A new integrated controller for switched reluctance motor

The interest in switched reluctance motors (SRMs) have increased significantly in recent years, as these motors have found wide applications in industry as a possible alternative to adjustable speed AC and DC drives for many commercial applications. The simple construction and low cost of the SRM have made it an attractive candidate for replacing adjustable speed drives in automobile, aerospace, manufacturing and consumer product. Smooth operation and control of the SRM greatly depend on the external control unit. Instead of using a traditional digital controller with discrete devices, the authors have designed and fabricated a single chip logic controller for controlling torque and speed of an SRM. They have used a programmable logic device (PLD) to implement the digital logic coupled with a power controller. They have described the operational logic in the form of a block diagram and from there have derived the controller logic. Initial testing of the controller for a four-phase SRM drive has been completed. Thorough testing and further research are in progress.