-axis of a dq-coordinate system that is fixed to the stator of the induction machine 105 since the voltage space-vector has the fixed direction with respect to the stator. Thus, the voltage space-vector is u_d. The processing system 102 is configured to implement a functional block 211 that converts the voltage space-vector into the reference stator voltages u_uref, u_vref, and u_wrefso that u_uref=u_dcos(θ), u_vref=u_dcos(θ−120°), and u_wref=u_dcos(θ−240°), where θ is the angle between the d-axis of the dq-coordinate system and the magnetic axis of the phase u of the stator winding. The angle θ can be expressed e.g. in electrical degrees or in electrical radians. A functional block 212 that is implemented with the controller 103 shown in FIG. 1 converts the reference stator voltages u_uref, u_vref, and u_wrefinto the set s of switch control values that are delivered to the converter stage 104.

The processing system 102 is configured to implement a functional block 213 that computes d- and q-components of a current space-vector constituted by the stator currents i_u, i_v, and i_wso that:

i_d=(⅔)(i_u−i_v/2−i_w/2)cos(θ)+(1/√3)(i_v−i_w)sin(θ), and

i_q=(1/√3)(i_v−i_w)cos(θ)−(⅔)(i_u−i_v/2−i_w/2)sin(θ), a.

where i_w=−i_u−i_vand the d-component i_dof the current space-vector is parallel with the voltage space-vector and the q-component i_qof the current space-vector perpendicular to the voltage space-vector. Without limiting the generality, the fixed direction of the voltage space-vector can be selected to be the direction of the magnetic axis of the phase u, i.e. θ=0. In this exemplifying case:

i_d=(⅔)(i_u−i_v/2−i_w/2) and i_q=(1/√3)(i_v−i_w).

The processing system 102 is configured to implement a functional block 217 that computes the length i_absof the current space-vector and a functional block 210 that controls the length of the voltage space-vector so that the stator currents i_u, i_v, and i_wfulfill a condition that the current space-vector has a pre-determined length labs, ref. The functional block 210 can be for example a proportional “P” regulator, a proportional and integrating “PI” regulator, a proportional, integrating, and derivative “PID” regulator, or some other suitable regulator. The pre-determined length i_abs, ref of the current space-vector can be for example within a range from 30% to 100% of a peak-value of a nominal current of the induction machine 105.

The processing system 102 is configured to implement a functional block 214 that estimates the direction of rotation and/or the rotation speed ω_rbased on a waveform of the q-component i_qof the current space-vector. Exemplifying ways to estimate the direction of rotation and/or the rotation speed ω_rare described below.

In a device according to an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment, the processing system 102 is configured to detect a direction of change of the q-component i_qat the beginning of fulfillment of the above-mentioned condition i_abs=labs, ref, and to determine the direction of rotation based on the detected direction of change. The direction of rotation is determined to be positive if the q-component i_qfirst falls as illustrated by an exemplifying waveform 215 shown in FIG. 2a. Correspondingly, the direction of rotation is determined to be negative if the q-component i_qfirst rises as illustrated by an exemplifying waveform 216 shown in FIG. 2a.

In a device according to an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment, the processing system 102 is configured to detect a polarity of a first local extreme of the waveform of the q-component i_qoccurring after the beginning of fulfillment of the condition i_abs=i_{abs, ref}, and to determine the direction of rotation based on the detected polarity. The direction of rotation is determined to be positive if the first local extreme is negative as illustrated by the exemplifying waveform 215 shown in FIG. 2a. Correspondingly, the direction of rotation is determined to be negative if the first local extreme is positive as illustrated by the exemplifying waveform 216 shown in FIG. 2a.

In a device according to an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment, the processing system 102 is configured to measure a first time-value T₁indicative of time elapsed from the beginning of fulfillment of the condition i_abs=i_{abs, ref}to a moment when the waveform of the q-component i_qreaches its first local extreme value. The processing system 102 is configured to estimate the rotation speed ω_rbased on the measured first time-value T₁so that ω_r,estimate=π/T₁/p, where p is the number of pole pairs of the induction machine 105.

In a device according to an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment, the processing system 102 is configured to measure at least one second time-value T₂indicative of time elapsed between two successive local maximum values or between two successive local minimum values of the waveform of the q-component i_q. The processing system 102 is configured to form an estimate for the rotation speed ω_rbased on the measured second time-value T₂so that ω_r,estimate=2π/T₂/p.

In a device according to an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment, the processing system 102 is configured to apply two or more of the above-presented exemplifying ways to estimate the direction of rotation and/or the rotation speed ω_r. The estimate of the rotation speed ω_rcan be made more accurate by observing many local maximums, and/or many local minimums, of the waveform of the q-component i_q, but this increases the time needed to obtain the estimate.

In a device according to an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment, the processing system 102 is configured to estimate the rotation speed ω_rin one or more of the above-described ways, and subsequently to control the stator voltages u_u, u_v, and u_wso that the current space-vector is rotated at the estimated rotation speed. The current space-vector can be rotated e.g. so that the length of the current-space vector (⅔)(i_u+ai_v+a²i_w) is controlled by controlling the length of the voltage space vector (⅔)(u_u+au_v+a²u_w) and the rotational speed of the current space-vector is controlled by controlling the rotational speed of the voltage space vector.

In a device according to an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment, the processing system 102 is configured to estimate a flowing direction of air-gap power P_agof the induction machine 105 based on the stator voltages u_u, u_v, and u_w, the stator currents i_u, i_v, and i_w, and the stator resistance when the current space-vector is rotated. The processing system 102 is configured to decrease the rotation speed of the current space-vector when the estimated flowing direction is towards the rotor 106 of the induction machine, and to increase the rotation speed of the current space-vector when the estimated flowing direction is out from the rotor of the induction machine. When magnetic energy contained by the induction machine 105 is substantially constant, the air-gap power can be estimated as:

P_ag=u_ui_u+u_vi_v+u_wi_w−R_s(i_u²+i_v²+i_w²),

where R_sis the stator resistance. If the estimated air-gap power flows towards the rotor, the induction machine 105 is acting as a motor and the estimate of the rotation speed i.e. the rotation speed of the current space-vector is too high. Correspondingly, if the estimated air-gap power flows out from the rotor, the induction machine 105 is acting as a generator and the estimate of the rotation speed i.e. the rotation speed of the current space-vector is too low.

In a device according to an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment, the processing system 102 is configured to monitor whether the waveform of the q-component i_qreaches a local extreme value within a predetermined time period after the beginning of fulfillment of the above-mentioned condition i_abs=i_{abs, ref}. If the rotor rotates so slowly that the q-component i_qdoes not reach a local extreme value within the above-mentioned time period, the rotor is magnetized by the stator currents and a suitable known speed detection method for a magnetized rotor can be used after the above-mentioned time period. In other words, the processing system 102 can be configured to estimate, in response to a situation in which no local extreme value is reached within the above-mentioned time period, the rotation speed ω_rand/or the direction of rotation based on behavior of the induction machine 105 having a magnetic flux generated during the above-mentioned time period. A speed detection method for a magnetized rotor may comprise for example: arranging a sequence of stator short-circuits, measuring short-circuit currents of the stator, and estimating the speed and/or the direction of rotation based on the measured short-circuit currents.

FIG. 2b shows an exemplifying functional block-diagram that corresponds to a processing system of a device according to an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment. The functional block-diagram shown in FIG. 2b corresponds to the processing system when the processing system is estimating the rotation speed ω_rand/or the direction of rotation of the induction machine 105. In this exemplifying case, the processing system is configured to control the length of the voltage space-vector so that the stator currents i_u, i_v, and i_wfulfill a condition that the current space-vector has a pre-determined d-component i_d,ref, i.e. i_d=i_d,ref. The pre-determined d-component i_d,refof the current space-vector can be for example within a range from 20% to 70% of the peak-value of the nominal current of the induction machine 105. The functional blocks 210b, 211b, 212b, 213b, and 214b shown in FIG. 2b can be like the functional blocks 210-211 shown in FIG. 2a, respectively. The exemplifying embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2b requires less computation than the exemplifying embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2a since the length of the current space-vector is not computed in the exemplifying embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2b. However, in some situations, the exemplifying embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2a can provide better results since e.g. the saturation state of the induction machine 105 can be controlled better when using the exemplifying embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2a.

The processing system 102 shown in FIG. 1 can be implemented with one or more processor circuits, each of which can be a programmable processor circuit provided with appropriate software, a dedicated hardware processor such as for example an application specific integrated circuit “ASIC”, or a configurable hardware processor such as for example a field programmable gate array “FPGA”. Furthermore, the processing system may comprise one or more memory devices each of which can be for example a Random-Access-Memory “RAM” circuit. In many power electronic converters, a device according to an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment for estimating rotation speed and/or a direction of rotation can be implemented using the hardware of the control system of the power electronic converter.

The above-described device 101 is an example of a device that comprises:

- means for controlling stator voltages of an induction machine to constitute a voltage space-vector having a fixed direction with respect to the stator of the induction machine,
- means for controlling a length of the voltage space-vector to regulate stator currents of the induction machine to fulfill a condition being one of the following: a) a current space-vector constituted by the stator currents has a pre-determined length, b) the current space-vector has a predetermined d-component parallel with the voltage space-vector, and
- means for estimating rotation speed of the rotor of the induction machine and/or a direction of rotation of the rotor based on a waveform of a q-component of the current space-vector, the q-component being perpendicular to the voltage space-vector.

FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of a method according to an exemplifying and non-limiting embodiment for estimating rotation speed and/or a direction of rotation of an induction machine when the induction machine does not have enough magnetic flux for flux-based determination of the rotation speed and/or the direction of rotation. The method comprises the following actions:

- action 301: controlling stator voltages of the induction machine to constitute a voltage space-vector having a fixed direction with respect to the stator of the induction machine,
- action 302: controlling a length of the voltage space-vector to regulate stator currents of the induction machine to fulfill a condition being one of the following: a) a current space-vector constituted by the stator currents has a pre-determined length, b) the current space-vector has a predetermined d-component parallel with the voltage space-vector, and
- action 303: estimating the rotation speed of the rotor of the induction machine and/or the direction of rotation of the rotor based on a waveform of a q-component of the current space-vector, the q-component being perpendicular to the voltage space-vector.