A new approach for commutation torque ripple reduction of FPGA based brushless DC motor with outgoing phase current control

• Published in: Microprocessors and microsystems 2020-06, Vol.75, p.103043, Article 103043
• Main Authors: Senthilnathan, A., Palanivel, P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algorithms; Brushless direct current motor (BLDC); Brushless motors; Commutation; Computer simulation; Controllers; Current hysteresis control (CHC); D C motors; Electric motors; Hall effect; Hysteresis; Line current; Motor control units (MCUs); Phase current; Response time; Ripples; Slew rate; Switches; Torque; Voltage source inverter (VSI)
• ISSN: 0141-9331; 1872-9436
• DOI: 10.1016/j.micpro.2020.103043

Brushless Direct Current Motor (BLDC) has been deployed across several kinds of applications. However, attaining a smooth torque ripple with fast response is relatively tough, as usually this is based on the varied slew rate line current in the commutation period. Hysteresis Current control has been widely used in earlier works for the maintaining incoming and outgoing phase current at the same rate throughout the commutation period. Additionally, this also helps in reducing the commutation torque ripple and delivers successful commutation. The proposed work here uses a relatively simple control technique that is primarily derived on the basis Outgoing-phase Current Discharge Hysteresis Control (OCDHC). This has been characterized to produce low response time and reduced torque ripple which has been suggested to execute in both conduction and commutation intervals. For the implementation of digital controller, we chose Xilinx Spartan 6 FPGA board. The digital controller algorithm is written using VHDL and is dumped on the FPGA. For this purpose we use Xilinx ISE and iMPACT tools. FPGA receives hall sensor output and current from BLDC motor with reduced torque ripple and generates the gate pulses which drive the IGBT switches using OCDHC control. This condition shows that the performance of the system is not primarily based on the motor parameters, excluding the stator resistance. Lastly, results obtained from the simulation and experimental results validate the significance of the proposed control technique based on response time at load conditions that vary at different junctures.