Fault detection and management system for fault tolerant switched reluctance motor drives

The unique characteristics that promote the switched reluctance motor (SRM) for fault tolerance capability, i.e. its ability to continue operation despite faulted motor windings or inverter circuitry, are discussed. It is shown that the magnetic independence of the motor phases and the circuit independence of the inverter phases permit the SRM drive to continue operation with one or more phases disabled. Winding fault detectors indicate the existence of faulted motor windings, and control circuitry acts to block the gating signals to the semiconductor power switches of the affected phase, thus removing excitation from the faulted winding and halting damaging effects that can result from the continued excitation of a faulted winding. The drive an continue operation without the faulted phase.<>