by small_steps » Sun 16 Jan 2005, 21:58:52
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('starm', 's')mall_steps I don't understand what you are talking about. Bytesmiths is right electric motors have high torque at low speed. That is why you don't need the standard multi-gear transmission. The only thing you might need is some kind of clutch between the diesel engine and the generator and maybe one gear to get the right speed ration between them. Everything else can be controled by electronics.
What I was talking about was the effects of the limits of the electronics. The torque output of the machines at low speed is determined by the current ratings of the switches used (generally IGBTs). This is because torque is the product of magnetic flux and current in the machine.
The speed limit is determined by the voltage rating of the converter.
This is problematic because the voltage of a motor is proportional to speed and the magnetic flux. To go above the rated speed of the motor, we must reduce the flux in the machine.
This may be worth reading:
http://www.formulasun.org/asc/tech/SAE_1999-01-1152.pdf
Note figure 1.
You could overspec the current/voltage ratings of the converter (and motor) if you wish, but it would likely cost you in money,weight, and efficiency.
I would like to apoligize to Bytesmith, for what I had thought was a valid critism of an all-electric "transmission" and its reduced efficiency compared to the traditional transmission.