Novel Rotor Flux Observer Using Observer Characteristic Function in Complex
Vector Space for Field Oriented Induction Motor Drives
Jang-Hwan Kim, Jong-Woo Choi and Seung-Ki Sul
School of Electrical Engineering, Seoul National University
San Si-l,Shillim-Dong, Kwanak-Ku, Seoul, Korea(ZIP 151-742)
htt~://eewl.muac.kr email :sulsk@plaza.mu ac.kr
Abstrud -This paper proposes a new strategy to estimate the
rotor flux of an induction machine for the direct field oriented
control. Electrical model of the induction machine presents the
basic idea based on observer structure, which is composed of
voltage model and current model. But the former has the defects
in low speed range, the latter has the defects of sensitivity to
machine parameters. In spite of these shortcomings, the closed
loop flux observer based on two models has been a prevalent
estimation method for the direct field oriented control. In this
paper, generalized analysis method named ‘observer
characteristic function method” is proposed to analyze the kinds
of the linear flux observers in unified form. With the observer
characteristic function, the estimated rotor flux error involved in
the classical methods can be easily clarified. Moreover, the novel
rotor flux observer based on this analysis is also presented and
the effectiveness of the observer has been verified by the
simulation and experimental results.
Index tenns: Induction Machines, Field Oriented Control, Flux
Observer, Observer Characteristic Function
I. INTRODUCTION
The methods based upon stator voltage and rotor current
models are the traditional methods to estimate the rotor flux of
an induction machine. And their benefits and drawbacks are
well known. At high speed, the voltage model provides an
accurate stator flux estimate because the machine back EMF
dominates the measured terminal voltage. However at low
speeds, voltage drop across stator resistance in stator voltage
equation becomes significant, causing the accuracy of the flux
estimate to be sensitive to the estimated stator resistance. Due
to that sensitivity and to inherent signal integration problems at
low excitation fiequency, direct field oriented control systems
based solely upon the voltage model are generally not capable
of achieving high dynamic performance at low and zero speed.
Current model can make up the weak points of voltage
model[ 11. But the current model would be expected to have the
sensitivity to the rotor time constant and magnetizing
inductance. The voltage model and current model are useful at
nominal and low speed, respectively. Many closed loop flux
observers utilizing the desirable low speed attributes of the
0-7803-6618-2/01/$10.00 0 2001 IEEE 615
current model and the desirable high speed attributes of the
voltage model have been proposed[2-81. In this paper,
generalized analysis method named “observer characteristic
function method” is proposed to analyze all kinds of the linear
flux observers in unified form. With the observer characteristic
function, the estimated rotor flux error involved in the classical
methods can be easily clarified. Moreover, the novel rotor flux
observer based on this analysis is also presented and the
effectiveness of the observer has been verified by simulation
and experimental results.
11. FLUX OBSERVERS
The analysis of observers for an induction machines can be
simplified considerably by the use of complex vector notation.
The complex quantities used in the paper are written in the
form, f ” = fi + jy; and the superscripts “ A ” denotes
estimated quantities.
A. Voltage Model Flux Observer [2,4/
The voltage model utilizes the stator voltages and currents,
but not the rotor speed. It is commonly used to implement
direct field orientation without measured motor speed feedback
for low cost drive application. From the stator voltage equation,
the stator flux can be estimated by the integration of the
following equation,
ph: = v: -
fiom which the rotor flux is then obtained by
B. Current Model Flux Observer[1,2]
From induction motor electrical dynamics, the governing
equation of the open-loop rotor flux observer is (3).
(3)
 Current model can also be implemented a linear system in particular reduced order flux observer is written by
the rotor reference h e . following form, (7). The state equation (7) can be expressed as
(8) and (9), using the complex vectors.
C. Improved Gopinath model by Jamen[;! 31
(7)
The closed-loop flux observer is shown in Fig.1 and is seen
to provide an automatic transition between the two most
desirable open-loop flux observer models: the current model at
low fiequency to the voltage model at high fiequency. The
transition is now determined via the bandwidth of the flux loop.

D. Full OrdeT Flm Observer [5]

From the induction motor electrical model, the state space

equations of full order observer, which estimates both the where the A and B are the matrices containing the
stator current and the rotor flux has the form as (4)[5]. information of plant, G is the gain matrix and gr, + jg,, is
Equation (4) can be expressed as ( 5 ) and (6), using the complex gain vector[7].
complex vectors.
rr -I rr -I 111. OBSERVER CHARACTERISTIC FUNTION
(4)
In this paper, a general form of all the linear flux observers
is proposed by following equation, the combination form of
voltage model and current model, where F ( s ) is referred as
''Observer Characteristic Function."

(6)
Atcm : Estimated rotor flux fiom current model
where the A and B are the matrices containing the
information of piant., G is the gain matrix and
I;.;vm : Estimated rotor flux fiom voltage model
g , + j g , ,g , + j g , are complex gain vectors[5].
F(s) : Observer Characteristic Function
E. Reduced orderflux observer [7]
The observer characteristic functions of all linear flux
In full order observer, all the stator currents and the rotor observers can be summarized as Table 1 with some
flux are estimated. But, since the stator currents are already manipulation where c,are the complex numbers to variant
measured, only the rotor flux need to be estimated. Therefore with the rotor speed w, .
many researchers have studied reduced order observers. The

Fig. 1. Closed-Loop "Improved Gopinath model'' flux observer

616
 3
Table 1. Observer CharacteristicFunctions where F ( s ) =
tl I f +
sz K p s K, + *

Observers Observer Characteristic Functions

At steady state, the fiequency response function (FRF) of
the observer characteristic function is as follows and depicted
in Fig. 3.

I Improved Gopinath Model

I S’
s1 + Kps+K,

I Full Order Observer

I Reduced Order Observer

c,s
s+c,

’.
axis

K~ = K , L , I L ~ , K=, K J ~ I ~ ~
C, .
: complex numbers to variant with rotor angular speed 0, See Appendix
U, =o
4
.
ale = w

b.
real
In the low speed range, all the linear observers using both axis
current model and voltage model assume that the real rotor
flux exists in the neighborhood of estimated rotor flux fiom the
current model because F ( s ) is nearly zero in the low speed
range. Similarly, in the high-speed range, all the linear
observers estimate the rotor flux in the neighborhood of
estimated rotor flux fiom voltage model because F ( s ) is
nearly unity in the high speed range. To estimate the rotor flux
in the mid-speed range, careful attention should be taken. The So, the estimated rotor flux trajectory according to the
best choice is to assume that the rotor flux exists on the line synchronous angular &equency is determined by (12) and
connecting the estimated flux from current model to the
shown in Fig. 4.
estimated flux ii-om voltage model as shown in Fig. 2.

imaginary rotor flux

axis

I real axis
I real axis
Fig. 4. The trajectory of estimated rotor flux
Fig. 2. Optimal estimation trajectory
in case of “Improved Gopinath model”

IV. ANALYSIS OF FLUX OBSERVER USING In Fig. 4, it is easily seen that the estimated rotor flux
OBSERVER CHARACTERISTIC FUNCTION
trajectory is far fiom the optimal estimation trajectory shown
in Fig. 2 specially in the mid-speed range. So, the performance
In case of “Improved Gopinath model” proposed by of the “Improved Gopinath model” flux observer is much
Jansen[2], estimated rotor flux can be expressed as (1 1). deteriorated in case of parameter error and measurement error
especially in the mid-fiequency region. Similarly, the other
linear flux observers can be analyzed and also have the similar
problems with “Improved Gopinath model”.

617
 V. PROPOSED FLUX OBSERVER

The block diagram of proposed flux observer is shown in

Fig.7, which adds angle compensation block to the “Improved
Gopinath model”. Novel observer characteristic function is
given as (13).
“2
J
F(s)=
+
s2 K P s K , +

In equation (13), a is the angle of observer characteristic

functions of “Improved Gopinath model”. The frequency
response function of the observer characteristic function is as I real axis
follows and depicted in Fig. 5. Note that theF(jme)lies only Fig. 6. The trajectory of emhated rotor flux in case of proposed flux
on the real axis. observer

current exists in the PWM inverter system, the effects can be

easily analyzed by the observer characteristic function l i e
(15). AA:-- and A A t , are the flux errors due to voltage and
current offset in case of voltage model and current model,
axis respectively.
me = o 0) =U3
i‘. 1
Y
r ’. r - real axis
F(.ia, 1

In case of “ Improved Gopinath model” flux observer,

AA: can be analyzed and solved out as (1 6). In (16), it can be
seen that only the effect of oBet current influences in case of
“ Improved Gopinath model”.
VI. EFFECTS OF OFFSET VOLTAGE AND CURRENT

Under the condition that the offset voltage and the o s e t

i:
0,
.. Current Model

I lAr I
I
I
I
Fig. 7. Closed loop novel flux observer

618
 Flux error of the proposed model due to the o&et voltage
and offset current is same as “Improved Gopinath model”. In
case of the full order and reduced order flux observers, the flux
error can be analyzed and found as (1 7) and (1 8) respectively.
estimated flux error of the proposed flux observer is nearly
same as that of “Improved Gopinath model” flux observer in
case of r, and oL, detuning. Considering that the tuning of
r, and L, are more difficult than that of r, and OL, , the
proposed rotor flux observer is much superior to the
“Improved Gopinath model” in the real application.
Flux error(Wb):bal flux - estimated flux)

0.4 .-...-...-. I m p r o v e d aopinatfi case

I .
--.-e---*

The steady state error due to the ofiet voltage is zero only
- c,
,
-:I
. ..
,
Proposed case
Cument model case

0.3
in “Improved Gopinath model” and proposed model, and the
flux error due to the o a e t current exists in all the linear flux
observers. The flux error levels of full order and reduced order 0.2
flux observer can be varied with the selection of the gain
matxice. So in these flux observers (full order and reduced
order flux observer), the necessity of accurately measured 0.1
voltages at low and zero speeds is expected to be significant
limitation for these observers at the implementation of real
0.0
system. 0 20 40 60 80
VII. SIMULATION synchronous speed(radls)
Fig. 9. Flux errors at = 1.4r, & 50% load condition.
In simulation and experiments, 22kW induction machine is Flux ermr(Wb):bal flux - estimated fluxl
used whose parameters are summarized in Table 2. In the
simulation and experiments, transition fiequency between
current model and voltage model is designed to be same, in ...l..-._
..l...-._
..ll.ll...... Proposed case
Current model case
both case “Improved Gopinath model” and proposed model. 0.3
.
......... ..............
.
I . .

Table 2.22kW induction motor parameters

.
, I .
.........:.....................................................
........Yi .........;
:
I

,
.

:
.
.

: ; j

W, :the transition fiequency is set to 6Hz

0 20 40 60 80
In simulation and experiment, only the result of “Improved
Synchronqus speed(rad/s)
Gopinath model” flux observer compared with that of Fig.10. Flux errors at Lm= 0.7Lm & 50% load condition.
proposed flux observer. That is because similar result will be
Flux e r “ I ) : b l flux - estimated fluxJ
given with the other flux observers and the other flux
observers have the defects of ofhet voltage like the voltage
model as explained in section VI. Improved Gopinath case
. ~ . : : ,
The estimated flux errors (distance between the real flux and
the estimated flux) due to the parameter( r, ,L, ,r, and oL, )
-. 7 -:-
~-...

.
Proposed-
Current model case

uncertainties are shown in Fig. 9-12 where the rated

flux(1P.U) is 0.44 Wb. In Fig. 9 and 10, as the synchronous
speed increases, estimated flux error is reduced because the
estimated flux converged to the estimated flux fiom the
voltage model. The estimated flux error of the proposed flux
observer is much smaller than that of the “Improved Gopinath . . . .. .. .. ..
.......................................................................................
.
..
.
..
.
..
.
..
.
..
.
..
. I .

model” flux observer in case of r, and L, detuning in Fig. 9 . .-..-p..--..-.-...&-~ ,

I
.
.
I
.
.
.
I
,

and 10. Note that around the transition fiequency, the flux
0 20 40 60 80
error of “Improved Gopinath model” is larger than that of
Synchronous Speed(rad/s)
current model in Fig. 9 and 10. In Fig. 11 and Fig. 12, the Fig. 11. Flux errors at t, = 1.3r, & 50% load condition.

619
 Flux Enum):wflux estimated flux/ -
1 P.U + Fig.14 and 15 are obtained under the no load conditions
. . l”vedGopinathcase (im= 0.7Lm),and the Fig.16 and 17 are obtained under the
--
..-... 4- , - r -4
..
........................
. -.- .
Proposed case
Current model case
50% load conditions(,; = 1.4r, ). In Fig.14-17, The flux errors
of the proposed flux observer are much smaller than those of
“Improved Gopinath model” flux observer in steady state (200
......... .......... and 1200 r/min) and even in the transient state (both the
accelerating and decelerating ranges).

0 20 40 60 80 0

synchrp”ous Speed(=W
Fig.12. Flux errors at d, = 1.9015, & 50% load condition.

VIII. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

Various experiments have been carried out. The flux error

has been measured by assuming that the real flux can be
estimated from the well-tuned “Improved Gopinath model”.
The Fig.13-17 are experimental results for the purpose of 0
comparison with “Improved Gopinath model” and the
proposed model. In Fig.13, all the points are obtained under
the conditions that the measurement is performed with the no
variation of speed and load torque. Note that the all flux error -15Pu
(4.66 wb)
points of proposed model are smaller than those of “Improved 1 SCJdiv

Gopinath model” like the simulation results. In Fig. 14-17, the Fig.14. Characteristicsof“1mprovedGopinath model”, ( im = 0.7Lm,No load)
properties of dynamic and steady state can be confirmed, Detuned case of “Improved Gopinath model”.
where the speed control is performed under the conditions that Speed reference: 200r/mino1200r/min step changes
speed reference changes between 20Or/min and 120Or/min. Upper: d q regulated currents. Lower: flux errors.

I
. ‘ I

............
b.

1 . .

I o

1.3 Pu
(0.66 wbl

w
9o.M
E
-
-
.
............... * I
0

I I IW d b

Fig.13. Flux error at steady state Fig.15. Characteristicsof Proposed model, ( in= 0.7Lm,Noload)
Upper: Lm = 0.7LI & no load case, Lower: ?, = 1.4r, & 50 % load. Detuned case of proposed model.
Triangular data: detuned case of “Improved Gopinath model”. Speed reference: 2OOr/minol2OOr/minstep changes.
Circular data: detuned case of proposed model. Upper: d q regulated currents. Lower: flux errors.

620

1 . 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
(-0.m)
lsaydiv
Fig.16. Characteristics of “Improved Gopinath model”, ( ?, = 1.45 50% load)
Detuned case of‘hproved Gopinath model”.
Speed reference: 200r/mina1200r/min step changes
Upper: d q regulated currents. Lower: flux errors.
1S d &
Fig.17. Characteristics of Proposed model, ( F, = 1.4r, 50% load)
Detuned case of proposed model.
Speed reference 200r/mino1200r/min step change.
Upper: d q regulated currents. Lower: flux errors
In case of the “Improved Gopinath model”, the speed
control is nearly failed in case of Fig.16. Contrary to the
“Improved Gopinath model” in Fig.16, the flux error of the
proposed model in Fig. 17 is nearly zero, except with the
decelerating ranges. From the experiments, the validity of
proposed flux observer is verified.
62 1
IX.CONCLUSION
In this paper, generalized analysis method named “observer
characteristic function method” has been proposed to analyze
all kinds of linear flux observers in an unified form. With the
observer characteristic function, the estimated rotor flux error
involved in the classical methods can be easily clarified.
Moreover, the novel rotor flux observer based on this analysis
is also presented and the effectiveness of the proposed
observer has been verified by simulation and experimental
results.
REFERENCES
[l] Isao Takahashi and Toshihiko Noguchi, “A New Quick-Response and
High-Eficiency Control Strategy of an Induction Motor ” IEEE Trans. Ind.
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to the Design and Accuracy Assessment of Flux Observers for Field
Oriented Induction Machine Drives,” IEEE Trans. Znd. Appl., vol. 30, no. 1,
pp. 101-110, Jan./Feb., 1994.
[3] Patrick L. Jansen, Robert D. Lorenz and Donald W.Novotny, “Observer-
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[8] George C. Verghese and Seth R. Sanders, “Observers for F l u Estimation
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APPENDIX
Gain matrices are selected with reference to [5] and [7],
respectively.
F(s) of ‘‘Full Order Observer[5J”