US5083077A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Brushless doubly-fed generation system for vehicles
Assignee: Oregon State University
•
Filing: 1990-07-31
•
Granted: 1992-01-21
•
Expires: 2010-07-31
Abstract
Abstract An onboard power generation system for use on board a vehicle, such as a passenger car, includes a brushless doubly-fed generator. The generator has a rotor with rotor conductors and a stator with stator windings, the stator windings comprising first and second polyphase stator systems. The generator rotor is mechanically coupled to and driven by the vehicle engine with a driving force to produce an AC power output from the first polyphase stator system. The generation system has a rectifier which receives and rectifies the generator first polyphase stator system AC power output into DC power for delivery to a DC bus of the generator power system. A sensor senses a parameter of the AC power output received by the rectifier and produces a sensor signal in response thereto. A converter receives the sensor signal, and in response thereto, converts power received from an excitation power source into excitation power for the generator second polyphase stator system. The converter operates to produce a controlled flow of AC power output from the first polyphase stator system of the generator regardless of variations of the driving force of the vehicle engine. A method is also provided of generating DC power on board a vehicle using the above-described generation system.
Inventors
- 👤 Alan Wallace
- 👤 Rene Spee
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 03:32
CPC Classifications
H; H02; H02P; H02P9/00; H02P9/007; H02P9/42; H02P2101/00; H02P2101/45
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
214 words
A generation system for generating DC power on board a vehicle having a DC bus and propulsion means for propelling the vehicle, the generation system comprising: a brushless doubly-fed generator having a rotor with rotor conductors and a stator with stator windings, the stator windings comprising first and second polyphase stator systems, the rotor mechanically coupled to and driven by the propulsion means with a driving force to produce an AC power output from the first polyphase stator system; rectification means electrically coupled with the first polyphase stator system of the generator for rectifying the AC power output received from the first polyphase stator system into DC power for delivery to the DC bus; sensor means for sensing a parameter of the generation system and for producing a sensor signal in response to the sensed generation system parameter; and converter means responsive to the sensor signal for converting power received from an excitation power source into excitation power which is delivered to the second polyphase stator system, with the excitation power converted by the converter means in response to the sensor signal so as to produce a controlled flow of the AC power output from the first polyphase stator system of the generator substantially disregarding variations in the driving force of the propulsion means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
214 words
A generation system for generating DC power on board a vehicle having a DC bus and propulsion means for propelling the vehicle, the generation system comprising: a brushless doubly-fed generator having a rotor with rotor conductors and a stator with stator windings, the stator windings comprising first and second polyphase stator systems, the rotor mechanically coupled to and driven by the propulsion means with a driving force to produce an AC power output from the first polyphase stator system; rectification means electrically coupled with the first polyphase stator system of the generator for rectifying the AC power output received from the first polyphase stator system into DC power for delivery to the DC bus; sensor means for sensing a parameter of the generation system and for producing a sensor signal in response to the sensed generation system parameter; and converter means responsive to the sensor signal for converting power received from an excitation power source into excitation power which is delivered to the second polyphase stator system, with the excitation power converted by the converter means in response to the sensor signal so as to produce a controlled flow of the AC power output from the first polyphase stator system of the generator substantially disregarding variations in the driving force of the propulsion means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
147 words
A generation system according to claim 1 wherein the sensor means comprises: first sensor means for sensing a parameter of the AC power output from the first polyphase stator system of the generator, and for producing a first sensor signal in response to the sensed AC power output parameter; second sensor means for sensing an additional parameter of the generation system, and for producing a second sensor signal in response to the sensed additional parameter; and third sensor means for sensing a parameter of the DC power rectified by the rectification means, and for producing a DC power sensor signal in response to the sensed DC power parameter; and wherein said converter means receives and processes the first and second sensor signals, and the DC power sensor signal, and in response thereto, said converter means converts power received from the excitation power source into said excitation power.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
A generation system according to claim 2 wherein the excitation power source is the DC bus and the power received by the converter means from the DC bus is DC power.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
71 words
A generation system according to claim 3 wherein the converter means serves as the third sensor means by monitoring the voltage of the DC bus as the DC power is received from the DC bus by the converter means, and the converter means also maintains a substantially steady level of DC voltage on the DC bus regardless of variations in an electrical load onboard the vehicle supplied by the DC bus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
A generation system according to claim 2 wherein: the generation system further includes tapping means for tapping a portion of the AC power produced by the generator first polyphase stator system to serve as the excitation power source; and the converter means comprises an AC to AC converter receiving the tapped portion of the AC power from the tapping means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
46 words
A generation system according to claim 2 wherein the generation system further includes excitation power source rectification means for tapping and rectifying a portion of the AC power produced by the generator first polyphase stator system into DC power to serve as the excitation power source.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A generation system according to claim 6 wherein the converter means includes DC link means for transmitting the DC power received from the excitation power source rectification means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
A generation system according to claim 2 wherein: the sensed AC power output parameter sensed by the first sensor means comprises the frequency of the AC power output produced by the first polyphase stator system; and the additional parameter of the generation system sensed by the a second sensor means comprises the engine speed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
A generation system according to claim 2 wherein: the sensed AC power output parameter sensed by the first sensor means comprises the rms current of the AC power output produced by the first polyphase stator system; and the additional parameter of the generation system sensed by the a second sensor means comprises the DC current produced by the rectification means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
63 words
A generation system according to claim 1 wherein the first and second polyphase stator systems have common shared windings, and the first and second polyphase stator systems have a respective first and second number of pole pairs with each pole pair comprising two poles, the first polyphase stator system having at least twice the number of poles as the second polyphase stator system.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
87 words
A generation system according to claim 10 wherein the rotor has a substantially cylindrical peripheral surface, and the rotor conductors comprise plural rotor bars spaced about the peripheral surface of the rotor and at least two rotor conductor loop groups, with each rotor conductor loop group lying between two adjacent rotor bars and comprising at least one rotor conductor loop, with the number of rotor bars being the sum of the first and second number of pole pairs of the respective first and second polyphase stator systems.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
A generation system according to claim 10 wherein the rotor conductors comprise a number of rotor conductor loop groups equal to the sum of the first and second number of pole pairs, with each rotor conductor loop group comprising at least one rotor conductor loop.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
A generation system according to claim 10 wherein the rotor has a peripheral surface and the rotor conductors are concentrated about the rotor peripheral surface at a rotor span which approximates the span of the poles of the first polyphase stator system.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
266 words
A generation system for generating DC power on board a vehicle having propulsion means for propelling the vehicle and a DC bus supplying power to an onboard electrical load, the generation system comprising: a brushless doubly-fed generator having a rotor with rotor conductors and a stator with stator windings, the stator windings comprising first and second polyphase stator systems, the rotor mechanically coupled to and driven by the propulsion means with a driving force to produce an AC power output from the first polyphase stator system; rectification means electrically coupled with the first polyphase stator system of the generator for rectifying the AC power output received from the first polyphase stator system into DC power for delivery to the DC bus; converter means for converting power received from an excitation power source into excitation power, the converter means being electrically coupled with the second polyphase stator system of the generator for delivering the excitation power to the second polyphase stator system of the generator; and feedback means for feeding-back a parameter of the AC power output of the first polyphase stator system as a first feedback signal and a parameter of the DC power rectified by the rectification means as a second feedback signal to the converter means; wherein the converter means converts the power received from said excitation power source into said excitation power in response to the first and second feedback signals, so as to maintain a substantially steady level of DC voltage on the DC bus substantially disregarding variations in the onboard electrical load and in the driving force of the propulsion means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
266 words
A generation system for generating DC power on board a vehicle having propulsion means for propelling the vehicle and a DC bus supplying power to an onboard electrical load, the generation system comprising: a brushless doubly-fed generator having a rotor with rotor conductors and a stator with stator windings, the stator windings comprising first and second polyphase stator systems, the rotor mechanically coupled to and driven by the propulsion means with a driving force to produce an AC power output from the first polyphase stator system; rectification means electrically coupled with the first polyphase stator system of the generator for rectifying the AC power output received from the first polyphase stator system into DC power for delivery to the DC bus; converter means for converting power received from an excitation power source into excitation power, the converter means being electrically coupled with the second polyphase stator system of the generator for delivering the excitation power to the second polyphase stator system of the generator; and feedback means for feeding-back a parameter of the AC power output of the first polyphase stator system as a first feedback signal and a parameter of the DC power rectified by the rectification means as a second feedback signal to the converter means; wherein the converter means converts the power received from said excitation power source into said excitation power in response to the first and second feedback signals, so as to maintain a substantially steady level of DC voltage on the DC bus substantially disregarding variations in the onboard electrical load and in the driving force of the propulsion means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
A generation system according to claim 14 wherein: the excitation power source is the DC bus; the power received by the converter means from the DC bus is DC power.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
77 words
A generation system according to claim 15 wherein: the first feedback signal represents the frequency of the AC power output of the first polyphase stator system; the feedback means includes means for feeding-back the engine speed as a third feedback signal; and the converter means compares the first and third feedback signals and converts the power received from the excitation power source into excitation power in response to the comparison of the first and third feedback signals.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
A generation system according to claim 16 wherein the second feedback signal represents the DC voltage of the DC power rectified by the rectification means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
88 words
A generation system according to claim 15 wherein: the first feedback signal represents the rms current of the AC power output of the first polyphase stator system; the second feedback signal represents the DC current of the DC power rectified by the rectification means; and the converter means monitors the DC voltage of the DC power received from the DC bus and converts the power received from the DC bus into said excitation power in response to the monitored DC voltage and the first and second feedback signals.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
63 words
A generation system according to claim 14 wherein: the generation system further includes excitation power source rectification means for tapping and rectifying a portion of the AC power produced by the generator first polyphase stator system into DC power; and the excitation power source is the excitation power source rectification means and the power received therefrom by the converter means is DC power.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
77 words
A generation system according to claim 19 wherein: the second feedback signal represents the DC voltage of the DC power rectified by the rectification means; the feedback means includes means for feeding-back the engine speed as a third feedback signal; and the converter means compares the first and third feedback signals and converts the power received from said excitation power source into said excitation power in response to the comparison of the first and third feedback signals.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
94 words
A generation system according to claim 19 wherein: the first feedback signal represents the rms current of the AC power output of the first polyphase stator system; the second feedback signal represents the DC current of the DC power rectified by the rectification means; the feeding means includes means for feeding-back the DC voltage of the DC power rectified by the rectification means as a third feedback signal; and the converter means converts the power received from the DC bus into said excitation power in response to the first, second and third feedback signals.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
73 words
A generation system according to claim 14 wherein the converter means comprises a pulse width modulation inverter having a logic stage producing a switching control signal in response to the first and second feedback signals, the pulse width modulation inverter also having a power switching stage controlled by the logic stage, the power switching stage receiving and inverting the DC power in response to the switching control signal to produce the excitation power.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
34 words
A generation system according to claim 22 wherein: the power switching stage comprises a thyristor bridge; the logic stage comprises thyristor gating logic; and the switching control signal comprises a plurality of gate signals.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
38 words
A generation system according to claim 22 wherein: the power switching stage comprises a transistor bridge; the logic stage comprises transistor base drive signal generation logic; and the switching control signal comprises a plurality of base drive signals.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
303 words
A method of generation DC power on board a vehicle having a DC bus and propulsion means for propelling the vehicle, comprising the steps of: equipping the vehicle with an onboard power generation system which includes: a brushless doubly-fed generator having a rotor with rotor conductors and a stator with stator windings, the stator windings comprising first and second polyphase stator systems, with the rotor mechanically coupled to the propulsion means; rectification means electrically coupled with the first polyphase stator system of the generator and with the DC bus; first sensor means electrically located between the first polyphase stator system and the rectification means; and converter means electrically coupled with an excitation power source, the first sensor means, and the second polyphase stator system of the generator; driving the generator rotor with a driving force produced by the propulsion means to produce an AC power output in the first polyphase stator system; sensing a parameter of the AC power output of the first polyphase stator system of the generator with the first sensor means, and producing a first sensor signal in response to the sensed AC power output parameter; receiving power from the excitation power source with the converter means; receiving the first sensor signal from the first sensor means with the converter means; converting power received from the excitation power source into excitation power with the converter means according to the received first sensor signal so as to control the flow of the AC power output from the first polyphase stator system substantially disregarding variations in the driving force of the propulsion means; delivering the excitation power to the second polyphase stator system of the generator; and rectifying the AC power output received from the first polyphase stator system into DC power with the rectification means for delivery to the DC bus.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
303 words
A method of generation DC power on board a vehicle having a DC bus and propulsion means for propelling the vehicle, comprising the steps of: equipping the vehicle with an onboard power generation system which includes: a brushless doubly-fed generator having a rotor with rotor conductors and a stator with stator windings, the stator windings comprising first and second polyphase stator systems, with the rotor mechanically coupled to the propulsion means; rectification means electrically coupled with the first polyphase stator system of the generator and with the DC bus; first sensor means electrically located between the first polyphase stator system and the rectification means; and converter means electrically coupled with an excitation power source, the first sensor means, and the second polyphase stator system of the generator; driving the generator rotor with a driving force produced by the propulsion means to produce an AC power output in the first polyphase stator system; sensing a parameter of the AC power output of the first polyphase stator system of the generator with the first sensor means, and producing a first sensor signal in response to the sensed AC power output parameter; receiving power from the excitation power source with the converter means; receiving the first sensor signal from the first sensor means with the converter means; converting power received from the excitation power source into excitation power with the converter means according to the received first sensor signal so as to control the flow of the AC power output from the first polyphase stator system substantially disregarding variations in the driving force of the propulsion means; delivering the excitation power to the second polyphase stator system of the generator; and rectifying the AC power output received from the first polyphase stator system into DC power with the rectification means for delivery to the DC bus.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 25 wherein: the excitation power source comprises the DC bus; and the step of rectifying power from the excitation power source with the converter means comprises receiving DC power from the DC bus.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
69 words
A method according to claim 26 wherein: the method further includes the step of monitoring the voltage of the DC bus as the DC power is received from the DC bus by the converter means; and the converting step comprises the step of converting the power received from said excitation power source into said excitation power with the converter means according to the monitored voltage of the DC bus.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method according to claim 25 wherein: the equipping step includes the steps of equipping the vehicle with a power generation system having converter means comprising a regulating inverter; and the converting step includes the step of inverting the DC power received from said excitation power source into said excitation power comprising AC power with the regulating inverter.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 25 wherein the equipping step includes the step of equipping the vehicle with a rectification means comprising an uncontrolled rectifier.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
97 words
A method according to claim 25 wherein: the equipping step includes the step of equipping the vehicle with a power generation system having an excitation power source rectifier electrically coupled with the first polyphase stator system of the generator and with the converter means; and the method further includes the steps of tapping a portion of the AC power produced by the generator first polyphase stator system and rectifying said tapped portion of the AC power with the excitation power source rectifier into DC excitation power, and delivering the rectified DC excitation power to the converter means.
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