Tianfu Sun

Maximum Torque Per Ampere (MTPA) Control for Interior Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machine Drives Based on Virtual Signal Injection

This paper introduces a novel virtual signal injection-based control method for maximum torque per ampere (MTPA) operation of interior permanent magnet synchronous machine (IPMSM) drives. The proposed method injects a small virtual current angle signal mathematically for tracking the MTPA operating point and generating d-axis current command by utilizing the inherent characteristic of the MTPA operation. This method is parameter independent in tracking the MTPA points, and it does not inject any real signal to current or voltage command. Consequently, the problems associated with real high-frequency signal injection, such as increases in copper and iron loss can be avoided. Moreover, it is robust to current/voltage harmonics and motor torque disturbances. The proposed method is verified by simulations and experiments under various operating conditions on a prototype IPMSM drive system.

A High-Fidelity and Computationally Efficient Model for Interior Permanent-Magnet Machines Considering the Magnetic Saturation, Spatial Harmonics, and Iron Loss Effect

Interior permanent-magnet (IPM) machines exhibit relatively large spatial harmonics in phase voltages and high nonlinearity in torque production due to both the presence of reluctance torque and the magnetic saturation in stator and rotor cores. To simulate the real electromagnetic behavior of IPM machines, this paper proposes a high-fidelity and computationally efficient machine model considering the magnetic saturation, the spatial harmonics, and the iron loss effect based on the inverse solution of the flux linkages extracted via finite-element analysis (FEA). Neither FEA nor a derivative computation is involved in the time-stepping simulation; thereby, the proposed model is computationally efficient and numerically robust. The high fidelity of the proposed machine model is validated by both the FEA and the experimental results.

Extension of Virtual-Signal-Injection-Based MTPA Control for Interior Permanent-Magnet Synchronous Machine Drives Into the Field-Weakening Region

This paper presents a field-weakening control scheme to expand the speed operating region of the recently reported virtual signal injection control (VSIC) method for interior permanent-magnet synchronous machine (IPMSM) drives. Because of voltage saturation, the VSIC for IPMSM drives is not effective in the field-weakening region. A new control scheme is developed to guarantee that the torque can be controlled with minimum current amplitude. The proposed method realizes fast dynamic response and efficient operation of IPMSM drives in both constant torque and field-weakening regions by controlling the d-axis current through virtual signal injection and detection of the voltage saturation. The proposed method can track maximum torque per ampere (MTPA) points in the constant torque region and voltage-constrained MTPA points in the field-weakening region accurately without prior knowledge of accurate machine parameters. The proposed control method is demonstrated by both simulations and experiments under various operating conditions on a prototype IPMSM drive system.

Self-Learning MTPA Control of Interior Permanent-Magnet Synchronous Machine Drives Based on Virtual Signal Injection

This paper describes a simple but effective novel self-learning maximum torque per ampere (MTPA) control scheme for interior permanent-magnet synchronous machine (IPMSM) drives to achieve fast dynamic response in tracking the MTPA points without accurate prior knowledge of machine parameters. The proposed self-learning control (SLC) scheme generates the optimal d-axis current command for MTPA operation after training. Virtual signal injection control (VSIC), which has been recently developed as a novel parameter-independent MTPA points tracking scheme, is utilized to train the SLC and compensate the error of the SLC during its operation. In this way, the proposed SLC can achieve the MTPA operation accurately with fast response and the online training of the SLC will not affect MTPA operation of IPMSM drives. The proposed control scheme is verified by simulations and experiments under various operation conditions on a prototype IPMSM drive system.

An Inverter Nonlinearity-Independent Flux Observer for Direct Torque-Controlled High-Performance Interior Permanent Magnet Brushless AC Drives

This paper introduces a novel flux observer for direct torque controlled interior permanent magnet brushless AC (IPM-BLAC) drives over a wide speed range including standstill. The observer takes machine nonlinearities into account and is independent of inverter nonlinearities, dead time, and armature resistance variation at steady states since such inaccuracies are compensated quickly by measured phase currents. Magnetic saturations in the stator and rotor cores, cross-coupling effects of flux linkages of the motor, and spatial harmonics in the magnetomotive force are all considered in the novel scheme. There is no filter; hence, no delays and oscillatory responses like in conventional schemes where filters are employed to prevent integrator drift issue. Superiority of the observer when compared to the state-of-the-art schemes has been illustrated by both extensive simulations and experimental results of a 10-kW IPM-BLAC machine designed for traction applications.

Virtual Signal Injection-Based Direct Flux Vector Control of IPMSM Drives

This paper describes a novel virtual signal injection-based direct flux vector control for the maximum torque per ampere (MTPA) operation of the interior permanent magnet synchronous motor (IPMSM) in the constant torque region. The proposed method virtually injects a small high-frequency current angle signal for tracking the optimal flux amplitude of the MTPA operation. This control scheme is not affected by the accuracy of the flux observer and is independent of machine parameters in tracking the MTPA points and will not cause additional iron loss, copper loss, and torque ripple as a result of real signal injection. Moreover, by employing a bandpass filter with a narrow frequency range the proposed control scheme is also robust to current and voltage harmonics, and load torque disturbances. The proposed method is verified by simulations and experiments under various operating conditions on a prototype IPMSM drive system.

Self-learning MTPA control of interior permanent magnet synchronous machine drives based on virtual signal injection

This paper describes a novel self-learning maximum torque per ampere (MTPA) control scheme for interior permanent magnet synchronous machine (IPMSM) drives to achieve fast dynamic response in tracking the MTPA points without accurate prior knowledge of machine parameters. The proposed self-learning control scheme (SLC) generates the optimal d-axis current command for MTPA operation after training. Virtual signal injection control (VSIC), which has been recently developed as a novel parameter-independent MTPA points tracking scheme, is utilized to train the SLC and compensate the error of the SLC during its operation. In this way, the proposed SLC can achieve the MTPA operation accurately with fast response and the online training of the SLC will not affect MTPA operation of IPMSM drives. The proposed control scheme is verified by simulations under various operation conditions on a prototype IPMSM drive system.

Analytical Prediction of 3-D Magnet Eddy Current Losses in Surface Mounted PM Machines Accounting Slotting Effect

This paper presents a novel analytical technique for predicting three-dimensional (3-D) magnet eddy current losses accounting the slotting effect of any pole–slot combinations for a surface mounted permanent magnet machine under any conditions of load. The slotting effect is incorporated from a subdomain model and the 3-D boundary conditions are imposed with the current vector potential to represent the 3-D eddy currents circulating in the magnets. The proposed model in polar coordinate system is demonstrated on a fractional slot rare-earth permanent magnet machine by analyzing its magnet losses as functions of axial and circumferential segmentations. The results have shown an excellent match with 3-D numerical calculations. The analytical prediction has also been validated by experimental tests. The interaction of the armature reaction field with the slotting harmonics is analyzed and their effect on eddy current loss in rotor magnets is established. The proposed technique is employed to evaluate the effect of slotting on magnet loss with increase in field weakening angle.

Experimental validation of 3D magnet eddy current loss prediction in Surface Mounted Permanent Magnet Machines

This paper presents the experimental validation of three-dimensional (3-D) Fourier method employed for predicting magnet eddy current loss in surface-mounted permanent magnet (SPM) machines. The magnet loss is measured for a 12-slot 14-pole SPM machine from experimental tests when the machine is operated with inverter under locked rotor conditions by repeating tests with two rotors, one with magnets and one without. The eddy current loss associated with each significant harmonic in the captured armature currents is predicted separately employing the developed method and the total magnet loss is evaluated by applying the principle of superposition. The magnet loss at real operating conditions of the machine is predicted from the method using the phase current captured when the SPM is operating at its maximum speed conditions. The result is used as an example to devise an effective means of further reduction in the total magnet loss.

MTPA Control of IPMSM Drives Based on Virtual Signal Injection Considering Machine Parameter Variations

Due to parameter variations with stator currents, the derivatives of machine parameters with respect to current angle or d-axis current are not zero. However, these derivative terms are ignored by most of mathematical model based efficiency optimized control schemes. Therefore, even though the accurate machine parameters are known, these control schemes cannot calculate the accurate efficiency optimized operation points. In this paper, the influence of these derivative terms on maximum torque per ampere (MTPA) control is analyzed and a method to take into account these derivative terms for MTPA operation is proposed based on the recently reported virtual signal injection control (VSIC) method for interior permanent magnet synchronous machine (IPMSM) drives. The proposed control method is demonstrated by both simulations and experiments under various operating conditions on prototype IPMSM drive systems.