Optimal fault-tolerant control strategy for multi-phase motor drives under an open circuit phase fault condition

In this paper an optimal disturbance-free control strategy suitable for open-phase fault operation of multi-phase current regulated motor drives, is presented and tested. The proposed strategy, which is based on the multiple space vector representation of multi-phase systems, minimizes the stator copper losses either in transient or steady-state operating conditions. The effectiveness of the proposed fault tolerant control strategy is verified for a five-phase permanent magnet motor using a finite element analysis. Furthermore, some experimental tests have been carried out on a seven-phase asynchronous motor drive prototype available in laboratory.