Regenerative Braking of BLDC

Motors
By
Daniel Torres, Applications Engineer
Patrick Heath, Marketing Manager
High-Performance Microcontroller Division
Microchip Technology Inc.
Different electrical braking
scheme

Kinetic Energy

Dynamic Braking
OR

Kinetic Energy

Regenerative Braking

2
 Regenerative Brake in BLDC
motor

Kinetic Energy

BLDC Hub Motor used While braking, energy

in e-bike application is stored in the battery

Regenerative braking stores energy back into the battery, while

increasing the life of friction pads on brake shoe. However, to bring
the bike to a complete stop, the mechanical brakes are required.
3
 Configuration of a 3-Phase
Rectifier using Simulink
Continuous
powergui

Scope

+
- v
1563 1/9.55 V_AB
+
RPM
RPM to rad /sec - v Diode Diode 1 Diode 2
V_BC
+
HURST MOTOR - v
w V_CA

A + i
m -
B I_A + i V_DC _BUS
- Filter
C +
I_B - v
+ i
-
I_C

The Hurst BLDC motor running at

1563 RPM, generates the EMF, Diode 3 Diode 4 Diode 5

which is rectified by a 3 phase I_DC _BUS

i
- +

diode configuration and filtered to

DC to charge the battery.
4
3-Phase Rectifier Simulation
Results

Voltage constant of this motor = 7.24 Vpeak/ Krpm

For a speed of 1563 RPM, the voltage = 11.3 Vpeak

Filtered DC Bus Voltage

5
 MOSFET Bridge as a 3-Phase
Rectifier (using Simulink)
Scope
Continuous
powergui

0 0 0
+v
- Constant 5
Constant 3 Constant 4
1563 1/9.55 V_AB

D
g

g
RPM
+v
RPM to rad /sec -
V_BC Mosfet3 Mosfet4 Mosfet5
+v

S
HURST MOTOR -
w V_CA

A + -i
m
B Filter
I_A + -i V_DC _BUS
C +v
I_B -
+ -i
I_C
0 0 0

Constant Constant 1 Constant 2

D
g
g

g
D

D
Mosfet2 Mosfet Mosfet1

Body Diode of

S
S

S
I_DC _BUS

MOSFET acts i +
-

as rectifier
All MOSFETs are turned OFF

6
 3-Phase MOSFET Bridge
Rectifier Simulation Results

Filtered DC Bus Voltage

The DC bus voltage results for the 3-phase MOSFET bridge are
similar to the rectified 3-phase diode circuit.

7
 4-Quadrant Motor Operation
Speed
Forward
I I
Braking
V V Forward
E E Motoring
E>V V>E
2 1
Torque
Reverse 3 4
|V| > |E| |E| > |V|
Motoring
V V Reverse
E E
E Braking
I I

For a BLDC motor to operate in 2nd quadrant, the value of the back EMF
generated by the BLDC motor should be greater than the battery voltage (DC bus
voltage). This ensures that the direction of the current reverses, while the motor
still runs in the forward direction.
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 Energy Flow

Motoring
(Current from Battery to Motor)

Generating (Braking)
(Current from Motor to Battery)

For current to flow into battery, the bus voltage should be higher
than the battery terminal voltage. Hence we have to boost the
voltage developed from motor higher than the battery.
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 Limitation of a Direct
Connection

Since this motor is rated for 24-Volts, the battery terminal

voltage would be 24-Volts. To generate 24-Volts from the
motor (or higher voltage), the motor should run at a speed of
3,400 RPM or higher. Hence we have to figure out ways to boost
the back EMF generated by the motor so that even at lower
speeds, the motor can work as brake.
10
 Simple Boost Converter
(using Simulink)
Continuous
powergui Boost _Converter

The output voltage is

Scope

proportional to the duty

cycle of the MOSFET.
Diode

Filter V_DC _BUS

Series RLC Branch Load
+v
-

V_INPUT
v +
- DC Voltage Source Pulse
g

Generator

Mosfet2
S

I_DC _BUS
i +
-

11
Simple Boost Converter
Simulation Results

Input voltage = 12 volts DC

Boost voltage = 30 volts DC

Boost current = 2.5 Amps

12
 Boost Converter Based on a
3-phase MOSFET Bridge
BRAKE_MODEL _3

Continuous
powergui
Scope 2
Scope

+
- v 0
0
V_AB 0
2000 1/9.55 RPM2
+ RPM 1
RPM 3

D
g

g
RPM Gain
- v
V_BC Mosfet Mosfet1 Mosfet2
+
- v

S
HURST MOTOR
w V_CA

A + -i
m
B I_A + i Filter V_DC _BUS
-
C I_B v +
+ -i -

I_C

By varying the duty

cycle, the output Pulse Scope 1

voltage can be
D

D
g

g
Generator

Mosfet3 Mosfet4 Mosfet5

boosted to different
S

S
I_DC _BUS
i
magnitude. - +

13
Boost Converter 3-phase MOSFET
Bridge Simulation Results

DC Output Voltage ~26

volts @ 2000RPM and
50% duty cycle

14
Boost Converter 3-phase MOSFET
Bridge Simulation Results

DC Output Voltage ~38

volts @ 2000RPM and
70% duty cycle

15
Picture of Test Setup

16
 Test Result of Boosted Voltage while
running Motor at 2500 RPM

No Load voltage vs Duty

(Tested on Hurst Motor)

50

40
Voltage (V)

2000 RPM
30
2500 RPM
20
3000 RPM
10

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
Duty (%)

This slide shows the output voltage of the motor after boost, for different speed and
duty cycles. The magnitude of the voltage will increase proportional to the shaft
speed. Another point evident from the plots is that the output voltage gets boosted
proportionally to the duty cycle.
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 Test Versus Simulation Results
at 2000 RPM
• For low value duty cycles, the Current vs Duty (Tested on Hurst Motor)
boosted voltage is low. Hence no
0.45
current flows into the battery. 0.4
0.35
0.3
• At around 30% duty cycle, the

Current (A)
0.25
voltage begins to boost and the 0.2 Series1
0.15
current flows into the battery. 0.1
This is the point where 0.05
regenerative braking starts. 0
-0.05 0 20 40 60 80 100
Duty (%)
• The peak current from simulation
is around 0.5Amps @ 70% duty Current vs Duty (Simulation)
cycle. This translates to 24V * 0.5
0.6
Amps = 12 Watts. Since brake
force is proportional to the current, 0.5
Current (A)

this is the point of maximum brake 0.4

force. 0.3 Current (A)

0.2

• Beyond that point, the current 0.1

starts to fall, mainly because of the 0

0 20 40 60 80 100
motor construction (resistance and
Duty (%)
inductance drops).
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 Efficiency Simulation Results
Efficiency vs Duty (Simulation)

60

50
Efficiency (%)

40

30 Efficiency (%)
20

10

0
0 20 40 60 80 100
Duty (%)

This slide shows the efficiency curve of the brake setup, which gives a maximum efficiency of 55% at 50% duty cycle.
Since this is a simulated result, the actual figure of efficiency might be lower.

From the plot, it can be seen that the maximum efficiency point and maximum brake force points do not coincide:
• Max brake force @ 70% duty cycle
• Max efficiency @ 50% duty cycle
Hence, the braking algorithm can be designed to operate at either maximum efficiency or at maximum brake force
points.

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 PID Control for Constant
Brake Force
Required Brake force
1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Analog voltage 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
proportional to the

Wheel Speed
20 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
required brake force 40 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
60 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
80 0.1 0.1 0.12 0.12 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.18 0.18
120 0.2 0.2 0.22 0.22 0.25 0.25 0.25 0.28 0.28
160 0.3 0.3 0.32 0.32 0.35 0.35 0.35 0.38 0.38
200 0.4 0.4 0.42 0.42 0.45 0.45 0.45 0.48 0.48
240 0.5 0.5 0.52 0.52 0.65 0.55 0.55 0.58 0.58
The PID loop will try to maintain a constant brake 280 0.6 0.6 0.62 0.62 0.75 0.85 0.85 0.88 0.88
320 0.7 0.7 0.72 0.72 0.85 1.05 1.25 1.48 1.68
force at different motor speeds. Hence the user will 380 0.8 0.8 0.82 0.82 0.95 1.25 1.55 1.78 2.08
440 0.9 0.9 0.92 0.92 1.05 1.55 2.15 2.28 2.88
get a linear response of brake force. 500 1 1 1.02 1.02 1.15 1.95 2.65 2.78 2.98

Current Error
Duty Cycle Duty Cycle limit for
command PID over voltage protection
MOSFET

BLDC Motor

Current Feedback

20
 Thank You

Questions?

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All other trademarks mentioned herein are property of their respective companies.

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