One of the limitations of conventional auto-sequentially commutated inverter (ASCI) for high-power induction motor drives is the high voltage that is produced in the commutation capacitors during the current commutation from one phase to another. A brief review of the literature on limiting the capacitor voltage and clamping the voltage spikes is given.
A method that improved on the limitation of the ASCI is proposed. This methods are that the stored energy in the commutating capacitor is recoverd to the motor itself and the capacitor energy recovery and line-to-line current commutation of the motor starts simultaneously. The inverter employing such an idea is referred as to a simultaneous recovery and commutation inverter (SRCI). The theoretical analysis during commutating interval is shown. Several results of computer simulation and experiment show the superiorities of SRCI.