METHOD FOR MITIGATING NEGATIVE SEQUENCE EFFECT RESULTING FROM NON-SYMMETRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT FAILURE OF SYNCHRONOUS ELECTRIC MACHINE BASED SYSTEMS

A drive system for a multi-phase electric machine with a permanent magnet rotor, the drive system may comprise conduction paths for each phase. Detectors on each of the conduction paths may determine electrical condition of the conduction path. At least one selectable interconnection path may be present between all of the conduction paths. The at least one selectable interconnection path may be operable to connect all of the conduction paths together responsively to one or more of the detectors determining that the electrical condition of its respective electrical path is representative of a predetermined electrical fault condition so that heating of the rotor during continued rotation of the rotor is prevented.