Valery Vodovozov

Single-Phase Electric Drive for Automotive Applications

Despite of broad availability and numerous attractive features, single-phase induction motors (SPIMs) are still not in use in the vehicular applications because of their difficult starting, complexity of the low-speed operation, and some other control drawbacks. This work focuses on the design of the variable-speed capacitor-run SPIM drive. The motor behavior upon the broad speed range regulation was explored and some methods were proposed to improve the drive speed-torque and speed-current characteristics. To overcome the prominent shortcomings and to meet the vehicle requirements, some novelties were proposed in the SPIM drive control arrangements.

A test bench to study propulsion drives of electric vehicles

This paper describes the composition and performance of a test bench developed for research and monitoring of the propulsion drives of electric vehicles. Testing possibilities and benefits of the new bench are explained and the results obtained are discussed. In addition, the testing conditions are drawn that correspond to the standard ECE speed cycles.

Sensorless pressure control of centrifugal pumps

A converter-fed system is proposed which successfully estimates and regulates the operational state of the pumping process without excess sensors. Sensorless control provides such advantages as cost savings resulting from exclusion the need in sensor incorporation in the drive and the driven system; increased reliability due to the absence of additional components, such as sensors, cables, connections that can cause malfunction; and fewer maintenance and data exchange operations. Such benefits are based on adjustable models that can be currently modified and corrected along with the test measurements in the system with known characteristics. Adjustable models describing the driven process could be added to the control scheme of the variable speed drive to exclude additional measurements for control.

A toolbox to design and study electric drives

The paper introduces an effective toolbox for engineers, researchers and students to design and study electric drives. The described package eDrive includes a database of motors, power converters, and gears, an object-oriented simulator, a virtual signal generator, the module of the torque/current, speed, and path controllers, as well as the suitable visual interface. The system provides for the development, tuning, and investigation of electric drives with current, speed, and position adjustment in the open-loop and closed-loop modes of operation.

Object-Oriented Electric Drive Development Technology

The paper introduces an effective project management system. The package eDrive has been developed to support the major stages in electric drives design process. This toolbox includes the database of motors, power converters, and gears, the object-oriented simulation software, the signal generation module, as well as the suitable user interface. The system provides dc and ac drives development, tuning, and investigation with current, speed, and position adjustment in open loop and closed-loop modes.

Performance Improvement of Pumps Fed by the Variable Speed Drives

Abstract Speed inaccuracy decreases the pump efficiency, reliability, and energy saving. This research is devoted to the determination of the ways of accurate speed control of the pump drives operated under changeable loads. The impact of speed inaccuracy on the pump performance is studied. Based on the analysis of methods for the static accuracy improvement, the drawbacks of the traditional approaches have been shown with reference to the pumping applications. A new methodology of the slip compensation has been proposed for implementation to improve the scalar drive performance. It notably decreases the speed inaccuracy of the open-ended pumping applications. The enhanced quality of the drive control at different loading conditions has been shown on a laboratory test bench. Also, for the multi-pump systems this approach results in an additional benefit from the viewpoint of the operation around the best operation point providing a safe pump control both to exclude the pump damage and to improve the process quality.

PLC-Based Pressure Control in Multi-Pump Applications

Abstract The paper is devoted to the centrifugal pumps represented the most popular type of pumping equipment used in different areas. The pressure control approach for variable speed driven (VSD) parallel connected centrifugal pumps is reported. The goal of the study is optimization of some quality indices, such as efficiency, consumed power, productivity, energy carrier temperature, heat irradiation, etc. One of them – efficiency – has been studied in the paper more carefully. The mathematical model of pumping process is discussed and a vector-matrix description of the multi-pump application is given. The program-based pressure control system is developed which productivity is changed by regulating the number of working pumps. The paper introduces new pressure control algorithms based on the working point estimation intended for programmable logical controllers (PLC). Experiments prove correctness of the offered methodology.

Predictive control of a variable-speed multi-pump motor drive

This paper addresses performance improvement of the centrifugal pumps running in variable-speed applications. Focus is on the system operation in the best-efficiency region. The impact of various factors affecting the pumping efficiency in the single-pump and multi-pump environments is described. A method for the multi-pump drive predictive control is proposed.

Hardware-in-the-loop simulation of motor drives for pumping applications

A method of taking characteristics of the pump motor drive using a hardware-in-the-loop simulation approach is described. The models with built-in hardware and software components of real equipment were developed. To study the drives of centrifugal pumps manufactured by ABB, their own control system was used whereas the pumping load has been replaced with the specially designed environment simulators which description was initially unclear. To clarify the model topology and parameters, a double-motor assembly was constructed and applied as universal pump prototype. Real equipment included into the simulation loop allows to decrease a priori uncertainty and to explore the processes that have nether evident characterization. A library of reference and disturbance signals typical for pumping was prepared and used as the models. Hence, the advantages of mathematical and physical simulations were combined with optimal interaction of both approaches.

Virtual lab to study power electronic converters

The paper presents the topology and functioning of the model-based laboratory system to study the power electronic converters structure and execution and to evaluate their different duty modes of operation. Detailed description of the models of ac/dc, dc/ac, ac/ac and dc/dc virtual power converters and their auxiliary circuits are given. Learning possibilities and restrictions of the described software are analysed.