Novel modular fault tolerant switched reluctance machine for reliable factory automation systems

Electrical machines and drives used in diverse critical fields like advanced factory automation systems, automotive and aerospace applications, military, energy and medical equipment, etc. require both special motor and converter topologies to achieve high level fault tolerance. In the paper a novel modular fault tolerant switched reluctance machine is proposed. Its stator is built up of simply to manufacture and to replace modules. The machine is able to have continuous operation despite winding faults of diverse severity. It is fed by a special power converter having separate half H-bridge leg for each coil. Thus a complex and high reliable electrical system is obtained. By advanced dynamic co-simulations (using a coupled Flux 2D and Simulink^® program) the behaviour of the drive system under five winding fault conditions are studied. The obtained results prove the fault tolerant capacity of the proposed machine.