A cost-effective and fault-tolerant brushless direct current drive with open-stator windings for low power electric vehicles

Abstract

Summary Dual-inverter-driven open-end winding brushless direct current motor (OEWBLDCM) drives are amenable for the implementation of some interest ing fault-tolerant features, which could find useful applications in low power electric vehicles (EVs). The power semiconductor switching devices in the dual-inverter system are vulnerable to the development of open-circuit faults (OCFs) and the short-circuit faults (SCFs). This paper investigates the possibil ity of imparting complete fault-tolerant capability to EVs, which employ OEWBLDC motors for propulsion. With the proposed dynamic post-fault reconfiguration of the power circuit and the reconnection of the battery banks, it is possible to deliver the rated (i.e., 100%) post-fault output power to the BLDC motor, despite the failure of a power semiconductor switching device (because of either an OCF or an SCF) in the dual-inverter system. The feasibil ity evaluation of the proposed fault-tolerant drive reveals that the aforemen tioned objectives are realizable at an affordable hike in the raw material cost of the propulsion system. Simulation studies and Experimental verification on a laboratory prototype validate the proposed fault-tolerant OEWBLDCM drive.