Control of a fault-tolerant quadruple three-phase induction machine for more electric aircrafts

The intrinsic high fault tolerant capability of multiple three-phase drives represents an attractive opportunity for critical applications, such as More Electric Aircraft (MEA), in which a high degree of reliability is required. In this paper, a fault tolerant vector control algorithm for quadruple three-phase induction machines, allowing torque and rotor flux regulation, is developed. Four conventional three-phase inverters supply independently the four three-phase stator windings. If a fault prevents one or more three-phase windings from being fed, the machine can continue operating, but the machine power is proportionately reduced. The results of numerical simulations and experimental tests prove the effectiveness of the presented control scheme.