Fault tolerant drives for safety critical applications

This project has researched fault tolerant electric drives for safety critical systems, with particular emphasis on avionic applications. The following items of research have been undertaken: (i) a search for power electronic converter and electrical machine topologies which offer high functionality in the event of component failures, with the minimum use of redundant power devices and components; (ii) research into fault detection techniques that determine which components have failed and the manner of failure before fault propagation occurs; (iii) development of control methods which reconfigure power device switching strategies in the faulted drive in order to maintain drive integrity and performance; and (iv) use of hybridisation techniques to produce high power density, reliable hardware. The above topics are predominantly generic in nature, but have been demonstrated on a single converter and drive. The demonstrator application of a 16 kW, 13000 rev/min aircraft fuel pump drive has been chosen as a suitable mid power range drive which requires all of the above research items to be addressed.