Ijeee V11i2p102
Ijeee V11i2p102
Original Article
Received: 11 November 2023 Revised: 02 December 2023 Accepted: 12 January 2024 Published: 16 February 2024
Abstract - Brushless DC (BLDC) motors provide many benefits over normal DC motors. They have high efficiency, stability, low
noise, longer lifetime than other motor kinds, high torque to weight ratio, and most importantly, no commentator sparks. With
the other advantages, BLDC motors are widely used in electric vehicle applications. But in most cases, their rotational speed
has to be regulated. This paper presents a comparative study of BLDC motor speed control by three types of Sliding Mode
Control (SMC) techniques, which are 1st order, 2nd order, and Integral SMC. The motor ratings are 1 kW, 3000 r.p.m, at 3 N.m
load torque. The aim is to use the BLDC for electric vehicle applications. This research found that the integral SMC is superior
to the 1st-order and 2nd-order SMC techniques. Also, the lowest BLDC performance is obtained using the 2nd-order SMC
technique. At rated speed and full load conditions, it was found that steady-state errors for each controller are (2.4, 9.5, and 4.9)
r.p.m for each integral SMC, 2nd order SMC, and 1st order SMC, respectively. The entire system is simulated successfully by
MATLAB SIMULINK. The motor ratings are suitable for e-bike and tricycle applications.
The driver control for the BLDC motors is quite complex H. Hu et al. [14] employed a Genetic Algorithm (GA) as
since it uses many electronic switches, and their operation a tuner for the PI-Fuzzy logic technique to control the speed
should be precisely synchronized [7]. These motors can be of the BLDC motor. The role of the tuner is to set the proper
operated either in open-loop or closed-loop control systems, gains for the PI-Fuzzy logic technique. This method is tested
but most speed regulation is made through a closed-loop via simulation at various operating conditions. A control
system [8]. On the other hand, Slide Mode Controllers (SMC) algorithm can raise the BLDC motor output torque at high
are considered a robust control technique with rapid response, speeds by selecting the inverter Pulse Width Modulation
unlike conventional control techniques like PID controllers [9- (PWM) made by H. Kim et al. [15]. The relation among
11]. voltage utilization, dead time, and switching frequency are
analyzed mathematically. They aimed to use this algorithm for
Various researchers have used many controlling EV applications. A Sensorless Control Strategy for position
techniques to regulate the speed of the BLDC motors. F. control of the BLDC motors was made by X. Lee et al. [16].
Davoudkhani and M. Akbari [12] compared the BLDC motor A 3-phase 4-switch inverter operates the BLDC motor. The
scheme is used for flux-linkage, which varies with the The BLDC dynamic model is expressed by the following
maximum jump time. It can get 6 points of commutation that Equation [24]:
are required for the BLDC motor with no interpolation. H.
Maghfiroh et al. [17] designed a simulation speed controller va r s 0 0 i a L M M i a ea
(1)
for the BLDC motor using the fuzzy-PID technique. Their
vb 0 r s
0 ib S M L M ib eb
research uses two Fuzzy PID methods: PID and PI with a v 0
“Fuzzy logic controller.” c 0 r s ic M M L ic ec
D. Bhavya and A. Raghuram [18] compared two types of Where M refers to the mutual inductance between phases,
DC/DC converters, CukSEPIC and SEPIC converters, to L refers to self-inductance, v represents the instantaneous of
supply BLDC motors for EV applications. PV solar panels the supplied phase voltage, and S is the “Laplace operator.”
power the converters. The incremental Maximum Power Point Then,
Tracking (MPPT) is used as well. The regenerative braking is
implemented through a logic control. In the Sliding Mode 𝑖𝑎 + 𝑖𝑏 + 𝑖𝑐 = 0 (2)
Control (SMC) field to regulate the speed of the BLDC motor,
K. Cherif et al. [19] used Fuzzy logic SMC (FSMC) as speed 𝑀𝑖𝑏 + 𝑀𝑖𝑐 = −𝑀𝑖𝑐 (3)
control of the BLDC motor where its performance is
compared with a PID controller. By substituting Equation (3) in (1) yields:
S1 S3 S5
0 1 0 -1 +1 0
0 1 1 -1 0 +1
Vdc C
1 0 0 +1 0 -1
S2 S4 S6
1 0 1 +1 -1 0
1 1 0 0 +1 -1
Three-Phase Inverter
8 Pole BLDC 1 1 1 0 0 0
Fig. 1 8-pole BLDC motor with its driver circuit
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Mustafa F. Mohammed / IJEEE, 11(2), 11-18, 2024
3.1. 1st Order SMC By examining this figure, the system performance
employing the Integral SMC technique shows the fastest
In this SMC technique, the 𝜎 is determined by the
response, whereas the lowest response uses the 2nd order SMC
following formula [27]:
technique.
σ=𝑒̇ + 𝑐𝑒 (10)
The system performance with the 1st order SMC
technique is also faster than the 2nd order but slightly slower
It is desired to reach the sliding variable (σ) to zero, i.e.,
than the Integral SMC. Table 3 lists the main response features
each state variable values 𝑒, 𝑒̇ should go to zero. The controller
of each SMC technique at startup. In this table, the system
output is represented by the controlling variable u(t) where:
performance while utilizing Integral SMC is superior to the
other used SMC techniques. Figure 5 shows the phase-A
u(t)=-ρsign(σ) (11) current and back EMF voltage of the BLDC motor.
13
Mustafa F. Mohammed / IJEEE, 11(2), 11-18, 2024
-5
No 0.1 0.105 0.11 0.115 0.12 0.125 0.13 0.135 0.14 0.145 0.15
𝑒=0
𝑒̇ = 0 Phase A
Yes 200
Back EMF (V)
End 100
0
Fig. 3 Flow chart of the integral SMC technique
-100
-200
Table 2. Specifications of the BLDC motor
0.1 0.105 0.11 0.115 0.12 0.125 0.13 0.135 0.14 0.145 0.15
Parameter Value
Time (s)
Nominal Power 1 kW Fig. 5 Stator phase-A current and back EMF
No. of Phases 3
Stator Resistance 2.8750 Ω For the sudden change in the desired speed of the BLDC
Stator Inductance 8.5 mH motor, Figure 6 shows the change in the desired speed from
1000 r.p.m to 2500 r.p.m at rated load. Compared with the
Flux Linkage 0.175 V.s results shown in Figure 4, the 2nd order still had a slower
No. of Poles 8 reaction to the sudden speed change than the other two SMC
Back EMF Flat Area 120 0 techniques (1st order and Integral).
Inertia 0.0008 J(kg.m2)
At increased speed, the frequency of voltage and current
Stator Voltage 500 V
will increase. Also, the current value slightly increases,
Rated Speed 3000 r.p.m whereas the voltage (back EMF) will grow higher. During the
transient time of the speed change, with the 1st order SMC, the
4000 current will dip to -25 A and rise 7.25 A at the speed change
instance. In the 2nd SMC, the change in current and back EMF
3500
is made so smooth due to the slower performance of the 2nd
3000 SMC method.
Speed (r.p.m)
2500 In the Integral SMC, the current will dip to -50 A and rise
2000 to 5.4 A at the speed change instance. Figure 6 also shows the
effect of speed change on the electromagnetic T_e torque of
1500
the BLDC motor, where the faster response to speed change
1000 st
1 Order SMC
delivers a higher increase of the T_e value during the transient
nd
2 order SMC period.
500 Integral SMC
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Mustafa F. Mohammed / IJEEE, 11(2), 11-18, 2024
figure shows that the Integral SMC still performs more than SMC techniques. In this figure, it can be noted that the rapid
the 1st- and 2nd-order SMC techniques. response of the Integral SMC to the continuous changes in the
reference point is greater than that of the 2nd order SMC
After load application and compared with the startup technique. In comparison with some of the previous studies
results in Figure 4 and Table 2, the motor speed behaves the concerned with the speed control of BLDC motors, Table 4
same at rated load and speed conditions with the same steady- lists a significant comparison between them and the present
state error in the speed value. work.
Figure 7 represents the case for the BLDC performance at The comparison is made about the speed control method,
sudden changes in the motor speed, but what is the continuous response to changes in speed and load, and whether their
change in the desired speed like the pedal accelerator in the proposed method is compared with other controlling methods.
electric vehicles. Figure 8 presents the continuous change of The best results are obtained when the Integral SMC is used
the desired speed from (0 to 3000) r.p.m. at complete load among the previously presented speed control methods and
operating conditions between the 2nd order SMC and Integral the SMC methods presented in this paper.
3000
Speed (r.p.m)
100
st
1 Order SMC
nd
2 Order SMC
Te (N.m)
Integral SMC
50
0
0.4 0.45 0.5 0.55 0.6 0.65 0.7
Time (s)
3100
st
1nd Order SMC
2 Order SMC
Speed (r.p.m)
Integral SMC
3000
2900
0.4 0.42 0.44 0.46 0.48 0.5 0.52 0.54 0.56 0.58 0.60
st
4 1 Order SMC
nd
2 Order SMC
Te (N.m)
Integral SMC
2
0
0.4 0.42 0.44 0.46 0.48 0.5 0.52 0.54 0.56 0.58 0.60
Time (s)
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Mustafa F. Mohammed / IJEEE, 11(2), 11-18, 2024
4000
Speed (r.p.m)
2000
Reference
nd
2 Order SMC
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Time (s)
4000
Speed (r.p.m)
2000
Reference
Integral SMC
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
Time (s)
Fig. 8 The motor speed at the continuous changes in reference speed for 2 nd order and integral SMC techniques
5. Conclusion motor speed at various operating conditions rather than the 1st-
This paper presented a performance study of a 1kW 3000 and 2nd-order SMC techniques. For this fast response, the
r.p.m BLDC motor, which can be used for electrical vehicle BLDC motor should be rigid for the high rise in the voltage
applications. This research compares the system performance and current at the transient time of speed or load change.
for three types of SMC techniques, which are 1st order SMC,
2nd order SMC, and Integral SMC, to regulate the motor If the fast response is not the primary concern, or for weak
rotational speed. BLDC motors, 2nd order SMC can be employed. For the low
power of the used BLDC motor, the proposed SMC methods
From the results presented, it can be concluded that the can regulate the speed of E-bikes, E-tri-cycle bikes, or even
Integral SMC has the best performance in handling the BLDC vehicles with higher-rated BLDC motors.
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