Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

SIMULATION OF

DIRECT TORQUE CONTROL OF

INDUCTION MOTOR

Project work done by

Melvin Koshy
11kvac@gmail.com

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 1

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Industrial loads require operation at wide range of speeds. Such loads are generally termed as
variable speed drives. These drives demand precise adjustment of speed in a stepless manner
over the complete speed range required. The loads may be constant torque or a function of
speed. These loads are driven by hydraulic, pneumatic or electric motors. An industrial drive
has some special features when driven by electric motors. Induction machines have provided
the most common form of electromechanical drive for industrial, commercial and domestic
applications that can operate at essentially constant speed. Induction machines have simpler
and more rugged structure, higher maintainability and economy than dc motors. They are also
robust and immune to heavy loading.

The possible forms of drive motors are dc drives, ac drives. DC motors are versatile for the
purpose of speed control but they suffer from the disadvantage imposed by the commutator.
On the other hand ac drives are viable competitors with the advent of thyristor power converter
technology. The main features of ac drives

 Small size
 Robust
 Simple
 Light and compact
 Low maintenance
 Low cost

The evolution of ac variable speed drive technology has been partly driven by the desire to
emulate the performance of dc drive such as fast torque response and speed accuracy, while
utilizing the advantage offered by standard ac motor. The Field Oriented Control (FOC) and the
Direct Torque Control (DTC). Vector controlled induction motors are employed in high
performance drives having precise speed control and good static as well as dynamic response.

Modern control methods use state space techniques. The method of stabilising the drives and
improvement in their transient responses have been realised by modern power electronic
devices.

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 2

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

1.1 OBJECTIVES
i) Simulation of classical direct torque control scheme of induction motor
ii) Effect of flux and torque hysteresis band
iii) Feasibility study for improvement in performance
iv) Modified DTC scheme

2.0 DIRECT TORQUE CONTROL

Direct Torque Control (DTC) has become an alternative to field oriented control or vector
control of induction machine. It was introduced in Japan by Takahashi(1984) and
Depenbrock(1985). DTC of induction machine has increasingly become the best alternative to
Field-Oriented Control methods [1,2].

The block diagram of DTC system for an induction motor is as shown in Fig. 1. The DTC
scheme comprises torque and flux estimator, hysteresis comparators for flux and torque and a
switching table.

Fig. 1 Block diagram of classical DTC scheme

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 3

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

The configuration is much simpler than the vector control system due to the absence of
coordinate transforms between stationary frame and synchronous frame and PI regulators. It
also doesn’t need a PWM and position encoder, which introduces delay and requires
mechanical transducers respectively [2,3]. DTC based drives are controlled in the manner of a
closed loop system without using the current regulation loop. DTC scheme uses a stationary
d-q reference frame (fixed to the stator) having its d-axis aligned with the stator q-axis. Torque
and flux are controlled by the stator voltage space vector defined in this reference frame.

The basic concept of DTC is to control directly the stator flux linkage (or rotor flux linkage or
magnetising flux linkage) and electromagnetic torque of machine simultaneously by the
selection of optimum inverter switching modes [2, 3]. The use of a switching table for voltage
vector selection provides fast response, low inverter switching frequency and low harmonic
losses without the complex field orientation by restricting the flux and torque errors within
respective flux and torque hysteresis bands with the optimum selection being made.
The DTC controller comprises hysteresis controllers for flux and torque to select the switching
voltage vector in order to maintain flux and torque between upper and lower limit [4,6]

The main advantages offered by DTC are

 Decoupled control of torque and stator flux

 Excellent torque dynamics with minimal response time.
 Inherent motion-sensorless control method since the motor speed is not required to
achieve the torque control.
 Absence of coordinate transform (required in FOC)
 Absence of voltage modulator as well as other controllers
 Robust for rotor parameter variation. Only the stator resistance is needed for torque and
flux estimation.

Stator flux is a time integral of stator EMF

d s
 Vs  is Rs (1)
dt

Selection of appropriate voltage vector in the inverter is based on stator equation in stator-
coordinates
TL

 s   s   s 0   V
0
s  is Rs  dt  Vs  i  Ti (2)

Electromagnetic torque can be expressed as

3 P
Te    s I s (3)
2 2 

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 4

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

 s   qs  j ds (4)

I s  iqs  jids (5)

Lm
s   r  Ls I s (6)
Lr

3 P L
Te    m  r X s (7)
2  2  Lr Ls

Fig. 2 shows the phasor for Eqn. (5) indicating that the vectors  s ,  r and I s for positive
developed torque. If the rotor flux remains constant and the stator flux is changed incrementally
by the stator voltage Vs as shown, the corresponding change of  angle is  and the
incremental torque Te is given as

3 P
Te     r r  s s   s s sin    (8)
2 2 

Fig. 2 Stator and rotor flux space vectors

2.1 DTC Development

The command stator flux and torque magnitudes are compared with the respective estimated
values and the errors are processed through hysteresis band controller [4,6].

The torque control of the inverter fed machine is carried out by hysteresis control of magnitude
of stator flux and torque that selects one of the six active and two zero inverter voltage vectors
as shown in Fig. 3. The selection is made in order to maintain the torque and flux error inside

the hysteresis band in which the errors are indicated by Te and  s respectively.

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 5

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

Te  Te*  Te (9)

 s   s*  s (10)

The six different directions of Vs are denoted as Vi  i  0,1, 2 6 . Considering Sa , Sb and Sc as

the combination of switches, the status of the inverter are given by (11)

2 4
2Vs  j j 
Vi   Sa  e Sb  e 3 Sc 
3
(11)
3  

Fig. 3 Inverter voltage vectors and corresponding stator flux

variation in time  t

The flux loop controller has two levels of digital output according to the following relations

H  1 for E   HB
(12)
H  -1 for E   HB

The total hysteresis band width of the flux loop controller is 2H . The actual stator flux is

constrained within this band and it tracks the command flux in zigzag path as shown in Fig. 4

The torque control loop has three levels of digital output, which possess the following relation

HTe  1 for ETe   HBTe

HTe  0 for  HBTe  ETe   HBTe (13)
HTe  -1 for ETe   HBTe

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 6

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

Fig. 4 Trajectory of stator flux vectors

The feedback flux and torque are calculated from the machine terminal voltages and currents.
The signal computation block computes the sector number in which the flux vector currently

lies. There are six active voltage vectors each spanning 60 . The voltage vector table receives

H , H Te and sector S  i  and generates the appropriate control for the inverter from a look-up
table.

2.2 Flux and Torque Estimator

Flux and torque estimators are used to determine the actual value of torque and flux linkages.
Into this block enters the VSI voltage vector transformed to the d-q stationary reference frame.
The three-phase variables are transformed into the d-q axes variables using the following
transformation

2 1  i
1
iqs   3
   a
 ib 
3 3
i    (14)
 ds   0 
1
  
1
i 
 3 3   c 

The d-q axes stator flux linkage is estimated by computing the integral of difference between
the respective d-q input voltage and the voltage drop across the stator resistance

 ds    vd  ids rs  dt (15)

 qs    vq  iqs rs  dt (16)

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 7

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

The resultant stator flux linkage can be expressed as

   ds 2   qs 2 (17)

The location of the stator flux linkage should be known so that the appropriate voltage vector is
selected depending upon the flux location.

  qs 
 e  tan 1   (18)
  ds 
The electromagnetic torque can be expressed as

 3  P 
Te      ds iqs   qs ids  (19)
 2  2 

2.3 Torque and Flux Hysteresis Comparator

The estimated torque and stator flux linkage are compared with the reference torque and stator
flux linkage. The error signal is processed in a comparator. If the actual flux is smaller than the
reference value, the comparator output is at state 1 else it will be at state -1. The states for Flux
are as shown in Fig. 5
state

1

Fig. 5 Flux hysteresis states

The states for Torque are as shown in Fig. 6

state

1

Fig. 6 Torque hysteresis states

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 8

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

2.4 Switching Table

The hysteresis comparator states H Te and H together with the sector number S  i  are used

by the switching table block to choose appropriate voltage vector. The switching table
implemented is according to Table I. A high hysteresis state increases the corresponding
quantity and vice-versa. The selected voltage vector is synthesised and then sent to the VSI.

Table I. Switching Table of inverter voltage vectors

H H Te S 1 S  2 S  3 S  4 S  5 S  6

1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 V1

1 0 V0 V7 V0 V7 V0 V7

-1 V6 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5

1 V3 V4 V5 V6 V1 V2

-1 0 V7 V0 V7 V0 V7 V0

-1 V5 V6 V1 V2 V3 V4

2.5 Voltage Source Inverter

The VSI synthesises the voltage vectors commanded by the switching table. In DTC, this is
quite simple since no pulse width modulation is employed, the output devices stay in the same
state during the entire sample period. The connection of power switches in a VSI with three
phase windings of an Induction Motor is shown in Fig. 7


S1 S3 S5

Vdc
S2 S4 S6

A B C
Va Vb Vc

Fig. 7 Schematic of Voltage Source Inverter

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 9

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

The power switches of the VSI are 180 conducting mode, which implies that only three

switching signals Sa , Sb and Sc are needed to uniquely determine the status of six switches. If

the upper switch in upper leg of certain phase is on, the switching signal for this phase is
designated as S=1 and S=0 represents the on state of a switch in the lower leg of the inverter.
In this manner, there are six effective space vectors and two zero space vectors existing in the
ordinary operation for the inverter. Assuming that the voltage space vectors are located along
a-axis of the a,b,c reference frame with phase a voltage Va applied alone, then the inverter
output voltage vector under different switching states can be expressed as

 Sa  a Sb  a 2 Sc  where a  1120
2Vdc
Vi  (20)
3

According to the above equation, the inverter output voltage space vectors represent in terms

of switching states where six effective voltage space vectors V1  V6 which are apart in space

by 60 electrical angle. The vectors V0 and V7 are located at the centre of the space-vector

plane.

The inverter keeps the same state until the output of the hysteresis controllers changes their
outputs at sampling period. Therefore, the switching frequency is usually not fixed; it changes
with rotor speed, load and bandwidth of the flux and torque controllers.

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 10

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

3.0 INDUCTION MOTOR MODELLING

The main objective of DTC is to control the induction motor. The per-phase equivalent circuit of
an induction motor is valid only in steady-state condition. In an adjustable speed drive like the
DTC drive, the machine normally constitutes an element within a feedback loop and hence its
transient behaviour has to be taken into consideration.

The induction motor can be considered to be a transformer with short circuited and moving
secondary. The coupling coefficients between the stator and rotor phases change continuously
in the course of rotation of rotor [5]. Hence the machine model can be described by differential
equations with time-varying mutual inductances.

For simplicity of analysis, a three phase machine which is supplied with three-phase balanced
supply can be represented by an equivalent two-phase machine as shown in Fig. 8

r
r
q

qs

dr
s
d

Fig. 8 Two phase equivalent of a symmetric three-phase machine

The time-varying inductances are to be eliminated so as to obtain the dynamic model of the
induction motor [10]. The time-varying inductance that occur due to an electric circuits in relative
motion and electric circuits with varying magnetic fields can be eliminated by transforming the
rotor variables associated with fictitious stator windings. For transient studies of adjustable
speed drives, the machine as well as its converter is modelled on a stationary reference frame
[1,6,11].


Consider a symmetrical three-phase induction machine with stationary as-bs-cs axes at 120
apart. The three-phase stationary reference frame (as-bs-cs) variables can be transformed into
two phase stationary frame (ds-qs) variables by the following transformation matrix

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 11

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

 1 1 
1  2 
2 
  vas 
 2 3 3 
vdq 0 s    0   vbs
2  
(21)
 3 2
 v 
1 1 1   cs 
3 3 3 


The voltage equations pertaining to the two phase machine in terms of flux linkages in the d-q
axes can be expressed as

1 dFds e
vqs  Rs iqs   F (22)
b dt b ds

1 dFds e
vds  Rs ids   F (23)
b dt b qs

1 dFqr  e  b 
vqr  Rs iqr    Fds (24)
b dt  b 

1 dFdr  e  b 
vdr  Rs iqr    Fqr (25)
b dt  b 
Since the machine is singly fed,

vdr  vqr  0 (26)

The flux linkage equations pertaining to two axes model can be expressed as

dFqs   
 b vqs  e Fds  s  Fmq  Fqs  
R
(27)
dt  b xls 

dFds   R 
 b vds  e Fds  s  Fmd  Fds   (28)
dt  b xls 

dFqr     r  
 
Rs
 b vqr   e  dr
F  F  Fqr  (29)
 b
mq
dt   xlr 

    r  
 Fdr   Fmq  Fdr 
dFdr Rs
 b vdr   e (30)
dt   b  xlr 
The stator and rotor currents with respect to the two axes model can be expressed as

Fqs  Fmq
iqs  (31)
xls

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 12

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

Fds  Fmd
ids  (32)
xls

Fqr  Fmq
iqr  (33)
xlr

Fdr  Fmd
idr  (34)
xlr

The electromagnetic torque can be obtained from the flux linkages and currents as

 3  P  1
Te      Fds iqs  Fqs ids  (35)
 2  2  b
The mechanical speed of the rotor can be computed from the expression
 2  d r
Te  TL    J (36)
 P  dt
 r 
dr' s   
rs xls x '  b  rr'
lr
   

iqss Eqr' s iqr' s

vqss xm vqr' s

 
q-axis
 r 
qr' s   
'  b 
rs xls xlr rr'
   

idss Edr' s
vdss idr' s
xm vdr' s


d-axis

rs xls xlr' rr'

 

v0s s i0s s i0' sr

v0s r

 
zero sequence

Fig. 9 Equivalent circuit of Induction Motor in stationary reference frame

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 13

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

4.0 IMPLEMENTATION OF DTC IN SIMULINK

The building blocks of classical DTC drive are as shown in Fig. 10

 Flux
 s* Hysteresis Sa
 s Controller Induction
Switching Sb VSI
Motor
Table Sc
*  Torque
T
e Hysteresis
 Controller
Te
e
Vdc

Flux and Torque

Estimator

Fig. 10 Building blocks of classical DTC drive

The different blocks which are to be implemented in SIMULINK are

 Induction Motor
 Flux and Torque Estimator
 Flux and Torque hysteresis controllers
 Switching Table
 Voltage Source Inverter

4.1 Induction Motor

The induction motor is modelled in stationary reference frame with its d-axis along the axis of
the a-phase. The equations pertaining to the induction motor in the stationary reference frame
Eqns. (21) - (36) have been implemented through the basic building blocks of SIMULINK. The
model of Induction model in SIMULINK is as shown in Fig. 11

Fig. 11 SIMULINK model of Induction Motor

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 14

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

4.2 Flux and Torque estimator

Eqns. (15)-(19) pertain to the flux and the torque estimator. The model of Flux and Torque
estimator in SIMULINK is as shown in Fig. 12

Fig. 12 SIMULINK model of flux and the torque estimator

4.3 Flux and Torque hysteresis Controller

The flux hysteresis controller is modelled according to Eqn. 12. The output of the comparator is
-1 or 1 according to the difference between reference flux and actual value of flux. The
SIMULINK model of the controller and flux hysteresis comparator is as shown in Fig. 13

Fig. 13 SIMULINK model of flux comparator

and hysteresis controller

According to Eqn. (13), the output of the torque hysteresis controller may be -1, 0 or 1. For the
identification of index in look-up table of SIMULINK, a constant bock is augmented with the
output of the hysteresis band controller. Hence the input to the 3-D look-up table is 1, 2 and 3
for states -1, 0 or 1 respectively. The SIMULINK model of torque comparator and controller is
as shown in Fig. 14

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 15

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

Fig. 14 SIMULINK model of torque comparator and hysteresis controller

4.4 Switching Table

The switching table of the inverter comprises of a 3-D look-up table and a 2-D look-up table.
The indices for the input to the 3-D look-up table is 1 and 2 for states -1 and 1 respectively for
flux controllers and 1, 2 and 3 for states -1, 0 or 1 respectively for torque controllers. The
SIMULINK model of the implementation of table is as shown in Fig. 15

Fig. 15 Implementation of look-up table in SIMULINK

4.5 Voltage Source Inverter

The three phase inverter which is coupled at the front-end of the motor can be implemented as
shown in Fig. 16

Fig. 16 SIMULINK model of three-phase VSI

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 16

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

The complete model of classical DTC scheme is as shown in Fig. 17

Fig. 17 Complete SIMULINK model of classical DTC scheme

5.0 SIMULATION RESULTS

5.1 Start-up with No Load

Torque control dynamic performance of developed DTC model is evaluated by applying a step
input of amplitude 3 Nm after 0.05 s to torque reference while the stator flux reference is
maintained at 1 Wb. The width of the hysteresis band is adjusted to 0.02 Wb for the flux
comparator and 0.2 Nm for the torque comparator. Maximum step size of 0.1 ms is used in
this simulation. The obtained torque response is as shown in Fig. 18. The equation of torque for
no load running with single inertia and negligible friction is shown below

d r
Te  J
dt

From Fig. 18, the estimated electromagnetic torque remains at zero at period before 0.05 s, so
the rotor does not rotate. At s, a step of 3 Nm is applied to the torque reference and the
electromagnetic torque immediately increases to reach the reference torque. This causes the
rotor to accelerate at a rate dictated by the rotor inertia.
From the torque response, the acceleration is given by

d r Te 3
   30 rad / s 2
dt J 0.1

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 17

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

Fig. 18 Plot of estimated Torque at no-load

Fig. 19 shows the stator flux magnitude response has risen to its final value of 1.0 Wb that is
equal to the stator flux reference. The stator flux magnitude is also constrained within its
hysteresis band of  0.02 Wb.

Fig. 19 Plot of Stator Flux at no-load

In DTC scheme, a direct control of the stator current is not present and this may determine
over current when a step variation of torque and flux are applied to the input command. Due to
the uncontrolled current during start-up, the machine exceeds the rated current with stator

current amplitude, is  4 A as shown in Fig. 20. It can be noted that even a small variation of

stator flux command will causes a large variation of the stator current. A control method to limit
the current amplitude can be applied. [3] has proposed to pre-flux the machine prior to apply

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 18

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

the torque demand to limit the starting current transient in DTC in order to prevent the damage
of the switch powers of inverter.

Since the stator flux magnitude is constantly maintained in the hysteresis band, the locus
draws the figure of a circle as shown in Fig. 21

Fig. 20 Plot of stator current at no load Fig. 21 Plot of locus of stator flux at no load

5.2 Dynamic Behaviour

The transient performance of the developed DTC model has been tested by applying a step
load torque command from +1 Nm to +3 Nm on the mechanical dynamics. The flux reference is
maintained at 1.0 Wb. The estimated electromagnetic torque tracks immediately after the step
command. This demonstrates that the developed DTC achieved high dynamic performance in
response to changes in demand torque. Fig. 22 shows the stator flux magnitude, emphasizing
the decoupled action of torque and flux control. It is observed that the variation of motor torque
does not influence flux. Thus, DTC system can assure independent flux and torque control.

Fig. 21 Plot of stator flux at no load on step

increase in torque

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 19

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

5.3 Effect of Flux Hysteresis Band

The flux hysteresis band mainly affects the stator current distortion [1], [7]. Thus, for a fixed
torque hysteresis band, the distortion increases with the flux hysteresis band. The simulation
has been performed for different values of the flux hysteresis band amplitude and the results
are shown in Fig. 23 - Fig. 26. If small flux hysteresis band amplitude of 0.02 Wb is applied, the
stator flux vector locus approaches a circle and the phase stator current waveform is
sinusoidal. As the amplitude of the flux hysteresis band increases to 0.2 Wb, the stator flux
locus approaches to a hexagon shape and the stator current distortion has also increased.

Fig. 23 Plot of d-q axes stator flux with Fig. 24 Plot of locus of stator flux with
hysteresis band of 0.02 Wb hysteresis band of 0.02 Wb

Fig. 25 Plot of d-q axes stator flux with Fig. 26 Plot of locus of stator flux with
hysteresis band of 0.2 Wb hysteresis band of 0.2 Wb

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 20

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

5.4 Effect of Torque Hysteresis Band

The selection of the width of the hysteresis band has important effects switching frequency and
thus the switching losses [1,7,8]. If the band is too small, a torque overshoot may cause and it
must be selected appropriately. It affects the torque error to exceed the hysteresis band. This
will result in a reverse voltage vector to be selected to reduce the torque. A reverse voltage
vector will reduce the torque rapidly and hence may in turn causes a torque undershoots.
Therefore, the torque ripple can become high if the torque hysteresis band is set too small.
Fig. 27 and Fig. 28 show the effects of the torque hysteresis band.

Fig. 27 Plot of torque with hysteresis band of Fig. 28 Plot of torque with hysteresis band of
 0.02 Nm 1 Nm

6.0 MODIFIED DTC SCHEME

In classical DTC scheme, the speed is determined according to the reference torque input. The
speed control is not possible because a step increase in reference speed will cause the motor
to accelerate quickly.
In order to improve the flux and speed tracking, it is possible to implement a speed controller in
closed loop using the DTC method [7,8]. For that, it becomes essential to know the rotor
mechanical speed. A speed controller may be employed and augmented with the classical
DTC scheme. In the speed mode operation, the estimated speed is compared with the speed
reference. The error is applied to speed controller, which supplies an electromagnetic torque
reference. The actual torque is compared and then the required signals are applied to the
inverter.

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 21

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

The block diagram of the modified DTC scheme is as shown in Fig. 29

Sa
 Te* 
 *
Speed PI State Sb
r
  Controller  T INVERTER Induction
Selector
r e
Sc Motor

 s*
 
s
e
Vdc
Speed
Sensor

Stator Flux and Torque

Observer

Fig. 29 Block diagram of modified DTC scheme

The SIMULINK model of modified DTC scheme is as sown in Fig. 21

Fig. 30 SIMULINK model of modified DTC scheme

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 22

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

The values of PI controller for speed being set to Ki  80, Ti  0.3 and the reference speed as

1200 rpm. The plot of speed response and torque response are shown in Fig. 31 and Fig. 32
respectively.

Fig. 31 Plot of speed response with reference Fig. 32 Plot of torque response with reference
speed of 1200 rpm speed of 1200 rpm

The behaviour in the speed control mode of the modified scheme is superior when compared
to the classical DTC scheme. The torque command is generated in accordance with the input
reference speed. The torque controller simulation results were very good as expected, an
excellent torque control response, either in steady-state or transient regime. The good results
continued steadily even when the system was subjected to overload operation.

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 23

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

7.0 CONCLUSION

The DTC architecture allows the independent and decoupled control of torque and stator flux.
The implementation of the DTC model has been described and justified by simulation. The
merits of DTC can be summarised as

 Fast torque response: This significantly reduces the speed drop time during a load
transient, bringing much improved process control and a more consistent product
quality.
 Torque control at low frequencies: This is particularly beneficial to cranes or
elevators, where the load needs to be started and stopped regularly without any jerking.
Also with a winder, tension control can be achieved from zero through to maximum
speed. Compared to PWM flux vector drives, DTC brings the cost saving benefit that no
tachometer is needed.
 Torque linearity: This is important in precision applications like winders, used in the
paper industry, where an accurate and consistent level of winding is critical.
 Dynamic speed accuracy: After a sudden load change, the motor can recover to a
stable state remarkably fast. Standard applications account for 70% of all variable
speed drives installed throughout industry.

Closed loop control of DTC drive has also been achieved using PI controllers. The simulation
results show that the torque ripples are reduced considerably with good dynamic response.

The high speed of switching is fundamental to the success of DTC. The main motor control
parameters are updated times a second [12]. This configuration brings immense
processing speeds such that every 25 µs, the inverter semiconductor switching devices are
supplied with an optimum pulse for reaching or maintaining the accurate motor torque. This
allows extremely rapid response on the shaft and results in high performance of the drive
without encoder.

There have been more challenges in DTC of AC drives- the foremost being the accuracy of
stator flux estimation [9,12]. The accuracy of stator flux estimation decreases as the rotor speed
reduces in the low speed range. Advanced observers such as extended Kalman filters, sliding
mode observers as well as high frequency signal injection techniques can be used to further
improve the performance of DTC drive.

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 24

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

8.0 REFERENCES

[1] H. F. Abdul Wahab and H. Sanusi, ‘Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor’, American
Journal Of Applied Sciences, 2008, vol. 8, Iss. 5, pp. 1083-1090

[2] I.Takahashi, T. Noguchi (1986), ‘A New quick-response and high efficiency control strategy
of an induction machine’, IEEE Trans. Ind. Appl., vol. 22, pp. 830-832.

[3] C. Lascu, Ion Boldea, F. Blaabjerg, ‘A modified Direct Torque Control for Induction Motor
Sensorless Drive’, IEEE Trans. Ind. Appl., vol. 36, no. 1, Jan/Feb 2000

[4] Andrzej M. Trzynadlowski, ‘Control of Induction Motor Drives’, Academic Press, 2/e, 2001

[5] Paul C. Krause: ‘Analysis of Electric Machinery’, McGraw Hill International Edition, 1987

[6] Bimal K. Bose: ‘Modern Power Electronics and AC Drives’, Pearson Education, 4/e, 2007

[7] X. Garcia, A. Arias, ‘New DTC schemes for induction motors fed with a three-level inverter’,
AUTOMATIKA, 46(2005), 1-2, 73-81

[8] Takahashi, Y. Ohmori, ‘High Performance direct torque control of induction motor’, IEEE
Trans. Ind. Appl., 1989, Iss. 25 (2), pp. 257-264

[9] Ion Boldea, S. A. Nasar: ‘Electric Drives’, CRC press, 2/e, Taylor and Francis, 2006

[10] Ion Boldea, S. A. Nasar: Induction machine Handbook, CRC Press, 3/e, Taylor and
Francis, 2007

[11] Chee-Mun-Ong, ‘Dynamic Simulation of Electric Machinery’, Pearson Education, 2001

[12] Direct Torque Control Manual, ASEA Brown Boveri, 2002

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 25

 Direct Torque Control of Induction Motor

APPENDIX

The test machine is a three phase, 50 Hz induction machine having the following parameters

Power rating, Prated 7500 W

Rated voltage, Vrated 400 V
Rated current, I rated 16 A
Stator Resistance, Rs  1.77 
Rotor Resistance, Rr  1.34 
Stator leakage inductance, Lsl  13.93  10-3 H
Rotor leakage inductance, Lrl  12.12  10-3 H
Mutual Inductance, Lm  369  10-3 H
No. of poles, P  4
Moment of Inertia, J  0.1 kg m 2
Viscous Friction coefficient, Bm  0.1 Ns / rad
Bus Voltage, Vdc  700 V

SWITCHING TABLE VALUES

a(:,:,1)  [4 0 2; 5 7 3];
a(:,:, 2)  [5 7 6; 1 0 2];
a(:,:,3)  [1 0 4; 3 7 6];
a(:,:, 4)  [3 7 5; 2 0 4];
a(:,:,5)  [2 0 1; 6 7 5];
a(:,:, 6)  [6 7 3; 4 0 1];

Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Trivandrum 26