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A Modified Direct Torque Control for Induction Motor Sensorless Drive

Cristian Lascu, Ion Boldea, Fellow, IEEE, and Frede Blaabjerg, Senior Member, IEEE
Several solutions with modified DTC are presented in the literature. Due to its simple structure, DTC can be easily integrated with an artificial intelligence control strategy. The fuzzy logic solution for flux and torque control is shown in [3]. A different approach is to combine the voltage vector selection with an adequate pulsewidth modulation (PWM) strategy in order to obtain a smooth operation. The closed-loop stator flux predictive control, open-loop torque control using space-vector modulation (SVM) implementation is shown in [4]. The SVM is a performant open-loop vector modulation strategy [5]. This paper introduces a new direct torque and flux control based on SVM (DTC-SVM) for IM sensorless drives. It implements closed-loop digital control for both flux and torque in a similar manner as DTC, but the voltage is produced by an SVM unit. This way, the DTC transient performance and robustness are preserved and the steady-state torque ripple is reduced. Additionally, the switching frequency is constant and totally controllable. Another important issue for a sensorless drive is the flux, torque, and speed estimation. Both open-loop and closed-loop speed and position estimators are widely analyzed in the literature. The most promising speed observers seem to be the adaptive ones, either with linear or nonlinear structures [6], [7]. However, the low-speed range estimation still remains an unsolved problem. This is not the case for flux and torque observers which are able to generate accurate estimation for the whole speed range [8][10]. An improved voltagecurrent model speed observer based on a model reference adaptive controller (MRAC) structure is proposed herewith. The paper presents the complete sensorless solution based on a DTC-SVM strategy. The proposed control topologies, digital simulations, implementation data, and test results with DTC and DTC-SVM are given and discussed.

AbstractDirect torque control (DTC) is known to produce quick and robust response in ac drives. However, during steady state, notable torque, flux, and current pulsations occur. They are reflected in speed estimation, speed response, and also in increased acoustical noise. This paper introduces a new direct torque and flux control based on space-vector modulation (DTC-SVM) for induction motor sensorless drives. It is able to reduce the acoustical noise, the torque, flux, current, and speed pulsations during steady state. The DTC transient merits are preserved, while better quality steady-state performance is produced in sensorless implementation for a wide speed range. The flux and torque estimator is presented and an improved voltagecurrent model speed observer is introduced. The proposed control topologies, simulations, implementation data, and test results with DTC and DTC-SVM are given and discussed. It is concluded that the proposed control topology produces better results for steady-state operation than the classical DTC. Index TermsDirect torque control, estimators, sensorless.

I. INTRODUCTION ESEARCH interest in induction motor (IM) sensorless drives has grown significantly over the past few years due to some of their advantages, such as mechanical robustness, simple construction, and maintenance. Present efforts are devoted to improve the sensorless operation, especially for low speed and to develop robust control strategies. Since its introduction in 1985, the direct torque control (DTC) [1] (or direct self control (DSC) [2]) principle was widely used for IM drives with fast dynamics. Despite its simplicity, DTC is able to produce very fast torque and flux control and, if the torque and flux are correctly estimated, is robust with respect to motor parameters and perturbations. However, during steady-state operation, notable torque, flux, and current pulsations occur. They are reflected in speed estimation and in increased acoustical noise.

Paper IPCSD 9946, presented at the 1998 Industry Applications Society Annual Meeting, St. Louis, MO, October 1216, and approved for publication in the IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS by the Industrial Drives Committee of the IEEE Industry Applications Society. This work was supported by the Danfoss Professor Programme and the Institute of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg East, Denmark. Manuscript submitted for review October 15, 1998 and released for publication August 23, 1999. C. Lascu is with the Department of Electrical Machines and Drives, University Politehnica of Timisoara, RO-1900 Timisoara, Romania (e-mail: cristi@et.utt.ro). I. Boldea is with the Department of Electrical Machines and Drives, University Politehnica of Timisoara, RO-1900 Timisoara, Romania (e-mail: boldea@lselinux.utt.ro). F. Blaabjerg is with the Institute of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, DK-9220 Aalborg East, Denmark (e-mail: fbl@iet.auc.dk). Publisher Item Identifier S 0093-9994(00)00036-0.

II. PROPOSED SENSORLESS IM DRIVE The proposed sensorless IM drive block diagram is shown in Fig. 1. It operates with constant rotor flux, direct stator flux, and torque control. The speed controller is a classical proportional-integral-derivative (PID) regulator, which produces the reference torque. Only the dc-link voltage and two line currents are measured. The IM model is (1)

(2)

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Fig. 1. The DTC-SVM sensorless ac drive.

For rotor flux coordinates, the (3)

rotor flux components are (7)

(4) where is the stator voltage, , are the stator and rotor curare the stator and rotor flux, respecrents, resepctively, are the motor parameters, is the tively, is the rotor speed, and reference frame speed (arbitrary), the derivation operator. The electromagnetic torque is (5) with the number of pole pairs. The stator flux and torque closed-loop control is achieved by the DTC-SVM unit. In order to reduce the torque and flux pulsations and, implicitly, the current harmonics content, in contrast to the standard DTC, we do use decoupled PI flux and torque controllers and SVM. III. FLUX AND SPEED ESTIMATOR The estimator calculates the stator flux , the rotor flux , , and the rotor speed . It is the electromagnetic torque based on the induction motor equations (1)(5). The inputs of the state estimator are the stator voltage and current space vectors. They are referred to a stationary reference frame. The flux estimator is a full-order wide-speed-range stator and rotor flux observer [8], [9] (see Fig. 2). It contains two modelsthe open-loop current model which is supposed to produce an accurate value, especially for low-speed operation, and the adaptive voltage model for wide speed range operation. The rotor flux current model estimator (6) is deduced from , subscript (2) and (4) in a rotor flux reference frame ( ) using the measured stator current (6) where is the rotor time constant.

(8) The output of the open-loop current model (superscript ) calculated in stator coordinates is the stator flux (9) is the estimated rotor flux from (7) and (8) in a stawhere tionary reference frame (see Fig. 2). The voltage model is based on (1) and uses the stator voltage and current measurement. For the stator reference frame, the is simply stator flux (10) In order to correct the value of estimated stator flux, to compensate for the errors associated with pure integrator and stator measurement (estimation) at low speed and to proresistance vide a wide speed range operation for the entire observer, the voltage model is adapted through a PI compensator (11) and may be calculated such that, at The coefficients zero frequency, the current model stands alone, while at high frequency the voltage model prevails (12) (12) 5 rad/s and 2030 rad/s for the two Values such as of the closed-loop flux estimator transfer function poles are practical for a smooth transition between the two models. is calculated in a stator reference frame The rotor flux (13) The detailed parameter sensitivity analysis of this observer can be found in [9].

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Fig. 2.

The flux estimator for the DTC-SVM drive.

Fig. 3.

The MRAC speed estimator.

The speed estimator has the structure of a model reference adaptive controller (MRAC) [6], [7]. In order to achieve a wide speed range, an improved solution, which uses the full-order flux estimator, is proposed (see Fig. 3). The reference model is the rotor flux estimator presented so far (13). It is supposed to operate accurately for a wide frequency band (1100 Hz). The adaptive model is a current model , superbased on (2) for a stationary reference frame ( script ) (14) The rotor speed mechanism is calculated and corrected by a PI adaptation

Fig. 4. The DTC-SVM controller.

IV. DTC-SVM The proposed topology of the DTC-SVM is shown in Fig. 4. The controller contains two PI regulatorsone for flux and one for torqueand an SVM unit. It receives as inputs the stator flux and torque errors and generates the inverters command signals. The components of the reference voltage vector in a stator flux reference frame are (17)

(15) (18) applied on the error between the two models (13) and(14) (16) The dynamic analysis of a rather similar speed estimator [6], [7] proves that the achievable bandwidth with which the actual speed can be tracked is only limited by noise considerations. However, very-low-speed and fast dynamic operation remain an unsolved problem. the From (1), for a stator flux reference frame ( ), the voltage vector components are stator flux speed, (19) (20) and the electromagnetic torque is (21)

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If the stator flux is constant, it is evident that the torque can be the torque comcontrolled by the imaginary component ponentof the voltage vector (22) is calculated in a stationary referThe stator flux speed ence frame from two successive estimations of the stator flux and as (23) The precision of the calculation is not so important, since a PI regulator is present on the torque channel. It corrects the torque even if the last term in (22) is erroneously estimated. The flux control is accomplished by modifying the real comthe flux componentof the voltage vector. ponent For each sampling period , one can approximate the voltage as (24) voltage drop can be neglected and At high speed, the and the voltage becomes proportional with the flux change term with the switching frequency 1/ . At low speed, the is not negligible. The currentflux relations are rather complicated (in stator flux coordinates) (25) is (26) where (27) It is evident that a cross coupling is present in terms of and currents. The simplest way to realize the decoupling term at the output of the flux regulator in is to add the the same manner as the speed dependent term was added to the torque controller output. However, the computation of the voltage drop term requires a time-consuming stator flux coordinate transformation. Instead of it, a PI controller was used on the flux channel. The SVM unit produces the inverter control signals. It receives the reference voltages (17) and (18) in a stator flux reference frame. The SVM principle [5] is based on the switching between two adjacent active vectors and a zero vector during one defined by switching period. The reference voltage vector its length (28) and angle (29) in a stator reference frame can be produced by adding two adjacent active vectors and and, if necessary, a zero vector or (28) The sequence guarantees that each transistor inside the inverter switches once and only once during the SVM switching period. A strict control of the switching frequency can be achieved by this approach. Fig. 5 shows the command signals and and for the inverter when the vectors and are applied. zero vectors A situation that must be considered appears when the control requirements overpass the voltage capability of the inverterthe reference voltage is too high. The PI control method does not guaranty for six-pulse operation. The adopted solution is to switch to the classical DTC when the PI controllers saturate. If the torque or flux is far from target, the respective error is big positive or negative and the forwardbackward DTC strategy is applied. A single voltage vector is applied during the whole switching period. It assures the target will be reached quickly. If the torque and flux are close to target, the errors are small and now the SVM strategy based on PI controllers is enabled instead of applying a zero vector as a classical DTC would apply. The saturation point for PI regulators is considered at . The voltage amplitude control becomes ineffective , but the voltage angle for a reference voltage higher than control is still effective. This observation permits to choose the switching point from SVM to DTC at a relatively high where the PI antiwindup becomes active. voltageup to (32) is the dc-link voltage. where The duty cycle for the zero vector is the remaining time inside the switching period (33) The vector sequence and timing during one switching period

Fig. 5.

The SVM voltage vector timing.

where is the stator flux position. and for each active vector are the The duty cycles solutions of the complex equation (30)

(31)

(29)

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Fig. 6. The classical DTC controller. The estimated speed and torque with detuned estimator when R = ; M ) and when R = 1:8R (! ; M )simulation

Fig. 9.
04

results.

: R (!

Fig. 7. The real and estimated speed (! , ! ) and the real and estimated torque (M , M ) with the tuned estimatorsimulation results.

Fig. 10.
04

results.

: T (!

The estimated speed and torque with detuned estimator when T = ; M ) and when T = 1:4T (! ; M )simulation

Fig. 8. The estimated speed and torque with detuned estimator when R 0:4R (! ; M ) and when R = 1:4R (! ; M )simulation results.

Fig. 11.

The experimental setup.

The proposed strategy was called DTC-SVM because it realizes the direct torque and flux voltage control combined with SVM and uses DTC when the errors are large. The two methods are compatible since DTC is a high-gain voltage control. The classical DTC topology is presented in Fig. 6.

The DTC strategy can be simply expressed: each sampling period the adequate voltage vector is selected in order to rapidly decrease, in the same time, the torque and flux errors. The convenient voltage vector is selected in accordance with the signals produced by two hysteresis comparators and the stator flux vector position.

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Fig. 12. DTC-SVM1 Hz (30 rpm) no load steady stateexperimental results.

Fig. 13. Classical DTC1 Hz (30 rpm) no load steady stateexperimental results.

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Fig. 14. DTC-SVM no load starting transientsexperimental results.

Fig. 15.

Classical DTC no load starting transientsexperimental results.

V. SIMULATION RESULTS The simulation results with DTC-SVM are presented next. The induction motor used for experiments and simulations has kW, Hz, V, the rated values N m, pole pairs and the parameters , , H, H, and H. The simulation shows the estimator parameter sensitivityanalysis. To determine the estimator performance, it is open-loop operated and the motor speed is controlled using the real speed. A and a step reference speed from 0 to 50 Hz is applied at s. step from 50 to 1 Hz is applied at Fig. 7 shows the real and estimated speed and torque with tuned estimator. A correct estimation can be observed. Fig. 8 shows the estimated speed and torque when the stator resistance used for estimation is under and overestimated ( and ). Fig. 9 shows the same speed and torque when the rotor resistance for estimation is under and overestimated and ). Figs. 8 and 9 indicate that the ( and . system is relatively robust with respect to Fig. 10 shows the speed and torque when the rotor time conand ). The stant is under and overestimated ( has a significant influence since the currotor time constant rent model is used in both flux and speed estimators. Very large estimation produce instabilities. errors in VI. EXPRIMENTAL RESULTS The experimental setup of the DTC-SVM system is shown in Fig. 11. The inverter is a 7-kVA industrial voltage-source

inverter. The digital control system contains a digital signal processor (DSP) (ADSP-21062) and a microcontroller (SAB 80C167). The DSP performs the calculations and the microcontroller produces the PWM signals. The sampling time was 125 s and the switching frequency 8 kHz. Deadtime compensation was included. Both DTC-SVM and classical DTC sensorless strategies were implemented. The design of the two PI controllers is based on (22) and (24). The torque controller gain should equal, at least, the first term . The values 24 denote a high-gain in (22): torque controller, but are necessary to realize a fast torque response. A very high gain will produce operation similar to the is smaller than DTC. For the flux controller, the gain kHz, but the overall systems the switching frequency stability is improved, even if the flux controller is not a very fast one. The integrator term in both controllers introduces a unitary discrete pole and compensatesforthe cross-coupling errors. The controllers parameters used for experiments are the following. The PI compensator for the flux estimator in Fig. 2 uses the and calculated for a transition values between the two models around 10 Hz. and The PI speed estimator in Fig. 3 uses determined as in [7]. Higher gains produce instability. The PI torque and flux controllers in Fig. 4 use , and .

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Fig. 16. DTC-SVM speed and torque transients zoom during no load acceleration from 550 Hzexperimental results.

Fig. 18. DTC-SVM speed reversal transients (from 25 Hz to 25 Hz)experimental results.

Fig. 17. Classical DTC speed and torque transients zoom during no load acceleration from 550 Hzexperimental results.

Comparative experimental results with low-speed no-load operation are presented first. Fig. 12 shows the estimated speed, torque, stator, and rotor flux, and the measured current for steady-state 1Hz DTC-SVM operation. Fig. 13 shows the estimated speed, torque, stator, and rotor flux for steady-state 1Hz DTC operation. An improved operation in terms of high-frequency ripple can be noticed with DTC-SVM. The no-load starting transient performance is presented in Fig. 14estimated speed and torquefor DTC-SVM and in

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Fig. 15the same quantitiesfor DTC. Again, the torque ripple is drastically reduced, while the fast response is preserved. The same conclusions are evident for the no-load speed transientsfrom 5 to 50 Hzpresented in Fig. 16 for DTC-SVM and in Fig. 17 for DTC. A zoom of torque proves the fast torque response of the proposed strategy. Fig. 18 shows the speed reversal from 25 to 25 Hzspeed, flux, and currentfor DTC-SVM. Some small flux oscillations can be observed when the flux changes due to the absence of the decoupling term in the flux controller. The systems stability is influenced by the precision and the speed of convergence of the flux and speed estimation. The speed estimator is not a very fast one, and this can be seen from Fig. 18 where some speed oscillations occur. The DTC-SVM controller does not depend on motor parameters and is relatively robust as was proved by simulation. VII. CONCLUSIONS This paper has introduced a new direct torque and flux control strategy based on two PI controllers and a voltage space-vector modulator. The complete sensorless solution was presented. The main conclusions are as follows. DTC-SVM strategy realizes almost ripple-free operation for the entire speed range. Consequently, the flux, torque, and speed estimation is improved. The fast response and robustness merits of the classical DTC are entirely preserved. The switching frequency is constant and controllable. In fact, the better results are due to the increasing of the switching frequency. While for DTC a single voltage vector is applied during one sampling time, for DTC-SVM a sequence of six vectors is applied during the same time. This is the merit of SVM strategy. An improved MRAC speed estimator based on a full-order rotor flux estimator as reference model was proposed and tested at high and low speeds. It can be stated that, using the DTC-SVM topology, the overall system performance is increased. REFERENCES
[1] I. Takahashi and T. Noguchi, A new quick response and high efficiency strategy of an induction motor, in Conf. Rec. IEEE-IAS Annu. Meeting, 1985, pp. 495502. [2] M. Depenbrock, Direct self control for high dynamics performance of inverter feed AC machines, ETZ Arch.., vol. 7, no. 7, pp. 211218, 1985. [3] A. Mir, M. E. Elbuluk, and D. S. Zinger, Fuzzy implementation of direct self control of induction motors, IEEE Trans. Ind. Applicat., vol. 30, pp. 729735, May/June 1994. [4] D. Casadei, G. Sera, and A. Tani, Stator flux vector control for high performance induction motor drives using space vector modulation, in Proc. OPTIM96, 1996, pp. 14131422. [5] P. Thoegersen and J. K. Pedersen, Stator flux oriented asynchronous vector modulation for AC-drives, in Proc. IEEE PESC90, 1990, pp. 641648. [6] C. Schauder, Adaptive speed identification for vector control of induction motors without rotational transducers, IEEE Trans. Ind. Applicat., vol. 28, pp. 10541061, Sept./Oct. 1992. [7] H. Tajima and Y. Hori, Speed sensorless field-oriented control of the induction machine, IEEE Trans. Ind. Applicat., vol. 29, pp. 175180, Jan./Feb. 1993.

[8] P. L. Jansen, R. D. Lorenz, and D. W. Novotny, Observer-based direct field orientation: Analysis and comparison of alternative methods, IEEE Trans. Ind. Applicat., vol. 30, pp. 945953, July/Aug. 1994. [9] P. L. Jansen and R. D. Lorenz, A physically insightful approach to the design and accuracy assessment of flux observers for field oriented I.M. drives, IEEE Trans. Ind. Applicat., vol. 30, pp. 101110, Jan./Feb. 1994. [10] H. Kubota, K. Matsuse, and T. Nakano, DTC-based speed adaptive flux observer of induction motor, IEEE Trans. Ind. Applicat., vol. 29, pp. 344348, Mar./Apr. 1993.

Cristian Lascu received the M.Sc. degree in electrical engineering from the University Politehnica of Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania, in 1995. He became an Assistant Professor in 1995 at the University Politehnica of Timisoara. His research areas are ac drives, power electronics, and static power converters. In 1997, he was involved in the Danfoss Professor Programme in Power Electronics and Drives at the Institute of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, Denmark. He is currently a Visiting Research Scholar at the University of Nevada, Reno. Mr. Lascu was the recipient of a Prize Paper Award at the IEEE Industry Applications Society Annual Meeting in 1998.

Ion Boldea (M77SM81F96) is a Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University Politehnica of Timisoara, Timisoara, Romania. He has also repeatedly been a Visiting Professor with the University of Kentucky, Lexington, Oregon State University, Corvallis, the University of Glasgow, U.K., and Aalborg University, Aaalborg, Denmark. He has worked and published extensively on linear and rotary machines and drives, mainly on linear motor Maglevs and linear oscilomotors and generators, vector control (direct torque and flux control of both induction and synchronous motors), reluctance synchronous machines, and drives and automotive new alternator systems. He has authored and coauthored 11 books in English, the latest, with S. A. Nasar, being Linear Electric Actuators and Generators (Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge Univ. Press, 1997) and Electric Drives (Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 1998).

Frede Blaabjerg (S86M88SM97) was born in Erslev, Denmark, in 1963. He received the Msc.EE. degree from Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark, in 1987 and the Ph.D. degree from the Institute of Energy Technology, Aalborg University, in 1995. He was with ABBScandia, Randers, Denmark, from 1987 to 1988. He joined Aalborg University in 1992 as an Assistant Professor and became an Associate Professor in 1996 and a Full Professor in power electronics and drives in 1998. His research areas are power electronics, static power converters, ac drives, switched reluctance drives, modeling, characterization of power semiconductor devices, and simulation. He is involved in more than ten research projects with industry. Among them is the Danfoss Professor Programme in Power Electronics and Drives. Dr. Blaabjerg is a member of the Industrial Drives, the Industrial Power Converter, and the Power Electronics Devices and Components Committees of the IEEE Industry Applications Society, as well as being the Paper Review Chairman of the Industrial Power Converter Committee. He is a member of the European Power Electronics and Drives Association and the Danish Technical Research Council and a Member of the Board of the Danish Space Research Institute. In 1995, he received the Angelos Award for his contribution in modulation technique and control of electric drives and an Annual Teacher Prize from Aalborg University. In 1998, he received the Outstanding Young Power Electronics Engineer Award from the IEEE Power Electronics Society and an IEEE TRANSACTION ON POWER ELECTRONICS Prize Paper Award for the best paper published in 1997. He also received two Prize Paper Awards at the 1998 IEEE Industry Applications Society Annual Meeting.