Design methods for current source inverter/induction motor drive systems

A current source inverter combined with a controlled slip induction motor is a reliable and rugged ac drive system. The majority of the inverters in use today are the voltage source type using auxiliary impulse commutation. However, recent advances in SCR blocking voltage capability are making the complementary impulse commutated current source inverter a viable competitor. Because inverter and machine behavior are highly interdependent, a computer simulation was developed to study the system; simultaneously, a 100HP system was built and tested in the laboratory. The paper compares voltage and current waveforms from the laboratory model with those from the computer simulation. The excellent correlation obtained between computer and test results demonstrate that optimization of system parameters and prediction of system performance can readily be accomplished by computer simulation.