Digital Signal Processing is not a recent research field, but has become a powerful technology to solve engineering problems in the last few decades due to the introduction by Texas Instruments in 1982 of the Digital Signal Processor. Fast digital signal processors have quickly become a cornerstone of high-performance electrical drives, where power electronic conversion systems have heavy online computation burdens and must be controlled using complex control algorithms. In this sense, multiphase drives represent a particularly interesting case of study, where the computational cost highly increases with each extra phase. This technology has been recognized in recent times as an attractive electrical drive due to its usefulness in traction, more-electric aircraft applications and wind power generation systems. However, the complexity of the required control algorithms and signal processing techniques notably increases in relation with conventional three-phase drives. This chapter makes a revision of the necessities of a high-performance multiphase drive from the digital signal processing perspective. One of the most powerful Texas Instruments’ digital signal processor (TMS320F28335) is used, and specific control algorithms, electronic circuits and acquisition processing methods are designed, implemented and analyzed to show its interest in the development of a high-performance multiphase drive.
Part of the book: Applications of Digital Signal Processing through Practical Approach
Multiphase machines have been recognized in the last few years like an attractive alternative to conventional three-phase ones. This is due to their usefulness in a niche of applications where the reduction in the total power per phase and, mainly, the high overall system reliability and the ability of using the multiphase machine in faulty conditions are required. Electric vehicle and railway traction, all-electric ships, more-electric aircraft or wind power generation systems are examples of up-to-date real applications using multiphase machines, most of them taking advantage of the ability of continuing the operation in faulty conditions. Between the available multiphase machines, symmetrical five-phase induction machines are probably one of the most frequently considered multiphase machines in recent research. However, other multiphase machines have also been used in the last few years due to the development of more powerful microprocessors. This chapter analyzes the behavior of generic n-phase machines (being n any odd number higher than 3) in faulty operation (considering the most common faulty operation, i.e. the open-phase fault). The obtained results will be then particularized to the 5-phase case, where some simulation and experimental results will be presented to show the behavior of the entire system in healthy and faulty conditions. The chapter will be organized as follows: First, the different faults in a multiphase machine are analyzed. Fault conditions are detailed and explained, and the interest of a multiphase machine in the management of faults is stated. The effect of the open-phase fault operation in the machine model is then studied. A generic n-phase machine is considered, being n any odd number greater than three. The analysis is afterwards particularized to the 5-phase machine, where the open-phase fault condition is managed using different control methods and the obtained results are compared. Finally, the conclusions are presented in the last section of the chapter.
Part of the book: Induction Motors