ALTERNATING CURRENT MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEM WITH EMERGENCY CONTROL

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention The present invention relates generally to a control system for an alternating current motor, such as an induction motor. More specifically, the invention relates to a control system including an inverter circuit, for driving an induction motor of an elevator hoist. Further particularly, the invention relates to an inverter circuit for an elevator driving induction motor which assumes an emergency control mode upon power failure, such as service interruption and so forth. Description of the Background Art When an inverter is employed in a driving system for an elevator, driving power which is variable of voltage and frequency, is applied for accelerating and decelerating an induction motor which drives the elevator cage. The amount of driving power to be applied to the induction motor is control by pulse width modulation (PWM) and by maintaning the current level to be applied to the inverter constant.

In modern elevator drive systems, particularly the drive systems for large size elevators, high power efficiency has been achieved by recirculating regenerated power to the inverter circuit. In such elevator drive systems, the inverters are disabled in response to service interruption or phase interruption. Mechanical brakes are then applied for stopping the elevator cage. Since the inverter in such conventional drive system is not in operation during energency control operation triggered by service interruptions or phase interruption, inertia energy of

the elevator is absorbed solely by the mechanical brake. As a consequence, the mechanical brake employed in the emergency control of the elevator drive system must be a heavy duty device which is rather bulky. Especially, in case of large size and high speed elevators which are available in nowadays, it is difficult to obtain satisfactory braking tirque by the mechanical brakes. Furthermore, when the induction motor is a egenerative motor, the regenerated energy cannot be recirculated to the inverter during emergency control initiated by service interruption or phase interruption. In such cases, a difficulty is encounter in absorption of the regenerative energy. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a drive system for an elevator driving induction motor, which can solve the aforementioned drawbacks encountered in the prior art emergency control systems. Another object of the invention is to provide a drive system for an elevator driving regenerative inductor motor which can reduce load on a mechanical brake for stopping the elevator and thus can allow the mechanical brake to be made compact. A further object of the invention is to provide a drive system for a regenerative induction motor which can protect switching elements in an inverter circuit of the drive system from excessive voltage or excessive current from the power source. In order to accomplish aforementioned and other objects, a control system for an alternating current motor-, such an induction motor in an elevator hoisting, according to the invention, performs emergency control in response to failure of the power supply, such as in a service interruption, phase disruption and so forth, performs in first emergency control mode and in

second emergency control mode. In first emergency control mode operation, a dynamic brake is used for decelerating the motor. On the other hand, the second emergency mode is only triggered while the motor is being driven in regeneration mode to recirculate regenerated power to decelerate the motor. In the second emergency control mode, a mechanical brake is applied. During second emergency control mode operation, power supply condition is monitored to detect failure of the power supply and switching control mode from the second emergency control mode to the first emergency control mode. Swiching of emergency control mode from the second emergency control mode to the first emergency control mode assures synchroneous operation of an inverter and the motor after resumption of the motor in case the power failure only occurs for a short period, such as in a temporary service interruption.

According to one aspect of the invention, a control system for an alternating current motor which is selectively driven in either a power mode in which alternating current power is supplied thereto and a regeneration mode in which power is regenerated therein, comprises first means, connected to an alternating power source, for converting alternating current power into direct current power, second means, connected to the first means to receive therefrom the converted direct current power, for converting the direct current power into a controlled frequency and amplitude of alternating current to supply to the alternating current motor, third means, associated with the second means and responsive to one of the levels of current and voltage exceeding a predetermined level in the first means during regeneration mode operation of the induction motor to perform dynamic braking, fourth means associated with the alternating current motor, for applying a mechanical brake, fifth means, incorporated

in the first means, for recirculating regenerated power from the alternating current motor operating in the regeneration mode via the second means, and sixth means for controlling the second means to drive the motor at an adjustable speed, the sixth means including a first emergency control means responsive to a power failure for disabling the fifth means to prevent flow of the regenerated power to the power source and reducing the current magnitude of the second means output power to a predetermined minimum limit low enough to maintain a synchronous relationship between the second means and the motor, for making the third means active for dynamically braking the motor when the power failure continues for a predetermined time, and a second emergency control means responsive to one of current level and voltage level in the first means exceeding of the predetermined level during regeneration mode operation of the alternating current motor, for activating the fourth means and monitoring power supply condition of the power source for detecting the fourth means being active, the second emergency control means activating the first emergency control means when power failure is detected while the fourth means is held in active, and otherwise controlling the fourth means for adjusting braking toque of the mechanical brake for decelerating the motor to stop.

According to another object of the invention, a control system for controlling an induction motor which is selectively driven in a power mode with alternating current power is supplied thereto and a regeneration mode in which power is regenerated therein, comprises a converter connected to a source of AC power for converting the AC power into DC powe , an inverter connected through relatively positive and negative conductors to the converter for inverting the DC power into AC output power having adjustable frequency,

voltage magnitude and current magnitude to drive the motor, the converter including regeneration means controlled to permit flow of power from the inverter to the power source during regenerative conditions, an electric resistor, a control circuit for controlling the inverter to drive the motor at an adjustable speed, the control circuit including a first emergency control means responsive to a power failure for disabling the fifth means to prevent flow of the regenerated power to the power source and reducing the current magnitude of the second means output power to a predetermined minimum limit low enough to maintain a synchronous relationship between the inverter and the motor, for dynamically braking the motor when the power failure continues for a predetermined first period and a second emergency control means responsive to one of current level and voltage level in the converter in excess of the predetermined levels during regeneration mode operation of the alternating current motor, for activating a mechanical brake for decelerating the motor, the second emergency control means monitoring power supply condition of the power source while the mechanical brake is active, and the second emergency control means activating the first emergency control means when power failure is detected while the mechanical brake is held in active, and for otherwise controlling braking torque of the mechanical brake for decelerating the motor to stop otherwise.

In the preferred construction, the induction motor control system may further comprise a third detector connected between the power source and the regenerating means for monitoring current level of the regenerated power to produce a second detector signal in response to the monitored current level exceeding a given current value, and a second detector connected

between the converter and inverter for monitoring voltage of power supplied from the power source to produce a first detector signal in response to the monitored voltage exceeding a given voltage value, and the second emergency control means of the control circuit is responsive to one of the first and second detector signals to perform emergency control operation. The second emergency control means of the control circuit checks the first and second detector signals for a predetermined second period of time in which the mechanical brake is held active.

In the preferred application, the induction motor is used as an elevator cage hoisting motor for driving an elevator cage, and the first and second emergency control means while in operation, control the induction motor to stop the elevator cage at a predetermined position. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood more fully from the detailed description given herebelow and from the accompanying drawings of the preferred embodiment of the invention, which, however, should not be taken to limit the invention to the specific embodiment but are for explanation and understanding only.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing one embodiment of an alternating current motor control apparatus made in accordance with the invention; Figs. 2A to 2H are graphic illustrations used in explaining the operation of the invention; and

Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing a routine to be triggered in response to excessive voltage or excessive current in a converter circuit of the alternating current motor control system of Fig. 1, for performing emergency control.

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DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1, a converter system 20 includes input conductors 11, 12 and 13 for receiving electric power from a suitable three-phase AC power source 10, such as a commercial power source. The input conductors 11, 12 and 13 carry the three-phase AC power to a three-phase power rectifier 21 which is operative to convert AC power to DC power for energizing a DC link shown as the relatively positive conductor 22 and the relatively negative conductor 23. The power rectifier 21 is shown as including a plurality of parallel pairs of series-connected diodes. A capacitor 24 spans the DC link for smoothing the rectified power. The DC power across the smoothing capacitor 24 is applied to respective DC input terminals 30a and 30b of a power inverter 30-. The inverter 30 is shown as including a plurality of parallel pairs of series-connected power transistor circuits arranged and controlled to convert the DC input power into three-phase AC output power having adjustable frequency and voltage magnitude. Each of the power transistor circuits has known structure including a power transistor.

Though power transistor circuits are generally known per se to those skilled in the art, a power transistor circuit which has been illustrated in the PCT Application filed with Japanese Receiving Office on May 13, 1988, entitled "CLIPPER CIRCUIT. FOR POWER TRANSMISSION CIRCUIT AND INVERTER CIRCUIT UTILIZING THE SAME" and has also been illustrated in the co-pending Japanese Utility Model Application No. 62-71248, filed on May 13, 1987, will be applicable for constituting the power inverter 30. Therefore, the disclosure of the above-identified PCT and Japanese Utility Model Applications will be herein incorporated by reference.

Each of the power transistor circuit in the

power transistor circuits has its base or control electrode coupled to a control circuit 50 which supplys the power transistors with cyclic gate pulses to turn on the power transistors in a predetermined sequence and at a desired frequency. The power transistor-based power inverter may be replaced with other types of inverter circuits, such as thyristor inverter, GTO inverter and so forth. The three-phase AC output is supplied through output conductors 31, 32 and 33 to a three-phase induction motor 40 which is used to drive an elevator passenger cage (not shown) .

The induction motor 40 can be propelled (motoring or power mode) or retarded (braking mode) as desired by appropriately varying the frequency and the amplitude of the excitation that the inverter 30 applies to the induction motor 40. For this purpose, the control circuit 50 regulates and controls the operation of the inverter 30 in programmed response to a plurality of input signals which may comprise a signal representing the desired motor speed and a feedback signal representative of the actual motor speed. The control circuit 50 utilizes a pulse width modulation (PWM) control technique to produce gating pulses so as to periodically switch the respective power transistors of the inverter 30 in accordance with a speed pattern programmed into the control circuit 50.

During the motoring mode operation of the inverter 30, the AC power generated by the inverter is supplied to the the induction motor 40 for driving latter for driving the elevator cage. On the other hand, upon braking of the induction motor 40 for stopping the elevator cage wherein the inverter 30 operates in regeneration mode, regenerated power from the induction motor recirculates through the inverter and is absorbed by a dynamic brake circuit including a regenerated power absorbing resistor 60 and a switching

transistor 62. The regenerated power of the induction motor 40 is also absorbed by the smoothing capacitor 24. The converter system 20 also includes a plurality of parallel pairs of series-connected power transistors arranged and controlled to feed the regenerated current to the AC power source 10. For this purpose, each of the power transistors has its base or controlled electrode coupled to the control circuit 50. These power transistors may be replaced with silicon controlled rectifiers or other switching elements to obtain the same result.

The control circuit 50 operates on regulated DC power supplied from a constant-voltage regulated power source (PS) 52 which is supplied with DC power from the converter system 20. The control circuit 50 receives inputs from various detection circuits including a power failure detection circuit (PF) 54, a voltage shortage detection circuit (VS) 56 and a regenerated current detection circuit (RC) 58. The power failure detection circuit 54 has three inputs connected to the respective input conductors 11, 12 and 13 for producing a power failure indication signal NV when a power failure such as service interruption, open-phase, or the like occurs. The voltage shortage detection circuit 56 has two inputs connected to the respective positive and negative conductors 22 and 23 for producing a voltage shortage indication signal UV when a voltage drop appears in the AC power source 10 or the inverter system 20. The overcurrent detection circuit 58 is connected to input conductors 11 and 13 for monitoring current level during regeneration mode operation to produce an overcurrent indicative signal OC when regenerated current in excess of a predetermined value is detected. These signals NV, UV and OC are applied to the control circuit 50.

As shown in Fig. 1, the smoothing capacitor 24

is connected in parallel with the dynamic brake circuit including the resistor 60 and the switching transistor 62. The switching transistor 62 has a base or controlled electrode connected to the output of an AND gate 64. The AND gate 64 has an input connected to the control circuit 50 and another input connected to an overvoltage detection circuit (OV) 66. The overvoltage detection circuit 66 has two inputs connected to the positive and negative conductors 22 and 23 for producing an overvoltage indication signal OV in the form of a high-level signal to the AND gate 64 when an overvoltage appears at the output of the converter system 20. It is to be noted, of course, that the switching transistor 62 may be replaced with silicon controlled rectifier or other switching element.

In response to the power failure indication signal NV or the voltage shortage indication signal UV, the control circuit 50 carries out the following controls. First, the control circuit 50 controls the power transistors of the converter system 20 to interrupt the regenerated current flow to the AC power source 10. This is effective to protect the power transistors from breakage due to excessive current flow caused when a power failure occurs during a regenerative condition. Second, the control circuit 50 controls the inverter 30 to reduce its output current to a predetermined minimum limit low enough to maintain the synchronous relationship between the inverter 30 and the induction motor 40. This is effective to keep the induction motor running while minimizing the DC voltage drop across the conductors 22 and 23 so as to facilitate the resumption of the induction motor operation upon resumption of the power supply after the power failure. Third, the control circuit 50 produces a high-level signal to open the AND gate 64. The output of the AND gate 64 changes to its high level turning on the power

transistor 62 so as to connect the braking resistor 60 across the capacitor 24 when the overvoltage detection circuit 66 produces an overvoltage indication signal OV. This is effective to protect the power transistors and the capacitor 24 from breakage due to excessive current flow caused after the regenerated current flow is interrupted.

The operation of the invention may be better understood by the following discussion with reference to Figs. 2A to 2H and 3. It is assumed that a power failure occurs at time t~, as shown in Fig. 2B, during the motoring mode operation where the control circuit 50 controls the inverter 30 to drive the induction motor 40 at a target speed Ns, as shown in Fig. 2A. At time t,, the power failure detection circuit 54 or the voltage shortage detection circuit 56 produces a signal indicative of the power failure to the control circuit 50, as shown in Fig. 2D. In response to this failure indication signal, the control circuit 50 turns off the power transistors of the converter system 20 to prevent regenerated current flow to the AC power source 10, as shown in Fig. 2F. The control circuit 50 controls the inverter 30 to reduce the output current to the induction motor 40 to a predetermined minimum limit low enough to maintain the synchronous relationship between the inverter 30 and the induction motor 40, as shown in Fig. 2H. At the same time, the control circuit 50 feed a high-level signal to the AND gate 64.

If necessary, the dynamic brake circuit may be associated with fail-safe system therefor as described in the co-pending PCT Application PCT/JP88/00212. The disclosure of the above-identified co-pending PCT Application will be herein incorporated by reference for the sake of disclosure. When power supply from the power source is resumed within a relatively short period, e.g. within

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several tens seconds, the control circuit 50 controls the AND gate 64 to shut with a low level signal thereto. By this, the switching transistor 62 is turned off to make the dynamic brake circuit non-conductive. At the same time, dynamic braking applied of the induction motor 40 is ceased. On the other hand, if the power failure continues for a predetermined time T_, for example _r several tens of seconds, the control circuit 50 detects the duration of the power failure exceeding the predetermined time T _D at a time t., as shown in Fig. 2E, and controls the inverter 30 to operate the induction motor 40 for deceleration, as shown in Fig. 2A, while at the same time releasing the current limitation, as shown in Fig. 2C. Under these circumstances, current will flow from the induction motor 40 through the inverter 30 to charge the capacitor 24, causing an excessive voltage across the conductors 22 and 23. The overvoltage detection circuit 66 detects this excessive voltage and generates the overvoltage indication signal OV. Since the AND gate 64 has been opened, the overvoltage indication signal OV changes the output of the AND gate 64 to its high level turning on the power transistor 62 to connect the braking resistor 60 across the capacitor 24, at a time t~. Under these conditions, the braking resistor 60 serves to absoprb energy generated by dynamic braking so as to decelerate the induction motor 40 and reduce the regenerated current. At a time t^, when the voltage across the conductors 22 and 23 drops below a predetermined level, the overvoltage detection circuit 66 stops generating the overvoltage indication signal OV and turns off the power transistor 62 so as to discontinue the dynamic braking. Thereafter, a mechanical braking means is used to bring the elevator to a stop. It is to be noted that, during the period between time t and time t. , the inverter 30 operates in

a normal manner except for its output current being at a predetermined minimum limit. Assuming now that the power failure ceases at time t, which is prior to time t., as shown by the broken line of Fig. 2B, the power failure indication signal ceases at time t_,, as shown by the broken line of Fig. 2D, and thus, the control circuit 50 controls the inverter 30 to return its output current to its initial magnitude, as shown by the broken line of Fig. 2H, and turns on the power transistors of the converter system 20 to permit flow of regenerated current to the AC power source 10, as shown by the broken line of Fig. 2F. In addition, the control circuit 50 holds the AND gate 64 closed to prevent the dynamic braking function of the braking resistor 60, as shown by the broken line of Fig. 2G.

As described previously, the control circuit 50 is responsive to a power failure for stopping the regeneration function and reducing the inverter output current to a predetermined minimum level low enough to maintain a synbchronous relationship between the inverter 30 and the induction motor 40. If the power failure ceases within the predetermined time T _n , the control circuit 50 returns the inverter 30 to its normal operation mode. Otherwise, the control circuit 50 commands the induction motor 40 to operate in dynamic braking mode. If the power failure occurs during a regenerative condition, the overvoltage detector 66 will produce an overvoltage indication signal to start the dynamic braking operation of the induction motor before the lapse of the time T_ so that the induction motor 40 can be stopped.

When failure of power source 10 occurs while the converter circuit 20 is operating in the regeneration mode, it is possible that the input level at the input conductors 11, 12 and 13 remain at normal level because of the presence of regenerated energy. In

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such case, the power failure detection circuit 54 may fail to detect the power failure. Therefore, the control circuit 50 may maintain normal mode control while the system is operating regeneration mode. An emergency stop operation is performed in the converter circuit 20 and the inverter circuit 30 when excessive voltage or excessive current is detected, for protecting the power transistors in the converter circuit and the inverter circuit. In this emergency stop operation, the induction motor 40 is decelerated to a stop by means of the mechanical brake or combination of the mechanical brake and dynamic brake. This tends to destroy the synchroneous relationship between the inverter 30 and the induction motor 40. Therefore, if this is performed as in the prior art, synchroneous operation after temporary interruption of service becomes impossible.

In order to avoid this, the preferred embodiment of the induction motor driving system according to the invention, performs an emergency control operation according to the routine shown in Fig. 3, when abnormality of the power source is detected during regeneration mode operation. As will be appreciated, since the abnormality of the power source 10 is detected by the regenerated current detection circuit 58 or the overvoltage detection circuit 66, the control circuit 50 is responsive to the overcurrent indicative signal OC from the regenerated current detection cirtcuit 58 and/or the overcurrent indicative signal OV from the overcoltage detection circuit 66 during regeneration mode operation of the system, to initiate emergency control operation according to the routine of Fig. 3.

In the preferred embodiment, since the overvoltage at the conductors 22 and 23 reflects overcoltage in the converter circuit 20 and the overcurrent at the conductors 11 and 13 reflects

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overcurrent in the converter, the emergency control operation is initiated in response to overvoltage or overcurrent in the converter 20.

Immediately after starting the emergency control operation, mechanical brake is applied to the induction motor 40 or to the elevator cage for deceleration, at step 100. During this mechanical braking deceleration, the signal level of the power failure indicative signal NV is cyclically checked at step 102. When power failure is detected at the step 102, the emergency control in response to the power failure as discussed in connection with the timing chart of Fig. 2 is performed at a step 104.

On the other hand, when power failure is not detected as checked at the step 102, elapsed time is checked at a step 106. When the elapsed time checked at the step 106 is shorter than a given period, the process of the step 102 is performed again. Therefore, within the given period, the steps 102 and 106 are cyclically and repeatedly performed for detecting failure of the power source 10 during deceleration. If failure of the power source 10 is not detected during the given period through the process in the steps 102 and 106, mechanical braking is continued in active position and braking force may be increased to stop the induction motor 40, at a step 108.

Through the foregoing process, the abnormality of the power source 10, such as interruption of service, phase open and so forth can alwayd be detected even when the system operates in regeneration mode. Therefore, upon detection of the power failure, power failure responsive emergency control as discussed in connection with the timing chart of Fig. 2 can be performed. This avoids necessity of emergency stopping of the induction motor in response to abnormality of the power source. Furthermore, by performing the power failure responsive

emergency control, synchroneous operation of the inverter circuit and the induction motor can be maintained even if the power is termporarily interrupted. While the present invention has been disclosed in terms of the preferred embodiment in order to facilitate better understanding of the invention, it should be appreciated that the invention can be embodied in various ways without departing from the principle of the invention. Therefore, the invention should be understood to include all possible embodiments and modifications to the shown embodiments which can be embodied without departing from the principle of the invention set out in the appended claims. For instance, though the shown embodiment of the induction motor drive control system performs motor speed control in emergency control operation, it may be possible to apply the same idea or process in emergency control for induction motor torque control. In such case, the motor torque control discussed in the co-pending PCT Application filed with Japanese Receiving Office on May 13, 1988, entitled "REVOLUTION SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM FOR INDUCTION MOTOR WiTH FEATURE OF TEMPERATURE DEPENDENT SPEED CONTROL DEPENDING UPON SECONDARY COIL IN INDUCTION MOTOR" , the invention of which is also disclosed in Japanses Patent Application No. 62-116444, filed on May 13, 1987, may be advantageously applicable. Therefore, the disclosure of the above identified PCT and Japanese Patent applications will be herein incorporated by reference.

Furthermore, though the shown embodiment simply resumes synchroneous operation of the induction motor and the inverter upon resumption of the power supply after temporary service interruption, it may be possible to accelerate the motor upon resumption of the service or to tempoerarily stop the motor and thereafter

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re-start the motor. In other words, the motor driving pattern upon resumption of the interrupted power can be freely selected.

In addition, when the hoisting direction of the elevator cage, upon detection of abnormality of the power supply, requires driving torque in regeneration mode, it may be possible in emergency control mode to stop the elevator cage at the nearest floor. Furthermore, in case where a power failure occurs during power mode operation, if the speed of the elevator cage is high and the distance required for safe deceleration is long, motor driving speed pattern for deceleration and braking torque may be controlled in emergency control mode for stopping the elevator cage at a position where the elevator door can be safely opened and closed.