US 12,379,417 B2
Method and arrangement for determining the functionality of an alternator
Holger Dreher, Södertälje (SE); Markus Örn, Eskilstuna (SE); and Jeremy Stevens, London (GB)
Assigned to Scania CV AB, Södertälje (SE); and Prestolite Electric Ltd., Greenford (GB)
Appl. No. 17/785,191
Filed by Scania CV AB, Södertälje (SE); and Prestolite Electric Ltd., Greenford (GB)
PCT Filed Dec. 3, 2020, PCT No. PCT/SE2020/051162
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 14, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/126043, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 24, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 1951481-9 (SE), filed on Dec. 17, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0035162 A1, Feb. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. G01R 31/34 (2020.01)
CPC G01R 31/343 (2013.01) 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An arrangement for generating electric energy comprising an alternator having
a rotor which is configured to be connected to a source of mechanic energy for being rotated and which is provided with a winding for being magnetised by an electric current fed therethrough,
a stator surrounding the rotor and having at least three stator windings for generation of at least three phase voltages (U, V, W) in these windings upon rotation of the magnetised rotor therein, and
a rectifier with an input connected to the stator windings and configured to convert said phase voltages into a direct voltage on an output of the alternator,
the arrangement further comprising a control unit located remote to the alternator and configured to control the alternator by controlling the rotor current flowing through the rotor winding,
wherein the arrangement further comprises
means configured to measure the development over time of the difference of two (V, W) of said phase voltages connected to the input of the rectifier, and
an evaluation unit configured to evaluate the result of this measurement to determine the functionality of the alternator,
wherein the evaluation unit is configured to send the result of said evaluation to said control unit which is configured to make the control of the rotor current and by that of the alternator depending upon the result of said evaluation, and
wherein the evaluation unit is configured to compare the appearance of the development over time of the difference (UVW) of the two phase voltages measured with the appearance of a sine curve of a voltage difference (UE) expected for the rotor current actually flowing through the rotor winding to detect possible defects of components of said rectifier upon deviation of said measured voltage difference (UVW) from said expected voltage difference (UE) by at least a predetermined amount.