Abstract:
A method for detecting failure of speed measurement of a multi-phase AC motor includes (1) sensing current drawn by the motor, (2) sensing voltage magnitude supplied to the motor, (3) measuring motor speed, (4) calculating motor speed, (5) determining whether the difference between the measured motor speed and the calculated motor speed is greater than a predetermined threshold, if the difference between the measured motor speed and the calculated motor speed is not greater than a predetermined threshold, repeating (1) through (5), if the difference between the measured motor speed and the calculated motor speed is greater than a predetermined threshold, indicating a fault, if a fault is indicated, performing a predetermined number of restart attempts, if the motor is successfully restarted, repeating (1) through (5), if the motor is not successfully restarted, indicating a restart failure.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from Indian Patent Application No. 3136/MUM/2015, filed Aug. 18, 2015, the contents of which are incorporated in this disclosure by reference in their entirety. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Field of Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to multiphase AC motor technology. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus and a method to detect failure of a speed estimation or speed measurement of a multiphase AC motor. 
         [0004]    Background Art 
         [0005]    Speed control of a multiphase AC motor requires knowledge of the speed of the motor. The speed of a motor may be determined using a speed sensor (encoder, resolver, tachometer, etc.) or a speed estimator if the motor is operating in sensor-less mode. Speed sensors provide accurate speed information over an entire operating range, but add additional cost to the overall system and are susceptible to failure over the long term due to environmental and other factors. Motor speed estimation provides reliable speed values at higher speed ranges, but not at lower speed ranges and during a motor startup period. 
         [0006]    There are several methods of speed estimation based on motor equivalent models and are built based on motor parameters that are fixed for a particular motor. The general method is to provide to a motor model values of voltages that are fed to an actual motor and determine the difference between the actual currents measured at the motor and the expected currents that are computed using the motor model. The difference is then forced to zero by dynamically adjusting the motor model. The dynamically adjusted motor model provides speed information. 
         [0007]    The speed estimator may fail to detect a locked rotor condition and continue to estimate non-zero speed even though the motor is not rotating. In this condition, it is not possible to know whether the motor has actually started. Also in the case where a synchronous motor is running in the speed range that can be reliably estimated by the speed estimator, when a sudden load torque that is more than the motor can deliver is applied to the motor, a loss of synchronization can occur. This condition is called rotor slip. The speed estimator may fail in this condition as well and can provide incorrect speed estimates from thereon even after the sudden load torque has been removed. There is also a need to validate the speed that has been measured by sensors, as sensors are prone to failure. 
         [0008]    Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus and methods to detect failure of a speed estimator or speed measurement of a multiphase AC motor, which are not associated with these disadvantages. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    According to one embodiment of the present invention, a method for detecting failure of speed measurement of a multi-phase AC motor includes (1) sensing current drawn by the motor, (2) sensing voltage supplied to the motor, (3) measuring the motor speed from a sensor, (4) calculating the motor speed, (5) determining whether the difference between the measured motor speed and the calculated motor speed is greater than a predetermined threshold, if the difference between the measured motor speed and the calculated motor speed is not greater than a predetermined threshold, repeating (1) through (5), if the difference between the measured motor speed and the calculated motor speed is greater than a predetermined threshold, indicating a fault, if a fault is indicated, performing a predetermined number of restart attempts, if the motor is successfully restarted during the predetermined number of restart attempts, repeating (1) through (5), if the motor is not successfully restarted during the predetermined number of restart attempts, indicating a restart failure. 
         [0010]    According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method for detecting failure of speed estimation of a multi-phase AC motor includes (1) sensing current drawn by the motor, (2) sensing voltage magnitude and voltage angle supplied to the motor, (3) estimating motor speed, (4) calculating motor speed, (5) determining whether the difference between the estimated motor speed and the calculated motor speed is greater than a predetermined threshold, if the difference between the estimated motor speed and the calculated motor speed is not greater than a predetermined threshold, repeating (1) through (5), if the difference between the estimated motor speed and the calculated motor speed is greater than a predetermined threshold, indicating a fault, if a fault is indicated, performing a predetermined number of restart attempts, if the motor is successfully restarted during the predetermined number of restart attempts, repeating (1) through (5), if the motor is not successfully restarted during the predetermined number of restart attempts, indicating a restart failure. 
         [0011]    According to another embodiment of the present invention an apparatus for detecting failure of speed measurement of a multi-phase AC motor includes at least one sensor coupled to the motor to sense current drawn by the motor and measure motor speed, a voltage-sensing connection to a motor control circuit driving the motor to sense voltage supplied to the motor, a motor speed calculating circuit coupled to the at least one sensor, and a speed validation circuit coupled to the voltage sensing connection and the motor speed calculating circuit and configured to determine whether the difference between the measured motor speed and the calculated motor speed is greater than a predetermined threshold, to indicate a fault if the difference between the measured motor speed and the calculated motor speed is greater than the predetermined threshold, to perform a predetermined number of restart attempts, and to indicate a restart failure if the motor is not successfully restarted during the predetermined number of restart attempts. 
         [0012]    According to one embodiment of the present invention, the speed validation circuit includes a calculating circuit to calculate motor speed, a difference circuit to measure a difference between a motor speed calculated by the calculating circuit and measured motor speed, and a threshold circuit to output a fault signal if the difference between the motor speed calculated by the calculating circuit and the measured motor speed is greater than a predetermined threshold. The motor speed calculating circuit and the speed validation circuit can include a processor programmed to calculate motor speed, measure a difference between a motor speed calculated by the calculating circuit and measured motor speed, and output a fault signal if the difference between the motor speed calculated by the calculating circuit and the measured motor speed is greater than a predetermined threshold. 
         [0013]    According to another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for detecting failure of speed estimation of a multi-phase AC motor includes a sensor coupled to the motor to sense current drawn by the motor, a voltage-sensing connection to a motor control circuit driving the motor to sense voltage supplied to the motor, a motor speed estimating circuit coupled to the sensor and the voltage-sensing connection, a motor speed calculating circuit coupled to the sensor and the voltage-sensing connection, and a speed validation circuit coupled to the motor speed estimating circuit and the motor speed calculating circuit and configured to determine whether the difference between an estimated motor speed developed in the motor speed estimating circuit and a calculated motor speed developed in the motor speed calculating circuit is greater than a predetermined threshold, to indicate a fault if the difference between the measured motor speed and the calculated motor speed is greater than the predetermined threshold, to perform a predetermined number of restart attempts, and to indicate a restart failure if the motor is not successfully restarted during the predetermined number of restart attempts. 
         [0014]    According to one embodiment of the present invention, the speed validation circuit includes a calculating circuit to calculate motor speed, a difference circuit to measure a difference between a motor speed calculated by the calculating circuit and estimated motor speed, and a threshold circuit to output a fault signal if the difference between the motor speed calculated by the calculating circuit and the estimated motor speed is greater than a predetermined threshold. The motor speed calculating circuit and the speed validation circuit comprise a processor programmed to calculate motor speed, measure a difference between a motor speed calculated by the calculating circuit and estimated motor speed, and output a fault signal if the difference between the motor speed calculated by the calculating circuit and the estimated motor speed is greater than a predetermined threshold. 
         [0015]    According to one embodiment of the present invention, the speed validation circuit includes a calculating circuit to calculate motor speed, a difference circuit to measure a difference between a motor speed calculated by the calculating circuit and estimated motor speed, and a threshold circuit to output a fault signal if the difference between the motor speed calculated by the calculating circuit and the estimated motor speed is greater than a predetermined threshold. The motor speed calculating circuit and the speed validation circuit may include a processor programmed to calculate motor speed, measure a difference between a motor speed calculated by the calculating circuit and estimated motor speed, and output a fault signal if the difference between the motor speed calculated by the calculating circuit and the estimated motor speed is greater than a predetermined threshold. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram that shows a prior-art circuit used to estimate or measure the speed of a multiphase AC motor. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram that shows an illustrative motor speed estimator circuit used to estimate and detect failure of the speed of a multiphase AC motor in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an illustrative speed validation unit that may be used in the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram showing an illustrative method to detect failure of a speed measurement of a multiphase AC motor in accordance with the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0021]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a flow diagram shows an illustrative method to detect failure of a speed estimation of a multiphase AC motor in accordance with the present invention. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    Persons of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the following description of the present invention is illustrative only and not in any way limiting. Other embodiments of the invention will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons. 
         [0023]    Referring first to  FIG. 1 , a block diagram shows a prior-art motor speed estimator circuit used to estimate the speed of a multiphase AC motor  10 . Multiphase AC motor  10  is driven from a DC source  12 . The output of DC source  12  is converted to multiphase AC power by multiphase inverter  14 . The multiphase inverter  14  converts DC power from the DC source  12  to variable voltage and variable frequency AC power in multiple phases. A 3-phase inverter is the most widely used form of multi-phase inverter where there are three phase outputs generally displaced by 120 degrees. 
         [0024]    The speed of the multiphase AC motor  10  is controlled by a pulse width modulator  16  that provides gate control signals for the multiphase inverter  14  on lines  18 . The pulse width modulator  16  is controlled by a motor control circuit  20  that employs an algorithm to provide a voltage magnitude signal  22 , denoted Vphase, and a voltage angle signal  24  to a pulse width modulator  16 . The motor control circuit  20  may include a microprocessor or a microcontroller. 
         [0025]    The arrangement and operation of multiphase AC motor  10 , DC source  12 , multiphase inverter  14 , pulse width modulator  16 , and motor control circuit  20  are well known in the art. 
         [0026]    A sensor  26  coupled to the shaft of the multiphase motor  10  senses the speed and rotor position of the multiphase motor  10 . A speed interface unit  28  includes a sensor interface  30  and an estimator unit  32 . The sensor interface  30  converts the raw signals received from sensor  26  (e.g., an angular encoder, resolver, etc.) to speed and position information of the rotor of the multiphase AC motor  10 . The speed estimator unit  32  is supplied with a current measurement signal from the multiphase inverter  14  on lines  36 , the voltage magnitude signal  22  (V phase ) from motor control circuit  20  and the voltage angle signal  24  from the motor speed control circuit  20 . The current measurement signal is also supplied to motor control circuit  20  on lines  38 . Speed interface unit  28  provides a speed signal W meas  obtained from either sensor interface  30  or speed estimator  32  to motor control unit  20  on line  40 . Speed interface unit  28  also provides a rotor angle signal obtained from either sensor interface  30  or speed estimator  32  to motor control unit  20  on line  42 . Motor control unit  20  is driven by a flux demand input  44  and a speed demand input  46 . Inputs  44  and  46  are user inputs and depend on the particular application. 
         [0027]    There are several methods of speed estimation based on the use of motor equivalent models that are built based on motor parameters fixed for a particular motor. The general method is to feed the voltages that are fed to the actual multiphase AC motor  10  through motor control circuit to a motor model and find the difference between actual measured currents and the currents computed through motor model. The difference is then forced to zero by dynamically adjusting the motor model. 
         [0028]    In the circuit depicted in  FIG. 1 , the speed estimator unit  32  in speed interface unit  28  performs this function. The voltage magnitude signal  22 , denoted V phase , and the voltage angle signal  24  from the motor control unit  20  are fed to the speed estimator unit  32 . The current measurement from the multiphase inverter  14  is also fed to the speed estimator unit  32 . A motor equivalent model (MEM) for the multiphase AC motor  10  is resident in the speed estimator unit  32 . The dynamically adjusted motor model in the speed estimator unit  32  as part of speed interface  28  provides speed information W meas  on line  40 . 
         [0029]    As previously noted, the speed interface unit  28  of the circuit of  FIG. 1  may fail to detect a locked rotor condition and continue to estimate non-zero speed even though motor is not rotating. In this condition, it is not possible to know whether the motor has actually started. Also in the case where a synchronous motor is running in the speed range that can be reliably estimated by speed estimator, when there is a sudden load torque that is more than the motor can deliver, a loss of synchronization (called rotor slip) can occur. The speed estimator unit  32  may fail in this condition as well and can estimate incorrect speed from thereon even after the sudden load torque has been removed. In addition, the speed sensor  26  may fail and provide incorrect speed information to the speed sensor interface  30 . In each of these cases, incorrect speed information will be provided on line  40  to motor control circuit  20 . 
         [0030]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a block diagram shows an illustrative circuit  60  used to detect failure of estimation/measurement of the speed of multiphase AC motor  10  in accordance with one aspect of the present invention. Where elements of the circuit of  FIG. 2  correspond to elements of the circuit of  FIG. 1 , they are designated by the same reference numerals used to identify the corresponding circuit elements of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0031]    Multiphase AC motor  10  is driven from a DC source  12 . The multiphase inverter  14  converts DC power from the DC source  12  to variable voltage and variable frequency AC power in multiple phases. A 3-phase inverter is the most widely used form of multi-phase inverter  14  where there are three phase outputs generally displaced by 120 degrees, but persons of ordinary skill in the art will readily observe that multiphase systems having a number of phases other than three are within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0032]    The speed of the multiphase AC motor  10  is controlled by pulse width modulator  16  that provides gate control signals for the multiphase inverter  14  on lines  18 . The pulse width modulator  16  is controlled by motor control circuit  20  that provides a voltage magnitude signal  22  and a voltage angle signal  24  to pulse width modulator  16 . 
         [0033]    A sensor  26  coupled to the shaft of the multiphase motor  10  senses the speed and rotor position of the multiphase motor  10 . A speed interface unit  28  includes a sensor interface  30  and a speed estimator unit  32 . The sensor interface  30  converts the raw signals received from sensor  26  (e.g., an angular encoder, resolver, tachometer) to speed and position information of the rotor of the multiphase AC motor on lines  34 . The speed estimator unit  32  is supplied with a current measurement signal from the multiphase inverter  14  on lines  36 , a voltage magnitude signal  22 , denoted V phase , and a voltage angle signal  24  from the motor speed control circuit  20 . The current measurement signal is also supplied to motor control circuit  20  on lines  38 . Speed interface unit  28  provides a speed signal W meas  obtained from either sensor interface  30  or speed estimator  32  to motor control unit  20  on line  40 . Speed interface unit  28  also provides a rotor angle signal to motor control unit  20  on line  42 . Motor control unit  20  is driven by a flux demand input  44  and a speed demand input  46 . Inputs  44  and  46  are user inputs and depend on the particular application. 
         [0034]    There are several methods of speed estimation based on the use of motor equivalent models that are built based on motor parameters fixed for a particular motor. Any of those methods may be utilized in the present invention. The general method is to feed the voltages that are fed to the actual multiphase AC motor  10  through the motor control circuit  20  to a motor model and find the difference between actual measured currents and the currents computed through motor model. The difference is then forced to zero by dynamically adjusting the motor model. 
         [0035]    The speed estimator unit  32  in speed interface unit  28  performs the methods of speed estimation referred to herein. The voltage magnitude signal  22 , (V phase ) and the voltage angle signal  24  from the motor control circuit  20  are fed to the speed estimator unit  32  in the speed interface unit  28 . The current measurement from the multiphase inverter  14  is also fed to the speed estimator unit  32 . A motor equivalent model (MEM) for the multiphase AC motor  10  is resident in the speed estimator unit  32 . The dynamically adjusted motor model in the speed estimator unit  32  provides speed information W meas  on line  40 . 
         [0036]    As may be seen from  FIG. 2  a speed validation unit  62  receives inputs from the speed output  42  of speed interface unit  28 , the flux demand input  46  to motor control unit  20 , the V phase  signal  22  of motor control unit  20 , and the current measurement signal from multiphase inverter  14  on line  40 . A fault output  66  indicates that a motor speed fault has been detected. 
         [0037]    According to the present invention, the measured speed output W meas    40  from speed interface unit  28  is fed to speed validation unit  62  and is compared with a value computed based on motor voltage magnitude, i.e. V phase    22  from the motor control  20 , flux demand  44  and actual motor current, i.e. current measurement on lines  38 , and validates the estimated/measured speed. Referring now to  FIG. 3 , an illustrative embodiment of a speed validation unit  62  is shown. 
         [0038]    The per phase motor voltage can be represented by equation [1]: 
         [0000]        V   phase   =R*I+L*W*I+E   [1]
 
         [0039]    Where I=RMS current 
         [0040]    W=Motor speed (measured/estimated) in rad/sec 
         [0041]    R=Motor per phase resistance 
         [0042]    L=Motor per phase inductance 
         [0043]    E=Back-emf per phase 
         [0044]    Back-e is a function of motor flux and speed and can be expressed by equation [2]: 
         [0000]        E=Φ* W   [2]
 
         [0045]    Where Φ=Motor flux 
         [0046]    Equation 1 can be rephrased using equation [2] as below 
         [0000]        V   phase   =R*I+W ( L*I+Φ )  [3]
 
         [0047]    Equation [3] can be used to find the speed value: 
         [0000]    
       
         
           
             
               
                 
                   W 
                   = 
                   
                     
                       
                         V 
                         phase 
                       
                       - 
                       
                         R 
                         * 
                         I 
                       
                     
                     
                       
                         L 
                         * 
                         I 
                       
                       + 
                       Φ 
                     
                   
                 
               
               
                 
                   [ 
                   4 
                   ] 
                 
               
             
           
         
       
     
         [0048]    The value of W computed from equation [4] is used to validate estimated/measured speed. If the difference between the estimated/measured speed and the speed computed from equation [4] is less than a threshold value, the estimated/measured speed is a proper value. Otherwise, the speed value from estimator/speed measurement is not reliable (fault case). In this case, depending on the application in which the motor is used, the motor can be stopped or a restart command can be issued to start the motor from zero speed. The number of auto restarts can be limited to a certain number, after which the motor will be stopped and restart is not attempted. 
         [0049]    The threshold value is fixed based on speed sensor/estimator tolerance values parameter tolerance and variation with respect to temperature (R, L, Φ). The percentage tolerance should be equal to the sum of the percentage tolerances and variations of speed sensor/estimator and motor parameter values R, L, Φ. 
         [0050]    When the absolute value of the difference is greater than threshold value a fault signal is generated that indicates speed estimation/measurement failure. 
         [0051]    In case of a permanent magnet synchronous motor, the flux magnitude (I) is fixed by the rotor construction and hence is a constant. For large motors having low resistance, the term R*I in equation [4] can be ignored. 
         [0052]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a block diagram shows an illustrative speed validation unit  62  that may be used in the present invention. A computational unit  68  computes equation [4] from inputs Vphase on line  22 , I, the current measurement from lines  38  of  FIG. 2 , and Φ from line  44  of the circuit of  FIG. 2 . Computational unit  68  may be in the form of a microprocessor or microcontroller. 
         [0053]    The output W calc  of computational unit  68  is subtracted from the output W meas  of speed interface unit  28  in adder  70 . The absolute value of the result is provided by absolute value circuit  72 . The absolute value of the result is compared with the threshold  74  at comparator  76 . The output of comparator  76  is the fault signal  66  of  FIG. 2 . 
         [0054]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , a flow diagram shows an illustrative method  80  to detect failure of a speed measurement of a multiphase AC motor in accordance with the present invention. 
         [0055]    The method begins at reference numeral  82 . At reference numeral  84  current drawn by the motor is sensed, at reference numeral  86  voltage magnitude supplied to the motor is sensed, and at reference numeral  88 , the motor speed and rotor position are sensed from the sensor  26 . Persons of ordinary skill in the art will observe that the order of sensing the current, the voltage, the motor speed, and the rotor position is not important. 
         [0056]    At reference numeral  90 , the motor speed is calculated from equation [4] as disclosed herein. At reference numeral  92  the difference between the sensed motor speed and the calculated motor speed is determined. 
         [0057]    At reference numeral  94 , it is determined whether the measured value and the calculated value differ by less than a threshold amount. If the measured value and the calculated value differ by less than the threshold amount, the method again performs its sensing and calculating functions. 
         [0058]    If the measured value and the calculated value differ by greater than the threshold amount, the method proceeds to reference numeral  96  at which a fault is reported. The process then proceeds to reference numeral  98  where the process determines whether a maximum number of restart attempts have been made. If not, a motor re-start is attempted at reference numeral  100  and the method again performs its sensing and calculating functions. 
         [0059]    If, at reference numeral  98  it is determined that a maximum number of restart attempts have been made, the process proceeds to reference numeral  102  where the process reports a restart failure. The process ends at reference numeral  104 . The maximum number of restart attempts is dependent on application and decided by the user. 
         [0060]    Referring now to  FIG. 5 , a flow diagram shows an illustrative method  110  to detect failure of a speed estimation of a multiphase AC motor in accordance with the present invention. 
         [0061]    The method begins at reference numeral  112 . At reference numeral  114  current drawn by the motor is sensed. At reference numeral  116  the magnitude of the voltage supplied to the motor is sensed. At reference numeral  118  the angle of the voltage supplied to the motor is sensed. At reference numeral  120 , the motor speed is calculated from equation [4]. At reference numeral  122 , the motor speed is estimated from the sensed voltage magnitude and angle and motor current. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will observe that the order of sensing the voltage magnitude, voltage angle, and current is not important. 
         [0062]    At reference numeral  124  the difference between the estimated motor speed and the calculated motor speed is determined. 
         [0063]    At reference numeral  126 , it is determined whether the estimated value and the calculated value differ by less than a threshold amount. If the estimated value and the calculated value differ by less than the threshold amount, the method again performs its sensing, estimating, and calculating functions. 
         [0064]    If the estimated value and the calculated value differ by greater than the threshold amount, the method proceeds to reference numeral  128  at which a fault is reported. The process then proceeds to reference numeral  130  where the process determines whether a maximum number of restart attempts have been made. If not, a motor re-start is attempted at reference numeral  132  and the method again performs its sensing and calculating functions. 
         [0065]    If, at reference numeral  130  it is determined that a maximum number of restart attempts have been made, the process proceeds to reference numeral  134  where the process reports a restart failure. The process ends at reference numeral  136 . The maximum number of restart attempts is dependent on application and decided by the user. 
         [0066]    The present invention can be used to detect failure of the speed estimation and speed measurement. The present invention can be used to detect a locked motor rotor during motor startup and sensor/estimation failure during normal operating conditions. 
         [0067]    Although the present invention has been discussed in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of preferred embodiments contained in this disclosure.