Comprehensive Analysis and Solution of Voltage Build-Up Failure in Aircraft PM-Assisted Reluctance Starter/Generator System

Permanent-magnet-assisted reluctance (PMAREL) machine possesses the potential as the aircraft starter/generator (S/G) for its high power density, high efficiency, and tolerance to short-circuit faults. For aircraft S/G systems, the voltage build-up is a prerequisite for power generation. However, the voltage build-up of the PMAREL S/G system may fail if the initial dc-link voltage is low and the control is fast-response. In this article, the mechanism of the voltage build-up failure is clarified. The conduction feature of power devices in the power electronic converter when the dc-link voltage is clamped at 0 V are explored. Conditions for clamping the dc-link voltage at 0 V all the time is determined. An integrated control method is proposed to cope with the voltage build-up failure as well as improve the dynamic performance of the S/G system. Based on a prototype of PMAREL S/G system, the correctness of the analysis and the effectiveness of the proposed method are verified through experiments.