LAUSR

A fault-tolerant permanent magnet synchronous motor drive is proposed in this article. The strategy is based on finite-control-set model-predictive control that is easy to implement and replaces the conventional proportional-integral controllers and pulsewidth modulators. A three-phase four-wire converter topology is used, which connects the neutral of the motor to the middle of the dc link in a capacitive divider. The main contribution of the proposed strategy relies on the fact that no reconfigurations or modifications of the converter topology and the controller strategy are required from normal operation to postfault operation. As a result, the transition from healthy to faulty state is smooth and not noticeable in the torque waveform. In addition, a simple fault detection method is derived by using the predicted variables. Experimental results, obtained from a laboratory prototype, validate the practical feasibility of the proposed strategy and show a pulsation-free torque on fault operation.