Vector Control Strategy for Multidirectional Power Flow in Integrated Multidrives Starter-Alternator Applications

• Published in: IEEE transactions on industry applications 2016-11, Vol.52 (6), p.4816-4826
• Main Authors: Scarcella, Giuseppe, Scelba, Giacomo, Cacciato, Mario, Spampinato, Andrea, Harbaugh, Mark M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alternators; Couplings; Directional control; Electric potential; Electromagnetic induction; Electromagnetics; Energy management; Force distribution; Induction motors; Magnetic circuits; Mechanical systems; multidrives; multiwinding motors; Power flow; Rotors; starter generators; Stator windings; Stators; Storage units; Topology; Voltage
• ISSN: 0093-9994; 1939-9367
• DOI: 10.1109/TIA.2016.2591908

The paper deals with the analysis and implementation of a vector control strategy devoted to integrated multidrive systems used in starter alternator applications with several dc buses at different voltage levels. The electromechanical system of the considered multidrive topology is obtained by splitting the conventional stator winding of an induction machine into different n three-phase subunits, maintaining the same magnetomotive force distribution and sharing the same rotor. Each stator unit together with rotor can be considered a submotor, thus the entire electromagnetic system behavior can be considered as the combination of all submotors contributions. The submotors are suitably supplied through standard three-phase inverters whose technical specifications are also established according to the storage unit voltage levels. First, a detailed mathematical representation of the electromagnetic system has been developed, then the conditions to carry out the field orientation in each generic subdrive are determined. Addressing a starter-alternator system, the integrated multidrive configuration has been experimentally tested, highlighting the capability of the proposed approach to efficiently handle multidirectional power flows among the storage units and mechanical system while ensuring high dynamic performance.