Barber-Nichols Engineers Granted Patent for Brushless DC Motor Controller

Barber-Nichols engineers Robert Fuller and David Wehrlen have been granted United States Patent Number US 9,231,504 B2 for a Brushless DC (BLDC) motor electrical control system that increases motor efficiency by reducing pulse width modulation switching frequency to smooth and reduce harmonics present in the motor current waveform. This invention allows the operation of BLDC motors at significantly higher speeds due to reduced motor heating. Barber-Nichols has demonstrated operation of the newly patented system up to 175,000 rpm and 24kW and continually strives to extend these limits.