Rockwell Automation Technologies Incorporated

Zoran Vrankovic

Gary Leonard Skibinski

Craig R Winterhalter

Mark Alan Gries

Gennadi Sizov

Mark R Cooper

Todd M Oestreich

Lixiang Wei

Arun K Guru

David D Van Dorpe

David A Figie

Adam M Shea

Rongjun Huang

David M Brod

Yao Da

Shawn D Cloran

John Robert Figie

Kristin N Yee

Corey J Risty

Peter K Meyer

Power semiconductor switching devices in an integrated motor drive are mounted directly to a circuit board substrate via a 'pick and place' assembly process. The circuit board substrate is then mounted within the housing for the integrated motor drive and, preferably, in a generally central orientation within the housing. A potting material is provided within the housing of the integrated motor drive and around the circuit board. The potting material substantially encloses the circuit board and fills the volume within the integrated motor drive. The potting material is selected to provide good thermal conductivity between the circuit board and the housing of the integrated motor drive. The potting material is also selected to provide flexibility such that expansion and contraction of the potting material due to heating and cooling of the material does not damage the circuit board or the electronic components mounted to the circuit board.

System and method for cooling switching devices in an integrated motor drive

A system for distributing DC bus voltage and control power to multiple motors includes a rectifier front end supplying a DC bus voltage and a DC control voltage. Both the DC bus voltage and the DC control voltage are distributed via a common set of conductors. Diodes are operatively connected between the DC control voltage and the common set of conductors. The diodes allow forward conduction of the DC control voltage and distribution of control power to distributed devices when the DC bus voltage is not present. Once the DC bus voltage is present, the diodes block conduction of the DC control voltage. Each of the distributed devices are configured with an internal power supply that is operative to generate an internal control voltage from either the DC control voltage or the DC bus voltage.

Apparatus for distributing DC bus power and control power over common conductors in a distributed DC bus system

A system for distributing DC bus voltage and control power to multiple motors includes a rectifier front end supplying a DC bus voltage and a DC control voltage. Both the DC bus voltage and the DC, control voltage are distributed via a common set of conductors. Diodes are operatively connected between the DC control voltage and the common set of conductors. The diodes allow forward conduction of the DC control voltage and distribution of control power to distributed devices when the DC bus voltage is not present. Once the DC bus voltage is present, the diodes block conduction of the DC control voltage. Each of the distributed devices are configured with an internal power supply that is operative to generate an internal control voltage from either the DC control voltage or the DC bus voltage.

A motor drive that outputs a sinusoidal waveform utilizes power switching devices operable at high switching frequencies. The switching devices may be operated, for example, between twenty kilohertz and one megahertz. A first filter is included at the output of the motor drive which has a bandwidth selected to attenuate voltage components at the output which are at the switching frequency or multiples thereof such that the output voltage waveform is generally sinusoidal. Additional filtering is included within the motor drive to establish a circulation path for common mode currents within the motor drive. Further, a shield is provided adjacent to those components within the motor drive that may experience voltage or current waveforms at the switching frequency or multiples thereof to cause radiated emissions to establish eddy currents within the EMI shield rather than passing through the shield into the environment.

System and method for sinusoidal output and integrated EMC filtering in a motor drive

A motor controller executing a current regulator and a modulation routine in separate update intervals provides an improved fundamental voltage waveform for a motor controlled by the motor controller. The current regulator is executed at a first periodic update rate and the modulation routine is executed at a second periodic update rate, where the frequency at which the modulation routine executes is at least twice the frequency at which the current regulator executes. Executing the current regulator and the modulation routines at different frequencies results in the current regulator generating a single voltage reference signal for multiple periods of the modulation routine. To reduce voltage ripple induced by decoupling execution of the current regulator and the modulation routine, the motor controller extrapolates the voltage reference generated by the current regulator into multiple voltage reference signals, where a unique voltage reference signal is provided for each period of the modulation routine.

Voltage rotator for high switching frequency PWM inverter

A modulation routine in a motor drive under lightly loaded conditions which prevents DC bus voltage pump-up includes both active states and zero states. In a first zero state, each phase of the motor is connected to a negative rail of the DC bus, and in a second zero state, each phase of the motor is connected to a positive rail of the DC bus. When motor is lightly loaded or unloaded such that DC bus voltage pump-up may occur, the two zero states are utilized in an uneven manner. The specific division of the zero state between the first and second zero states may be selected in a manner that prevents the DC bus voltage pump-up from occurring.

Method and apparatus for mitigation of DC bus pump-up

A system to detect a ground fault at the output of an inverter section prior to powering up a motor drive system is disclosed. A low voltage power supply is connected to the DC bus prior to connecting the input power source to the rectifier section. If a ground fault exists, the voltage potential on the DC bus causes conduction through one of the freewheeling diodes connected in parallel to the power switching device on the output of the inverter section. A fault detection circuit generates a signal corresponding to the presence of the low voltage potential when the low voltage is applied to the DC bus. If a ground fault is present at the output of one of the inverter sections, the motor drive system prevents the AC voltage from being applied to the rectifier section.

Method and apparatus for detecting ground faults in inverter outputs on a shared DC bus

A filter for reducing radiated emissions in switching power converters such as a motor drive is disclosed. The switching power converter modulates a DC voltage input to generate a desired AC voltage output. Capacitors are connected in parallel between each output phase and a common connection, which may be a ground connection. The magnitude and layout of the capacitors are selected to minimize current conducted by the capacitors. The capacitors may be surface mount technology located proximate to the switching devices or the capacitors may be incorporated in the circuit board on which the switching devices are mounted. The filter may be applied to any of the switching elements in a motor drive, such as the inverter section, an active rectifier section, or a switched mode power supply.

Method and apparatus for reducing radiated emissions in switching power converters

An integrated drive motor (IDM) power distribution architecture utilizes an IDM power interface module (IPIM) to create a control voltage that is distributed to all the IDMs in a network. This power distribution may be accomplished along a hybrid cable, for example, that includes both signal conductors and power conductors. The IPIM is capable of detecting short circuits and/or overload conditions and disabling the power supply to the IDMs. Additionally, a second power supply may be utilized in the IPIM such that when the power supply to the IDMs is deactivated, the IPIM may remain functional, for example, to report one or more fault conditions to the user. Additionally, this reporting of fault status may be accomplished via a user display integrated with or coupled to the IPIM.

Integrated drive motor power interface

A system to monitor the temperature of power electronic devices in a motor drive includes a base plate defining a planar surface on which the electronic devices and/or circuit boards within the motor drive may be mounted. The power electronic devices are mounted to the base plate through the direct bond copper (DBC). A circuit board is mounted to the base plate which includes a temperature sensor mounted on the circuit board proximate to the power electronic devices. The temperature sensor generates a digital signal corresponding to the temperature measured by the sensor. A copper pad is included between each layer of the circuit board and between the first layer of the circuit board and the sensor. The circuit board also includes vias extending through each layer of the board. The copper pads and vias establish a thermally conductive path between the temperature sensor and the base plate.

System and method for temperature estimation in an integrated motor drive

An electronics drive module is connected to the flange of a drive motor assembly. The module includes: a metal frame including a peripheral wall; and a metal floor. A power supply PCBA is located adjacent the upper surface of the metal floor, and a switching chip assembly is located adjacent the lower surface of the floor. The base plate of the switching chip assembly conducts heat into the floor and conducts heat into the mounting flange. An environmental seal is located between the lower edge of the frame and the sealing surface of the mounting flange and extending coextensively with the lower edge of the peripheral wall such that a sealing zone is defined within the peripheral wall of the frame and the first and second thermal interfaces are located within the sealing zone.

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Greenfield, WI, United States of America

Zoran Vrankovic