Novel Adaptive Flux Observer for Wide Speed Range Sensorless Control of

Induction Motor

Marek Adamowicz1), Zbigniew Krzemiński2)

1)
GDYNIA MARITIME UNIVERSITY, DEPARTMENT OF SHIP AUTOMATION
Morska Str. 83, 81-225
Gdynia, Poland
2)
GDANSK UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
Narutowicza Str. 11/12
Gdansk, Poland
1)
madamowi@am.gdynia.pl, 2)zkrzem@ely.pg.gda.pl
1)
http://www.pedc.am.gdynia.pl 2) http://www.ely.pg.gda.pl

Acknowledgements
This work was supported by Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education under project R01 010 01.

Keywords
Sensorless control, Induction motor, Non-linear control, Estimation technique, High speed drive.

Abstract
A new adaptive flux observer of induction motor is presented in the paper. The Lyapunov theory is
utilized for derivation of the adaptation law of rotor flux angular speed, which acts as unknown parameter
in an augmented induction motor model. In the field weakening region, where stray fluxes are comparable
with rotor flux magnitude, the air-gap flux stabilization is proposed. An air-gap flux multiscalar model is
derived for stator current and air-gap flux vectors and the multiscalar model based nonlinear control of
induction motor taking advantages of air-gap flux model is applied. The performance of the proposed
sensorless control algorithm is verified experimentally on a DSP-based drive system.

Introduction
Induction motors are widely used in industry both for their properties of reliability and ruggedness and for
their relatively low cost. However, because of their nonlinear behavior, advanced control techniques have
to be applied to meet still-increasing demand of high performance at low cost. Extensive work has been
done to improve performance of induction motor drives concerning the eliminating of rotor speed sensors
[1], particularly at very low speeds [2, 3, 4]. Kubota at al. [1] introduced adaptive scheme for both rotor
flux and rotor speed estimation based on the assumption that during the short time period the rotor speed
is a constant parameter of the induction motor model. The exact speed-adaptation mechanism utilizing
Lyapunov stability theory could make the observer structure more robust and tolerant of noise and
disturbances. However the algorithm proposed by Kubota neglects a term including the actual rotor flux
which is not measurable in a drive system. By this reason in a certain speed regions, especially in
regenerative mode, the precise observer gain selection plays the key-role to achieve system stability [5].

Apart from low speed region special attention should be paid to sensorless operation of induction motor in
the field weakening region [2]. Constant power limit operation plays important role in high speed
applications such as traction, spindle drives and electric vehicles. In the field weakening, while the
lowered flux level strongly depends on estimated speed, the estimation and control algorithms should be
no longer considered separately.
In [2] the modified Kubota's observer has been considered. The rotor flux and stator flux observer
linearization has been proposed for analysis purpose to help selecting the observer gains and to prevent the
risk of instability at higher speeds. Although stator and rotor fluxes are chosen as new state variables in
observer [2], an estimated stator current has to be calculated from estimated fluxes and inductances and
the stator current estimation errors act as observer correction signals.

A sliding mode control scheme combined with closed loop rotor flux observer has been considered in [4]
to make possible rotor flux regulation in the flux weakening region. The electromotive force (EMF)
control has been applied. The unknown real EMF has been replaced with the estimated one from a rotor
flux observer. The proposed observer correction signal in rotor flux equation in [4] consists of the
difference signal between desired rotor flux and estimated rotor flux. Since the adaptation signal in [4] has
the meaning of EMF, the rotor speed can be estimated from an algebraic equation.

As distinction to the above mentioned methods a convenient approach to sensorless control of induction
motor has been introduced in [6], where application of nonlinear controller coupled with high performance
speed observer has been presented. Appropriate change of variables, applied in [6], transforms traditional
vector model of induction motor into so-called ‘multiscalar’ model. The fourth-order multiscalar model of
induction motor consists of state variables, which all are scalars. As it has been shown, the multiscalar
model can be exploited to linearize the control of induction motor in simple way using nonlinear feedback.
The multiscalar variables are: the rotor speed, the electromagnetic torque, the square of rotor flux vector
norm and the scalar product of rotor flux and stator current vectors [7, 8]. Speed observer proposed in [6]
is derived from the induction motor vector model determined in stationary frame. The back EMF signals
are treated in [6] as internal disturbances. Although the disturbance signals vary sinusoidally in steady
state, they have been preliminary assumed to be constant in [6] and estimated in pure integrators. Stator
current error signals have been used as the inputs to these additional integrators. System performances are
guaranteed on a basis of the assumption, that existence of a small sinusoidal stator current error does not
interfere with the performance of control of the multiscalar variables. From the practical point of view
such approximation can be acceptable in speed control region from small to near nominal speeds but it can
be no longer valid for higher speeds, particularly in field weakening region. For higher speeds significant
current errors interfere the whole system stability. Although some improvements to sped observer
structure [6] has been made in [9], the authors of the presented paper will show that application of
simplified disturbance model to the speed observer structure [6] instead of pure integrators and proper
choice of rotor flux speed adaptation law make the multiscalar model based (MMB) sensorless control
system stable in wide speed range. Also for the stability reason the airgap flux control is selected rather
than rotor flux to stabilize the whole system in the field weakening region.
Induction motor model
Under the assumption that in a short time period the rotor speed ωr remains constant, the dynamical
model of the induction motor can be expressed in α-β stationary frame of references in the form:

 Rs L2r +Rr L2m Rr Lm 

− I I  Lr 
I
 Lm 
J
dx  wσ Lr wσ Lr 
= x + wσ u +  wσ  ζ
 (1)
dτ  Rr Lm R     
 I − r I  0   − J 
 Lr Lr 
  



A B D
 T
y = [ I 0] x = isα isβ  (2)


C
T
x = isα isβ ψ rα ψ r β  (3)

T
u = usα us β  (4)
T
ζ = f ( C1x ) = ζ α ζ β  (5)

where y is the output vector of stator currents, x is the state vector of stator currents and rotor fluxes, u is
the input vector of stator voltages and ζ is the disturbance vector [6]. Furthermore wσ =Ls Lr -L2m ,
0 −1 1 0
C1 = [ 0 I ] , J =  , I=  Ls , Lr , Lm are the stator, rotor and mutual inductances, Rs , Rr are the
 1 0   0 1
stator and rotor resistances.

From the disturbance definition [6]:

ζ α = ωrψ r cos θψ = ζ cos θψ (6)

ζ β = ωrψ r sinθψ = ζ sin θψ (7)

dθψ
= ωψ (8)
dτ
the simplified disturbance model can be derived:

dζ α
= −ωψ ωrψ r sinθψ = −ωψ ζ β (9)
dτ

dζ β
= ωψ ωrψ r cos θψ = ωψ ζ α (10)
dτ

where ωψ is the rotor flux vector angular speed, ψ r is the rotor flux amplitude and θψ is the rotor flux
angle. Equations (9) - (10) describe sinusoidal oscillator which is stable when ωψ , ωr and ψ r are bounded.

Novel adaptive rotor flux and disturbance observer

As it was previously mentioned the disturbances (6) - (7) have been estimated in pure integrators in the
speed observer presented in [6]. Such approach is based on the assumption that existence of sinusoidal
error of small magnitude in steady state does not interfere with the performance of the whole sensorless
drive system for small angular velocity. The characteristic property of the seed observer proposed in [6] is
that vector of stator current error:

( ) (i )
T T
e is = eisα eisβ  =  isα − iˆsα − iˆsβ  (11)
 sβ 

has the same direction that disturbance vector (5) and is orthogonal to calculated disturbance error vector
eζcalc :
 ( ) ( ωˆ ψˆ )
T T
eζcalc = eζcalc eζcalc   ˆ ˆ ˆ − ζˆ β 
α β  =  ωr ψrα − ζ α r rβ (12)
 

The speed observer [6] consist of two linear decoupled observers of variables iˆsα , ψˆ rα , ζˆβ and iˆsβ , ψˆ rβ , ζˆα
and the rotor speed ωˆ r is estimated from an algebraic equation. The amplified αβ components of the
calculated disturbance error vector eζcalc act as coupling terms instead unobtainable disturbance error
signals. They are added in conjugate form to rotor flux observer equations to eliminate constant
component from estimated rotor speed signal.

Slightly modified disturbance observer can be obtained instead the pure integrators appeared in [6] by
adding amplified stator current errors in conjugate form to disturbance model (9) - (10). The full order
Luenberger type rotor flux and disturbance observer received in this way can be written in the form:

diˆsα R L2 +R L2 RL L L
= − s r r m ˆisα + r m ψˆ rα + m ζˆ β + r usα +k11eisα − k12eisβ (13)
dτ Lr wσ Lr wσ wσ wσ

diˆsβ Rs L2r +Rr L2m ˆ RL L L

=− isβ + r m ψˆ rβ − m ζˆ α + r usβ +k12eisα +k11eisβ (14)
dτ Lr wσ Lr wσ wσ wσ

dψˆ rα Rr Lm ˆ R
= isα − r ψˆ rα − ζˆ β − k3eisα (15)
dτ Lr Lr

dψˆ rβ Rr Lm ˆ R
= isβ − r ψˆ rβ +ζˆ α − k3 eisβ (16)
dτ Lr Lr

dζˆ α
ˆ ψ ζˆ β − k4 eisβ
=−ω (17)
dτ

d ζˆ β
= ωˆ ψ ζˆα + k4 eisα (18)
dτ
where the angular speed of rotor flux ωˆ ψ can be treated as unknown constant parameter estimated with
certain error:

∆ωψ = ωψ − ωˆψ (19)

The adaptation law for the angular speed of rotor flux ωˆ ψ can be derived if the disturbance error will be
added to stator current estimation equations (13) and (14):

diˆsα R L2 +R L2 RL L L
= − s r r m ˆisα + r m ψˆ rα + m ζˆ β + r usα +k11eisα − k12eisβ − k13eζβ (20)
dτ Lr wσ Lr wσ wσ wσ

diˆsβ Rs L2r +Rr L2m ˆ RL L L

=− isβ + r m ψˆ rβ − m ζˆ α + r usβ +k12eisα +k11eisβ + k13 eζα (21)
dτ Lr wσ Lr wσ wσ wσ

Then the rotor flux speed ωˆ ψ adaptation law can be obtained in the form:
 ˆψ
dω
dτ
(
= −γ ζˆ α eζβ − ζˆ β eζα ) (22)

In the proposed observer the rotor speed ω̂r can be estimated from algebraic equation:

ζˆ α ψˆ rα +ζˆ β ψˆ rβ
ω̂r = 2 2
(23)
ψˆ rα +ψˆ rβ

As distinguished from [6] in speed estimation law (23) no additional determination of sign signal is
needed. It is worth noted that in [1] unmeasurable terms have been appeared in observer structure derived
from Lyapunov theory and they have been omitted in practical application. Similar problem appear in
equations (20) - (22). By the reason of the impossible measurement of the disturbance vector in the drive
system, the disturbance errors eζα and eζ β can not be immediately used. Following Krzemiński [6] we
propose to replace unobtainable disturbance errors eζα and eζ β by the calculated ones (12). Calculated
disturbance errors (12) plays the role of unique correction signals and forces the phase coincidence of
estimated rotor fluxes and disturbances. In the proposed structure two linear observers of iˆsα , ψˆ rα , ζˆβ and
iˆsβ , ψˆ rβ , ζˆα are coupled by disturbance model structure and constant component does not appear in the
estimated rotor flux vector components signals.

Air-gap flux vector can be estimated from the rotor flux vector components ψˆ rα , ψˆ rβ and stator current
vector components iˆsα , iˆsβ :

Lm L L
ψˆ mα = ψˆ rα + m σr iˆsα (24)
Lr Lr

Lm L L
ψˆ mβ = ψˆ rβ + m σr iˆsβ (25)
Lr Lr

Sensorless multiscalar model based control system

Multiscalar model with consideration of air-gap flux
The coordinate change proposed in [7] for the rotor flux vector model transforms the induction motor
model into so called multiscalar model. For sensorless control system purpose following [7] the
T T
transformation of estimated stator current vector ˆisα , ˆisβ  and air-gap flux vector ψˆ mα , ψˆ mβ  to
multiscalar variables can be applied:

ˆr
z11 = ω (26) z12 = ψˆ mαˆisβ − ψˆ mβ ˆisα (27)

2
z21 = ψˆ mα 2
+ ψˆ mβ (28) z22 = ψˆ mαˆisα + ψˆ mβ ˆisβ (29)

Multiscalar variables are equal to the estimated rotor speed (26), the estimated electromagnetic torque
(27), the estimated square of air gap flux vector magnitude (28) and an estimated reactive torque (29).
Between the multiscalar variables transformed from the rotor flux model [7] and the air gap flux model
(26) - (29) proceeds:
 2 2 2 2
x +x z +z
Iˆs2 =iˆsα2 +iˆsβ2 = 11 12 = 11 12 (30)
x21 z21

 z11 
 Lr 
 x11   z12 
x   Lm 
 12  =  L2 Lr Lσr

(31)
 x21   r
z −2 2 ˆ2 
z22 +Lσr I s
   Lm 
2 21
Lm
 x22   
 Lm ˆ 2 
z22 − Lσr I s
 L 
 r 

where Iˆs denotes amplitude of estimated stator current vector. The dynamics of (26) - (29) are:

dz11 1 1
= z12 − TL (32)
dτ J J

dz12 R L +R L L L L − Lm Lσr L L L z 2 +z 2  L
= − r s s r z12 +z11  r z21 − r σs z22 + m σs σr 12 22  + m u z1 (33)
dτ wσ  wσ wσ wσ z21  wσ

dz21 2R L R L − Rr Lσs L L L 2L L
= − r σs z21 − 2Lm s σr z22 +2 m σs σr z11 z12 + m σr uz2 (34)
dτ wσ wσ wσ wσ

2 2
dz22 R L +R L L L − Lm Lσr R R L − Rr Lσs z12 +z 22 2L L
= − r s s r z 22 + r σs z11 z12 + r z 21 − Lm s σr + r u z2 − m u x2
dτ wσ wσ wσ wσ z 21 wσ wσ
(35)
where Lσs and Lσr denote stator and rotor stray inductance, TL denotes load torque and J denotes
moment of inertia.

Two control variables uz1, uz 2 appear in differential equations for three multiscalar variables: z12 , z21 and
z22 . That means the variable z21 which is the square of air-gap flux amplitude can be controlled directly.
Such property characterizes multiscalar models of type 2 [10]. It should be noted that the control u x2
which is equal to the control input of the rotor flux multiscalar model has been written in (35) only for
simplification of mathematical notation. It can be shown that between control variables of rotor flux
multiscalar model ux1, ux2 and air-gap flux multiscalar model uz1, uz 2 the following dependencies appear:

L2r
z21 − 2Lr Lσr z22 +Lm L2σr Iˆs2
Lm Lm Lσr z12
u x1 = uz1 (36)p ux2 = uz2 − u z1 (37)
Lr z21 − Lm Lσr z22 Lr z21 − Lm Lσr z22

Input output linearization

By using decoupling matrix to describe the relation appearing between stator voltage signals usα, usβ and
the multiscalar model control inputs uz1, uz2:
 -1
 L  L 
 usα   −  r ψˆ mβ − Lσr iˆsβ   r ψˆ mα − Lσr iˆsα    uz1 
  =   Lm   Lm    (38)
 usβ   ψˆ mα ψˆ mβ
u
  z2 
 

the problem of input - output linearization of induction motor model is reduced to linearization the
behavior between inputs u z1 , uz2 and outputs z11 , z21 of the multiscalar model (32) - (34). The feedback in
the form:

L L L − Lm Lσr z 2 +z 2  w
uz1 = − z11  r z21 − r σs z22 +Lσs Lσr 12 22  + σ m1 (39)
 Lm Lm z21  Lm

fully linearizes the mechanical subsystem (32) - (33) and the feedback in the form:

Rs Lσr − Rr Lσs wσ
uz2 = z22 − Lσs z11 z12 + m2 (40)
Lσr 2Lm Lσr

partially linearizes the electromagnetic subsystem because internal dynamics (35) remains nonlinear.

It can be proved that in the proposed system where two outputs z11 and z21 are controlled with two inputs
u z1 , uz 2 the internal dynamics z22 remains stable after small deviation from the steady state if following
condition is fulfilled:
2
(
− ( Rs Lr + Rr Lm )( Lr z21 − Lm Lσr Z 22 ) + Rr wσ z12
2
)
− 2 Lr Lσr z11 z12 z21 L2m Lσr < 0 (41)

where Z 22 denotes the value of variable z22 in steady state.

Maximum torque capability in the field weakening region

The maximum output torque developed by the induction motor depends on the current rating and the
maximum inverter output voltage Usmax which is limited by DC link voltage and PWM strategy [11]. The
maximum attainable speed for a given flux also depends on the voltage constraint.
Voltage constraint
In the steady state while the time derivatives in (33) and (34) are equal zero the maximum stator voltage
can be expressed as a function of the multiscalar variables of air-gap flux model in an indirect way. Now,
assuming the constant stator current magnitude in the field weakening region, the transformation (31) is
used. The control variables ux1, ux2 of the rotor flux multiscalar model [7] should satisfy:
2 2
u x1 +ux2 2
≤ U smax (42)
x21

Moreover in steady state:

x21 = Lm x22 (43)

which also imposes that:

Lr L L
z22 = z21 + m σr I s2 (44)
Lm ( Lr + Lσr ) Lr + Lσr
Equations for steady state inputs of the rotor flux multiscalar models are [7]:

Rr Ls +Rs Lr  w + L2m 
u x1 = x12 +  σ
 L L  11 21
x x (45)
Lr  r m 

Rs w L x2
u x2 = x21 − σ x11 x12 − Rr wσ m2 12 (46)
Lm Lr Lr x21

The maximum limit of the available steady-state electromagnetic torque z12 and the air gap flux square z21
for certain rotor speed z11, current rating Is and voltage constraint Usmax can be obtained by combining
(45), (46) and (42) and applying transformation (31):

4 3 2
H 1 z12 H 2 z12 H 3 z12
+ + + H 4 z12 + H 5 ( H 6 z21 − H7 ) ≤ U sMAX
2
(47)
( H 6 z21 − H7 )3 ( H 6 z21 − H7 )2 ( H 6 z21 − H7 )
where:

H 1=
Rr2 wσ2 L4m
, H 2=
2Rr wσ2 L2m z11
, H3 =
( R L +2R R L +R L
2 2
r s r
2
s m
2 2
s r + wσ2 z11
2
)
L6r L4r L2r

H4 =
(
2 Rr L2s + Rs L2m )z (
L2r L2s z11
2
+ Rs2 )  2L2 L
H 6 =  1 − r3 σr
 2  2Lσr  2
11 , H 5 =   , H7 = Lσr  1+  Is
L2m L4m  Lm   Lr 
Current constraint
The multiscalar variables of air-gap flux model should satisfy the following relation:

2 2
z12 +z22 2
≤ I sMAX (48)
z21

Under maximum stator current Ismax the relation of z12 and z21 can be obtained combining (44) and (48):

 L2r 2 
2 2
(
2
)
2 2 4
 2 z21+ Lr +Lσr I sMAX z21 -Lm Lσr I sMAX 
L
2
z12 ≤ m 2
 (49)
( Lr +Lσr )

Control scheme for maximum torque capability

The current-limit boundary is an ellipse equation independent of the rotor speed while the voltage
boundary (47) is highly nonlinear rotor speed dependent function with a point of discontinuity
z21=H7 / H 6 which is dependent on the current constraint value. To satisfy both the current and voltage
constraints the command values of z12 and z21 have to be inside the common area of the current-limit
ellipse (49) and voltage boundary (47). Fig. 1 shows that the trajectory of the maximum torque z12max
moves along the current-limit ellipse as the rotor speed z11 increases. Fig. 2 shows the example of
proposed field weakening program for 22 kW induction motor while nominal ratings Ismax=1 and Usmax= 1
are substituted to (47) and (49). It should be noted that impact of mutual inductance changes in the field
weakening region on the torque and air-gap flux curves showed on the Fig. 2 is negligible. This is the
main benefit of proposed field weakening algorithm based on steady state equations of multiscalar model.
Fig. 1: The trajectory of optimal operating point Fig.2: Example field weakening program, Usmax=1

Experimental results
Performances of proposed multiscalar model based sensorless drive with 22kW, 4-pole induction motor
have been investigated for four speed regions: normal speed (Fig. 3), enter field weakening (Fig. 4), high
speed region (Fig. 5) and low speed region (Fig. 6). In deep field weakening region the speed signal
determines the lowered flux command and must be filtered. Therefore an increased speed error appears in
transients.

Fig. 3: Constant torque region (half of nominal Fig. 4: Enter field weakening region, Ismax=1,
load), nominal torque z12n=0.837; Usmax=0.78, base speed z11base= 0.748
nominal flux z21n=0.836
Fig.5: High speed region - filtering of rotor speed Fig.6: Performance of proposed flux observer in
signal increases speed error in transients low speed region (half of nominal load)

Conclusion
The proposed sensorless multiscalar model based control system with novel adaptive flux observer
characterizes good performance in wide speed region including low speed and field weakening region.
Application of disturbance model in disturbance observer instead of pure integrators ensures cancellation
of the stator current error in high speed region which distinguishes the observer from the previous one.

References
[1] Kubota H., Matsuse K., Nakano T.: DSP Based Speed Adaptive Flux Observer of Induction Motor, IEEE Trans.
Ind. Applications Vol 29 no. 2, pp. 344 - 348
[2] Hinkkanen M.: Analysis and Design of Full-Order Observer for Sensorless Induction Motors, IEEE Trans. Ind.
Electronics Vol 51 no 5, pp. 1033-1040
[3] Lascu C., Boldea I., Blaabjerg F.: Very Low-Speed Variable Structure Control of Sensorless Induction Machine
Drives Without Signal Injection, IEEE Trans. Ind. Applications Vol 41 no 2, pp. 591 - 598
[4] Edelbaher G., Jezernik K., Urlep E.: Low-Speed Sensorless Control of Induction Machine, IEEE Trans. Ind.
Electronics Vol 53 no 1, pp. 120 -129
[5] Tamura Y., Sato I., Kubota H.,Ohta H., Hori Y.:Design of an Adaptive Observer for Sensorless Vector Control of
Induction Machines under Regenerating Conditions, Electrical Engineering in Japan, Vol 145 no 4, pp. 78-87
[6] Krzemiński Z.: A new speed observer for control system of induction motor, Proc. of IEEE Int. Conf. on Power
Electronics and Drive Systems, PESC’99, Hong Kong, pp. 555 - 560
[7] Krzeminski Z.: Nonlinear control of induction motor. Proceedings of the 10th IFAC World Congress, Munich,
1987, pp. 349-354.
[8] Kazmierkowski M. P., Blaabjerg F., Krishnan R. : Control in Power Electronics – selected Problems. Academic
Press, USA, 2002
[9] Wlas M., Krzeminski Z., Guzinski J., Abu-Rub H., Toliyat H.A.: Artificial Neural Network Based Sensorless
Nonlinear Control of Induction Motors, IEEE Trans. Energy Conv. Vol 20 no 3, pp. 520 - 528
[10] Krzemiński Z., Lewicki A., Włas M.: Properties of sensorless control system based on multiscalar models of the
induction motor, COMPEL Vol 25, no 1, pp. 195 – 206
[11] Kim S. H., Sul S.K.: Maximum Torque Control of an Induction Machine in The Field Weakening Region, IEEE
Trans Ind. Appl., Vol 31, no 4, pp. 787-794