A pole-number-changing rotary electric machine includes: a rotary electric machine; an n-group inverter; and a control unit for controlling the n-group inverter, wherein the control unit controls current phases of a current flowing through stator coils such that a current phase degree of freedom, which is a number of current phases per pole pair controllable by the n-group inverter, is equal to a number of groups na number of phases m/2 at a time of high polarity driving and the number of groups nthe number of phases m at a time of low polarity driving, where the number of groups n is a multiple of 4 and the number of phases m is a natural number of 3 or more and relatively prime to the number of groups n.

A pole-number-changing rotary electric machine includes: a rotary electric machine; an n-group inverter; and a control unit for controlling the n-group inverter, wherein the control unit controls current phases of a current flowing through stator coils such that a current phase degree of freedom, which is a number of current phases per pole pair controllable by the n-group inverter, is equal to a number of groups na number of phases m/2 at a time of high polarity driving and the number of groups nthe number of phases m at a time of low polarity driving, where the number of groups n is a multiple of 4 and the number of phases m is a natural number of 3 or more and relatively prime to the number of groups n.

An electric motor is disclosed that includes a stator winding defining a plurality of poles, with the winding being controllable to switch between a first number of poles and a second number of poles. A rotor rotatable within the stator includes a first group of magnetic flux barriers being without permanent magnet material and a second group of magnetic flux barriers at least partially filled with a permanent magnet material. A method of operating a line-start electric motor is also disclosed.

An electric machine (21) having a stator (20) and having a rotor (29) rotatably mounted to the stator (20) is specified. The stator (20) comprises a stator winding (24), at least three teeth (23), and at least three grooves (22). In each case, one tooth (23) of the stator (20) is arranged between two grooves (22) along a circumference of the stator (20), and the stator winding (24) has at least three coils (25), wherein each of the coils (25) is wound around a tooth (23) of the stator (20), so that the stator winding (24) is a concentrated winding. In addition, the winding direction of all coils (25) is the same, each of the coils (25) is designed to be fed with its own phase current, and the stator (20) is designed to generate at least two rotary fields having different numbers of pole pairs independently of each other, in particular simultaneously. In addition, an activation unit (40) for the electric machine (21) and a method for operating an electric machine (21) are specified.

An electric machine (21) having a stator (20) and having a rotor (29) rotatably mounted to the stator (20) is specified. The stator (20) comprises a stator winding (24), at least three teeth (23), and at least three grooves (22). In each case, one tooth (23) of the stator (20) is arranged between two grooves (22) along a circumference of the stator (20), and the stator winding (24) has at least three coils (25), wherein each of the coils (25) is wound around a tooth (23) of the stator (20), so that the stator winding (24) is a concentrated winding. In addition, the winding direction of all coils (25) is the same, each of the coils (25) is designed to be fed with its own phase current, and the stator (20) is designed to generate at least two rotary fields having different numbers of pole pairs independently of each other, in particular simultaneously. In addition, an activation unit (40) for the electric machine (21) and a method for operating an electric machine (21) are specified.

The present invention provides a high-low-voltage conversion star multi-phase variable-frequency drive system and relates to a high-voltage high-power motor and drive control thereof. The variable-frequency drive technical solution which is commonly used at present mainly has the disadvantages that a frequency converter is added to a common motor, the insulation life of the motor is short and the heat dissipating ability of the motor is poor. The system comprises a phase-shifting transformer, rectifying circuits, inverter circuits, a multi-phase motor, and a control circuit connected with the phase-shifting transformer, the rectifying circuits, the inverter circuits and the multi-phase motor, wherein primary windings of the phase-shifting transformer are connected with an alternating-current power source, and secondary windings of the phase-shifting transformer are connected with the rectifying circuits; and is characterized in that the number of the secondary windings is the same as the number of the rectifying circuits, one secondary winding is connected with one rectifying circuit, all rectifying circuits are in common-ground connection to form a common-ground direct-current power source, and output ends of the rectifying circuits are connected with the inverter circuits. By adopting the technical solution, high voltage and large currents are realized, simultaneously the structure is simple, the insulation requirement is lowered, the heat dissipating ability of the motor is improved and the power density is increased.

The present invention provides a high-low-voltage conversion star multi-phase variable-frequency drive system and relates to a high-voltage high-power motor and drive control thereof. The variable-frequency drive technical solution which is commonly used at present mainly has the disadvantages that a frequency converter is added to a common motor, the insulation life of the motor is short and the heat dissipating ability of the motor is poor. The system comprises a phase-shifting transformer, rectifying circuits, inverter circuits, a multi-phase motor, and a control circuit connected with the phase-shifting transformer, the rectifying circuits, the inverter circuits and the multi-phase motor, wherein primary windings of the phase-shifting transformer are connected with an alternating-current power source, and secondary windings of the phase-shifting transformer are connected with the rectifying circuits; and is characterized in that the number of the secondary windings is the same as the number of the rectifying circuits, one secondary winding is connected with one rectifying circuit, all rectifying circuits are in common-ground connection to form a common-ground direct-current power source, and output ends of the rectifying circuits are connected with the inverter circuits. By adopting the technical solution, high voltage and large currents are realized, simultaneously the structure is simple, the insulation requirement is lowered, the heat dissipating ability of the motor is improved and the power density is increased.

A reconfigurable electric motor (or machine) that may be reconfigured to improve performance given particular motor conditions. The motor is part of a motor system including a stator, a rotor, a microinverter network including a plurality of microinverters, and a motor controller including processing circuitry. The motor controller controls the plurality of microinverters to drive the motor in accordance with a first configuration of a plurality of motor configurations. The motor controller determines, based on determined motor conditions, to reconfigure the motor from the first configuration to a second configuration, where the first configuration has a first pole count that is different than a second pole count of the second configuration. The motor controller further controls the plurality of microinverters to drive the motor in accordance with the second configuration.

A reconfigurable electric motor (or machine) that may be reconfigured to improve performance given particular motor conditions. The motor is part of a motor system including a stator, a rotor, a microinverter network including a plurality of microinverters, and a motor controller including processing circuitry. The motor controller controls the plurality of microinverters to drive the motor in accordance with a first configuration of a plurality of motor configurations. The motor controller determines, based on determined motor conditions, to reconfigure the motor from the first configuration to a second configuration, where the first configuration has a first pole count that is different than a second pole count of the second configuration. The motor controller further controls the plurality of microinverters to drive the motor in accordance with the second configuration.

A motor control method comprises detecting operating parameters of a motor system comprising a plurality of windings, a rotor, a stator magnetically coupled to the rotor and a plurality of power converters connected to the plurality of windings, determining, by a controller, a suitable pole number and a preliminary set of operating variables based upon the operating parameters, reducing operating stresses of the motor system gradually and after reducing the operating stresses, configuring the plurality of power converters so as to adjust the number of poles of the motor system according to the suitable pole number.