Abstract:
An efficiency-maximization motor controller that includes a use method has power conveyance to an induction motor ( 1 ) with a digital signal processor (DSP) ( 8 ) that calculates and optimizes supply of current for existent motor loading from a power supply ( 2 ) and mains voltage through a control element ( 5 ). The control element can include a standard triac, a field-effect transistor, an insulated gate bipolar transistor, a 3 quadrant triac or other select control element. Digital calculation and motor-control feedback of current requirements for motor loading and other motor parameters are calculated in millionths of seconds to provide motor-current optimization for all motor-use conditions. Calculation of motor-load requirement for current and supply of that current are effectively simultaneous.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to control of electrical current for efficiency increase and protective powering of electrical motors.  
           [0002]    Potential for increase in efficiency of electrical motors by regulation of current for their operation has resulted in a variety of motor-electric controllers for its accomplishment. None, however, computes on a microsecond basis the motor-loading needs of electrical motors for electrical current and, accordingly, optimizes the electrical current supplied for predetermined rotational speeds of the motors and, in addition, provide operational analyses and fault protection against hazzards to motors and to rotationally coupled devices in a manner taught by this invention.  
           [0003]    Examples of most-closely related known but yet different motor-electric controllers are described in the following patent documents. U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,118, issued to Smith on Sep. 28, 1993, described input control of current for a rotational-speed controller that also controlled rate of increase and decrease of rotational speed for computer-controlled machinery. It is representative of a plurality of patents and prior art that relate to control of speed with control of input current in contrast to Applicants&#39; invention for optimization-control of current for predetermined rotational speed of motors. In the Smith patent, as in other variable-speed motors, current to the motors is not optimized at the variable speeds in a manner taught by this invention. Logic, methods and features for accomplishing speed control differ accordingly from the current-optimization control for predetermined speed described by Applicants.  
           [0004]    Current control for economizing power of motors at operational speeds by control of input current with yet different logic, methods and features are described in the following patent documents. U.S. Pat. No. 4,864,212, issued to Parker on Sep. 5, 1989, described a sine wave power source connected through a triac to a control system with a gate electrode which is energized by a train (sequence) of sawtooth-shaped control signals having a repetition rate which is twice the frequency of the sine wave power source for providing short bursts of energy to decrease total power input for low power requirements at low fixed rates for variable rates of lowspeed operation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,636,702, issued to Hedges on Jan. 13, 1987, described a sample transformer operative to generate a voltage pulse related to inrush-current parameters for control of portions of sine waves of power input to stator windings for diminishing electrical current to a motor during low loading. It is limited further to a “manually settable means” for selecting a maximum value of motor torque during start mode of operation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,382,223, issued to Hedges on May 3, 1983, and an improvement thereof, U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,499 issued to Hedges on Nov. 8, 1983, described use of a small AC generator coupled to a rotor of an electric motor to produce a signal for controlling a sine wave modifier to regulate current to the motor in accordance with load requirements. The load requirements were determined by a difference between an optimal RPM for the motor and an RPM indicated by the small AC generator. U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,984, issued to Parker, et al. on Jul. 27, 1982, is based on a frequency controller to produce at least two output frequencies for different speeds of operation of a motor. Other U.S. patents issued to Parker and/or Hedges, have employed variations of those indicated above.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    Objects of patentable novelty and utility taught by this invention are to provide an efficiency-maximizing motor controller and method which:  
           [0006]    provides soft starts of motors for eliminating extra power consumption, for decreasing motor wear and for decreasing wear of devices coupled to the motors from full-power, fast startups of motors;  
           [0007]    provides consumption of bare minimum amounts of electrical power for selectively no-load and part-load operation of motors at design motor speeds in order to save up to seventy percent of electrical power required for full-load operation;  
           [0008]    provides motor-parameter off-switching and selective on-switching for fault protection against power surges, power deficiencies, motor stalling, overload, excessive heat or cold and other extraneous problems;  
           [0009]    provides analyses of motor-operation factors and efficiencies; decreases motor power use and costs;  
           [0010]    decreases world need and consumption of electrical power; and  
           [0011]    can be used on both single-phase and three-phase motors and on nearly all sizes of motors for nearly all consumer and industrial applications of motors.  
           [0012]    This invention accomplishes these and other objectives with an efficiency-maximizing motor controller and method in which an induction motor has a digital signal processor (DSP) that calculates and optimizes supply of current for existent motor loading from a mains voltage through a current-control element. The current-control element can include a standard triac, a field-effect transistor, an insulated gate bipolar transistor, a 3 quadrant triac or other select control element.  
           [0013]    An induction motor rotating unloaded is predominately an inductor. In this state, the only work being done is to overcome frictional losses and inertial kinetic energy necessary to maintain rotation. Being largely inductive in this state, current lags voltage by nearly ninety degrees. As the motor is loaded increasingly, a phase difference of current lag diminishes. This is a change in phase angle from near ninety degrees to an angle approaching zero degrees of current lag, Accurately computed with artificial intelligence, this change in phase angle is an accurate measure of motor load for which current is required for operation at an optimum rotational speed.  
           [0014]    This invention uses this and other motor characteristics to calculate optimum firing angles, firing durations and firing current for dynamically adaptive triacs in order to achieve motor horsepower adaptively to its work loading at the optimum rotational speed. Digital calculation and motor-control feedback of this and other motor parameters in millionths of seconds with this invention provide motor-current optimization for all motor-use conditions. Calculation of motor-load requirement for current and supply of that current are effectively simultaneous.  
           [0015]    The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention should become even more readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described illustrative embodiments of the invention.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    This invention is described by appended claims in relation to description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the following drawings which are explained briefly as follows:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the efficiency-maximization motor controller;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is an electrical diagram of an analog signal conditioner phase “A”;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is an electrical diagram of a second amplifier stage for the FIG. 2 signal conditioner;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is an electrical diagram of a second capacitor for the FIG. 2 ground virtual circuit;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is an electrical diagram of an analog signal conditioner phase “B”;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 is an electrical diagram of a second amplifier stage for the FIG. 5 signal conditioner;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 7 is an electrical diagram of a second capacitor for the FIG. 5 ground virtual circuit;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 8 is an electrical diagram of an analog signal conditioner phase “C”;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 9 is an electrical diagram of a second amplifier stage for the FIG. 8 signal conditioner;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 10 is an electrical diagram of a second capacitor for the FIG. 2 signal conditioner;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 11 is a shrunk diagram of a digital signal processor (DSP);  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 11A is an un-shrunk diagram of a top-left portion of the FIG. 11 shrunk diagram;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 11B is an un-shrunk diagram of a top-right portion of the FIG. 11 shrunk diagram;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 11C is an un-shrunk diagram of a bottom-left portion of the FIG. 11 shrunk diagram;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 11D is an un-shrunk diagram of a bottom-right portion of the FIG. 11 shrunk diagram;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 12 is an electrical diagram of a double header assembly for the DSP;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 13 is an electrical diagram of a single header assembly for the DSP;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 14 is an electrical diagram of a jumper assembly for the DSP;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 15 is an electrical diagram of an activity indicator for an activity LED for the DSP;  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 16 is an electrical diagram of a ground for the DSP;  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 17 is an electrical diagram of a time clock-out switch for the DSP;  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 18 is an electrical diagram of a communications port for the debugger and programing port;  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 19 is an electrical diagram of a triac three-phase driver for a motor triac;  
         [0040]    FIGS.  20 - 24  are electrical diagrams of power-connection elements for a single-phase triac;  
         [0041]    [0041]FIG. 25 is an electrical diagram of an IGBT three-phase driver;  
         [0042]    [0042]FIG. 26 is an electrical diagram of an IGBT single-phase connection;  
         [0043]    FIGS.  27 - 28  are electrical diagrams of communications connections to the outside world for use on personal computers;  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 29 is an electrical diagram of a main PSU;  
         [0045]    [0045]FIG. 30 is an electrical diagram of a power conditioner; FIGS.  31 - 32  are electrical diagrams of an ISO-PSU; FIG. 33 is an electrical diagram of three-phase IGBT power module; FIG. 34 is an electrical diagram of three-phase IGBT power connection; and FIG. 35 is an electrical diagram of three-phase triac power module. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0046]    Listed numerically below with reference to the drawings are terms used to describe features of this invention. These terms and numbers assigned to them designate the same features throughout this description.  
         [0047]    [0047] 1 . Induction motor  
         [0048]    [0048] 2 . Power supply  
         [0049]    [0049] 2 A. single phase power supply  
         [0050]    [0050] 2 B. additional two phase power supply  
         [0051]    [0051] 3 . Shunt resistor  
         [0052]    [0052] 4 . Mains neutral  
         [0053]    [0053] 5 . Control element  
         [0054]    [0054] 6 . Mains line  
         [0055]    [0055] 7 . Voltage A/D converter  
         [0056]    [0056] 8 . DSP  
         [0057]    [0057] 9 . Volts zero-crossing detector  
         [0058]    [0058] 10 . Current A/D converter  
         [0059]    [0059] 11 . Current zero-crossing detector  
         [0060]    [0060] 12 . Opto isolated driver  
         [0061]    [0061] 13 . Switching controller  
         [0062]    [0062] 14 . Control attachment  
         [0063]    [0063] 15 . Control connectors  
         [0064]    [0064] 16 . U 1 B unity gain follower  
         [0065]    [0065] 17 . Alternator network  
         [0066]    [0066] 18 . Capacitor C 2   
         [0067]    [0067] 19 . Resistors  
         [0068]    [0068] 20 . UlD op-amp  21 . Capacitors  22 . U 1 C amplifier  23 . U 2 B comparator  24 . Zero crossing detector  25 . UlA  26 . R 3   27 . R 6   28 . Rail splitter  29 . C 19   30 . Triac controller  31 . Optol  32 . Triac Q 7   33 . Resistor R 125   34 . Capacitor C 80   35 . IGBT controller  36 . First opto isolator U 25   37 . Second opto isolator U 26   38 . U 8 A  39 . U 8 B  40 . IGBT device Q 8   41 . IGBT device Q 9   42 . U 23   43 . U 24   44 . D 48   45 . U 9   46 . Bead inductor L 2   47 . voltage transformer  48 . current transformer  
         [0069]    Reference is made first to FIG. 1. Electrical power for an induction motor  1  from a main power supply  2  is applied through a shunt resistor  3  in a mains neutral  4  line and through a predetermined control element  5  in a mains line  6  in electrical communication with the power supply  2 . The predetermined control element  5  can be selected from a class of control elements that include a triac, a field-effect transistor (FET), an insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) device, an SCR, and a 3 quadrant triac.  
         [0070]    A voltage analog-to-digital (A/D) converter  7  is in electrical communication intermediate the power supply  2  and a digital signal processor (DSP)  8  with mains voltage being applied to the voltage A/D converter  7 . Output of the voltage A/D converter  7  is applied to the DSP  8  for voltage measurement.  
         [0071]    A volts zero-crossing detector  9  is in electrical communication intermediate the power supply  2  and the digital signal processor (DSP)  8  with mains voltage being applied to the volts zero-crossing detector  9 . Output of the volts zero-crossing detector  9  is applied to the DSP  8  for phase-angle measurement of volts.  
         [0072]    A current A/D converter  10  is in electrical communication intermediate the power supply  2  and the digital signal processor (DSP)  8  with current to drive the induction motor  1  being monitored by the shunt resistor  3  and with the current being applied to the current A/D converter  10  through the shunt resistor  3 . Output of the current A/D converter  10  is applied to the DSP  8  for current measurement.  
         [0073]    A current zero-crossing detector  11  is in electrical communication intermediate the power supply  2  and the digital signal processor (DSP)  8  with the current being applied to the current zero-crossing detector  11  through the shunt resistor  3 . Output of the current zero-crossing detector  11  is applied to the DSP  8  for time and phase-angle measurements of current relative to voltage.  
         [0074]    The DSP  8  is a micro-controller having architecture to compute predetermined parameters of the induction motor  1  selectively and for controlling current for the induction motor  1  in response to the predetermined parameters.  
         [0075]    An optoelectronically (opto) isolated driver  12  is in electrical communication intermediate the DSP  8  and the control element  5 .  
         [0076]    A switching controller  13  is in electrical communication intermediate the opto isolated driver  12  and the control element  5 .  
         [0077]    A control attachment  14  is in control communication intermediate the DSP and a class of control connectors  15  or connector ports that include serial connectors RS232, serial connectors RS485, Control Area Network (CAN), ethernet, Universal Serial Bus (USB), TCPIP, MODBUS, MODBUS+, wireless, fiber optics, custom utility connectors, and a manual control switch for motor-current-optimization selectively.  
         [0078]    The predetermined parameters of the induction motor  1  that the DSP  8  has computer architecture to compute for controlling current for the induction motor  1  include (a) energy savings resulting from predeterminedly selected motor uses; (b) motor soft-start requirements for current to prevent its predeterminedly fast starting; (c) motor stop requirements for current to prevent its predeterminedly fast stopping; (d) motor random-start requirements for current to provide optimum current for its predeterminedly random starting; (e) motor remote-start requirements for current to provide optimum current for its predeterminedly remote starting; (f) motor intranet and internet networking requirements for current to provide optimum current for its predetermined intranet and internet networking; (g) comprehensive monitoring of a selection of the induction motor&#39;s  1  electrical parameters that include harmonic content, RMS current, power output, watts consumed, VARs, cycle frequency, phase angle, firing angle, PWM, zero-crossing point, and power being saved by predetermined application of the efficiency-maximization motor controller; (h) automatic logging of usage and downtime of the induction motor; (i) a running total of energy savings from predetermined use of the efficiency-maximization motor controller; and (j) monitoring the induction motor  1  against overload, stalling, loss of phase, over-voltage, under voltage, over-current, under-current, detrimental temperature, low RPM and DC offset.  
         [0079]    Referring to FIG. 2, when configured for single phase, and to reduce costs, a potential divider, connected to power supply  2 A as shown is used to reduce the 120/240 volts to about 1 volt RMS for voltage measurement. The potential divides comprise the resistor group  19 , R 5 +R 7  with R 4  as a trim, together with R 11 , which provides the division. The divided voltage is applied through C 2   18  for DC offset isolation to the unity gain follower U 1 B  16 . The output of U 1 B  16  symmetrical around the split 30 3.3V is applied to the DSP for voltage measurement. The same signal is applied to U 2 A which is a comparator with a threshold at the split rail potential (zero volts for the AC voltage present there). R 8  and R 10  provide Hysteresis by applying a small amount of positive feedback.  
         [0080]    Likewise, the current input uses a shunt resistor R 17   3  to reduce costs. The shunt is differentially connected to U 1 D  20  via C 6  &amp; C 7  for DC isolation to the unity gain differential stage. The output of U 1 D  20  is connected to the inverting amplifier U 1 C  22  whose gain can be altered by selection of R 16  to match the shunt to different power rated models. The output of U 1 C  22  is applied to the DSP for current measurement. The same signal is applied to U 2 B  23  which is a comparator with a threshold at the split rail potential (zero volts for the AC current, represented as a voltage present there). R 13  and R 12  provide Hysteresis by applying a small amount of positive feedback.  
         [0081]    When configured for three phase power with additional two phase power supply input  2 B all inputs need to be isolated. Voltage and current transformers are used instead of the resistive potential divider network used with one phase power supply  2 A as described previously. A voltage transformer  47  is connected to the circuitry via power supply  2 B, R 11  serves as the load on the transformer, and the transformer ratio together with R 11  presents the correct voltage level through C 2   18  to U 1 B  16 . Similar circuitry is used for the other two phases as shown in FIGS. 5 and 8. Similarly for three phase three current transformers are used together with a “burden resistor” in place of the shunt. A current transformer is connected to power supply  2 B with the primary in series with each motor phase. In single phase the shunt is in series with the motor neutral for current measurement, impossible in three phase without isolated A/D converters or Isolation amplifiers, the transformers are much less expensive. Monitoring the split rail voltage and also the 3.3 volt rail in the DSP removes completely any inaccuracies associated with the divider chain to U 1 A  25 , the rail splitter.  
         [0082]    The U 1 D op-amp  20  is in electrical communication with a U 1 C amplifier  22  and a U 2 B collector  23  with output to communicate current zero crossing  24  which is shown as IA ZERO CROSS, to the DSP  8  which is shown in FIGS. 1 and 11- 18 .  
         [0083]    AC current is read as a voltage across the series motor shunt resistor  3  that is shown as R 17 . This is done by use of the differentially connected op-amp U 1 D  20  in a classic configuration to avoid any “ground loop”conditions created by common impedance coupling. Connection to the shunt resistor  3  is accomplished in a Kelvin configuration where separate monitoring connections are made to the shunt resistor  3  as shown. Differential signals are passed to the op-amp U 1 D  20  via R 14 , R 21 , R 18  and R 21 . Two capacitors, C 6  and C 7 , are used to isolate the DC component on op-amp inputs. The differential U 1 D op-amp  20 , together with the second U 1 C amplifier  22  stage, has sufficient gain to raise the small voltage derived from the shunt resistor  3  to a level appropriate for accurate analog-to-digital conversion within a range consistent with the induction motor  1  requirements.  
         [0084]    This signal is taken from the output of the second-stage amplifier. Simultaneously, this buffered output is applied to U 2 B comparator  23  which senses the zero-crossing point  24  accurately. Hysteresis is used to speed up the edge of the current zero-crossing detector  24  to further enhance accuracy. The output is taken from the open collector output of the U 2 B comparator  23  and passed to a zero-cross input of the DSP  8 .  
         [0085]    DC isolation is required at both the voltage and current inputs with use of single-supply op-amps and comparators. In order to enable bi-polar signals to pass, the operating point is offset to half of the supply voltage in a “virtual ground” circuit. This topology is achieved by use of U 1 A  25  which has R 3   26  and R 6   27  arranged as a rail splitter, split rail  28 , and decoupled by C 1   29 .  
         [0086]    This arrangement gives the virtual ground or split rail extremely low impedance which is at the same AC potential as the analog ground.  
         [0087]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 11- 18 , the DSP  8  is used to process data rapidly for virtually every aspect of the efficiency-maximization motor controller. It runs at thirty MHz and is capable of performing thirty million instructions per second (30 MIPS). Independently, it handles all of the A/D conversions, PWM generation and the timing necessary to make determinations of the period between zero-crossing points. This processor performs all calculations within each and every half cycle period of 8.33 milli-seconds. Simultaneously, the DSP  8  monitors temperature of the motor, reads start/stop switches, monitors all supply voltages, performs all communications, and outputs appropriate drive signals to the TRIAC or the IGBT/MOS-FET, monitors RPM and temperature. Further, the DSP  8  supports “in-system programming” background de-bugging, and an activity LED.  
         [0088]    Referring to FIGS.  19 - 24 , triac controller  30  has an opto-isolated driver, optol  31 , which is an opto-triac that is driven by a Schmitt inverter U 13 A. Triac drive, inverted from the DSP  8 , shown in FIGS. 1 and 11- 18 , turns on the LED of the optol  31  which, in turn, switches on the internal photo-sensitive triac controller  30  which turns on a main triac Q 7   32  as shown in FIG. 20. Resistor R 125   33  and capacitor C 80   34  form a snubber network and a transorb device D 49  absorbs and clamps any transients to a magnitude which is harmless to the triac Q 7   32 .  
         [0089]    Referring to FIGS.  25 - 26 , an IGBT controller  35  has a first opto isolator U 25   36  and a second opto isolator U 26   37  that are driven by U 8 A  38  and U 8 B  39 , which in turn drive IGBT device Q 8   40  and IGTB device Q 9   41 . Each device is controlled independently by the DSP  8 , allowing full control of firing angle. Unlike the triac, this gives full control over the reactive portion of the current Q 9  which reduces substantially to the problems associated with power factor (PF). Unlike the triac which stays on until current has ceased to flow, the IGBT controller  35  can be turned on or off at will. Since the IGBT controller&#39;s  35  on cycle is PWM modulated, complete control of rise time, amplitude, and duration are available. This provides much improvement of RFI/EMG, harmonic content and reactive power factor (PF) for part-power operation.  
         [0090]    Referring to FIGS.  27 - 28 , a communications example is shown for a simple RS232 serial port which can be connected to a computer to display all monitor and control functions. Similarly the DSP  8  can support a plurality of control connectors that include but are not limited to (a) Serial Communications RS232; (b) Serial Communications RS845; (c) CAN (Control Area Network); (d) Ethernet; (e) USB (Universal Serial Bus); (f) TCPIP (stack for internet and intranet communications); (g) Modbus; and (h) Modbus+.  
         [0091]    Referring to FIGS.  29 - 32 , for power supply units, main +5V power is provided by an “off-line” switching regulator. The +5V is accurately maintained by a feedback loop comprising U 23   42 , U 24   43  and reference D 48   44 . U 24   43  is an opto isolator. U 9   45  is a linear low-drop-out regulator which provides +3.3 V for the DSP  8  and other active circuitry. Various +3.3V feeds are derived from the main feed, each of which includes LC filtering as appropriate for needs on the circuit blocks. A bead inductor L 2   46  provides isolation of digital noise from the analog ground system. When IGBT devices are employed, two additional, small, isolated supplies are required. These are similar to the off-line regulator, except that three +18V are produced. In the case of the single-phase embodiment with IGBT Mosfets, only two outputs are required. When triacs are employed, no isolated voltages are required.  
         [0092]    A use method for optimization of electrical current supplied to the induction motor  1  has the following steps. For the efficiency-maximization motor controller, a no-load phase angle of lag of voltage by current is predetermined for rotating the induction motor  1  at a predetermined operational speed of rotation without motor-load resistance in excess of the motor-load resistance inherent to the induction motor  1  separately from and independently of motor loading that is applied to an output shaft of the induction motor  1  for output work. Current required for rotating the induction motor  1  under a predetermined full load and having a predetermined full-load phase angle of lag of voltage by current for rotating the induction motor  1  maximumly loaded at the predetermined operational speed is predetermined.  
         [0093]    With the efficiency-maximization motor controller is calculated any part-load phase angle of the lag of voltage by current for rotating the induction motor  1  at the predetermined operational speed of rotation with any added motor-load resistance from any part-loading that is applied to the induction motor  1 . Calculated also with the efficiency-maximization motor controller is any part-load increase of current required for any part-loading of the induction motor  1  as a part-load percent of a difference between the no-load phase angle and the full-load phase angle.  
         [0094]    Then with the efficiency-maximization motor controller, the part-load increase of current required is directed to the induction motor  1  from the power supply  2 .  
         [0095]    Using the efficiency-maximization motor controller as described, with the DSP  8  having computer architecture to compute for the system&#39;s predetermined parameters of the induction motor  1 , and with a control attachment  14  that is in control communication intermediate the DSP  8  and a predetermined class of control connectors  15  as diagramed in FIG. 1, at least one of the electrical parameters is entered into the efficiency-maximization motor controller for an objective of operation of the induction motor  1  through a selected control connector  15 .  
         [0096]    A new and useful efficiency-maximization motor controller and method having been described, all such foreseeable modifications, adaptations, substitutions of equivalents, mathematical possibilities of combinations of parts, pluralities of parts, applications and forms thereof as described by the following claims and not precluded by prior art are included in this invention.