Patent GB-1385205-A (GB)
Title: Polyphase electric motor system with dc motor characteristics
IPC: H02K3/28
Filed: 1972-05-08
Abstract: 1385205 Control of A.C. motors; winding layouts for dynamo-electric machines LEAR MOTORS CORP 8 May 1972 [19 May 1971] 21383/72 Headings H2A and H2J A polyphase induction motor and control system providing operation equivalent to a D.C. motor comprises a plurality of half-phase windings # 1  ... # 6  arranged in consequent pole array and in pairs # 1  # 4 , # 5 # 2 , # 3 # 6  forming the three phases # a # b # c , each winding # 1  ... # 6  being constituted by respective series-connected windings 1, 7; 2, 8; 3,9 ... 6, 12 having the layout shown in Fig. 2A and being connected to a D.C. supply +V 0  through a respective silicon controlled rectifier 30-1 ... 30-6, which are controlled by firing, logic and clock circuits 35, 40, the arrangement being such that variation of the clock frequency and/or the supply voltage V 0  produces desired operating modes of the motor such as constant torque over a wide speed range, constant horsepower over a selected speed range or a traction mode similar to that of a D.C. series motor.  Winding layout.-The windings 1 ... 12 shown in Fig. 2A are arranged in a 36 slot stator to form respective pole sets 1, 2, 3, 4, each winding being of substantially full pitch across 180 magnetic degrees and having its adjacent end turns in common slots with those of its paired half phase winding. The concentrically wound arrangement shown may be replaced by a lapped winding arrangement. Each winding # 1 # 2 # 3  is separated 180 degrees magnetically from its paired winding # 4 # 5 # 6  to produce a corresponding separation between the poles 1 ... 4, the separation between the pole sets being 120 degrees for three-phase operation. The arrangement shown minimizes the mutual inductance between the half-phase windings of each pair, further reduction being produced by the opposite direction of flow of the current pulses in these windings. This reduction of mutual inductance facilitates a self-commutating function for the SCR's 30-1 ... 30-6 should any one of these fail to commutate in the normal way. A typical arrangement of a stator slot with turns and insulation is described, Fig. 2B (not shown). An interphase transformer 21 (Fig. 1) eliminates third and related higher harmonics and produces a stepped waveform across the windings, Fig. 3 (not shown). Operation of the motor.-The SCR's 30-1 ... 30-6 are successively energized and commutated to produce conduction periods of approximately 180 degrees, Figs. 6A and 6B (not shown). Conventional commutation circuits 28-1, 29-1 ... 28-3, 29-3 are provided, together with protective diodes 31-1 ... 31-6 and R.C. circuits, Fig. 5 (not shown). A typical 180 degree conduction period is discussed to explain the normal commutation action and the selfcommutating function produced by the aforementioned minimum mutual inductance between the windings of each pair, Fig. 4 (not shown). The motor speed may be varied by variation of the voltage applied to the unijunction transistor (47) of the clock 40. Fig. 5 (not shown), this variation being effected by a potentiometer 43. A capacitor 42 ensures a slow stopping of the motor when contactor 19 is opened, other methods of stopping being by eddy current braking following the shorting of members 42 ... 45 by a switch (37), Fig. 5 (not shown), or by operation of potentiometer 43 followed by opening of the contactor 19. The duration of each conduction period is proportional to the frequency of the clock 40 as determined by the applied voltage. In a modification, Fig. 8 (not shown), the applied voltage is variable both by the potentiometer and by the D.C. supply to the clock and motor windings. The supply is obtained via a variable transformer feeding a full wave rectifier. Typical torque/speed characteristics are discussed for a range of D.C. voltages and various potentiometer settings, Fig. 9 (not shown). Further torque/speed characteristics for various motor designs, e.g. different rotor resistances, are explained with reference to operation in the four quadrants set by positive and negative values of torque and speed, Fig. 10 (not shown). Other methods of operation discussed are:-(1) Constant horsepower, Fig. 11 (not shown), wherein the applied D.C. voltage is maintained constant at various settings and the clock potentiometer is adjusted to vary the motor speed, Fig. 12 (not shown). (2) Constant torque, Figs. 13 and 14 (not shown), wherein the applied D.C. voltage to the clock is variable and the potentiometer is fixed, Fig. 16 (not shown). The clock circuit includes a Zener diode and is arranged to produce a linear applied voltage/frequency characteristic having an offset corresponding to the volt drop caused by the internal impedance of the motor, Fig. 15 (not shown). (3) Traction mode, Figs. 17 and 18 (not shown), wherein the applied D.C. voltage is varied by a conventional three phase bridge of silicon controlled rectifiers and the motor speed is sensed to provide a voltage signal to the clock, whose minimum frequency is set by the clock potentiometer for a selected applied D.C. voltage, Fig. 19 (not shown). A typical traction operating sequence is described with respect to operation in the first and second quadrants of Fig. 10 (not shown), an adjustable resistor being provided in the speed feedback to the clock to set the regenerative braking of the motor and control system. Comparison with a D.C. series traction motor is made, for example in respect of reversal by reversing the phase sequence # a # b # c . The motor has a squirrel cage rotor in the described embodiments, but a wound or reluctance rotor may be used.