Sevcon Limited

Turntide Technologies Inc.

Borg Warner Gateshead Limited

David Hodgson

Howard Slater

Peter Barrass

Gary Squire

Philip Eagleton

Robert Taylor

A method of controlling a switched reluctance motor is disclosed herein. The motor comprises a stator carrying a plurality of phase windings and a rotor. The method comprises activating the phase windings in a sequence selected to apply torque to the rotor, wherein during a cycle of rotation of the rotor the phase windings switch between an active state in which current in the phase winding applies torque to the rotor and an inactive state; applying a voltage to a selected phase winding whilst the selected phase winding is in the inactive state to provide a flux in the selected phase winding; determining the current in the selected phase winding; determining the rotor angle based on the current and the flux; and controlling said activating based on the rotor angle.

Method and apparatus for control of switched reluctance motors

An electric motor controller adapted to provide anti-lock braking of an electric traction motor for an electric vehicle is disclosed herein. The electric motor controller comprises a torque demand input for receiving a torque demand input signal based on a request from an operator of the electric vehicle and a torque demand adjuster adapted to adjust the torque demand input signal and to provide an adjusted torque demand signal. The torque demand adjuster is configured to adjust the torque demand signal such that the motor is controlled to reduce the difference between a motor speed and an estimated speed of the electric vehicle.

Traction control method and apparatus

An apparatus for controlling an AC power supply for an electric motor, said AC power supply being derived from a DC voltage. The apparatus including a comparer configured to provide a comparison of a modulation index of a motor control signal with a reference value. This current data provider is configured to provide current data based on a torque demand signal; a speed signal indicating the speed of rotation of the AC motor; and an indication of the DC voltage modified on the comparison for control of the motor control signal which is based on the motor current data.

Motor control apparatus and method

An apparatus for controlling an AC power supply for an electric motor, said AC power supply being derived from a DC voltage. The apparatus comprises a comparer configured to provide a comparison of a modulation index of a motor control signal with a reference value. This current data provider is configured to provide current data based on a torque demand signal; a speed signal indicating the speed of rotation of the AC motor; and an indication of the DC voltage modified on the comparison for control of the motor control signal which is based on the motor current data.

An electric motor controller having a front face and a rear face, the front face carrying a plurality of AC output couplings and the controller carrying a converter configured to convert a received DC supply into an output AC supply for controlling an electric motor, the AC output couplings being disposed symmetrically about an axis of symmetry of the controller on the front face of the controller. Also described is an apparatus comprising: a DC series motor; and a first current supply configured to supply a first current to an armature of the DC series motor; a second current supply configured to supply a second current to a field winding of the DC series motor; and a controller configured to control the first current supply to supply the first current based on a required torque output for the motor, and to control the second current supply to supply the second current based on the first current.

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Gateshead, United Kingdom

David Hodgson