Nidec Control Techniques Limited

Control Techniques Limited

Gareth Christopher James

Michael Cade

Robert Gwyn Williams

Nathan Downes

A method for controlling the temperature of a component is disclosed. The component is part of a drive configured to drive an electrical machine via an electrically conductive member. The method comprises determining a value of an attribute of the electrically conductive member; configuring a model to calculate the temperature of the component, the model being configured based on the determined value of the attribute of the electrically conductive member; using the model to calculate the temperature of the component; and if the calculated temperature of the component does not meet a predetermined temperature condition, issuing a command to control the operation of the drive such that the temperature of the component is changed to meet the predetermined temperature condition.

Thermal model optimisation

A method for controlling the temperature of a first semiconductor device on an inverter module of a drive configured to drive an electrical machine is disclosed. The method comprises calculating at least one harmonic component of at least one power loss of at least the first semiconductor device; using the at least one harmonic component of the at least one power loss of the at least the first semiconductor device to calculate a temperature of the first semiconductor device; and if the calculated temperature of the first semiconductor device does not meet a predetermined temperature condition, issuing a command to control the operation of the drive such that the temperature of the first semiconductor device is changed to meet the predetermined temperature condition.

Using harmonic component(s) to calculate a temperature of a semiconductor device in an inverter module

A method of controlling a switching frequency of an inverter, the method comprising the steps of: measuring a signal indicative of a temperature variable at a first switching frequency to determine a measured temperature variable; comparing the measured temperature variable to a first threshold; determining if the measured temperature variable is above the first threshold; if the measured temperature variable is not above the first threshold, calculating the temperature variable at a second switching frequency; if the temperature variable calculated at the second switching frequency is less than the first threshold, setting the switching frequency of the inverter to the second switching frequency.

Growing community of inventors

Oswestry, United Kingdom

Gareth Christopher James