Patent ID: 11885850
Assignee: HAMILTON SUNDSTRAND CORPORATION
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC G  H | IPC G  H

Claim 14:
15. A generator system, comprising a main generator stage;
an exciter operatively connected to the main stage;
a rotating rectifier stage operatively connected between the main generator stage and the exciter stage configured to rectify a alternating current output of the exciter stage into a direct current input to the main generator stage;
a permanent magnet generator (PMG) operatively connected to the exciter;
a generator control unit, including:
an exciter drive electrically connected to the exciter;
a DC link rectifier diode bridge electrically connected to an output of the PMG; and
a DC link electrically connected between the exciter drive and the DC link rectifier diode bridge to supply excitation current from the PMG to the exciter through the exciter drive; and

a fault monitoring module operatively connected to the DC link, the fault monitoring module having machine readable instructions configured to cause a the module to:
measure a voltage across the DC link when the exciter drive is inactive and the PMG is generating voltage; and
detect a short or open permanent magnet generator (SOPMG) fault condition in the generator system at the DC link based on the measured voltage across the DC link,

wherein the short or open permanent magnet generator (SOPMG) fault condition includes one or more of:
a short circuit between the PMG and the DC link rectifier diode bridge;
an open circuit between the PMG and the DC link rectifier diode bridge;
an short circuit in at least one diode of the DC link rectifier diode bridge; and/or
an open circuit in at least one diode of the DC link rectifier diode bridge.