Multi-Mode Topology Reconfiguration for Five-Phase Open-End Winding PMSM Drive Under Inverter Short Circuit Fault

The high reliability and power density of multiphase machines have led to their wide application in electric propulsion systems (EPSs). However, in existing open-end winding drives (OEWDs) for multiphase EPS, isolating a short-circuit fault (SCF) typically results in the motor losing output. Existing redundant-inverter methods increase the volume and weight of OEWDs. To address these limitations, this letter proposes a multi-mode topology-reconfiguration open-end winding drive (MMTR OEWD) for handling inverter SCFs in multiphase machines. It rapidly isolates the faulty inverter and maintains motor output by reconfiguring the topology. In addition, MMTR OEWD enables switches to the series-end winding (SEW) topology, thereby maintaining high DC bus voltage utilization. First, the principles of post-fault topology reconfiguration are presented. The analysis results detail the carrier-based PWM generation method during topology reconfiguration. Finally, load experiments on a five-phase PMSM validate the SCF fault-tolerance and the capability to switch among multiple topologies.