Abstract: A boost circuit is arranged to reduce rise and fall times of pulsed power used for pulsed control operation of electric machines. Magnetic energy present in the electric machine at the end of a pulse is extracted by the boost circuit to reduce the pulse fall time. The energy is stored by the boost circuit and then applied at the beginning of a subsequent pulse to reduce the rise time. By reducing rise and fall times compared to not using such a boost circuit, machine efficiency is improved.

Abstract: A method of controlling an electric machine having a separately excitable rotor and stator includes exciting the rotor and the stator at the same time to generate an optimal magnetic flux in the electric machine. The method includes maintaining the optimal magnetic flux by reducing a stator current as a rotor current rises. The method also includes providing a torque current to the stator as the rotor current rises such that the electric machine produces a demanded torque while the rotor current rises.

Abstract: A pulsed control of an Externally Excited Synchronous Machines (EESM), including a boost circuit and method for (1) harvesting the field energy stored in rotor winding when the EESM is transitioning to the off state following an on pulses, (2) storing the harvested field energy on a storage device, (3) optionally “topping” up the harvested field energy stored on the storage device, and (4) supplying the harvested and stored field energy as a “boost voltage” to the rotor, just as the EESM is transitioning on for the next pulse, the boost voltage aiding the rotor in quickly overcoming it's start-up inductance, rapidly turning on the rotor, resulting in a much faster transition time from the off state to the on state at the start of the next pulse.

Abstract: An electric machine, comprising a power supply and an electrically excited synchronous machine is provided. The electrically excited synchronous machine comprises a stator with stator windings, a rotor, comprising rotor poles with field windings and a plurality of permanent magnets magnetically connected to the rotor pole. A power converter is coupled between the power supply and the electrically excited synchronous machine, the power converter is arranged to provide a pulsed operation by providing a pulsed AC current to the stator windings and a pulsed DC current to the rotor field windings, wherein the pulsed DC current to the rotor field windings causes the rotor poles to have a magnetic orientation that has a same magnetic orientation as the permanent magnets magnetically connected to the rotor poles.

Abstract: An electric machine comprising a power supply and an electrically excited synchronous machine is provided. The electrically excited synchronous machine comprises a stator with stator windings and a rotor with a plurality of rotor poles, wherein the rotor has a magnetic field knee region and rotor field windings around the plurality of rotor poles. A power converter is coupled between the power supply and the electrically excited synchronous machine. The power converter is arranged to provide a pulsed operation by providing a pulsed current to the stator windings and a pulsed DC current to the rotor field windings, wherein the pulsed DC current continuously provides a magnetic field in the rotor.

Abstract: A method of predicting torque modulation parameters of an electric machine based on operating conditions of the electric machine includes generating a data set for torque modulation parameters of an electric machine for the different operating conditions of the electric machine. The method also includes relating the torque modulation parameters to the operating conditions of the electric machine with a model and loading the model into a controller of the electric machine. The method also includes predicting the torque modulation parameters of the electric machine for the operating conditions of the electric machine using the model in real-time. The method may include adjusting the torque modulation parameters of the electric machine based on the predicted torque modulation parameters.

Abstract: A method of controlling an electric machine having a separately excitable rotor and stator includes pulsing the electric machine and controlling the electric machine to an OFF state. Pulsing the electric machine includes exiting the rotor with direction current and the stator with a stator biasing current at the same time to generate magnetic flux in the rotor via two separate paths. Pulsing the electric machine may also include terminating the stator basing current when a desired magnetic flux is generated in the rotor. Pulsing the electric machine may include proving a stator flux to the stator such that the electric machine provides a pulse torque.

Abstract: A method of controlling an electric machine having a separately excitable rotor and stator includes pulsing the electric machine and controlling the electric machine to an OFF state. Pulsing the electric machine includes exiting the rotor with direction current and the stator with a stator biasing current at the same time to generate magnetic flux in the rotor via two separate paths. Pulsing the electric machine may also include terminating the stator basing current when a desired magnetic flux is generated in the rotor. Pulsing the electric machine may include proving a stator flux to the stator such that the electric machine provides a pulse torque.

Abstract: A boost circuit is arranged to reduce rise and fall times of pulsed power used for pulsed control operation of electric machines. Magnetic energy present in the electric machine at the end of a pulse is extracted by the boost circuit to reduce the pulse fall time. The energy is stored by the boost circuit and then applied at the beginning of a subsequent pulse to reduce the rise time. By reducing rise and fall times compared to not using such a boost circuit, machine efficiency is improved.

Abstract: An electric machine is provided. A power converter is coupled between a power supply and a wound field synchronous machine. The power converter is arranged to provide a pulsed operation by providing a pulsed DC current to field windings of the wound field synchronous machine.

Abstract: An electric machine is provided. A polyphase machine is provided. A power inverter is electrically connected to the polyphase machine. A controller is electrically connected to the power inverter, wherein the controller provides switching signals to the power inverter, wherein the controller comprises a trajectory calculator that provides an optimized trajectory for transitioning the polyphase machine from a first torque to a second torque.

Abstract: A method of controlling an electric motor includes receiving a duty cycle for the electric motor for delivering a target torque from the electric motor, generating a pulse train, and pulsing the electric motor with the generated pulse train. Generating the pulse train being at least partially based on the received duty cycle. The generated pulse train optimized to improve at least one of noise, vibration, or harshness of the electric motor when compared to a constant pulse frequency.

Abstract: Modulated pulse control of electric machines to deliver a desired output in a more energy efficient manner by either (a) operating the electric machine in a continuous mode when a requested torque demand is greater than the peak efficiency torque of the electric machine or (b) in a pulsed modulation mode when the requested torque demand is less than the peak efficiency torque of the electric machine. When operating in the pulsed modulation mode, the inverter may be deactivated to further improve the system efficiency when field weakening is not required to mitigate or eliminate generation of a retarding torque in situations when Back Electromagnetic Force (BEMF) exceeds a supply voltage for the inverter of the machine.

Abstract: An electric machine is provided. A polyphase machine is provided. A power inverter is electrically connected to the polyphase machine. A controller is electrically connected to the power inverter, wherein the controller provides switching signals to the power inverter, wherein the controller comprises a trajectory calculator that provides an optimized trajectory for transitioning the polyphase machine from a first torque to a second torque.

Abstract: A method of controlling an electric motor includes receiving a duty cycle for the electric motor for delivering a target torque from the electric motor, generating a pulse train, and pulsing the electric motor with the generated pulse train. Generating the pulse train being at least partially based on the received duty cycle. The generated pulse train optimized to improve at least one of noise, vibration, or harshness of the electric motor when compared to a constant pulse frequency.

Abstract: Modulated pulse control of electric machines to deliver a desired output in a more energy efficient manner by either (a) operating the electric machine in a continuous mode when a requested torque demand is greater than the peak efficiency torque of the electric machine or (b) in a pulsed modulation mode when the requested torque demand is less than the peak efficiency torque of the electric machine. When operating in the pulsed modulation mode, the inverter may be deactivated to further improve the system efficiency when field weakening is not required to mitigate or eliminate generation of a retarding torque in situations when Back Electromagnetic Force (BEMF) exceeds a supply voltage for the inverter of the machine.

Abstract: An electric machine is provided. A polyphase machine is provided. A power inverter is electrically connected to the polyphase machine. A controller is electrically connected to the power inverter, wherein the controller provides switching signals to the power inverter, wherein the controller comprises a trajectory calculator that provides an optimized trajectory for transitioning the polyphase machine from a first torque to a second torque.

Abstract: Methods, controllers and electric machine systems are described for multi-phase control of electric machines (e.g., electric motors and generators).

Abstract: A method of controlling an electric motor includes receiving a duty cycle for the electric motor for delivering a target torque from the electric motor, generating a pulse train, and pulsing the electric motor with the generated pulse train. Generating the pulse train being at least partially based on the received duty cycle. The generated pulse train optimized to improve at least one of noise, vibration, or harshness of the electric motor when compared to a constant pulse frequency.

Abstract: A variety of methods, controllers and electric machine systems are described for pulse control of electric machines (e.g., electric motors and generators). To improve the energy conversion efficiency of the machine, pulse control involves determining if the machine should operate in a continuous mode or pulse mode, and if the latter, defining a magnitude, duty cycle, and frequency for the pulses. One or more tables, indexing by a wide range of speeds and torque requests, is/are used to define the pulsing frequency or a pulsing frequency pattern.