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Modern Electrical Drives: Trends, Problems, and Challenges

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "E: Electric Vehicles".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2021) | Viewed by 26446

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Prof. Dr. Krzysztof Szabat

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Department of Electrical Machines, Drives and Measurment, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
Interests: electrical drives; mechatronic system; torsional vibrations; control; estimation technique
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Dr. Tomasz Pajchrowski

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Institute of Robotics and Machine Intelligence, Poznan University of Technology, 60-965 Poznań, Poland
Interests: electrical drives; neural network; adaptive control; robust control; mechatronic system
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Prof. Dr. Tomasz Tarczewski

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Guest Editor

Department of Automatics and Measurement Systems, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, 87-100 Torun, Poland
Interests: electrical drives; optimal control; adaptive control; nature-inspired optimization algorithms; estimation techniques

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Electrical drives possess a lot of advantages. As compared to other sources, electrical energy is easy to transport and can be environmentally friendly (when from renewable sources). Modern electrical drives convert energy with high efficiency and have flexible control characteristics. They offer a wide range of speed, torque, and power operation. Furthermore, in general, they can serve as an electrical generator.

The first electrical drives were built in the 19th century. Over time, new constructions appeared. Recently, the topic of modern electrical drives has encompassed many different areas, such as electrical machines, power electronics, control theory, real time control, mechanical systems, modeling, and sensors.

With the growing demand for high-performance electrical drives, the problem of their efficient, robust, precise, and fault-tolerant control is a popular target for many universities and industrial researchers. Accurate control of electrical drives is a crucial point in different types of industry, starting from high-power drives evident in mining and petrochemical areas, through medium (automotive industries, robot arm drives, CNC machines) and small power drives (actuators), ending on MEMS, etc.

In this Special Issue, the topics related to trends, problems, and challenges linked to design and exploitation will be presented. Papers in (but not limited to) the following scope are welcome:

Control strategies for different types of electrical motors (DC, ACIM, PMSM, synRM, SRM, etc.);
Sensor-less control of electrical drives. Estimation of the non-measurable states and parameters;
Application of advanced control methodologies (fuzzy, neural, robust, predictive etc.) for high performance control of electrical drives;
Control of complex mechatronic systems taking into account the mechanical part of the system;
Diagnosis, monitoring and prognosis in electrical drives;
Fault-tolerant control of electrical drives;

Drives and renewable energy systems. Novel topologies of the power converters dedicated to electrical drives.

Prof. Dr. Krzysztof Szabat
Prof. Dr. Tomasz Pajchrowski
Prof. Dr. Tomasz Tarczewski
Guest Editors

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Keywords

Electrical drives
Control algorithms
Estimation technique
Sensor-less drives
Mechatronic systems
Torsional vibration
Diagnosis
Monitoring and prognosis
Fault-tolerant drives
Power converters

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Modern Electrical Drives: Trends, Problems, and Challenges 2023 in Energies (2 articles)

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12 pages, 3805 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Nonlinear Identification with Constraints in Frequency Domain of Electric Direct Drive with Multi-Resonant Mechanical Part

by Dominik Łuczak

Energies 2021, 14(21), 7190; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14217190 - 2 Nov 2021

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 1898

Abstract

Knowledge of a direct-drive model with a complex mechanical part is important in the synthesis of control algorithms and in the predictive maintenance of digital twins. The identification of two-mass drive systems with one low mechanical resonance frequency is often described in the literature. This paper presents an identification workflow of a multi-resonant mechanical part in direct drive with up to three high-frequency mechanical resonances. In many methods, the identification of a discrete time (DT) model is applied, and its results are transformed into a continuous-time (CT) representation. The transformation from a DT model to a CT model has limitations due to nonlinear mapping of discrete to continuous frequencies. This problem may be overcome by identification of CT models in the frequency domain. This requires usage of a discrete Fourier transform to obtain frequency response data as complex numbers. The main work presented in this paper is the appropriate fitting of a CT model of a direct-drive mechanical part to complex number datasets. Fitting to frequency response data is problematic due to the attraction of unexcited high frequency ranges, which lead to wrong identification results of multi-mass (high order) drive systems. Firstly, a CT fitting problem is a nonlinear optimization problem, and, secondly, complex numbers may be presented in several representations, which leads to changes in the formulation of the optimization problem. In this paper, several complex number representations are discussed, and their influence on the optimization process by simulation evaluation is presented. One of the best representations is then evaluated using a laboratory setup of direct drive with unknown parameters of three high mechanical resonance frequencies. The mechanical part of the examined direct drive is described by three mechanical resonances and antiresonances, which are characteristic of a four-mass drive system. The main finding is the addition of frequency boundaries in the identification procedure, which are the same as those in the frequency range of the excitation signal. Neither a linear least-square algorithm nor a nonlinear least-square algorithm is suitable for this approach. The usage of nonlinear least-square algorithm with constraints as a fitting algorithm allows one to solve the issue of modeling multi-mass direct-drive systems in the frequency domain. The second finding of this paper is a comparison of different cost functions evaluated to choose the best complex number representation for the identification of multi-mass direct-drive systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modern Electrical Drives: Trends, Problems, and Challenges)

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21 pages, 6154 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Microstepping Signal Shape on Shaft Movement Precision and Torque Variation of the Stepper Motor

by Bogdan Bednarski, Krzysztof Jackiewicz and Andrzej Gałecki

Energies 2021, 14(19), 6107; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14196107 - 25 Sep 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2570

Abstract

Stepper motors are widely used in many applications where discrete, precise movement is required. There is a variety of dedicated stepper motor controllers (sometimes referred to as “step sticks”) available on the market. Those controllers provide a number of different motor control schemes that vary by aspects like current control method, reference current shape or maximum resolution increase (microstepping). The two most widely acknowledged signal shapes are sine-cosine microstepping and quadrature microstepping. The choice of the control scheme impacts torque output, torque variation, positioning error and maximum power supply requirements. This paper presents a family of generalised microstepping signal shapes, ranging from sine-cosine microstepping to quadrature microstepping. Derivation of signal shapes as well as their mathematical analyses are provided. Those signals are then implemented on the control board. A series of experiments is performed on a test bench to analyse the influence of different signal shapes on the performance of the motor in both load and no load conditions. The comparison of the new generalized shapes influence on the motor operation to the commonly used sine-cosine and quadrature control is provided. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modern Electrical Drives: Trends, Problems, and Challenges)

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19 pages, 11496 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Buffer Power Source Based on a Supercapacitor for Starting an Induction Motor under Load

by Ruslan Saifulin, Tomasz Pajchrowski and Iosiff Breido

Energies 2021, 14(16), 4769; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14164769 - 5 Aug 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2308

Abstract

In the paper, a model of a three-phase frequency-controlled induction electric drive has been developed in Simulink Matlab 2019 (MathWorks, Natick, MA, USA). This model is mathematically converted into a two-phase model by transforming equations. It is proposed to compensate the voltage drop in the power system during start-up operation under load by using supercapacitors as a buffer power source. A block of supercapacitors was calculated. Simulation modeling was performed at a different voltage than the network. The diagrams of the transient processes occurring in the electric drive when the power supply is changed were prepared. It was found that such a principle of implementing an additional source of electric energy allows to start induction electric drives in areas remote from industrial networks without significantly affecting their static and dynamic characteristics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modern Electrical Drives: Trends, Problems, and Challenges)

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26 pages, 7187 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Adaptive Control Structure with Neural Data Processing Applied for Electrical Drive with Elastic Shaft

by Marcin Kamiński and Krzysztof Szabat

Energies 2021, 14(12), 3389; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14123389 - 8 Jun 2021

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 2324

Abstract

This paper presents issues related to the adaptive control of the drive system with an elastic clutch connecting the main motor and the load machine. Firstly, the problems and the main algorithms often implemented for the mentioned object are analyzed. Then, the control concept based on the RNN (recurrent neural network) for the drive system with the flexible coupling is thoroughly described. For this purpose, an adaptive model inspired by the Elman model is selected, which is related to internal feedback in the neural network. The indicated feature improves the processing of dynamic signals. During the design process, for the selection of constant coefficients of the controller, the PSO (particle swarm optimizer) is applied. Moreover, in order to obtain better dynamic properties and improve work in real conditions, one model based on the ADALINE (adaptive linear neuron) is introduced into the structure. Details of the algorithm used for the weights’ adaptation are presented (including stability analysis) to perform the shaft torque signal filtering. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is examined through simulation and experimental studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modern Electrical Drives: Trends, Problems, and Challenges)

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18 pages, 4698 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modulation Variants in DC Circuits of Power Rectifier Systems with Improved Quality of Energy Conversion—Part I

by Tomasz Pajchrowski, Michał Krystkowiak and Dominik Matecki

Energies 2021, 14(7), 1876; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14071876 - 29 Mar 2021

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2041

Abstract

The article presents various concepts of three-phase power rectifiers with improved quality of converted electric power. This effect is obtained by modulating the currents in the DC output circuits of the rectifiers by means of power electronics controlled voltage or current sources, working as a so-called voltage or current modulators. For further quality improvement of the grid currents of the analyzed systems, it was proposed to use an additional controlled current source connected in parallel to the DC load, hereinafter referred to as a supporting system. The original elaborated method of controlling this source (supporting system) was presented. The main goal of the work was to propose a solution for an effective method of improving the quality of energy conversion in rectifier systems, especially high power ones, by using controlled current sources in DC circuits, operating as the power electronics current modulator and the supporting system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modern Electrical Drives: Trends, Problems, and Challenges)

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20 pages, 7032 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hybrid Tuning of a Boost Converter PI Voltage Compensator by Means of the Genetic Algorithm and the D-Decomposition

by Radosław Nalepa, Karol Najdek and Błażej Strong

Energies 2021, 14(1), 173; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14010173 - 31 Dec 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2121

Abstract

In this paper the D-decomposition technique is investigated as a source of non-linear boundaries used with the Genetic Algorithm (GA) search of a PI voltage compensator gains of the boost converter operating in Continuous Conduction Mode (CCM). The well known and appreciated boost [...] Read more.

c 2 o

) voltage transfer function. The D-decomposition, as a technique relying on the frequency sweeping, clearly indicates not only the global stability but, in its extended version, regions satisfying the required gain (GM) and phase (PM) margins. Such results are in form of easy to interpret functions

K_{I} = f (K_{P})

. The functions are easy to convert to the GA constraints. The GA search, with three different performance indexes as the fitness functions, is applied to a control structure with time delays basing on identified

c 2 o

voltage transfer functions. The identification took place in an experiment and in simulation. Outcomes of the identification are compared to mathematically derived formula taking into account certain parasitics. A complete set of practically useful mathematical formulas together with their validation in simulation and experiment is included. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modern Electrical Drives: Trends, Problems, and Challenges)

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21 pages, 9501 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of D-Decomposition Technique to Selection of Controller Parameters for a Two-Mass Drive System

by Radosław Nalepa, Karol Najdek, Karol Wróbel and Krzysztof Szabat

Energies 2020, 13(24), 6614; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13246614 - 15 Dec 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1883

Abstract

In this work, issues related to the application of the D-decomposition technique to selection of the controller parameters for a drive system with flexibility are presented. In the introduction the commonly used control structures dedicated to two-mass drive systems are described. Then the mathematical model as well as control structure are introduced. The considered structure has only basic feedbacks from the motor speed and PI type controller. Due to the order of the closed-loop system, the free location of the system’s poles is not possible. Large oscillations can be expected in responses of the plant. In order to improve the characteristics of the drive, the tuning methodology based on the D-decomposition technique is proposed. The initial working point is selected using an analytical formula. Then the value of controller proportional gain is decreasing, until the required value of overshoot is obtained. In the paper different advantages of the D-decomposition technique are presented, for instance calculation of global stability area for the selected gain and phase margin, the impact of parameter changes, and additional delay evident in the system. Theoretical considerations are confirmed by simulation and experimental results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modern Electrical Drives: Trends, Problems, and Challenges)

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15 pages, 4149 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Yokeless Axial Flux Surface-Mounted Permanent Magnets Machine Rotor Parameters Influence on Torque and Back-Emf

by Stanisław J. Hajnrych, Rafał Jakubowski and Jan Szczypior

Energies 2020, 13(13), 3418; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13133418 - 2 Jul 2020

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2545

Abstract

The paper presents the results of a 3D FEA simulations series of a dual air gap Axial Flux (AF) electric machine with Surface-Mounted Permanent magnets (SPM) with parameterized rotor geometry. Pole number and pole span influence on back-emf, as well as cogging and ideal electromagnetic torques angular characteristics were investigated for each model with the common segmented yokeless stator with concentric windings. Synchronous and BLDC drives supply were used to estimate back-emf distortion. Ideal torque ripple and cogging torque spectra were analyzed. It was concluded that the number of poles closer to the number of slots with ~0.8 pole span tends to yield good torque density with the lowest cogging torque, back-emf distortion and ideal torque ripple. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modern Electrical Drives: Trends, Problems, and Challenges)

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16 pages, 1539 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Auto-Tuning Process of State Feedback Speed Controller Applied for Two-Mass System

by Rafal Szczepanski, Marcin Kaminski and Tomasz Tarczewski

Energies 2020, 13(12), 3067; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13123067 - 13 Jun 2020

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 3184

Abstract

The state feedback controller is increasingly applied in electrical drive systems due to robustness and good disturbance compensation, however its main drawback is related to complex and time consuming tuning process. It is particularly troublesome for designer, if the plant is compound, nonlinear elements are taken into account, measurement noise is considered, etc. In this paper the application of nature-inspired optimization algorithm to automatic tuning of state feedback speed controller (SFC) for two-mass system (TMS) is proposed. In order to obtain optimal coefficients of SFC, the Artificial Bee Colony algorithm (ABC) is used. The objective function is described and discussed in details. Comparison with analytical tuning method of SFC is also included. Additionally, the stability analysis for the control system, optimized using the ABC algorithm, is presented. Synthesis procedure of the controller is utilized in Matlab/Simulink from MathWorks. Next, obtained coefficients of the controller are examined on the laboratory stand, also with variable moment of inertia values, to indicate robustness of the controller with optimal coefficients. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modern Electrical Drives: Trends, Problems, and Challenges)

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18 pages, 6143 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Application of the Bispectrum Analysis to Detect the Rotor Unbalance of the Induction Motor Supplied by the Mains and Frequency Converter

by Pawel Ewert

Energies 2020, 13(11), 3009; https://doi.org/10.3390/en13113009 - 11 Jun 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2933

Abstract

This article presents the effectiveness of bispectrum analysis for the detection of the rotor unbalance of an induction motor supplied by the mains and a frequency converter. Two diagnostic signals were analyzed, as well as the stator current and mechanical vibrations of the tested motors. The experimental tests were realized for two low-power induction motors, with one and two pole pairs, respectively. The unbalance was modeled using a test mass mounted on a specially prepared disc and directly on the rotor and the influence of this unbalance location was tested and discussed. The results of the bispectrum analysis are compared with results of Fourier transform and the effectiveness of unbalance detection are discussed and compared. The influence of the registration time of the analyzed signal on the quality of fault symptom analyses using both transforms was also tested. It is shown that the bispectrum analysis provides an increased number of fault symptoms in comparison with the classical spectral analysis as well as it is not sensitive to a shorter registration time of the diagnostic signals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modern Electrical Drives: Trends, Problems, and Challenges)

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