V/f with stabilizing loops versus FOC of Spoke-PM rotor SM drive: control with experiments

In this paper, two sensorless control strategies for the spoke-PM rotor synchronous motor drive in a wide speed range are studied: the V/F control with two stabilizing loops and the sensorless field-oriented control (FOC). The FOC was implemented for comparison, only. To improve drive dynamics and responses during transients, the standard V/f control has been enhanced with two stabilizing loops, which provide corrections for both voltage vector amplitude and voltage vector position angle. The main advantages of the V/f control with stabilizing loops are the simplicity, low computation time and lower calibration effort, which makes it desirable for home appliances such pumps and refrigerator compressors. The novelty consists of a new and more simpler formulae for the voltage vector amplitude correction than the ones already existent. The motion sensorless control of the spoke-PM rotor synchronous motor drive is obtained via model-based stator flux estimation using the “active flux” concept. Experimental results between 200 rpm and 2000 rpm validate the two control systems. Finally, a comparison between the experimental results employing both control systems has been done.