On the analysis and control of four‐switch three‐phase inverter fed brushless motor drives

Purpose – This paper aims at the improvement of the cost‐effectiveness of brushless DC motor (BDCM) drives integrated in electric and hybrid propulsion systems.Design/methodology/approach – The cost‐effectiveness improvement is gained through the reduction of the topology of the inverter in the armature which turns to have two legs (four switches) rather than three legs (six switches) in conventional inverters. This has been made possible thanks to the availability of the battery pack in automotive applications.Findings – It has been found that the four‐switch three‐phase inverter (FSTPI) fed BDCM drive has almost the same performance as the six‐switch three‐phase inverter (SSTPI) fed BDCM.Research limitations/implications – This works should be extended by an experimental validation of the established results.Practical implications – The reduction of the topology of the inverter in the armature of the BDCM opens up crucial cost benefits especially in large‐scale production industries, such as the automot...