Utilisation of Zero-Sequence Currents in Multi-Phase BLDC Machines for Fault Mitigation - Simulation Study

Abstract

Advancements in power electronics, energy storage, and embedded systems have resulted in electric machines becoming increasingly prevalent in medium-to-large power applications. In safety critical applications, such as transport, there is a greater emphasis placed on the fault tolerance of these machines. This paper looks at a five phase BLDC machine with independent control of each phase through the use of individual converters to drive each phase. A new technique for fault mitigation has been developed and simulated which utilises this converter topology for intrinsic zero-sequence injection in the event of a single open-phase fault.