A Globally Converging Observer of Mechanical Variables for Sensorless PMSM

B. Nahid Mobarakeh, F. Meibody-Tabar, F.M. Sargos

Groupe de Recherche en Electronique et en Electrotechnique de Nancy, CNRS UPRESA 7037
Institut National Polytechniquc dc Lorraine,
2, Ave. de la foret de Hayc. 545 I6 Vandocvrc-Lbs-Nancy, Francc.
Tel: +33 3 83 59 59 59 - Fax: t33 3 83 59 56 53
bnahidmo@yahoo.com
Abstruct- This paper analyzes h'latsui's paper which
presented two PMSM mechanical sensorless control methods
111. Our studies show that the convergence of the estimated
variables depends on their initial values and is not guaranteed.
We propose a simple solution to start up the motor from any
rotor initial position by modifying Matsui's methods. A new
nonlinear model of PMSM for mechanical sensorless application
is also presented. Simulation and experimental results illustrate
the validity of the model and the applicability of this approach.
1. INTRODUCTIOh
Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines (PMSM) are
successfully uscd in different domains becausc of their high
cfficicncy and good controllability. In vcctor control of a
PMSM the rotor position must be known instantaneously.
This can be achieved by using a position sensor. The cost of
mechanical sensors, the difficulty to place them, and the lack
of reliability of the motor encourage rcscarchcrs to avoid thcir
use. So, the scnsorless control of PMSM has been studicd for
about ten years [ 1-71. There are different solutions to evaluate
the mechanical vanables of the motor. Three different
categories can be distinguished
1 - techniques based on the machine's physical properties,
2- model-based techniques,
3- known techniqucs of the control theory as Extcndcd
Kalnian Filtcr (EKF) or state obscrvcrs.
The rotor position observation based on the back-emf
calculation (second category) is stable enough over 10% of
the rated speed 131. In this paper, weanalyze two model-based
techniques using nonlinear analyzing tools. Thcsc techniqucs,
proposed by N. Matsui 111, arc casy to implement with a DSP.
The experimental results show that they are really efEcient.
But at standstill, without using any specific starting
procedure, the niotor cannot start up from any arbitrary initial
rotor position. Some reliable starting procedures may beused
to start up the motor [ 6] : They exploit the physical properties
of the machinc (first catcgory). But they are not suitable for
high specd applications. In addition, if Matsui's observcrs losc
the rotor position for any reason, they are not always capable
of converging again. and the motor stops down. Thus, a
globally converging solution of the model-based techniques is
preferable for both starting up and robust working.
In this papcr, wc propose a new modcl of PMSM for
sensorless control purposes. Sensorless control of the PMSM
conies down to a state regulation problem using this
approach. Matsui's observers are analyzed using this model;
we prove tliat their domain of convergence is not global and is
limited to an initial position error between -n/2 and +n/2 if
a rapid correction is required in start up. This analysis gives
the idea of a modification of these methods which guarantees
the global convergence of the rotor position, for any initial
error. Simulation and experimental results show the validity
and thc efficiency of this approach.
The proposed model is presented in the next section.
Matsui's first method is presented and analyzed in the third
section, as well as our simple solution to it. The second
method of Matsui will be presented and analyzed, and its
convergence problem is solved by a simple modification, in
the fourth section. In the fifth section, the simulation and
experimental results illustrate the validity of our approach.
11. PMSM MODEL
Consider a non-salient-pole PMSM with a sinusoidal
back-emf waveform. For our purpose, we use a particular
Park 6 - y reference frame (Fig. 11- I ) in which the electrical
equations can be expresscd as follows:
L l i s =-Rig -k pLi yR, - e6 +v6
dt
I
(11-1)
( I .
L-i, dt
=-Ki, - pLigQ, - e-f +1' Y
where v6, I>.{, is and i, are the 6- y componeiits of stator
voltage and current vectors. and R, L, p and KS are the
paramctcrs of the modcl. Q, =&/ p is the mcchanical angular
spccd of 6 - y frame. r g and e.{ arc thc stator back-cmf
components on 6 - y frame defined by:
qj =e.sin cp
e. =c.cos(P
i
(11-2)
where cp =19- 8, and e =K,Q with SL =6 / p as the rotor
mechanical angular speed.
Fig. 11- 1. 6 - y and d-q reference frames.
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The mechanical equation is:
(11-3)
J
dl
J-Q =K, (i, sin cp +i, cos cp)- r, ( ( 2)
r, (R) =.fo .sgtl(n)+ f i .a +f 2 .R +. . .
where:
(11-4)
is the unknown load torque expression.
calculated by:
In the domain of PMSM sensorless control, 6 is
I?= p R,.dt+6, (11-5)
I
where 6,, is chosen arbitrarily, and s;L, must be well defined
to cancel the position error cp =-3-8, using i 8 and i,
obtained from measured stator currents, and stator voltages
v6 and v , . This can be dcfincd as a nonlincar rcgulation
problem. Denoting .r=[cp/p Qp as the mechanical
variables and z =b, i,p as the electrical ones, one may get
thc following nonlinear systcm:
i =.f; (x)+.A(.>. +gp, +d, ( . )
=.fg(?l)+ j 4 z +g 9 2 +dz(z)u,
(11-6)
I y =c z
where: U , =R, , u2 =[v, L V . ~ ~ , y =[i6 i,y,
Ths nonlincar fourth-ordcr system reprcscnts thc
dynamic behavior of a PMSM in meclianical sensorless
control applications. Onc has to find a suitablc choicc of Q, .
v6, and I*, , using nonlinear control design techniques, which
guarantccs thc rcgillation of cp to 2hm. and i8 and i, to
thcir referenccs independent from initial state of the systcm.
Each solution of this problcm is callcd a globally converging
observer of PMSMs mechanical variables.
Note I - For reasoils of simplicity, we make two usual
assumptions on the rest of the paper:
ifssumption 1- The system (11-6) is a two timc scalc systcm,
with a mechanical dynamic supposed too slow with rcspcct to
thc clectrical one. Thus, wehavc a linear current control loop
which regulates the stator currents, with f 3( x) + d2(=)23 as
external disturbances.
Assumption. 2- Lcts considcr igref =0 and =I , , which
is an oftcn used assumption in the domain of PMSM torque
control strategies. It implies i, =I , and i 6 z 0 , supposing
well-designed regulators of stator currents.
Note 2- One may study the convergence of different
proposcd methods in the domain of PMSM seiisorlcss control
by studying their capability of regulating cp to 2b. This
capability can bc expressed by:
as a suitable candidate of Lyapunov function for the system
(11-6). A proper choice of QL can be found by choosing an
appropriate choice of +(r) I o .
have thc following electrical modcl on d-q framc:
I+) =2 sin2 (pj / 2 ) (11-7)
Note 3- In the case where R, =R and cp =@= 0, we
d .
dt
d
dt
L -id =-Rid +pLiyR +vd
L -it( =-Ri, - pLi,,R - K , R +vil
which is thc ob.jective casc of thc scnsorless control.
Aoir 4- Onc may usc an EKF to estimate thc mcchanical
variables using (11-6). The full-order model as well as the
reduced one (mechanical sub-system only) can be applied.
The application of the other types of nonlinear observers can
be studied, too.
(11-8)
111. VOLTAGE MODEL-BASED ALGORITHM
A. 1nti.oduction
This method, proposed by N. Matsui [I ], uses the
following voltage estimations from the measurcd currents and
R, defined later:
d .
dt
dt
C6 =Ri6 +L - I . - xLi.fRL,
cy =i.! +L L i ? +p ~ i , ~ , +K, Q, .
(I n- 1
Comparing (111-1) with (11-I), Matsui concluded for the ideal
case (cps 0) [l]:
AV, =c8 - y6 =-es I -K1b2.cp
d
1: -Ri -L-i,
R = - , , d t
K , +pLi6
(111-2)
Thcn hc proposcd a PI-type corrector to obtain a suitable
corrcction of f2 according to AV, and thc sign of f2 .
U
Fig. 111-1. Observer of mechanical variables.
0-7803-5692-6/00/S10.00 (c) 2000 IEEE 886
Fig. Ill- I illustrates this method. This method doesn't
work at standstill. Matsui proposed a solution called "starting
procedure", and he used the above method from a pre-
spccified spccd [ 11.
B. Anulv.sis
In this paragraph, weusethe first method of Lyapunov [8]
in order to analyze Matsui's first method. At first, let us
reformulatc observcr (111-2). Taking into account ussunzytions
1 and 2. onc may summarizc the first mcthod of Matsui as thc
following nonlinear dynamic state feedback law:
p3
(111-3)
(pt.7 =21m
R,, =R'
W&3 =0
' pel =2h7t - Tt
pj Re, =R-
w&, =2n-/qA
where K is equal to l / Kr ; 7 and 1 are the observer
parameters to be found. Equations (111-3) with mechanical
subsystem of (11-6) makc a third-ordcr nonlincar systcm:
I d
--cp =IC K fR.cos cp +Q (KjR. sin cp +AH$)- R
It can be shown that this system has four equilibrium points:
"&I =0
2Mj ............................... ~ __. X.. .. ....... ... ............ ......... ~
i i
IS11 ;
lorl-.
- 2w
-3 I
*/R [rad]
Fig. 111-2. System trajectories with Matsui's observer:
and inverse if 64. Thus, in the case of the rapid position error
correction (h> I ), yJ attracts some systcni statc trajectories.
Fig. 111-2 shows system trajectories on cp-R phase plan for
24 different initial values for cpo and R,, , R+=-R- =100
rudLs. and h=2. This figiirc illustratcs vcry well the
convergence problem of Matsui's observer. All of the system
trajcctorics with 'po bctwccn -x/ 2 and +7c/2, arrivc to p 3 ;
otherwise they end up to p4.
C. Proposed solution
In order to solve the convergence problem of Matsui's
observer mentioned in the last paragraph, we propose to
estimate the rotor position from the following equation:
where ( is a new parameter introduced for canceling p4,
while keeping a rapid enough correction of position error.
Onc can study the stability of this ncw obscrver in the
samc manncr to that of thc obscrver of Matsui. By proper
choosing the coefficients, observer (111-6) has one stable
equilibrium point 01.1) and two unstable ones ( p, andp):
o: initial point, *: equilibrium point.
R, =4 +q(Av8 +&lAir81)
(111-6)
O <& <l
1
< b < - q =--.sgn(r,) h I - 1
I +< 1-6
KJ
(111-7)
There are two differences between this observer and Matsui's
one. Thc first one is the introduction of lAvsl in (111-6); now,
it is very simple and fast for a DSP, Ai-6 having already been
calculatcd. On the other hand, in thc opposite of (111-3), in
(111-6) q is independent from sgn(h), which makes the
system more robust with respect to variations of the system
parameters. Of course. one may replace sgn(1,) in (111-7) by
sgn(h) to improve the system response if not too concerned
by thc robustness. Thcreforc. the proposed solution docs not
load the DSP and its implcmcntation is quite casy. Fig. 111-3
shows the system trajectories for 24 different initial values
with observer (111-6). The other parameters are the same that
on Fig. 111-2.
0-7803-5692-6~00/S10.00 (c) 2000 IEEE 887
I
2
Q/X rraal
Fig. 111-3. Trajectories of the modified system;
0: initial point, *: equilibnum point.
Obviously, there is not any trajectory that ends elsewhere, all
of the trajectones arrive to p 3 , the desired equilibrium point.
IV. CURRENT MODEL-BASED ALGORITHM
A. I n traduction
Matsui's second method will be presented and analyzed in
this section. I t is bascd on the following estimations of the
currents derivatives:
L (%i&)=-Ri& +pLi+& +vs
L (-$in,) =- Rir - pLi662, - K i2 +I>
It was proposed to estimate 6 - y stator current
coniponents at (k+ l)T by using (IV-I) and measured 6 - y
(IV-I)
(11-7)) by choosing P(A-)= -h1x2I.sin' pi. h >0 which
gives the samc choice of (IV-4) for a cnough grand, if x2 is
replaced by h .
B. A nulysis
The second method of Matsui, presented I n the last
paragraph. does not converge from any initial position at
standstill. As in section 111, we use the first method of
Lyapunov in order to analyze it. This method can be
simplificd as follows:
T
R, =Ke; +p- p (IV-5)
whcre e; is the filtercd t; passed by a low-pass filtcr whose
cut-off frequency depends directly to a. Algorithm faster
responsc implies a higher value of a, and vicc vcrsa. It must
benotcd that equation (IV-5) is a nonlinear function of cp and
R . I t can be shown that this choice of RL combined with the
mechanical subsystem of (11-6) gives a nonlinear system
which has four equilibrium points:
current components at RT, i.c.:
il, (k +I) =is ( k) +T (5 i6)
il(k +I ) = i , (k)+ T($iY)
Once again, the local stability study around these
equilibrium points implies four contradictory conditions.
Therefore, for all values of a and p, there are two stable
(1v-2)
with T as thc sampling pcriod. The currcnt error bchveen the
measured current at kT and the estimated one is used to
correct the estimated variables. Matsui simplified the current
error expressions in the ideal case cp z 0 :
and proposed the following corrector to obtain a suitable
correction of (2 . and 62, [ 11:
R( k +1)=h(k)+ a. A$( k)
R,.(k +1)=h ( k +I )+ p. A&(k)
equilibrium points and two unstablc ones. Onc certainly must
choose a and (3 in such a way that p? remains always
stable, i.e.:
O<a <L / K, T
(I V-6)
which makes pt stablc and p , unstable. The stability of
p 2 and p , dcpcnds on h: if h>l . p 4 is stablc and p z is
unstable: and inverse if h<l. As i n tlie last section, in the case
of the rapid position error correction (bl ), p4 is stable and
prcvcnts some system statc trajcctorics from converging to p3.
Fig. IV-1 shows the system trajectories on 9-!2 phase
with CI and p as the obscrver paramctcrs to be found. This plan for 24 different initial values for cpn and R,) . R+ =100
method, like the last one, has a limited convergence domain, rudk and h=2. This figllrc illUStratCS VcrY well the
illustrated in the next paragraph. convergence problem of Matsui's observer. All of the system
Note 5- It can be shown that the second method of Matsui trajcctorics with (pO betwecn -n/2 and +n/2, arrivc to p 3 :
may be obtained by a Lyapunov-bascd approach (equation otherwise they end up to p d .
0-7803-5692-6/00/S10.00 ( c) 2000 IEEE 888
C.
Fig. 1V-1: System trcjcctorics with Matsui's observcr;
o: initial point, *: equilibrium point.
Proposed solution
A simple solution to sensorlcss start up the motor which
guarantccs the convcrgencc global is proposcd in this
paragraph. The modified observer is defined as follows:
b(,4- +I ) =c2(k)+ a.Ai,(A-)
L2& +1)= b ( k +1)+a(l- j.sgn(Ai6(/c))).Ai6(k)
(IV-7)
with 5 as a new parameter of the modified observer. By
studying the stability of this ncw obscrver. onc may find a
choicc similar to (111-7):
0 <a <L/K;T
0 < 5 < 1 (IV-8)
Taking (1V-8), observcr (IV-7) has onc stablc equilibrium
point and two unstable ones. Fig. IV-2 illustrates the system
trajectories on cp- Q phase plan for the same conditions of
Fig. IV-1. As can bc secn. all of thc trajectories arrive to p 3 .
This global convergence is obtained thanks to the proper
choicc of j which pernuts to canccl p 4 , i.e. the undesirable
equilibrium point of Matsui's observer.
V. SIMULATION AND EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
A nonlinear sixth-order model of PMSM is used in
simulation with bd t pl d tp, wky i 2 03' as the state
vector; where y d , tp, , wid, and WA, are the stator flux
linkages through stator windings and rotor damps.
Saturation of the magnetic circuit is taken into account. The
inachine is supplied by an ideal three-phase VSI whose
switching frequency is fixed to 10 Kfz by symmetrical
PWM technique. A first-order dynamic with an additional
white noisc input is assigncd to the measurcd stator currents
i, and i , . Thc sampling period of thc DSP is fixed to 0.2
ms. The spccd and the currcnt control is ensured by two
control loops. The inner one concerns the control of 6 - y
currcnts, and the outer one controls the estimated spced R,. .
Fig. IV-2. System trajectories with thc modified obscrvcr;
0: initial point, *: equilibrium point.
Fig. V- 1 and V-2 illustratc thc angular spced and thc rotor
position error cp during the start up from standstill up to
S2' 285 rudh with an initial position crror of go =-4n/3
rad for the first method of Matsui and its proposed solution.
For the second niethod of Matsui and its proposed
solution. thc angular speed and thc rotor position error cp are
shown on Fig. V-3 and V-4 for the same initial conditions.
The simulation results show the validity and the efficiency of
the proposed approach, which proves to be quite satisfactory.
WI
f
t l x l k [ %I
- t r y 1
Fig. V-1 . Rotor angular speed: a- Matsui's first method,
b- modified method.
*I 2
I,
4 9 >
I
- L
t
llrrlF i s1
Fig. V-2. Rotor position error evolution: a- Matsui's first
method, b- modified method.
E w
Fig. V-3. Rotor angular speed: a- Matsui's second method,
b- modified mcthod.
0-7803-5692-61'00/S 10.00 (c) 2000 IEEE 889
(1 r:
( I
&> :
0 x
I_
E-0 h
7,. -
3 -4
t4Jtltc L * f
I 4,
Fig. V-4. Rotor position error evolution: a- Matsui's second
method, b- modified method.
To demonstrate the robustness of the method with respect
to variations of the machine parameters, we have randomly
assigned to them deliberately wrong values within a +30%
error margin.
I n order to validate the proposed solutions, they were
implemented using a T1-DSP on a low-power PMSM supplied
by a PWM-VSI. For the modified second method of Matsui,
proposed in section IV, Fig. V-5 and V-6 illustrate the angular
speed response during the start up from standstill up to 900
rpm, and the corresponding sin6 and sin0 , respectively.
Fig. V-5. Rotor angular speed and its reference.
f 5. mv 2s.oov +-o.ooo l ool pl Sngl* q
Fig. V-6. sin19 and s i ne during start up.
. I .
. - .
. * ,
_ - .
. . . __. . . . _. . . _. . *_. . _. . , *. . . . . . . . . . . 1. . . ~_. . . . . . .
. -
. - A
Fig. V-7. Rotor angular speed and its estimation.
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Speed inversion test by the same method is shown on Fig.
V-7, with 51200 rpm speed reference. The performance of
the speed reference tracking is satisfactory. It should be noted
that the mechanical load in the experimental bench is a DC
machine loaded by a variable resistance.
VI. CONCLUSIONS
A model of PMSM for mechanical sensorless applications
is presented in this paper. It constitutes a tool for designing
nonlinear observers of the rotor position of a PMSM. The
problem of PMSM sensorless control is then considered as a
nonlinear regulation problem using this model. A general
approach to sensorless control of PMSM has so been
introduced.
Two wcll known methods in the domain of sensorless
control of PMSM have been analyzed. In spite of their
advantages, they present a serious problem: the absence of
global convergence. Using the first method of Lyapunov, the
reason for which the domain of Convergence is limited has
been shown. Simulation and experiments confirm the results
of this analytic study.
There are several solutions; among them, a simple solution
which solves the problem of convergence IS thoroughly
studied. The major advantage of tlie proposed solution is that
it is very easy to implement with a DSP. Simulation and
experimental results are quite satisfactory. The flux
weakcning case as wcll as thc robustness of the proposed
methods will be studied in further works.
REFERENCES
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[3] S. Afsharnia, F. Meibody-Tabar. and F.-M. Sargos, "A
Robust Estimator of the Rotor Position in Field Oriented
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[4] S. Solsona, M. 1. Valla. and C. Murwchik. "A nonlinear
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[7] S. Bolognani, R. Oboe, and M. Zigliotto, "Sensorless Full-
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