An Improved Direct Torque Control for a Single-Winding Bearingless Switched Reluctance Motor

The direct torque control (DTC) and direct force control (DFC) method were introduced to reduce the torque and levitation force ripple in single-winding bearingless switched reluctance motors (SWBSRMs). However, it still has some disadvantages. Firstly, the flux-linkage control is not suitable for the DTC method in SWBSRMs. On the one hand, it can increase the torque ripple. On the other hand, the RMS current can be increased and then the torque-ampere ratio is decreased. Secondly, the vectors selection is also unreasonable, which can increase the torque ripple further. In order to solve these problems, an improved control method based on DTC and DFC method for SWBSRMs is proposed in this paper, which can obtain high torque-ampere ratio and low torque ripple simultaneously. In the proposed method, the flux-linkage loop control is not needed and the space voltage vector table is improved. The experimental results show that the torque ripple is reduced by 66.7%, the torque-ampere ratio is increased by 200% and the switching times in one electrical period are reduced by 47.3%

Novel Bearingless Switched Reluctance Motor with Wide Flat Inductance Region to Simplify the Control of Torque and Levitation Force

In conventional 12/8 bearingless switched reluctance motors (BSRMs), the generation and control of torque and levitation forces are always coupled and interacted, which increases the complexity of the current control algorithm. In this paper, a novel BSRM with 12 stator poles and 4 rotor poles is proposed to simplify the control of torque and levitation, which has wide flat inductance region. Through allocating the generation of torque and levitation forces to different inductance regions of each phase, the levitation control can be similar as that of magnetic bearings, and the torque control can adopt the methods of conventional switched reluctance motors, e.g. current chopping control and angle position control. Accordingly, the current control algorithm of proposed BSRM becomes very easy and flexible. Extensive experiments were completed to verify the demonstrated performance of proposed motor

Power-Sharing Control in Bearingless Multi-Sector and Multi-Three-Phase Permanent Magnet Machines

This paper deals with the power-sharing control of bearingless multi-sector and multi-three-phase permanent magnet machines. The proposed control strategy allows to distribute the power flows among the three-phase inverters supplying the machine during bearingless operation of the drive. The control technique is based on the extension of the vector space decomposition modeling approach. The components producing the electromagnetic torque, i.e. the q-axis currents, are controlled independently from the d-axis ones, also with the aim of managing the power flows among the three-phase systems. Conversely, the d-axis currents are exploited for the generation of the radial forces needed to levitate the rotor, while considering the compensation of the forces caused by the q-axis currents in case of unbalanced power sharing strategy. The validity of the proposed method is confirmed by simulations and experimental tests on a prototyped bearingless multi-sector permanent magnet synchronous machine. The proposed approach is a contribution to the development of advanced control systems employing multiphase drives in the field of bearingless and multiport applications

Control System Commissioning of Fully Levitated Bearingless Machine

The bearingless permanent magnet synchronous motor (BPMSM) is a compact motor structure that combines the motoring and bearing functions based on well-designed integrated windings for generating both torque and magnetic suspension force. In order to achieve a successful high-performance control design for the BPMSM, an adequate model of the rotor dynamics is essential. This paper proposes simplified multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) control approaches, namely the pole placement and the linear-quadratic regulator (LQR), that allow to carry out identification experiments in full levitation. Additionally, the stability of the MIMO levitation controller is verified with the rotation tests. Compared with other recently published works, the novelty of this paper is to experimentally demonstrate that a stable fully levitated five-degrees-of-freedom (5-DOF) operation of a bearingless machine can be achieved by the proposed approach, and thereby, options for commissioning of such a system are obtained

Advanced control strategies for partially levitating multi-sector permanent magnet synchronous machines

The thesis presents solutions to improve the performance of a partially levitating bearingless permanent magnet synchronous machine with a multi-three-phase winding. A combined winding topology, which consists of three independent three-phase sub-windings, is installed in the stator where each phase contributes to both the suspension force and the motoring torque. This work focuses on control algorithms, including fault-tolerant controls, a current limitation technique, and a current-sharing technique. Firstly, the thesis presents an analytical formulation of the force and torque generation in healthy operative conditions. Following, the three-phase and single-phase open-circuit fault conditions are also analysed. The analytical model of the machine is presented in a generic matrix form so that it can be applied to any machine with a multi-three-phase winding structure if the coupling among sectors is negligible. The fault-tolerant control algorithms address the issues of open-circuit faults of an entire three-phase sub-winding, of a single-phase in a three-phase sub-winding, or of two phases belonging to two different three-phase sub-windings. The theoretical analysis is verified with both Finite Elements Analysis and experimental tests. Then, the thesis proposes a current limitation technique. The main challenges with the combined winding configuration consist of decoupling the suspension force and torque generation and designing a proper current limitation technique. The latter is required in order to maintain the machine in safe operative conditions according to its current-voltage rating and its operative thermal limits. This thesis addresses the limitation technique based on the analytical models, considering both healthy and faulty conditions. In particular, the proposed current limitation technique allows prioritising the suspension force, which is considered a safety-critical output with respect to the torque in order to avoid the rotor touchdown. Numerical simulation results and experimental validation are provided to validate the algorithm. Finally, the thesis proposes a modular approach for a current-sharing control of the machine. A thorough explanation of the methodology used is presented, as well as control algorithms to consider the torque and force control combined with the current-sharing management of the machine. Particular emphasis is also placed on validating the modelling hypotheses based on a finite element characterisation of the machine electro-mechanical behaviour. The proposed control strategy is also extended to cater to the possibility of one or more inverters failure, thus validating the intrinsic advantage of the redundancy obtained by the system's modularity. An extensive experimental test is finally carried out on a prototyped machine. The obtained results validate the current-sharing operation in either healthy or faulty scenarios, both at steady-state and under transient conditions. These outcomes show the potential of the proposed strategy to increase the versatility of fault-tolerant drives applied to this machine topology

Multiphase electric drives for "More Electric Aircraft" applications

Advances in power electronic and machine control techniques are making the inverter-fed drives an always more attractive solution. Because of the number of inverter legs is arbitrary, also the number of phases results as a further degree of freedom for the machine design. Therefore, the multiphase winding is often a possible solution. Due to the increasing demand for high performance and high power variable speed drives, the research on multiphase machines has experienced a significant growth in the last two decades. Indeed, one of the main advantages of the multiphase technology is the possibility of splitting the power of the system across a higher number of power electronic devices with a reduced rating. A similar result can be obtained by using multi-level converters. However, the redundancy of the phases leads to an increased reliability of the machine and to the introduction of additional degrees of freedom in the current control and the machine design. This work aims to study and analyze the highly reliable and fault tolerant machines. It proposes innovative solutions for multiphase machine design and control to meet the safety-critical requirements in “More-Electric Aircraft” (MEA) and “More Electric Engine” (MEE) in which thermal, pneumatic or hydraulic drives in aerospace applications are replaced with electric ones. Open phase, high resistance and short circuit faults are investigated. Fault tolerant controls and fault detection algorithms are presented. Radial force control techniques and bearingless operation are verified and improved for various working scenarios. Fault tolerant designs of multiphase machines are also proposed

Magnetically levitated hysteresis motor driven linear stage for in-vacuum transportation tasks

This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Thesis: Ph. D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2019Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (pages 241-246).This thesis presents a new in-vacuum reticle transportation mechanism for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photolithography machines. In the photolithography process, the reticle is a quartz plate that contains a pattern of the integrated circuit, which needs to be transported between a storage position and the exposure stage. In next-generation EUV lithography machines, the reticle handling system must satisfy the following requirements: (1) transport the reticle through a distance of 2 meters, (2) the height of the mechanism needs to be within 100 mm, (3) operate in vacuum, and (4) satisfy ultra-tight contamination requirements. To fulfill these requirements, a conventional robotic reticle handler is inadequate. In this work, we designed, built, and tested a magnetically-levitated linear stage prototype, targeting at the reticle transportation application. Compared with robot manipulators, linear stages typically require less volume for long-distance transportation tasks.Magnetic suspension is used to eliminate mechanical contact and thereby avoid particle generation that can contaminate the reticle. The stage's linear motion is driven by linear hysteresis motors, which allows using solid-steel motor secondaries on the moving stage. This is desirable for in-vacuum operation, since permanent magnets can out-gas in high vacuum when not encapsulated. The magnetic suspension of the stage is achieved using a novel linear bearingless slice motor design, where the stage's magnetic suspension in three degrees of freedom, including vertical, pitch, and roll, are achieved passively. This compact design effectively reduces the number of sensors and actuators being used. The prototype system has successfully levitated the moving stage. The resonance frequency of the passively levitated degrees of freedom is approximately 10 Hz, and the suspension bandwidth of the actively-controlled degrees of freedom is about 60 Hz.The stage's maximum thrust force is 5.8 N under a 2.5 A current amplitude, which corresponds to a stage acceleration of 1200 M/s². This is able to satisfy the acceleration requirement for reticle transportation task. The stage was tested to track a reticle handling reference trajectory, where the maximum position tracking error of our linear stage is 50 [mu]m. The stage's lateral displacements during motion is below 50 [mu]m, which is well below making mechanical contact to the side walls. To our knowledge, this work represents the first study of linear hysteresis motors, and the first linear bearingless slice motor design. Hysteresis motors are a type of electric machine that operates using the magnetic hysteresis effect of the secondary material. Since the magnetization in the rotor lags behind the external field, a thrust force/torque can be generated.In prior usage, hysteresis motors have been operated in open-loop, which makes them unsuitable for applications where dynamic performance is critical. As a part of this thesis work, we also studied the modeling and closed-loop torque and position control for hysteresis motors. The proposed control method was tested with three rotary hysteresis motors, including two custom-made motors of different rotor materials and one off-the-shelf hysteresis motor. Experimental results show that position control for all three motors can reach a bandwidth of 130 Hz. To our best knowledge, this is the first work that enabled high-bandwidth torque and position control for hysteresis motors, which allows this motor to be used for servo applications.Sponsored by ASMLby Lei Zhou.Ph. D.Ph.D. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineerin

Third International Symposium on Magnetic Suspension Technology

In order to examine the state of technology of all areas of magnetic suspension and to review recent developments in sensors, controls, superconducting magnet technology, and design/implementation practices, the Third International Symposium on Magnetic Suspension Technology was held at the Holiday Inn Capital Plaza in Tallahassee, Florida on 13-15 Dec. 1995. The symposium included 19 sessions in which a total of 55 papers were presented. The technical sessions covered the areas of bearings, superconductivity, vibration isolation, maglev, controls, space applications, general applications, bearing/actuator design, modeling, precision applications, electromagnetic launch and hypersonic maglev, applications of superconductivity, and sensors

Design of a Bearingless Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machine with a Star Point-Connected Axial Active Magnetic Bearing

The bearingless synchronous machine is considered with slotted stator, cylindrical rotor with sleeve-protected surface-mounted permanent magnets and six actively controlled degrees of freedom as high-speed drive. The focus is set on two key aspects: The machine design under consideration of size-dependent scaling effects and a novel kind of feeding the excitation winding of the axial active magnetic bearing. Since the considered bearingless PM machines typically exhibit a low degree of magnetic saturation and are equipped with distributed windings, the two-dimensional analytical calculation is used to calculate the rotor suspension force and disturbing rotor forces. These calculations are used in the subsequent electromagnetic design process. At the beginning of the design process, boundary conditions are discussed, that are derived geometrically for the combined drive and suspension winding, structural mechanically for the sleeve height and thermally for the loss and output power density. On the basis of two different machine sizes, on the one hand approximately 1.5 kW and on the other hand approximately 60 kW at 75 mm and 130 mm outer diameter, respectively, at corresponding active axial length of 40 mm and 125 mm, this work shows, how the choice of pole count, bore diameter and magnet height influences the properties relevant for the rotor position control. It is concluded that an increase in pole count, a reduction in bore diameter and an increase in magnet height reduce the undesired parasitic lateral rotor forces, caused by rotor eddy currents and armature reaction. In order to investigate scaling effects, an analytical calculation is used, where the focus is set on the two-dimensional electrodynamic field calculation. By means of a 1 kW / 60000 rpm-prototype drive, consisting of a bearingless machine and a combined active radial-axial magnetic bearing, the accuracy of the results from calculation and simulation is verified. In order to reduce the number of required power electronic half-bridges, a concept is investigated, in which the axial magnetic bearing is supplied by a current between the star points of the combined winding sections in the bearingless machine. To do so the concept of the widely used space vector pulse-width modulation for 3-phase systems is extended to a double 3-phase system in a way that the axial magnetic bearing current corresponds to the sum current in the star point of one 3-phase system. This current can be controlled by the variation of the two star point electric potentials. However, additional current oscillations in the axial bearing current and in the 3-phase current can occur if the inverter is operated close to its voltage limit or if relatively high axial bearing currents must be provided at high dynamics. Anyway, the concept is considered a promising approach, since in this application as turbo-charger drive the disturbing effects do not occur