Rescue control and method of operating an elevator system including a permanent magnet (PM) synchronous motor drive system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11014778-B2
Application number	US-201615750955-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 3, 2016
Priority date	Aug 7, 2015
Publication date	May 25, 2021
Grant date	May 25, 2021

Abstract

A permanent magnet (PM) synchronous electric motor ( 34 ) includes a plurality of phases, and a plurality of motor drives ( 55,58 ) electrically connected to the PM synchronous electric motor. Each of the motor drives is operatively connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of phases. The plurality of motor drives is configured and disposed to deliver a torque current divided equally between each of the plurality of phases and independently deliver flux current to the corresponding one of the plurality of phases. A controller ( 44 ) is operatively connected to each of the plurality of motor drives to selectively control the PM synchronous electric motor, and a rescue module ( 120 ) operatively connected to the controller, the rescue module being configured and disposed to determine a failure of one of the plurality of motor drives and control the PM synchronous electric motor in a reduced operation profile employing remaining ones of the plurality of motor drives.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An elevator drive system comprising:
a permanent magnet (PM) synchronous electric motor including a plurality of phases;
a plurality of motor drives electrically connected to the PM synchronous electric motor, each of the plurality of motor drives being operatively connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of phases, the plurality of motor drives being configured and disposed to deliver a torque current divided equally between each of the plurality of phases and independently deliver flux current to the corresponding one of the plurality of phases;
a controller operatively connected to each of the plurality of motor drives to selectively control the PM synchronous electric motor; and
a rescue module operatively connected to the controller, the rescue module being configured and disposed to determine a failure of one of the plurality of motor drives and control the PM synchronous electric motor in a reduced operation profile employing remaining ones of the plurality of motor drives;
wherein one of the plurality of motor drives is designated as a primary motor drive and remaining ones of the plurality of motor drives are designated as secondary motor drives.

2. The elevator drive system according to claim 1 , wherein the rescue module designates one of the secondary motor drives as a temporary primary motor drive in the event of a failure of the primary motor drive.

3. The elevator drive system according to claim 1 , wherein upon determining a failure of one of the plurality of motor drives, the rescue module is configured and disposed to signal remaining ones of the plurality of motor drives to deliver a torque current divided equally between each of the plurality of phases associated with the remaining ones of the plurality of motor drives.

4. The elevator drive system according to claim 3 , wherein the rescue module is configured and disposed to signal the remaining ones of the plurality of motor drives to adjust flux current to account for the failure of the one of the plurality of motor drives.

5. An elevator system comprising:
a hoistway;
a car movably arranged with the hoistway; and
an elevator drive system operatively connected to the car, the drive system comprising:
a permanent magnet (PM) synchronous electric motor operatively connected to the car, the PM synchronous electric motor including a plurality of phases;
a plurality of motor drives electrically connected to the PM synchronous electric motor, each of the plurality of motor drives being operatively connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of phases, the plurality of motor drives being configured and disposed to equally deliver torque current to each of the plurality of phases and independently deliver flux current to the corresponding one of the plurality of phases;
a controller operatively connected to each of the plurality of motor drives to selectively control the PM synchronous electric motor; and
a rescue module operatively connected to the controller, the rescue module being configured and disposed to determine a failure of one of the plurality of motor drives and control the PM synchronous electric motor in a reduced operation profile employing remaining ones of the plurality of motor drives;
wherein one of the plurality of motor drives is designated as a primary motor drive and remaining ones of the plurality of motor drives are designated as secondary motor drives.

6. The elevator system according to claim 5 , wherein the rescue module designates one of the secondary motor drives as a temporary primary motor drive in the event of a failure of the primary motor drive.

7. The elevator system according to claim 5 , wherein upon determining a failure of one of the plurality of motor drives, the rescue module is configured and disposed to signal remaining ones of the plurality of motor drives to deliver a torque current divided equally between each of the plurality of phases associated with the remaining ones of the plurality of motor drives.

8. The elevator system according to claim 7 , wherein the rescue module is configured and disposed to signal the remaining ones of the plurality of motor drives to adjust flux current to account for the failure of the one of the plurality of motor drives.

9. A method of operating an elevator system having a permanent magnet (PM) synchronous electric motor and a plurality of motor drives equally distributing torque current to each of a plurality of associated phases of the PM synchronous electric motor in a reduced operating profile comprising:
identifying one of the plurality of motor drives as a faulty drive;
initiating a reduced operation profile for remaining ones of the plurality of motor drives;
determining whether continued reduced operation profile operation is indicated; and
moving an elevator car to a rescue floor if continued reduced profile operation is contraindicated;
wherein identifying one of the plurality of motor drives as a faulty motor drive includes identifying whether the faulty motor drive is one of a primary motor drive and a secondary motor drive.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising: designating a secondary motor drive as a temporary primary motor drive if the faulty motor drive is the primary motor drive.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising: distributing torque current substantially equally to the associated ones of the plurality of phases through the remaining ones of the plurality of motor drives.

12. The method of claim 9 , further comprising: signaling the remaining ones of the plurality of motor drives to adjust flux current to account for the failure of the one of the plurality of motor drives.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein moving the elevator car to a rescue floor includes moving the elevator car along a hoistway to a next adjacent floor.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising: determining a load in the elevator car relative to a weight of a counterweight of the elevator system.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising: shifting the elevator car upward to the next adjacent floor if the load in the elevator car is less than the weight of the counterweight.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising: shifting the elevator car downward to the next adjacent floor if the load in the elevator car is greater than the weight of the counterweight.

17. The method of claim 9 , wherein determining whether continued reduced operation profile operation is indicated includes determining one of a number of motor drive failures, a type of motor drive failure and a designation of each failed motor drive.

Assignees

• Otis Elevator Co

Inventors

• Piedra Edward D
• Nagarajan Prasanna

Classifications

• B66B1/308 Primary

  with AC powered elevator drive · CPC title

• B66B5/027

  to permit passengers to leave an elevator car in case of failure, e.g. moving the car to a reference floor or unlocking the door · CPC title

• B66B9/00

  Kinds or types of lifts in, or associated with, buildings or other structures (characterised by control systems B66B1/00; apparatus for raising or lowering persons on stages of theatres A63J5/12) · CPC title

• B66B11/043

  actuated by rotating motor; Details, e.g. ventilation (roping on drum, sheave, winch or pulley B66B11/0065; power supply or control B66B1/28, H02P; motor construction H02K) · CPC title