Patent GB-1232828-A (GB)
IPC: H02P27/08
Filed: 1968-09-23
Abstract: 1,232,828. Electrical converting systems; control of A.C. motors. SIEMENS A.G. 23 Sept., 1968 [22 Sept., 1967], No. 45192/68. Headings H2F and H2J. In a polyphase inverter for driving an A.C. motor at variable speed, and having an adjustable frequency output of approximately sinusoidal waveform formed by a synthesis of pulses produced by controlled rectifiers, e.g. thyristors, the output voltage magnitude being a function of output frequency, and the rectifiers being turned on and off at a frequency which may be 100 times the fundamental output frequency, each half-cycle of the fundamental wave is formed of a plurality of voltage/time areas (conducting periods) and currentless spaces (non- conducting periods) as shown, Fig. 2, and as the control pulse frequency and the output frequency are increased the inverter is controlled so that the currentless spaces are suppressed gradually stepwise, beginning with the narrowest or shortest duration. For instance the space A at #/2 (Fig. 2a), present when the output frequency is f 1 , is effectively eliminated at frequency f 2  (Fig. 2b) by logic switching which prevents quenching of the conducting rectifier at the end of pulse 6. Likewise spaces B are eliminated at frequency f 3  (Fig. 2c) and so on. Thereby mal-operation, which could occur when the duration of the non-conducting periods of the rectifiers reduces to the turn-off time of the rectifiers, is prevented. When the fundamental output frequency is reduced the currentless spaces are restored again. Inverter circuit.-As shown, Fig. 3, a selfcommutating inverter 3 supplies a 3-phase motor M3, from a D.C. supply provided by a rectifier unit 36 or alternatively from an accumulator bank. The inverter comprises main rectifiers (thyristors) n 4  to n 9 , freewheel diodes n 10  to n 15 , commutating capacitors 28, 29, 30 and chokes 16 to 21, controlled quenching rectifiers (thyristors) n 22  to n 27 . The rectifiers n 22  to n 27  are in series with respective ones of capacitors 28 to 30 and in antiparallel with respective main rectifiers n 4  to n 9 . A charging device (not shown) initially charges C 28  to C 30  with the polarity for quenching the main rectifiers. In each phase one main rectifier of a pair supplies the positive while the other supplies the negative half cycle pulses. In operation, for example, with n 4  and n 9  conducting, to switch off n 4  the rectifier n 22  is ignited whereupon C 28  discharges through n 22  and n 4  thereby turning off n 4 . C 28  continues to discharge supplying current to the motor via freewheel, diode n 10 , choke 16 and quenching rectifier n 22 . Control pulse circuit.-A pulse generator 32 includes a voltage/frequency converter in the form of a sawtooth generator which produces in known manner pulses at a multiple of the inverter output frequency which pulses have a width dependent upon a direct voltage input U 2  and a frequency dependent upon a direct voltage U 1 . U 2  thus also determines the inverter output voltage amplitude. A time comparator 42 comprising Nand gates and memory gates, compares the pulse duration with a preset time governed by a bi-stable trigger stage 40. If the preset time is shorter quenching of the conducting main rectifier is prevented (i.e. a currentless space is suppressed for instance space A which coincides with a count of 7 by the counter). If longer, then comparator 42 initiates the quenching. The comparator 42 output is fed to control pulse distributers 44, 46, 48 (of known arrangement including logic circuits and a ring counter) blocking the release of output pulses therefrom. The distributers feed control pulse generators 50, 52, 54 which in each case, at an adjustable time interval after a quenching pulse produce an ignition pulse for the associated main rectifier.