METHOD AND REGULATOR FOR ELECTRICAL RELUCTANCE MACHINES

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for estimating an instantaneous resistance in a phase winding in a reluctance machine. The process comprises the steps of: receiving a signal (Udm) indicating a voltage (UW) across at least one phase winding; receiving a signal (iWm) indicating a current (iw) through the phase winding; estimating a magnetic flux in response to the voltage signal and the current signal; estimating an instantaneous resistance (RW) in the phase winding in according with a phase relation between the current signal (iWm) and the magnetic flux signal ( PSI est). The invention also relates to a method for controlling an electrical machine and a drive system for performing the method.

Description: METHOD AND REGULATOR FOR ELECTRICAL RELUCTANCE MACHINES Field of the invention The present invention relates to a method for the control of an electrical machine, a drive system and a method for determining the mutual position of moving parts in an electrical machine. State of art Electrical machines have two parts which are movable in relation to each other, commonly called the "stator" resp. the "rotor". The most common types of electrical motors have a rotor which is an element which is suspended so that it can rotate inside a stator. The motor is provided with coils which can be provided with electrical current, whereby a magnetic flow is produced. The rotor in combination with the stator form a magnetic circuit through which the magnetic field produced by the coils flows. When the mutual position between the rotor and the stator changes then the reluctance in the magnetic circuit changes. In order to drive a reluctance motor with a number of windings the current is connected to the windings in a way which depends upon the position of the rotor in relation to the stator. A known way of providing this control of the current includes sensing the position of the rotor with the help of separate position sensors coupled to the rotor, whereby the position sensors produce an output signal which depends on the position of the rotor. Another known way of achieving control of phase currents uses the fact that the inductance of a phase varies depending on the position of the rotor in relation to the stator. The patent publication PCT/SE87/00442 describes a method of determining the position of the rotor for a reluctance machine starting from the equation (U-Ri) = d/dt(Li), where i is the current through the phase windings, where U is the voltage across a series connection of the phase winding, a transistor valve and a current sensor resistor, and where R is a predetermined constant corresponding to the sum of the resistances in a phase winding, an activated transistor and a current measuring resistor. Disclosure of the invention The present invention relates to the problem of improving the regulation of the torque in a reluctance machine. The invention further relates to the problem of providing improved regulation of the torque of an electrical machine without any separate sensor for detecting the position of the rotor by means of the shaft of the motor. More precisely, the invention relates to the problem of producing improved regulation of the torque at both high and low rotation speeds without separate rotor position sensors. Further, the invention relates to the problem of providing control of the torque of a reluctance motor with the use of estimations of phase winding values such as the reluctance values or magnetic flow, in order to determine the position of the rotor. The invention also concerns the control of the torque of the motor with the help of estimated phase winding values, wherein the phase winding values are estimated with improved accuracy and with reduced or completely eliminated dependence on the speed of rotation of the motor and the temperature of the motor windings. A reluctance machine comprises two mutually movable parts and at least one phase winding which has a resistance and the inductance of which depends on the mutual position of the parts. A device for regulating a reluctance machine comprises a controllable valve, which is connected in series with the phase windings and which is adjustable between an essentially open state and a conducting state. The above mentioned problems are solved with a method for controlling of the valve comprising the steps of: a) measuring a current through the phase winding; b) measuring a voltage across the phase winding; c) producing a signal value depending on the measured current value and the measured voltage value in accordance with a mathematical expression comprising an adjustable parameter; d) determining a relationship value between the signal value and the measured current value; e) adjusting the parameter value depending on the relationship value. The invention uses the fact that the magnetic flow is in phase with the winding current for a machine of the above described type, in order to estimate the magnetic flow depending on a measured current value, and in order to with increased accuracy control the electrical machine. According to one embodiment a signal value is produced corresponding to the magnetic flow ψ in accordance with the mathematical expression ψ = 1 U L W dτ where U LW -= K 3 * U d + iw ' K 1 + K 2 The adjustable parameter value K) relates to the resistance in the phase winding, the parameter K 2 corresponds to a voltage drop in the valve, and the parameter K 3 depends on the actual working state of the machine. The above described solution gives the advantage that the estimate automatically adapts the control parameter Kj so that the magnetic flow estimate has a good correspondence with the true magnetic flow even when the winding of the motor changes its series resistance R , e.g. as a consequence of temperature changes. If the voltage Ua is determined over both the phase winding and the valve then the parameter J is also adapted with reference to possible resistance changes in the valve. Brief description of the figures Fig. 1 A is a schematical principle sketch of an electiical machine with two mutually movable parts and phase windings. Fig. IB illustrates a magnetic flow in the machine according to Fig. 1 A. Fig. 2A illustrates that the inductance in a winding in a machine according to Fig. 1A varies, depending on the mutual position between the movable parts. Fig. 2B illustiates the positional dependence of the torque which can be obtained by activating of a phase winding. Fig. 3 illustrates a control apparatus with valve bridges connected to the phase windings in the motor according to Fig. 1 A. Fig. 4 is an equivalent circuit diagram for one of the valve bridges of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 illustrates an estimator, according to one embodiment of the invention, for estimating the magnetic flow for a phase winding in the motor according to Fig. 1A. Fig. 6 illustrates an example of period of time for estimating the magnetic flow as it can be produced by the estimator according to Fig. 5. Fig. 7 illustrates a second embodiment of an estimator for estimating the magnetic flow for a phase winding in the motor according to Fig. 1 A. Fig. 8 illustrates yet another embodiment of the estimator. Fig. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the contiol apparatus shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 10 is a block diagram of a part of the control apparatus shown in Fig. 3, according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 11 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a process of generating an estimate of a winding resistance. Preferred embodiments For the sake of simplicity, the invention will be described in the following with reference to rotating machines. The invention is, however, not limited to rotating machines but that which is described is also applicable to other machines, such as e.g. linear machines where a moving part made of a soft magnetic material is linearly displaceable along a straight linear stator with a number of stator windings. Fig. 1 A is a schematic view which illustiates an embodiment of a reluctance motor 10 with a stator 20 and a rotor 30 rotatable inside the stator. The stator 20 is provided with three separate windings W A ,W B and W c , respectively. According to one embodiment the rotor is manufactured from a soft magnetic material comprising a number of projections 40 as illustrated in Fig. 1A. The soft magnetic material is a ferromagnetic material which, when it has been magnitized once, can very easily be demagnitized, i.e. only a small coercive power is required for removal of the magnetism which arose when the material was magnitized. According to one version of the invention the rotor comprises soft magnetic iron. According to one embodiment also the stator includes a soft magnetic material, such as e.g. soft magnetic iron. When the rotor is turned around a central shaft, its position changes, which is illustrated by means of the angular position θ in Fig. 1A. As illustrated in Fig. 1, an imaginary co-ordination system has its origin at the central shaft of the motor, with two mutually orthogonal axes x resp. y. The position of the rotor can then be defined as the angular position θ of a rotor projection 40 in relation to the x-axis. When current is driven thiough a winding, e.g. winding W Λ , a magnetic flow which flows from the stator via the rotor and back to the stator is produced, and thereby a magnetic circuit is produced. Fig. IB illustrates an example of such a magnetic circuit for a three-phase reluctance motor in the case that current would be driven through the winding W A when the projection of the rotor is directed towards the parts of the stator where the magnetic field-producing windings W A is placed. It should be noted that Fig. IB only illustiates the principle for the magnetic flow and should not be interpreted such that the current necessarily must be driven through a winding when the rotor is in the position shown in fig. IB. The current to the phase windings of the motor should be regulated so that the current is supplied when the position of the rotor in relation to the stator is such that the torque of the motor is optimized. Figs. 1A and IB illustrate a machine with three windings, the rotor of which has eight projections and the stator of which has twelve projections. According to a preferred embodiment the rotor, however, has four projections, so-called salient poles, and the stator has six projections. Fig. 2A illustrates how the inductance varies in the winding W A depending on the position θ of the rotor. Fig. 2B illustrates the torque which can be obtained, in rotor position θ, by activation of a phase winding. By comparing the curves illustrating the inductance L WA for the winding W A to the torque T A achieved by activation of the winding W A , i.e. the solid lines in Fig. 2A and Fig. 2B, respectively, it can be seen that a positive torque is obtained from the winding W A if this winding is activated when the inductance has a positive derivative. One embodiment of a control apparatus Fig. 3 illustrates a control apparatus 60 connected to the three phase windings W A , W B and Wc. The control apparatus 60 comprises a power source 70 which supplies a DC-voltage with an amplitude of +Ud to a connection 80.The phase winding W A is coupled between the ground connection 90 of the voltage source and the plus pole 80 via a circuit which comprises a current sensor S A , a power transistor T1 A and a power transistor T2 A , as shown in Fig. 3. A diode D1 A is connected by the anode to the ground connection 90 and by the cathode connection to the emitter of the transistor T 2A . A diode D 2A is connected so that its cathode is connected to the collector of the power transistor T 2A via a current sensor S D2A and its anode is coupled to the collector of the power transistor T 1A . The current sensor S D A supplies a signal to the control unit 100 so that the control unit obtains information on whether current flows through the diode D 2A . The other phase windings W B and Wc, respectively, are coupled to current sensors, power transistors and diodes in the same way. A contiol unit 100 comprising a microprocessor is arranged to contiol the switching on and off of the transistor valves. The contiol unit 100 has six outputs which are connected each via its own amplifier 110 to the base of its own of the six transistor valves. The transistors 110 operate as a valve controller. The current sensor S WA is, according to one embodiment, a Hall sensor which supplies a measured current value i A m to the contiol unit 100. In the same way the measured current values for the windings W B and W c are supplied to the control unit 100. A sensor unit 120 is connected so that it senses the voltage U d between the positive pole 80 and the ground connection 90. The sensor unit 120 supplies a measured voltage value U dm to the contiol unit 100. The sensor unit 120 includes, according to one embodiment, a voltage divider with resistors R x and Ry, which are connected between the positive voltage connection 80 and the ground connection 90. As is illustrated in Fig. 3, the output of the sensor unit 120 is connected to a point 140 between the resistors Rx and Ry so that the output signal Ud m of the sensor is proportional to the drive voltage U . Fig. 4 is an equivalent circuit diagram which illustiates the valve bridge for the winding W A in Fig. 3. When current flows through a valve, such as e.g. the valve T2 A in Fig. 3, a voltage drop occurs across the valve. The voltage drop across the valve T2 A has been given the reference Uχ 2 in Fig. 4. The valve T2 is illustrated in Fig. 4 by an equivalent diagram out of which it is evident that the voltage drop U T2 depends partly on the inner series resistance R v and paitly on a fixed voltage drop U v . It is the same for the valve T1 A . The winding W A has an impedance which is essentially inductive but which also comprises a resistive component. In Fig. 4 this is illustrated by a pure inductance L which is connected in series with a resistance Rw- The hall sensor S A has an extremely low impedance which in this connection can be neglected. It should, however, be noted that the internal impedance of the sensor can be treated in the same way as the resistance R in the analysis below, which means that the estimator compensates for both the resistance of the winding and the possible resistance of the current sensor, as is evident from the following. The torque T A , which is obtained by activating the winding W A , is a function of the current through the winding and the position θ of the rotor: The rotor position θ can be calculated from the magnetic flow ψ which flows through the corresponding magnetic circuit and the phase current i WA * This means that the torque T A can be expressed as a function of the magnetic flow ψ A which flows thiough the corresponding magnetic circuit and the phase current iwA * As mentioned above, the current iw A thiough a phase winding is controlled so that a desired torque Tw is obtained from the activated phase winding, as shown in Fig. 2B. The torque obtained is a function partly of the winding current iw and partly of the magnetic flow. The magnetic flow ψ depends in turn on the inductance L and the current iw- Consequently, T w is dependent on i W A and L A " The change over time of the magnetic flow, dvμ/dt, is equal to the instantaneous voltage drop U L w over the pure inductance L W A in Fig. 4: dψ/dt = U LW (5) From equation (5) the magnetic flow vμ is obtained by integrating with respect to time: ψ = j U L w dτ (6) Equation (3) means that if the magnetic flow ψ can be determined, a desired torque T can be produced. Equation (6) means that the magnetic flow ψ can be determined if the voltage U L w is determined. According to one embodiment of the invention, the magnetic flow ψ is determined according to equation (6), i.e. through a time integration of the voltage U L w over the "pure" inductance L - The voltage U LW , however, is not able to be measured, because L is the inductance in the winding which also has an internal resistive voltage drop U R . According to one embodiment of the invention, therefore, a value U L w corresponding to the voltage U L w is produced through an estimation process. This is described in more detail below. Fig. 4 shows the equivalence diagram for the winding W A . From this it is evident that: From equations (5), (6) and (7) it can be seen that With reference to Fig. 4 it can be seen that three alternative working states can occur depending on which of the valves T2 and TI is/are closed resp. open. I. A first working state In a first working state I both the valve T2 and the valve TI are closed. The voltage U L w is then the part of the voltage across the phase winding which gives rise to a magnetic flow, i.e. the resistive loss in the winding is excluded. In the first working case the voltage U L w will be U LW = U d - iw (Rw + 2R V ) - 2U V (9) II. A second working state In a second working state (II) both active valves TI resp. T2 are open so that they block, and a current flows in the winding from the ground connection 90 to the positive connection 80. The voltage U LW in this case becomes: U L = - U d - i ' Rw - (U D1 + U D2 ) (10) III. A third working state In a third working state (III) only one of the active valves T 1 or T2 is conducting. Assuming that the losses are the same for the diodes D I resp. D2 and for the active valves TI resp. T2, the voltage U L w over the "real inductance" L w of the phase winding will be according to the following: ULW = iw (Rw + Rv) - (U v + U D1 ) (11) By using the above stated equations (9), (10) and (11) for calculating the voltage U LW and the equation (6) above in order to calculate the magnetic flow vμ and with knowledge of which working state the machine is in and by measuring the actual winding current iw, the torque T , which can be obtained by activation of the winding W, can consequently be calculated with great accuracy in accordance with equation (3). The control unit determines the actual working state for the winding W A with the help of the input signal from the diode current sensor S D2A and the output signals from the amplifiers 110ι A and 110 1B . Each of these three signals has either one of the logical values "CONDUCTS" or "DOES NOT CONDUCT". The actual working state can be read from the state combination of these three signals. A first embodiment of an estimator Starring from the above described equation (6) for the magnetic flow ψ and knowing that the magnetic flow originating from a winding in a reluctance motor is zero when the current is zero, the inventors designed the estimator 200 shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 5 illustrates an estimator according to one embodiment of the invention for estimating a value of the magnetic flow ψ for a winding W A , starting from the above described equations (9) - (11) and (6). The three equations (9), (10) and (1 1) can be summarized in an equation which depends on three parameters K l5 K 2 and K : U L w = K 3 * U d + iw Kι + K 2 (12) where the parameter values have the following dependence on the working state: In the working state I the following applies: K 2 = - 2Uv K 3 , , = l In the working state II the following applies: K 2> „ = - (U D1 + U D2 ) K 3 , n = - 1 In the working state III the following applies: K 2( „ι = - (Uv + U D1 ) K 3> m = 0 The parameter Ki is consequently the true total loss resistance in the current circuit at each point of time, and the parameter K 2 is the true current-independent voltage drop in the current circuit. The parameter K 3 is a variable having absolute value 1, and a positive or negative sign depending on the actual working state. The estimator 200 comprises an input 202 for receiving the logical value from the sensor S D2A and inputs 204 and 206 for receiving the state for the active valves T 1A resp. T 2A (see Figs. 3 and 4). The inputs 202, 204 and 206 are connected to a state analyzer 208 which from the input signal combination determines the actual working state and which supplies a working state signal on an output 209. The estimator 200 further comprises an input 210 for the measured value U dm which corresponds to the voltage U d and an input 220 for inputting of the actual current value iw- The input 210 is connected to an addition point 230 via a multiplication unit 232. The multiplication unit 232 has a contiol input connected to the working state signal from the analyzer 208. The multiplication unit 232 multiplies the voltage value U d by the parameter K 3 and consequently supplies the value U d , -U d or 0 to the addition point 230 depending on the actual working state. The input 220 is connected to an input on a zero detector 240 and to an input on a multiplication point 250. The zero detector 240 has an output which is connected to a trigger input 260 of a sample-and-hold-circuit 270. The sample-and-hold-circuit 270 has an output 280 for a flow error value ψ e . The output 280 is connected to a parameter regulator 290. The parameter regulator 290 produces a variable value C on an output which is connected to a multiplication unit 300 and to a multiplication unit 310. The output signal from the multiplication unit 300 is the parameter value KI, and the output signal from the multiplication unit 310 is the parameter value K2. The multiplication unit 300 comprises a memoiy unit with the parameters Glτ, Gin and Glin and has a contiol input connected to the working state signal from the analyzer 208. Depending on the working state, either Gil, GUI or G1III is multiplied by the variable C, and the result is fed to the multiplication point 250. The multiplication unit 310 functions in the same way as the unit 300 but has three parameters G2ι, G2n and G2 π ι in its memoiy unit. The multiplication unit 300 is connected to the multiplication point 250 and the unit 310 is connected to the addition point 230. The multiplication point 250 has an output which is connected to an input of the addition point 230. The addition point 230 has an output which is connected to an integrator 320. The integrator 320, which produces an estimated magnetic flow value vμ est , is connected to an output 330 of the estimator 200. Furthermore, the output of the integrator is connected to a sample-input 340 of the sample-and-hold-circuit 270. The estimator 200 functions as follows: An actual value corresponding to the voltage U d is fed in on the input 210 and an actual value corresponding to the current i w is fed in on the input 220. The memory of the multiplication unit 300 is provided with parameters Gl, which are so selected that the product C*G1 becomes an approximation of the parameter Ki in the equation (12): C*G U A Kj - -(R w + 2 R v ) for working state I The multiplication unit 310 is provided with parameter values G2 so that the product C*G2 is an approximation of the current-independent voltage drop in the active valves TI resp. T2: C*G 2; ι := K 2 = -2 Uv for working state I Consequently, on the output from the addition point 230 an estimate of the voltage U LW is obtained. This estimate is fed to the integrator 320, and consequently an estimate of the magnetic flow vμ is obtained on the output 330. When the current value iw on the input 220 becomes zero, this is detected by the zero-detector 240 and a trigger signal is supplied to the trigger input 260 of the sample-and-hold-circuit. When receiving the trigger signal, the sample-and-hold- circuit 270 reads the actual value of the magnetic flow estimate. Because this value, as mentioned above, should be zero when the current value is zero, the sampled value is a representation of the flow estimation enor vμ e . This enor value is supplied to the parameter regulator 290 which performs an adjustment of the variable C (and thereby the parameter values Ki resp. K ) in such a direction that the flow estimation error value becomes closer to zero. When the estimation enor ψ e has a positive value the estimated resistance value C*G1 needs to be increased in order to decrease the flow estimation enor value ψ e . When the estimation enor ψ e has a negative value the estimated resistance value C*G1 needs to be decreased. This process is iterated so as to improve the estimate of the resistance value and to minimize or eliminate the flow estimation enor value ψ e . Fig. 6 illustrates the passage of time for the estimate vμ for the magnetic flow as it is produced by the estimator 200 according to Fig. 5. In Fig. 6 it is assumed that the voltage U d is constant and that the current value i varies as illustrated in the Figure. The bold line in Fig. 6 illustiates the value of the magnetic flow estimate when C*G1 is equal to the sum Kj of the actual loss resistances, and in Fig. 6 is also illustrated the estimate U LW of the voltage U LW which is then produced by the addition point 230 in Fig. 5. As is evident from Fig. 6, the estimate of the magnetic flow becomes zero at the same time as the current value becomes zero when C*G1 = K]. As mentioned above in connection with Fig. 5, the value of the flow estimation enor vμ e then becomes zero. Fig. 6 also shows the value of the flow estimate when the absolute value of the product C*G1 is less than the absolute value of Kj. As illustrated in Fig. 6, the flow estimate will have a positive value vμ e when the cunent i w passes through zero if the absolute value of the product C*G1 is less than the absolute value of K^ This means that the flow estimation enor vμ e , which is outputted from the sample-and- hold-circuit 270 in Fig. 5, can be read in Fig. 6. The Figure further illustrates an estimate ψ for the magnetic flow when the absolute value of the product C*G1 is greater than the absolute value of the true value Kj of the loss resistance. As shown in Fig. 4 the equivalent diagram for the active valves T2 resp. TI is made of a resistor R v and a voltage source which illustiates a constant voltage drop U v in series with a switch. This equivalent diagram is generally valid for an active valve such as a bipolar transistor, a thyristor, an IGBT and for a MOSFET. For the three first mentioned it is true that the voltage drop U v has a positive value which is not zero, while for a MOSFET it is true that the voltage drop U v is substantially equal to zero. For the passive valves DI and D2 as shown in Fig. 4B it is true that an essentially constant voltage drop occurs when the valve is forward-driven, i.e. when the valve conducts current. Examples of such passive valves are diodes, such as e.g. a SCHOTTKY-diode. The voltage drop U D has a positive value different from zero, usually in the order of 0.6 volt. If the voltage drop U v and U D are small in relation to the voltage drop iw(Rw + Ry), then U v and U D can be neglected and the unit 310 in Fig. 5 can be left out, whereby the output signal of the parameter regulator 290 is only multiplied by the parameter Gi in the unit 300. A second embodiment of an estimator A second embodiment of an estimator for estimating a magnetic flow ψ is shown in Fig. 7. The estimator 400 shown in Fig. 7 coπesponds to the estimator shown in Fig. 5 to such an extent that it has an input 210 for a value coπesponding to the voltage U , an input 220 for a value conesponding to the cunent i w , an output 330 for out-putting a magnetic flow estimate and an addition point 230 which produces a value corresponding to an estimate U LW of the voltage U L W across the pure inductance, and an integrator 320 for producing a magnetic flow estimate depending on the voltage estimate U LW - The estimator 400 differs from the estimator shown in Fig. 5 by comprising a phase error detector 410, one input of which is connected to the input 220 and the other input 430 of which is connected to the output of the integrator 320. The phase error detector has an output for a signal indicating the phase relationship between the current signal and the magnetic flow estimate signal. The output signal from the phase error detector 410 can according to one embodiment of the invention take up one of the following three logical values; Raise, Lower, Freeze. This can be realized e.g. through the phase enor detector supplying a signal the value of which has three levels. The output signal of the phase enor detector is supplied to a count direction port on a counter 440. The counter 440 has further a counter input 450 which receives a pulse signal with an essentially constant pulse frequency from an oscillator 460. The counter 440 has an output 470 via which the counter supplies a digital count value. This count value is an estimate of the winding resistance R WA - The count value output 470 is connected to an adder 472 which also receives the actual parameter value 2R V , 0 or R v , depending on the actual working state. A parameter unit 474 has memoiy positions for valve resistance values for the three working states and a switch 476 for outputting the actual valve parameter value depending on a state signal on an input 478. The state signal is supplied from a state analyzer 208 as described above. The output signal of the adder 472 conesponds to the parameter K 1 in equation (12). The output signal is supplied to an input 480 of a digital-analogue-converter 490. The D/A-converter 490 has a reference voltage input 500 which is connected to the input 220 for receiving the analogue value i . The estimator 400 functions as follows. As mentioned above, for a reluctance motor it is true that the magnetic flow and the cunent have the value zero at the same point of time, which means that the cunent and the magnetic flow in a reluctance motor lie essentially in phase with each other. By means of the phase error detector 410 the phase relationship between the actual cunent iw and the estimated magnetic flow ψ est is detected. The count value, which the counter 440 produces, coιτesponds to the winding resistance R . The D/A-converter 490 produces a multiplication of the cunent value i w and the count value Ki, because an analogue signal iw m coπesponding to the analogue current value iw is fed in to the reference input of the D/A-converter. Thereby the output signal of the D/A-converter will be an analogue signal the amplitude of which corresponds to the cunent value multi -plied by the parameter KI in equation (12). The counter 440 in combination with the oscillator 460 forms an integrating circuit, and the output signal on the output 470 of the counter is the result of the time integral. According to this embodiment, the parameter value Kj will be continuously adjusted depending on the phase relationship so that the phase enor is minimized, i.e. so that the magnetic flow estimate is adapted to lie in phase with the actu-ally measured current i fed in to the input 220 of the estimator. This brings the advantage that the estimator automatically adjusts the contiol parameter Kj so that the magnetic flow estimate conesponds also when the motor winding changes its series resistance R and when the transistors TI resp. T2 change their series resistance, e.g. as a consequence of temperature changes. A third embodiment of an estimator A third embodiment of the estimator conesponds to the estimator 400 in Fig. 7, but the adder 472 and the parameter unit 474 are removed, i.e. the output 470 of the counter is coupled directly to the input 480 of the D/A-converter. This embodiment of the estimator is therefore advantageously simply constructed. This embodiment involves the approximation that the resistance R v of the valves are neglected. From equation (9) it can be understood that an accurate estimate of the magnetic flow is obtained even by the third embodiment when the valve resistance 2R V is much less than the winding resistance R w . For a certain cuirent value and a certain magnetic flux value ψ the position of the rotor can be established by analysis of the sign of dψ/dt, i.e. the sign of ULW- According to a prefeιτed embodiment, however, the position is established by combining the magnetic flux estimates for at least two windings. A fourth embodiment of an estimator According to a fourth embodiment of the estimator, shown in Fig. 8, a rotor position for a motor having three windings, W A , W B , and W c is determined. The estimator comprises one flux estimation unit E A for obtaining an estimate ψ Aest of the magnetic flux ψ A , another flux estimation unit E B for obtaining an estimate ψ Best of the magnetic flux ψ B and a third flux estimation unit E c for obtaining an estimate ψcest of the magnetic flux ψ C - The position θ can be determined from a combination of the instantaneous values of the flux values vμ A , vμ B , vμ c and the instantaneous current values i A, IWB, iwc- For some motor drive situations a sufficient control accuracy is obtained when the resistive loss Rv in the valves is neglected and the voltage drop in the valves U D and in the diodes are also neglected. In such cases each flux estimation unit can be advantageously simply designed by neglecting the losses R v and U D , as indicated in Fig. 8. In the Fig. 8 embodiment signals indicating the voltages U across the windings are delivered directly to the estimation units. These voltage signals may be obtained by a multiplication unit 232 as described in connection with Fig. 5 or 7, or by measurement. According to one embodiment the measurement of the winding voltage U includes measuring the switched voltage across the winding and integrating the measured voltage signal over time using a time constant so as to obtain a useful measurement value. An embodiment of a control unit Fig. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the control unit 100 shown in Fig. 3. The contiol unit 100 has inputs for the winding cunents and for the voltage U dm , as described above. These signals are fed to estimators E c , E B , E A operating to estimate the instantaneous magnetic fluxes and the parameter KI, R . The winding cunent values and the estimated magnetic fluxes are delivered to a device 520 for establishing the position θ in response thereto. The position value is delivered to a unit 530 for generating reference cunent values iA-ef, Iβre f , Ic r e f - The control unit 100 also includes an input 510 for receiving a torque reference value i.e. an input for setting a desired motor torque. The unit 530 generates current reference values in response to the torque reference value and the position value. A regulator 540 provides control pulses to the valves in response to the current reference signals lAref, Iβref, Icref and the measured current values I W A, IW B , IWC Fig. 10 is a block diagram of a part of the contiol unit 100, according to an embodiment, including a microprocessor 550 coupled to an input/output port 560, a memoiy 570 and a programmable logic circuit (PLD) 580. Signals indicating the winding currents are delivered to a set of multiplication units 490. The multiplication units are provided with updated instantaneous estimates of the respective winding resistances R WA , RWB, RWC by a bus coupled to the processor 550. The output of each multiplication unit 490 is a voltage signal indicating the product of instantaneous cunent and winding resistance. Each such voltage signal is delivered to a VCO which transforms it to an oscillating signal. The oscillating signals are delivered to the PLD 580. The PLD 580 receives an oscillating signal indicating the voltage U d and therefrom it calculates the voltage U L w as described above. The PLD 580 also integrates the voltage U L w over time thereby generating a magnetic flux estimate. A real time magnetic flux estimate enor is generated by comparison with the cunent measurement signal. The PLD 580 delivers the resulting magnetic flux error ψ crr in real time via bus 590 to the processor 550. The processor operates in accordance with a computer program stored in the memory 570. The program includes a routine for estimating the resistances R A , R WB , Rwc, and these estimated values are updated and delivered to the multiplication units 490. The multiplication units may operate as described with reference to Fig. 7. The PLD may operate to calculate a real time magnetic flux estimate enor value ψ Aerr by freezing the instantaneous value of the flux estimate ψ A at each moment the winding current i A is zero. Hence, the processor receives magnetic flux enor values ψ Aerr , ψ Berr , ψce rr obtained at zero cunent for the respective winding. The processor calculates a corrected resistance value in response thereto. The process of generating an estimate of a winding resistance R w as embodied by a combination of a processor and a computer program is described in Fig. 11. The process may be performed on only one phase winding so as to obtain the resistance in that one phase winding. According to an embodiment preferred for machine control purposes the process is performed for several windings. The process may start with a pre-set value for the resistance estimate (step S600). The reluctance machine is started and when the machine moves the voltages U wA , U wB , U wC across each winding is measured, or calculated from the voltage U d , (stepS610) the winding cuirents IW A , ΪWB, iwc, are measured (stepS620) and, in stepS630, magnetic flux estimates are obtained by integration as described above. An enor signal is generated (stepS640) by comparing the real time estimate of the magnetic flux with the current measurement value. The resistance estimate is adjusted in response to the error signal as described below. According to one embodiment the microprocessor 550, when executing the program routine stored in memoiy 570 is directed to receive the flux enor signals from the PLD 580 and to adjust the resistance estimate value in response to the sign and the value of the error signal. When the estimation enor vμ e has a positive value the program directs the processor to increase the estimated resistance value. When the estimation en'or ψ e has a negative value the program directs the processor to decrease the estimated resistance value. The PLD 580 subsequently generates a new flux value based on the adjusted resistance estimate value. A new enor signal is generated based on the flux value at the time of zero cunent in the winding, and that error signal is provided to the processor 550. This process is iterated so as to improve the estimate of the resistance value and to minimize or eliminate the flow estimation error value ψ e . According to another embodiment the PLD also delivers digital signals corresponding to the measured cunent signals iwAm, iwBm, iwc ™ and U d to the processor 550 via bus 590. The microprocessor 550, when executing the program routine stored in memoiy 570 is directed to receive the signal U dm indicating a voltage U A across the relevant phase winding W A , and to receive a signal i Am indicating a current i wA thiough the relevant phase winding W A . Thereafter the program in the memoiy 570 dhects the microprocessor to estimate a magnetic flux in response to the voltage signal and the cunent signal. This may be achieved by performing a numerical integration. The program directs the processor to generate an error signal by comparing the instantaneous cunent measurement signal with the estimated magnetic flux. The microprocessor 550 is then directed to adjust the resistance estimate value in response to the sign and the value of the error signal, as described above. According to one embodiment the processor in co-operation with the program additionally calculates the position of the rotor and generates contiol signals for the valves. The program may be installed into the memoiy 570 by feeding it via I/O-port 560. Alternatively the circuit shown in Fig. 10 includes a socket into which a recording medium, such as a non-volatile memoiy (PROM), is releasably attachable. The recording medium includes machine readable instructions for directing the processor, as described above. The invention advantageously allows an existing state of the art controller for a reluctance machine to be improved by installing a program implementing the resistance estimation process. Thereby improved estimates of magnetic flux is achieved and regulation of the torque at both high and low rotation speeds is obtained. Temperature measurement The actual resistance of the winding may have a temperature dependence related to the electrically conducting material used in the winding. The estimated value for the winding resistance can therefore be used to indicate the instantaneous average temperature in the winding. With knowledge of the winding resistance at a certain temperature and with knowledge of the temperature coefficient for the material in the winding the temperature can be calculated from the instantaneous resistance value Rw- Rotation speed-independent regulation of the torque By controlling the active valves T1 A , T2 A , T1 B , T2 B , Tl c , T2 C (see Fig. 3) using any one of the above described estimators, the torque and speed of rotation of the machine can be controlled with great accuracy and reduced energy loss, because the valves can be activated to drive cuιτent thiough the windings W A , W B , W c when the torque yield is the greatest. Furthermore, regulation according to the invention means that the machine can be controlled with improved accuracy and essentially independently of the speed of rotation. The reduced dependence of the speed of rotation can be seen below: As mentioned above in connection with Fig. 2A, the inductance L w changes depending on the position θ when the reluctance machine is driven. The magnetic flow ψ changes depending on the inductance and the cunent. When the magnetic circuit is not saturated, the relationship will be: ψ = L w (θ) * iw (13) Derivation with respect to time gives: dψ/dt = L w (θ) * diw/dt + dL w (θ)/dθ * dθ/dt * i w (14) From equations (5) and (7) above can be seen that: Uw = Dψ/dt + Rw * iw (15) Putting equation (14) into equation (15) shows that: Uw = L w (θ) * diw/dt + dL w (θ)/dθ * dθ/dt * i w + R w * i w (16) where dθ/dt is the rotor angular frequency, i.e. the rotational speed of the machine. The second term dL w (θ)/dθ * dθ/dt * i w in equation (16) causes the torque of the machine while the third term R * iw is pure loss. Because the second term is proportional to the speed of rotation, it can be seen that a great amount of the winding voltage Uw leads to power losses at low speeds of rotation. Equally it can be seen from equation (16) that if the reluctance machine would be regulated with the assumption that the winding resistance Rw is a predetermined constant Re conesponding to the sum of the resistances in a phase winding the error, when the actual winding resistance Rw deviates from the predetermined constant Re, would be greatest at low speeds of rotation. Because the winding resistance has a certain temperature dependence, the actual winding resistance R changes during the operation of the machine. An estimator according to the invention brings the advantage that the regulation of the machine can be adapted to the actual winding resistance of the machine, and thereby the regulation of the machine can be produced with good accuracy at all speeds of rotation and over a large temperature range.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. In a device (100) for controlling a reluctance machine with two mutually movable parts and at least one phase winding (W A , W B , W c ), the inductance (L w ) of which depends on the mutual position of the parts, which regulating device (100) comprises a controllable valve (T1,T2), which is adjustable between an essentially open state and a conducting state, whereby the valve is connected in series with the phase winding, and the phase winding has a resistance (Rw): a method for controlling the valve, comprising the steps of: a) measuring a cunent (i w ) through the phase winding b) measuring a voltage (U d ;Uw) across the phase winding and the valve; c) producing a signal value (U L wcst,ψest) depending on the measured current value and the measured voltage value in accordance with a mathematical expression comprising an adjustable parameter (K 1 , R ) multiplied with the measured cuιτent value (iwm), the parameter (KI, R w ) depending on a resistance (R w ) of the phase winding; d) determining a relationship value between the signal value (U L west,Ψ est ) and the measured current value (i w ); e) adjusting the parameter value (KI) depending on the relationship value; and f) adjusting the valve (T1,T2) depending on the signal value (U L wes t ,Ψ est )- 2. Method according to Claim 1, modified in that step b) is replaced with the step of: assuming an essentially constant voltage value (U ά ) across the phase winding and the valve. 3. Method according to Claim 1 or 2, further comprising the steps of: repeating at least the steps a) and c) after adjustment of the parameter value (KI) so that the produced signal value (ULWest, ; est) is an estimate of a magnitude (U LW ,Ψ) which depends on the cunent value and the inductance (L vv ); adjusting the valve (T1,T2) depending on the signal value (U L west,ψ est ) so that a desired torque (T A ,T B,T W C) is obtained. 4. In a reluctance machine with a first part and a second part, which parts are movable in relation to each other, wherein the first part (30) comprises a soft magnetic material, and the second part (20) comprises at least one phase winding ( A ,W B ,W C ) which has an inductance (L w ) which depends on the mutual position of the parts: a method for detemvining the instantaneous mutual position of the parts, comprising the steps of: a) measuring a cuixent (i w ) thiough the phase winding; b) measuring a voltage (U d ) across the phase winding; c) producing a signal value (U L west,ψ C si) depending on the measured cuixent value and the measured voltage value in accordance with a mathematical expression comprising an adjustable parameter (KI) multiplied with the measured current value (iw m ), the parameter (KI) depending on a resistance (R w ) of the phase winding; d) determining a difference or a relation between the signal value (U West ,ψ est ) and the measured cuixent value (i w ); e) adjusting the parameter value (K 1 ) depending on the difference value or the relationship value; f) determining the instantaneous mutual position of the parts in dependence on the signal value (U L west,ψest)- 5. Method according to Claim 4, further comprising the steps of: repeating at least the steps a) and c) after adjustment of the parameter value (KI) so that the produced signal value (U L wcsi,ψ e st) i an estimate of a magnitude (U LW ,Ψ) which depends on the cuixent value and the inductance (L w ); and determining the instantaneous mutual position of the parts depending on the signal value (U L west,ψest)- 6. Method according to Claims 4 or 5, further comprising the steps of: repeating at least the step d) after adjustment of the parameter value (KI). 7. Method according to Claims 4, 5 or 6, wherein the adjustment of the parameter value (KI) influences a subsequently produced signal value (U L we st ,ψ est ) so that the absolute value of the difference value is minimized. 8. Method according to any of Claims 4-7, wherein step e) comprises the steps of: increasing the parameter value (KI) when the difference value has a first sign (+) and reducing the parameter value (KI) when the difference value has a second sign (-). 9. Method according to any of Claims 1-8, wherein step d) comprises the steps of: determining a phase difference between the signal value (ULWest,ψ es t) and the measured cuixent value (i w ); or determining an amplitude of the signal value (U L west,Ψest) at a precise amplitude level of the measured cuixent value (i w ). 10. A drive system for the regulation of an electiical machine with a first part and a second part, which parts are movable in relation to each other, wherein the first part comprises a soft magnetic material and the second part comprises at least one phase winding which has an inductance (L w ) which depends on the mutual position of the parts; which drive system comprises: a controllable valve (T1,T2) which is adjustable between an essentially open state and a conducting state; a first connection (80) and a second connection (90), between which comiections the phase winding is connectable in series with the valve, wherein the series connection has a resistance (R W ,R V ); a control unit (100) for controlling the valve during mutual movement between the parts of the motor; means for measuring a current (i w ) through the phase winding; means for measuring a voltage (U d ) across the phase winding; means for producing a signal value (ULWest,ψcst) depending on the measured current value and the measured voltage value in accordance with a mathematical expression comprising an adjustable parameter (KI) multiplied with the measured current value (iw m ), the parameter (KI) depending on a resistance (R w ) of the phase winding; means for determining a relationship between the signal value (U L w est , est ) and the measured cuixent value (i w ); means for adjusting the parameter value (KI) depending on the relationship value; and wherein the control unit comprises means for controlling the valve (T1,T2) depending on the signal value (U L west,ψ es t) so that a desired torque (T w ) is obtained. 11. In a reluctance machine with a first part and a second part, which parts are movable in relation to each other, the second part (20) comprising at least one phase winding (W A ,W B ,W C ) having a resistance (R ) and an inductance (L w ), the inductance (L w ) depending on the mutual position of the parts: a method for determining the instantaneous mutual position of the parts, comprising the steps of: a) generating a signal (iw Am ) coixesponding to a cuixent (i wA ) thiough the phase winding (W A ); b) generating a signal coixesponding to a voltage (U A ) across the phase winding (W A ); c) generating (440) a parameter value (K1 A ) substantially coixesponding to a resistive loss (R WA ) in the phase winding (W A ); d) producing an amplitude signal (U L wAest,ψAcsi) depending on the cuixent signal, the voltage signal and the parameter value (K1 A ); d) adjusting the parameter value (K1 A ) in accordance with a relation between the current signal (i m ) and the amplitude signal (U L wAest,ψAest); e) establishing a position value (θ) depending on the amplitude signal (ULWest,ψest)- 12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of: generating a second current signal (iwβ m ) coixesponding to a current (i wB ) through a second phase winding (W B ); generating a second voltage signal coixesponding to a voltage (U B ) across the second phase winding (W B ); generating (440) a second parameter value (K1 B ) substantially coixesponding to a resistive loss (R WB ) in the second phase winding (W B ); producing an amplitude signal (U L wBest,ψBest) depending on the second current signal, the second voltage signal and the second parameter value (K1 B ); adjusting the second parameter value (K1 B ) in accordance with a relation between the second cuixent signal (iw B ) and the second amplitude signal (ULWBest,ψBest) ' determining a position value (θ) depending on the first amplitude signal (U L wAest,ψAest) and the second amplitude signal (U L wBest,ψBest). 13. An estimator for determining a mutual position of a first part (30) and a second part (20) in a reluctance machine, the first and second parts being movable in relation to each other, the second part (20) comprising at least one phase winding (W A ,W B ,W C ) having a resistance (R w ) and an inductance (L w ); the estimator comprising: a) an input (220) for receiving a signal (i m ) indicating a current (i w ) through the phase winding; b) an input (210) for receiving a signal (Ud m ) indicating a voltage (U w ) across the phase winding; c) means (410, 440, 460) for generating a parameter value (R * w, KI) substantially coixesponding to a resistive loss (R ) in the phase winding; d) means (500, 320) for generating an amplitude signal (ψ est ) in response to the current signal (iw m ), the voltage signal (Udm) and the parameter value (R * , KI); and e) means (500, 320) for generating a position value (θ) depending on the signal value (U L west,Ψest); wherein f) the parameter value generator includes means (410; 240, 270) for adjusting the parameter value (R , KI) in accordance with a phase relation between the current signal (i Wm ) and the amplitude signal (U L west,Ψest). 14. Process for estimating an instantaneous resistance in a phase winding in a reluctance machine, the process comprising the steps of : receiving a signal (U dm ) indicating a voltage (Uw) across at least one phase winding; receiving a signal (iw m ) indicating a cuixent (i w ) thiough the phase winding; estimating a magnetic flux in response to the voltage signal and the cunent signal; estimating an instantaneous resistance (R w ) in the phase winding in accordance with a phase relation between the cuixent signal (i m ) and the magnetic flux signal (ψ est )- 15. The process according to claim 14, further comprising the steps of: repeating the magnetic flux estimation using the estimated instantaneous resistance (Rw). 16. The process according to claim 14 or 15, fui-ther comprising the steps of: establishing a mutual position between a fust and a second part of a reluctance machine in response to the cuixent signal (i m ) and the magnetic flux estimate (ψ est ). 17. The process according to claim 14, 15 or 16, further comprising the steps of: establishing a current reference value (i rc fA, i rc fB, ireic) in response to a torque reference value and the magnetic flux estimate (ψ es t)- 18. Device for estimating an instantaneous resistance in a phase winding in a reluctance machine, which device comprises: an input for receiving a signal (U dm ) indicating a voltage (U ) across at least one phase winding; an input for receiving a signal (i Wm ) indicating a cuixent (i w ) thiough the phase winding; a microprocessor; and a memory having a computer progiam for directing a micro-processor to perform a process of estimating an instantaneous resistance; the microprocessor being coupled to the memoiy and to the signal inputs such that the process according to any of claims 14 - 17 is performed by the device duiing execution of the program. 19. A computer program product for use with an apparatus for estimating an instantaneous resistance in a phase winding in a reluctance machine, the apparatus comprising an input for receiving a signal indicating a phase winding cuixent; an input for receiving a signal (U dm ) indicating a voltage (Uw) across at least one phase winding; a microprocessor and a memoiy; the computer progiam product comprising: a recording medium; means, recorded on the recording medium, for dhecting the microprocessor to receive a signal (U dm ) indicating a voltage (U w ) across at least one phase winding; means, recorded on the recording medium, for dhecting the microprocessor to receive a signal (i m ) indicating a cuixent (i w ) thiough the at least one phase winding; means, recorded on the recording medium, for dhecting the microprocessor to estimate a magnetic flux in response to the voltage signal and the cunent signal; means, recorded on the recording medium, for dhecting the microprocessor to estimate an instantaneous resistance (R ) in the phase winding in accordance with a phase relation between the cuixent signal (iwm) and the magnetic flux signal (U L west,ψest)- 20. A computer program product for use with an appaiatus for estimating an instantaneous resistance in a phase winding in a reluctance machine, the apparatus comprising an input for receiving a signal indicating a phase winding current; an input for receiving a signal (U dm ) indicating a voltage (Uw) across at least one phase winding; a device for generating a magnetic flux estimate error signal (ψ error ) in real time, a microprocessor (550) and a memory (570); the computer program product comprising: a recording medium; means, recorded on the recording medium, for dhecting the microprocessor to receive a signal indicating a magnetic flux estimate enor (vμ error ) for at least one phase winding; means, recorded on the recording medium, for directing the microprocessor to generate * * * at least one resistance estimate value (R W A , R WB, R wcCGi) by iterative correction in response to the magnetic flux enor signal. 21. A device for generating a magnetic flux estimate enor signal (ψ error ) i real time, for use in a device for estimating an instantaneous resistance in a phase winding in a reluctance machine; the device (230, 320; 580) comprising : an input (220) for receiving a signal (i m ) indicating a cuixent (i vv ) thiough the phase winding; an input (210) for receiving a signal (U dm ) indicating a voltage (U w ) across the phase winding; means (410, 440, 460) for generating a parameter value (R w , KI) substantially corresponding to a resistive loss (R ) in the phase winding; means (500, 320; 490, 580) for generating an amplitude signal (ψ es t) in response to the current signal (iw m ), the voltage signal (U dm ) and the parameter value (R * w, KI); and means (580) for generating the enor signal (ψ er ror) in dependence on a phase relation between the current signal (iw.«) and the amplitude signal (U L west,ψ es t)-

Inventors: ANDERSSON CHRISTER, STENDAHL HENRIK, ANDERSSON, CHRISTER, STENDAHL, HENRIK
Applicants: ANDERSSON CHRISTER, EMOTRON AB, STENDAHL HENRIK, ANDERSSON, CHRISTER, STENDAHL, HENRIK
Application year: 1998
Main classification: H02P6
IPC codes: H02P25