Artificial intelligence applied to speed sensorless induction motor drives

During the last two decades there has been considerable development of sensorless vector controlled induction motor drives for high performance industrial applications. Such control strategies reduce the drive's cost, size and maintenance requirements while increasing the system's reliability and robustness. Parameter sensitivity, high computational effort and instability at low and zero speed can be the main shortcomings of sensorless control. Sensorless drives have been successfully applied for medium and high speed operation, but low and zero speed operation is still a critical problem. Much recent research effort is focused on extending the operating region of sensorless drives near zero stator frequency. Several strategies have been proposed for rotor speed estimation in sensorless induction motor drives based on the machine fundamental excitation model. Among these techniques Model Reference Adaptive Systems (MRAS) schemes are the most common strategies employed due to their relative simplicity and low computational effort. Rotor flux-MRAS is the most popular MRAS strategy and significant attempts have been made to improve the performance of this scheme at low speed. Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques have attracted much attention in the past few years as powerful tools to solve many control problems. Common AI strategies include neural networks, fuzzy logic and genetic algorithms. The mam purpose of this work is to show that AI can be used to improve the sensorless performance of the well-established MRAS observers in the critical low and zero speed region of operation. This thesis proposes various novel methods based on AI combined with MRAS observers. These methods have been implemented via simulation but also on an experimental drive based around a commercial induction machine. Detailed simulations and experimental tests are carried out to investigate the performance of the proposed schemes when compared to the conventional rotor fluxMRAS. Various schemes are implemented and tested in real time using a 7.5 kW induction machine and a dSP ACE DS 1103 controller board. The results presented for these new schemes show the great improvement in the performance of the MRAS observer in both open loop and sensorless modes of operation at low and zero speed.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceMinistry of Higher Education, Arab Republic of EgyptGBUnited Kingdo

Sensored and sensorless speed control methods for brushless doubly fed reluctance motors

The study considers aspects of scalar V/f control, vector control and direct torque (and flux) control (DTC) of the brushless doubly fed reluctance machine (BDFRM) as a promising cost-effective alternative to the existing technological solutions for applications with restricted variable speed capability such as large pumps and wind turbine generators. Apart from providing a comprehensive literature review and analysis of these control methods, the development and results of experimental verification, of an angular velocity observerbased DTC scheme for sensorless speed control of the BDFRM which, unlike most of the other DTC-concept applications, can perform well down to zero supply frequency of the inverter-fed winding, have also been presented in the study

Improved rotor flux estimation at low speeds for torque MRAS-based sensorless induction motor drives

In this paper, an improved rotor flux estimation method for the Torque model reference adaptive schemes (TMRAS) sensorless induction machine drive is proposed to enhance its performance in low and zero speed conditions. The conventional TMRAS scheme uses an open loop flux estimator and a feedforward term, with basic low pass filters replacing the pure integrators. However, the performance of this estimation technique has drawbacks at very low speeds with incorrect flux estimation significantly affecting this inherently sensorless scheme. The performance of the proposed scheme is verified by both simulated and experimental testing for an indirect vector controlled 7.5-kW induction machine. Results show the effectiveness of the proposed estimator in the low- and zero-speed regions with improved robustness against motor parameter variation compared to the conventional method

Machine Model Based Speed Estimation Schemes for Speed Encoderless Induction Motor Drives: a Survey

Speed Estimation without speed sensors is a complex phenomenon and is overly dependent on the machine parameters. It is all the more significant during low speed or near zero speed operation. There are several approaches to speed estimation of an induction motor. Eventually, they can be classified into two types, namely, estimation based on the machine model and estimation based on magnetic saliency and air gap space harmonics. This paper, through a brief literature survey, attempts to give an overview of the fundamentals and the current trends in various machine model based speed estimation techniques which have occupied and continue to occupy a great amount of research space

A new sensorless method for switched reluctance motor drives

This paper describes a new method for indirect sensing of the rotor position in switched reluctance motors (SRMs) using pulse width modulation voltage control. The detection method uses the change of the derivative of the phase current to detect the position where a rotor pole and stator pole start to overlap, giving one position update per energy conversion. As no a priori knowledge of motor parameters is required (except for the numbers of stator and rotor poles), the method is applicable to most SRM topologies in a wide power and speed range and for several inverter topologies. The method allows modest closed-loop dynamic performance. To start up the motor, a feedforward stepping method is used which assures robust startup (even under load) from standstill to a predefined speed at which closed-loop sensorless operation can be applied. Experimental results demonstrate the robust functionality of the method with just one current sensor in the inverter, even with excitation overlap, and the sensorless operation improves with speed. The method is comparable to the back-EMF position estimation for brushless DC motors in principle, performance and cost. A detailed operation and implementation of this scheme is shown, together with steady-state and dynamic transient test results

Sensorless control for limp-home mode of EV applications

PhD ThesisOver the past decade research into electric vehicles’ (EVs) safety, reliability and availability has become a hot topic and has attracted a lot of attention in the literature. Inevitably these key areas require further study and improvement. One of the challenges EVs face is speed/position sensor failure due to vibration and harsh environments. Wires connecting the sensor to the motor controller have a high likelihood of breakage. Loss of signals from the speed/position sensor will bring the EV to halt mode. Speed sensor failure at a busy roundabout or on a high speed motorway can have serious consequences and put the lives of drivers and passengers in great danger. This thesis aims to tackle the aforementioned issues by proposing several novel sensorless schemes based on Model Reference Adaptive Systems (MRAS) suitable for limp-home mode of EV applications. The estimated speed from these schemes is used for the rotor flux position estimation. The estimated rotor flux position is employed for sensorless torque-controlled drive (TCD) based on indirect rotor field oriented control (IRFOC). The capabilities of the proposed schemes have been evaluated and compared to the conventional back-Electromotive Force MRAS (back-EMF MRAS) scheme using simulation environment and a test bench setup. The new schemes have also been tested on electric golf buggies. The results presented for the proposed schemes show that utilising these schemes provide a reliable and smooth sensorless operation during vehicle test-drive starting from standstill and over a wide range of speeds, including the field weakening region. Employing these new schemes for sensorless TCD in limp-home mode of EV applications increases safety, reliability and availability of EVs

Unaprijeđeno upravljanje momentom visokobrzinskog pogona s asinkronim motorom bez mjerenja brzine

This paper presents improved torque control scheme for a high speed sensorless induction motor drive. The proposed high speed torque control scheme substitutes the flux oriented control by the voltage angle control in the flux weakening regime. This scheme uses maximum of available inverter voltage, alleviates well known problems of current control schemes in conditions with insufficient voltage margin and avoids the influence of estimated speed error to the achieved flux level. The algorithm uses similar slip control as flux oriented control algorithm, but is applied without an outer flux trajectory reference which is typical for the flux weakening, providing a fast and well damped torque response even if error in estimated speed is present. Experiments confirm the effectiveness of proposed torque control algorithm, smooth transition from the flux oriented control in the base speed region to the voltage angle control in the flux weakening, superior dynamic performance of the voltage angle torque control, and its robustness to an estimated rotor speed error.U radu je predstavljena unaprijeđena shema upravljanja za pogon visokobrzinskog asinkronog motora bez mjerenja brzine. Predloženi postupak zamjenjuje vektorsko upravljanje upravljačkom strukturom s upravljanjem kutom napona u slabljenju polja. Predložena shema koristi maksimalni raspoloživi napon invertora, eliminira dobro poznate probleme strujno reguliranih pogona u uvjetima s nedovoljnom rezervom napona i eliminira utjecaj greške u estimaciji brzine na dostignutu razinu toka. Algoritam koristi sličnu kontrolu klizanja kao i vektorsko upravljanje, ali bez tipičnog vanjskog zadavanja toka u slabljenju polja, pružajući brz i dobro prigušen odziv momenta čak i u slučaju greške u estimaciji brzine. Eksperimenti izvedeni na velikoj brzini vrtnje potvrđuju učinkovitost predložene regulacije momenta, gladak prijelaz iz baznog područja brzine u slabljenje polja, vrhunske dinamičke performanse upravljanja kutom napona i robusnost na pogrešku u estimiranoj brzini vrtnje

Machine model based Speed Estimation Schemes for Speed Encoderless Induction Motor Drives: A Survey

Speed Estimation without speed sensors is a complex phenomenon and is overly dependent on the machine parameters. It is all the more significant during low speed or near zero speed operation. There are several approaches to speed estimation of an induction motor. Eventually, they can be classified into two types, namely, estimation based on the machine model and estimation based on magnetic saliency and air gap space harmonics. This paper, through a brief literature survey, attempts to give an overview of the fundamentals and the current trends in various machine model based speed estimation techniques which have occupied and continue to occupy a great amount of research space

Improved method for the scalar control of induction motor drives

Many control schemes have been proposed for induction motors, which are in themselves highly complex non-linear and sometimes internally unstable systems.One of themost accurate control schemes is encodered rotor flux orientated vector control. The advantages and disadvantages of this control are well known and several variations, or reduced vector schemes, have been proposed. This study introduces an improved encoderless scalar, or approximated vector, control method for induction machines which can be applied to general purpose applications that do not require the most precise control. The proposed method overcomes practical difficulties and is suitable for industrial applications. The slip compensated stator flux linkage oriented scheme proposed in this study does not require flux estimation or a speed sensor, only requiring nameplate data, stator current and stator resistance measurement, which can easily be determined at start-up. Simulation and experimental investigations including field weakening operation and the effect of stator resistance variation demonstrate the improved performance of the new scheme compared to previous open loop V/Hz and stator resistive compensated schemes especially at low rotor speeds