I am new to this forum, and I'm an engineer, so there is likely some over-thinking going on. I'm really enjoying learning about the innovations coming form GRIN Technologies, but I'm wanting a little more clarity on some terminology. In the industrial world, the standard motor controller is a VFD or Variable Frequency Drive. The VFD delivers three phases of PWM DC power to an AC motor, and has common use in household appliances like the clothes washing machine, and it's what drives many modern E-cars. A few advantages of VFD control are:
1: a built-in gearing system (motor speed is tuned by frequency, which minimizes some limitations of gear reductions and motor winding configurations)
2: regenerative braking is included
3: VFD has favorable efficiency for stationary use, even after AC to DC inverter losses, which means even greater efficiency for mobile application as the battery is already supplying DC.
Is VFD-like control available for a Brushless motor? Is anybody making VFD e-bikes? What is implied by controller names like "Phase Runner"? three phases? What can an Engineer tinker with to make this all possible?
1: a built-in gearing system (motor speed is tuned by frequency, which minimizes some limitations of gear reductions and motor winding configurations)
2: regenerative braking is included
3: VFD has favorable efficiency for stationary use, even after AC to DC inverter losses, which means even greater efficiency for mobile application as the battery is already supplying DC.
Is VFD-like control available for a Brushless motor? Is anybody making VFD e-bikes? What is implied by controller names like "Phase Runner"? three phases? What can an Engineer tinker with to make this all possible?