CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
Recently, controlled AC drives have been extensively employed in various high
performance industrial applications. This has been conventionally achieved by using DC
drives with their simple control structure. AC machines are generally inexpensive,
compact and robust with low maintenance requirements compared to DC machines but
require complex control. However, recent advances in power electronics, control
techniques and signal processing have led to significant developments in AC drives.
Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (PMSM) are increasingly replacing traditional
DC motors in a wide range of applications where a fast dynamic response is required.
A Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) is a synchronous motor that
uses permanent magnets to produce the air gap magnetic field rather than using
electromagnets. By the replacement of electromagnets with permanent magnets the
permanent magnet synchronous motors had many advantages such as high efficiency,
high torque to inertia ratio and efficient heat dissipation. The replacement of the rotor
winding with PM in PMSM makes it compact structure or smaller in size that results a
high power density. The heat loss in the rotor of PMSM that affects the machine
operation is also negligible. Because of the above mentioned advantages this motor is
extensively used in many applications such as electric vehicles, robotics, automation,
hard disk drives etc. In PMSMs, the magnets can be placed in different ways on the rotor.
Depending on the placement they are called either as Surface mounted Permanent
Magnet Motor or Interior Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor.
As the shape of the induced E.M.F in permanent magnet synchronous motor is
sinusoidal it has less torque ripples. The speed control of the PMSM can be achieved by
using the scalar and vector control techniques or field oriented control technique (FOC).
The problem with scalar control is that motor flux and torque in general are coupled. This
inherent coupling affects the response and makes the system prone to instability if it is
not considered. By using the vector control technique, separately excited DC motor like
characteristics can be obtained from the PMSM which are most desirable for some
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specific applications. That means we can control the flux and torque of the PMSM
independently. Vector control offers attractive benefits including wide range of speed
control, precise speed regulation fast dynamic response, lesser torque ripples, and
operation above speed etc.

1.2 Literature Survey

R.Krishnan[1] introduced the permanent magnet materials, characteristics and
applications of permanent magnet materials in motors. The properties of the permanent
magnet material affects directly the performance of the motor and proper
knowledge is required for the selection of the materials and for understanding PM
motors. Based on the location of the permanent magnets, two types of PMSM motors are
available, they are Surface mounted Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor and Interior
Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor.
P. Pillay and R. Krishnan [2] discussed the working principle of PMSM and their
torque, e.m.f equations. The applications of PMSM in various fields are given. Pragasen
Pillay and R. Krishnan [3] discussed modeling of PMSM. The modeling of PMSM
includes both state-space modeling and Transfer function modeling.
Erwan Simon [4] presented the control techniques of PMSM. The implementation
of Scalar control and Vector control techniques for PMSM are discussed. The idea of
Field Oriented Control method is to control the current of the machine in space
quadrature with the magnetic flux created by the permanent magnets as in the case of DC
motors.
Zheng-Guang Wang, Jian-Xun Jin, You-Guang Guo, and Jian-Guo Zhu [5]
described the implementation of space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM)
technique for PMSM. Space Vector Modulation (SVM) was originally developed as
vector approach to Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) for three phase inverters. It is a more
sophisticated technique for generating sine wave that provides a higher voltage to the
motor with lower total harmonic distortion.

Bon-Ho Bae ,Seung-Ki Sul , Jeong-Hyeck Kwon ,Ji-Seob Byeon[6] discussed the
sensorless control of PMSM. The advantages and disadvantages with the Sensorless
control are discussed in detail.
Yuchao Shi, Kai Sun, Lipei Huang, and Yongdong Li [7] given various types of
Sensorless control techniques. Back- EMF based and signal injection based methods of
state estimation techniques are discussed in detail. The problems with the estimation and
the procedure to overcome the problems are also discussed.
Ambarisha Mishra, Vasundhara Mahajan, Pramod Agarwal and S.P.Srivastava[8]
discussed the MRAS based state estimation technique for the PMSM. MRAS computes
the desired state using two different models. (i.e. reference and adjustable models). The
error between the two models is used to estimate unknown parameters. The stability of
closed loop estimator is achieved through popovs hyperstability criterion.
Sakorn Po-ngam[9] presented the designing of speed controller for PMSM. The
designing of proportional-integral (PI) and fuzzy logic controller are given in detail.
Various types of tuning procedures for the PI controller are given. Ziegler and Nichols
tuning method for the PI controllers is discussed in detail.
1.3 Problem formulation
To implement the vector control technique for PMSM drives, the speed and
position information of the rotor are required. Hall Effect sensors, optical encoders and
resolvers are used to detect the rotor speed. However, these sensors impair the
ruggedness, reliability and simplicity of the PMSM. Moreover, they require careful
mounting and alignment and special attention is required with electrical noises. Speed
sensor needs additional space for mounting and maintenance and hence increases the cost
and the size of the drive system. Moreover, using a speed sensor in a hostile environment
like chemical industries is not practical.
To overcome the above difficulties, it is always encouraged to eliminate the
mechanical sensors in electrical drive applications through alternate approaches, namely
estimation techniques. In sensorless PMSM drive the speed and rotor position of the rotor
are estimated rather than measured. Such control reduces the drive's cost, size and
maintenance requirements while increasing the system's reliability, robustness and noise
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immunity. Model Reference Adaptive System based state estimation technique is

proposed to use to estimate the speed and rotor position.

1.4 Objective of the thesis

The main objective of this thesis is to estimate the speed and rotor position of the
PMSM using the model reference adaptive system (MRAS) technique. The basic ideas of
the work are summarized as follows:
1. Designing the mathematical model of the PMSM.
2. Implementing space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) technique for a
three phase bridge inverter.
3. Designing of the speed controller for PMSM drive.
4. Implementing the MRAS technique to estimate the speed and rotor position of
PMSM drive.
5. Implementing the model in Real time environment.

1.5 Organization of the thesis

The organization of this project is set to five chapters as follows
Chapter -1 includes introduction about the project, problem formulation and the
objective of the thesis.
The detailed mathematical modeling of the PMSM is explained in Chapter-2. The
operation of the PMSM and the vector control of the PMSM are also explained in
Chapter-2. The complete transfer function of the PMSM drive is also derived in this
chapter. Various types of PWM techniques are given and mainly focused on the space
vector pulse width modulation technique. The advantages of SVPWM technique
compared to the other PWM techniques such as SPWM are also summarized.
The major subject treated in this thesis is described in the Chapter-3, i.e. the
Model reference adaptive system based state estimation. Different types of estimation
techniques are listed and the problems associated with the estimation techniques are
discussed. The mathematical equations of the reference model, adjustable model and
adaption mechanism are given. Development of control strategy for PMSM drive is also
discussed in this Chapter. Designing of the PI controller and Ziegler & Nichols tuning

methods are explained. The MATLAB simulation results and discussions are given in
Chapter-3.
Chapter-4 deals with the real time simulation. The advantages with the real time
simulation are given. The procedure to convert the model from MATLAB to real time is
explained. Real time simulation results & discussions are given in Chapter-4. The
simulation results are observed for constant load, step change in load and during speed
reversal conditions.
The final concluding comments of the thesis are given in the Chapter- 5 and it
also gives some suggetions for further work which would be possible due to the
knowledge acquired during this study.