Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator assembly defining a longitudinal axis. The stator assembly includes a substantially cylindrical stator core that is concentric with and extends longitudinally along the longitudinal axis. The stator core includes a stator pole having an inner surface spaced radially outward from the longitudinal axis. The stator pole includes a first aperture extending radially outward from the inner surface of the stator pole. The electric machine also includes a rotor assembly rotatable about the longitudinal axis. The rotor assembly includes a rotatable shaft and a rotor core. The rotor core is concentric with and extends longitudinally along the longitudinal axis. The rotor core also includes a rotor pole including an outer surface spaced radially outward from the longitudinal axis. The outer surface is spaced radially inward from the stator pole inner surface.

Abstract: An electromagnetic machine stator has a common pole and a plurality of excitation poles. Each excitation pole has a coil wound around it for inducing a magnetic flux through the excitation pole. The common pole that does not have a coil wound around it for inducing a magnetic flux. A flux barrier, disposed within the common pole, inhibits the flow of flux from one part of the common pole across the flux barrier to another part of the common pole. The flux barrier is less conducive to the flow of flux than is the common pole.

Abstract: An electric machine includes a stator assembly defining a longitudinal axis. The stator assembly includes a substantially cylindrical stator core that is concentric with and extends longitudinally along the longitudinal axis. The stator core includes a stator pole having an inner surface spaced radially outward from the longitudinal axis. The stator pole includes a first aperture extending radially outward from the inner surface of the stator pole. The electric machine also includes a rotor assembly rotatable about the longitudinal axis. The rotor assembly includes a rotatable shaft and a rotor core. The rotor core is concentric with and extends longitudinally along the longitudinal axis. The rotor core also includes a rotor pole including an outer surface spaced radially outward from the longitudinal axis. The outer surface is spaced radially inward from the stator pole inner surface.

Abstract: A switched reluctance machine having salient stator and rotor poles. Alternating ones of the stator poles having windings and the others having permanent magnets attached on their pole faces. The alternate stator pole windings are provided with polarities that are suitable for unidirectional and bidirectional current operation of the switched reluctance machine. The alternate poles with permanent magnets in the switched reluctance machines can have also concentric windings placed on them and excited with currents to further augment the flux linkages in the stator poles. The windings on the poles with permanent magnets can be excited from the same source as the windings on the poles without permanent magnets to enhance power output or provide power factor correction.

Abstract: A power converter having a first switch and a first unidirectional current device that conducts current unidirectionally. The first switch and first unidirectional current device are interconnected such that when interconnected with a dc voltage supply, battery, and first phase winding of an electrical machine: (1) a first operational state exists in which a conductive state of the first switch causes the dc voltage supply to conduct current through the first switch and first phase winding, so as to store energy within the first phase winding and (2) a second operational state exists in which a non-conductive state of the first switch causes the first phase winding to discharge its stored energy by conducting current through the first unidirectional current device and battery, so as to store energy in the battery.

Abstract: An electrical machine rotor includes a flux-conducting portion and a flux-inhibiting portion. The flux-conducting portion is conducive to conveying an electromagnetic flux and has a plurality of salient rotor poles and a portion of back material. The flux-inhibiting portion is less conducive to conveying an electromagnetic flux than the flux-conducting portion and is disposed entirely outside the boundaries of the rotor poles.

Abstract: An inverter for a permanent magnet brushless dc machine, having a permanent magnet rotor and a set of stator windings, applies the full dc voltage provided to the inverter to each phase of the machine.

Abstract: An electrical machine rotor includes a flux-conducting portion and a flux-inhibiting portion. The flux-conducting portion is conducive to conveying an electromagnetic flux and has a plurality of salient rotor poles and a portion of back material. The flux-inhibiting portion is less conducive to conveying an electromagnetic flux than the flux-conducting portion and is disposed entirely outside the boundaries of the rotor poles.

Abstract: A two-phase switched reluctance machine is provided using discontinuous core structures as the stator for low-cost, high-performance drives. This discontinuous stator core structure contains short flux paths and maximum overlap between the rotor poles and stator poles in the stator discontinuous core structures, regardless of the rotor position. Example configurations of such core structure include E-core, L-core and I-core configurations. Using less steel and magnet wire than in conventional SRM designs results in cost savings of stator material and winding material. Efficiency of this novel SRM is improved because of shorter flux paths resulting in reduction of core losses and decreased phase resistance resulting in reduction of copper losses. Two-phase simultaneous excitation of the novel SRM can reduce torque ripple during commutation as compared with existing two-phase SRMs.

Abstract: Drive circuits that provide power factor correction and input current waveform shaping for controlling the speed and torque in a switched reluctance machine (SRM). The machine's phase windings are split into two segments, one of which is used for active power factor correction, input ac current waveform shaping and partial torque generation and the other of which is used for torque generation.

Abstract: An electrical device has a capacitive storage element and first and second switches. The capacitive storage element and first and second switches are interconnected such that when interconnected with a direct current (dc) voltage supply and first and second windings of an electrical machine: (1) a first operational state exists in which conductive states of the first and second switches cause the dc voltage supply to conduct current through the first winding and the first switch and conduct current through the first and second switches and the second winding, respectively, thereby storing energy within the first and second windings, and (2) a second operational state exists in which non-conductive states of the first and second switches cause each of the first and second windings to discharge stored energy by conducting current through the capacitive storage element, thereby storing energy in the capacitive storage element.

Abstract: A method of operating an electrical machine having first and second phase windings. The method includes: (1) applying positive first current to the first phase winding while the first phase winding's back electromotive force (emf) is positive; (2) applying negative second current to the first phase winding while the first phase winding's back emf is negative; and (3) applying positive third current to the second phase winding while the second phase winding's back emf is positive. The first current is conducted through a circuit composed of a battery, the first phase winding, and a first switch. The second current is conducted through a circuit composed of a first capacitive storage element, the battery, the first phase winding, and a second switch, and the third current is conducted through a circuit composed of the battery, the second phase winding, and a third switch.

Abstract: A power converter has a first electrical circuit including a direct current (dc) voltage source, a first phase winding of an electrical machine, and a first switch operating in a conductive state. A second electrical circuit includes the first phase winding, a first unidirectional current device, and a capacitive storage element. A third electrical circuit includes the capacitive storage element, a second switch operating in a conductive state, and the first phase winding. A fourth electrical circuit includes the first phase winding, the dc voltage source, and a second unidirectional current device.

Abstract: An improved single-switch control circuit for use in a multi-phase switched reluctance machine is provided. The control circuit includes at least first and second phase windings, a switch, a capacitor, and a diode. The capacitor may have a polarity opposite that of a power source in the control circuit. The first winding may be connected in series with the switch and connected in parallel with a circuit block comprising the second winding. The second winding may be connected in parallel with the capacitor and in series with the diode. In operation, the switch may be used to redirect current from the first winding to the second winding. The capacitor can become charged by the redirected current until it eventually stores enough energy to essentially discontinue current flow in the first winding. Then, the capacitor can discharge its stored energy as a current through the second winding. In this manner, substantially all of the energy from the first winding can be transferred to the second winding.

Abstract: Drive circuits that provide power factor correction and input current waveform shaping for controlling the speed and torque in a switched reluctance machine (SRM). The machine's phase windings are split into two segments, one of which is used for active power factor correction, input ac current waveform shaping and partial torque generation and the other of which is used for torque generation.

Abstract: Regulating the speed of a two-phase switched reluctance machine (TPSRM) rotor includes selecting either a motoring mode or braking mode of operation for the TPSRM, regulating the rotor speed, when the motoring mode is selected, using a control signal cooperatively produced by a speed control feedback loop and a current control feedback loop; and regulating the rotor speed, when the braking mode is selected, using a control signal produced by the current control feedback loop without the cooperation of the speed control feedback loop. The speed control feedback loop uses an established speed control signal and a signal indicative of the rotor's speed to dynamically adjust a first parameter governing the control signal. The current control feedback loop uses an established current control signal and a signal indicative of the current flowing through a stator winding of the TPSRM to dynamically adjust a second parameter governing the control signal.

Abstract: A method for collecting operational parameters of a motor may include controlling the energization of a phase winding of the motor to establish an operating point, monitoring operational parameters of the motor that characterize a relationship between the energization control applied to the motor's phase winding and the motor's response to this control, and collecting information of the operational parameters for the operating point that characterizes the relationship between the applied energization control and the motor's response. The collected information characterizing the relationship between the applied energization control and the motor's response may be employed by a neural network to estimate the regions of operation of the motor. And a system for controlling the operation of motor may employ this information, the neural network, or both to regulate the energization of a motor's phase winding during a phase cycle.

Abstract: A switched reluctance motor includes at least four stator poles and an electrically conductive material around each of the stator poles. The geometric outline, on one side of the stator pole, of at least one of the conductive materials is not rectangular, as viewed from a cross-section of the switched reluctance motor showing each of the stator poles.

Abstract: Drive circuits that provide power factor correction and input current waveform shaping for controlling the speed and torque in a switched reluctance machine (SRM). The machine's phase windings are split into two segments, one of which is used for active power factor correction, input ac current waveform shaping and partial torque generation and the other of which is used for torque generation.

Abstract: Regulating the speed of a two-phase switched reluctance machine (TPSRM) rotor includes selecting either a motoring mode or braking mode of operation for the TPSRM, regulating the rotor speed, when the motoring mode is selected, using a control signal cooperatively produced by a speed control feedback loop and a current control feedback loop; and regulating the rotor speed, when the braking mode is selected, using a control signal produced by the current control feedback loop without the cooperation of the speed control feedback loop. The speed control feedback loop uses an established speed control signal and a signal indicative of the rotor's speed to dynamically adjust a first parameter governing the control signal. The current control feedback loop uses an established current control signal and a signal indicative of the current flowing through a stator winding of the TPSRM to dynamically adjust a second parameter governing the control signal.