Fail-Safe Dynamic Brake for Three-Phase Induction Machines

In several applications, a fail-safe brake (one designed to operate with loss of power) is required for three-phase induction machines. Typical braking methods for induction machines require external energy sources which are not fail-safe, or a mechanical friction brake which is costly and requires maintenance. A simple cost-effective fail-safe braking scheme is proposed for three-phase induction machines. Static and dynamic analyses of the proposed brake are presented along with analytical results. Experimental daia are included for comparison with the analytical results.