Position Sensing Errors in Synchronous Motor Drives

TL;DR

This paper analyzes how position sensing errors impact the performance of synchronous motor drives, highlighting the influence of control architecture and providing validated models for different error scenarios.

Contribution

It offers a comprehensive analytical framework for understanding position sensing errors and their effects, validated through simulations and experiments on a PMSM drive.

Findings

Position sensing errors degrade drive performance.

Control architecture significantly influences error impact.

Validated models accurately predict error effects.

Abstract

Non-ideal position estimation results in degraded performance of synchronous motor drive systems due to reduction of the average capability of the drive as well as torque harmonics of different orders. The signature and extent of the performance degradation is further dependent, quite significantly, on the current control architecture, i.e., feedforward or feedback control, employed. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of non-idealities or errors in position estimation and their effects on the control performance of synchronous motor drives. Analytical models capturing the error in various signals caused by position sensing errors in the drive system for different control architectures are presented and are validated with simulation and experimental results on a prototype permanent magnet synchronous motor drive.