Performance Enhancement of Wireless BLDC Motor Using Adaptive Reinforcement Learning for Sustainable Pumping Applications
Abstract
1. Introduction
- This research uniquely integrates reinforcement learning, wireless power transfer, and pulse density modulation to provide an adaptive control framework for BLDC motors, ensuring efficient and contactless operation in industrial environments;
- This research develops a novel hybrid reward function that balances energy efficiency, torque ripple reduction, and motor stability, ensuring self-learning and continuous adaptation without manual tuning;
- The proposed 48 V, 1 HP BLDC motor drive, powered through a 1.1 kW WPT system, validates the novelty of combining an RL-driven PDM with WPT for sustainable industrial processes, such as pumping and automation, where energy savings and reliability are critical.
2. System Description and Modeling of the BLDC Motor Pump System
Mathematical Modeling of Dynamic Load Conditions of the Motor in the Environment
3. Proposed Adaptive RL-Based Control Architecture
Computation of Reward Function for RL to Enhance Motor Performance
4. Simulation and Experimental Setup
5. Results and Discussion
5.1. Analysis Based on the Reinforced Learning Episode Range
5.2. Hardware Results Analysis Based on the BLDC Motor
5.3. Interpretation of Findings and Comparison of Relevant Works
5.4. Limitations and Future Improvements
6. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
Abbreviations
| RL | Reinforcement Learning |
| WPT | Wireless Power Transfer |
| BLDC | Brushless DC motor |
| PDM | Pulse Density Modulation |
| DC | Direct Current |
| AC | Alternating Current |
| MCU | Microcontroller Unit |
| PID | Proportional–Integral–Derivative controller |
| IoT | Internet of Things |
| EMF | Electromotive Force |
| MSO | Mixed Signal Oscilloscope |
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| Parameters | Values |
|---|---|
| BLDC motor power | 1 hp |
| Voltage | 48 V |
| Current | 20 A |
| Main winding resistance | 0.1 Ω |
| Main winding inductance | 0.5 mH |
| Rated torque | 3.18 Nm |
| Maximum motor speed | 3000 rpm |
| Casing | 304 stainless steel, 2 mm, IP6 |
| Parameters | Values |
|---|---|
| Motor power | 1 hp |
| Volumetric flow rate | 274 L/min |
| Outlet head | 10 m ≈ 0.7 bar |
| Inlet suction | 1–2 m above pump inlet |
| Fluid density | ρ ≈ 720 kg/m3 |
| Parameters | Values |
|---|---|
| WPT system power | 1.1 kW |
| Input DC voltage | 48 V |
| Coupling co-efficient | 0.2 |
| Switching frequency | 85 kHz |
| Mutual inductance | 10 µH |
| Self-inductance of the transmitter coil | 50 µH |
| Compensation capacitor of the transmitter side | 700 nF |
| Compensation inductance of the transmitter side | 20 µH |
| Self-inductance of the receiver coil | 50 µH |
| Compensation capacitor of the receiver side | 70 nF |
| Compensation inductance of the receiver side | 50 µH |
| Distance between transmitter to receiver coil | 180 mm |
| Parameters | Values |
|---|---|
| Load Torque Range | 0.1–2 Nm |
| Speed Range | 500–3000 RPM |
| Voltage Range | 40–60 V |
| Range | Episodes | Environment Change at Range Start |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0–250 | Baseline (nominal) |
| 2 | 251–500 | Increase load by 10% |
| 3 | 501–750 | Supply decrease to 46 V |
| 4 | 751–1000 | Load decrease by 15% |
| 5 | 1001–1250 | Increase mechanical loss |
| 6 | 1251–1500 | Increase Temperature |
| 7 | 1501–1750 | Increase Sensor noise |
| 8 | 1751–2000 | Increase DC bus ripple |
| 9 | 2001–2250 | Increase Load by 25% |
| 10 | 2251–2500 | Return near nominal |
| Parameters | Values | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Speed (ω) | Rotational speed of the motor | RPM |
| Torque (T) | Load torque | Nm |
| Current (I) | Input current | A |
| Voltage (V) | Input voltage | V |
| Temperature (Θ) | Motor surface temperature | °C |
| Metric | Minimum Value | Maximum Value | Average Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Response Time | 100 ms | 300 ms | 150 ms |
| Energy Efficiency | 85.09% | 92.24% | 88.65% |
| System Stability | 0.95 | 1.00 | 0.98 |
| Energy Utilization | 80.56% | 89.12% | 84.84% |
| Torque Ripple | 0.5 Nm | 2.5 Nm | 1.5 Nm |
| Motor Stability | 0.98 | 1.00 | 0.99 |
| Topology | Algorithm | Computation Time | Convergence | Robustness | Efficiency | Torque Ripple |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [13] | Reinforcement Learning | Medium (2.5 ms/episode) | Moderate (400 episodes) | High | 90% | Not specified |
| [23] | Deep Neural Network with Mixture of Experts | High (4.8 ms/episode) | Fast (250 episodes) | High | 91% | Not specified |
| [24] | Adaptive Input–Output Feedback Linearization | Low (1.2 ms/episode) | Fast (200 episodes) | Medium | 88% | 30% |
| [25] | Periodic Adaptive Control | Low (1.0 ms/episode) | Slow (500 episodes) | Low | 85% | 25% |
| [26] | Chaotic Adaptive Tuning Strategy | Medium–High (3.5 ms/episode) | Moderate (350 episodes) | High | 89% | 33% |
| [27] | Soft Computing Optimization Algorithms | High (5.0 ms/episode) | Moderate (400 episodes) | Medium | 90% | Not specified |
| [28] | Super-Twisting Sliding Mode Control | Low–Medium (2.0 ms/episode) | Fast (220 episodes) | High | 91% | 40% |
| Proposed | Adaptive RL | Medium (2.8 ms/episode) | Very Fast (180 episodes) | High | 92.24% | 45% |
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© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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Antony, R.P.; Komarasamy, P.R.G.; Ibrahim, M.A.; Alanazi, A.; Rajamanickam, N. Performance Enhancement of Wireless BLDC Motor Using Adaptive Reinforcement Learning for Sustainable Pumping Applications. Sustainability 2025, 17, 10881. https://doi.org/10.3390/su172310881
Antony RP, Komarasamy PRG, Ibrahim MA, Alanazi A, Rajamanickam N. Performance Enhancement of Wireless BLDC Motor Using Adaptive Reinforcement Learning for Sustainable Pumping Applications. Sustainability. 2025; 17(23):10881. https://doi.org/10.3390/su172310881
Chicago/Turabian StyleAntony, Richard Pravin, Pongiannan Rakkiya Goundar Komarasamy, Moustafa Ahmed Ibrahim, Abdulaziz Alanazi, and Narayanamoorthi Rajamanickam. 2025. "Performance Enhancement of Wireless BLDC Motor Using Adaptive Reinforcement Learning for Sustainable Pumping Applications" Sustainability 17, no. 23: 10881. https://doi.org/10.3390/su172310881
APA StyleAntony, R. P., Komarasamy, P. R. G., Ibrahim, M. A., Alanazi, A., & Rajamanickam, N. (2025). Performance Enhancement of Wireless BLDC Motor Using Adaptive Reinforcement Learning for Sustainable Pumping Applications. Sustainability, 17(23), 10881. https://doi.org/10.3390/su172310881

