2020 27th International Workshop on Electric Drives: MPEI Department of Electric Drives 90th Anniversary (IWED), Moscow, Russia.
Jan 27 – 30, 2020
Average Torque Control of the Switched
Reluctance Motor in High Speed Zone
Alexander Krasovsky, Sergey Vasyukov, Elena Vostorgina
Department of Electrical Ingineering and Industrial Electronics
Bauman Moscow State Technical University
Moscow, Russia
krasovsky@bmstu.ru
Abstract — The paper discusses algorithms for controlling
the average torque value of a switched reluctance motor in a
high-speed zone in the mode of operation with discontinuous
phase current. In this zone, the average torque decreases
sharply with increasing speed and its increase can be achieved
only by shifting the position of the inclusion of phases in the
direction of advancing with increasing speed. In known control
algorithms, these positions are predefined and set in a table. In
practice, this approach is not convenient, because each time for
motors with different parameters it is necessary to obtain new
tabular data either experimentally or by modeling. The
authors studied the dependence of the average torque on the
position and speed of phase switching and found a universal
analytical representation of these dependencies, taking as a
basis the representation of complex nonlinearities in the form
of the product of two nonlinear functions of one variable.
These dependencies are used by the authors in the proposed
control algorithm. Simulation in MATLAB-SIMULINK is
selected as the main tool for research and verification of the
proposed control algorithm.
Keywords— electromechanical systems, variable speed drives,
traction motors, torque control, simulation.
I. INTRODUCTION
Prospects for the use of a switched reluctance electric
drive (SRD) in many areas, including transport, became
obvious a long time ago. Specialists immediately
appreciated the advantages of SRD, due primarily to the
extremely simple design of the switched reluctance motor
(SRM), its high reliability and relatively low cost in mass
production, as well as wide control capabilities [1, 2, 3].
One of the specific features of a traction electric drive
(TED) is that it must provide the ultimate mechanical
characteristic in the form of a dependence of the moment on
speed T() with a sufficiently long section of constant
output power P  const . In addition, it should be noted that
the TED is typically powered by an autonomous power
source. Therefore, the requirement to reduce the installed
power supply and the entire power part of the TED is of
fundamental importance, because it allows to reduce its
dimensions and cost [2, 4].
To reduce the installed power of a TED, it is highly
desirable to use the operation of an electric motor in two
characteristic control zones: down and up from the rated
speed. Ideally, the maximum traction should be provided in
the nominal mode of the motor at rated values of voltage,
current and magnetic flux, and the maximum speed in the
978-1-7281-4158-9/20/$31.00 ©2020 IEEE
Authorized licensed use limited to: Bauman Moscow State Technical University. Downloaded on August 15,2020 at 09:53:23 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
Sergey Kuznetsov
Industrial Metallurgical Holding
Moscow, Russia
kuznetsovsergey@inbox.ru
zone of high speeds in the weakening mode of the magnetic
flux.
The range of speed control at P  const in the most
widely used traction asynchronous and synchronous electric
drives at typical parameters usually does not exceed (3-4).
Therefore, when large ranges of speed control are required,
part of the required range must be implemented in the first
constant torque control zone. This results in the need to
increase the speed, voltage and power ratings of the motor
and the entire energy portion of the TED. Such a decision
leads to an additional increase in overall dimensions, cost,
etc. of traction electric drives [5, 6].
With traditional SRM control methods with typical
parameters, the range of speed variation required for a
traction electric drive at P  const is also not achieved.
However, recent studies have shown that when combining
the traditional SRM operating modes with the discontinuous
shape of phase currents and operating modes with a
continuous form of phase currents in the high-speed zone,
there are practically no such restrictions.
From the foregoing, one could conclude that the era of a
switched reluctance electric drives is coming, including in
transport. Among the many reasons that explain why this is
not happening so far, it should be noted, including
limitations on the use of analytical methods to describe
physical processes in SRM. They arise due to the significant
nonlinearity of SRM, which in most cases can be
represented only in the form of common functional
relationships, which makes it difficult to find adequate
control algorithms.
SRM control structures, as a rule, contain blocks of
nonlinear transformations, the form of which is determined
in one way or another as a result of preliminary studies.
Please note that this can also explain the presence of a
sufficiently large number of publications, which are similar
in terms of the statement of the problem and the ultimate
goals. However, they differ in the methods of accounting for
these nonlinearities, their representation in control
algorithms, and the authors' arguments about the advantages
of their solutions.
This paper reflects the results of studies by the authors of
the features of SRM in the high-speed zone of operation
with discontinuous phase current. On this basis, we offer the
most convenient for practical use universal control
algorithms for its implementation.
 II. FEATURES OF AVERAGE TORQUE CONTROL OF
SRM
A typical mechanical characteristic in the form of a
dependence of the average value of the torque on the speed
T() of the SRM is presented in Fig. 1 [5]. Three specific
speed zones are usually distinguished in this characteristic.
In the zone of relatively low speeds (zone 1 in Fig. 1), the
voltage of the UDC power supply is significantly higher than
the EMF of the movement.
To prevent excessive phase current Iph rise, it is
constrained to limit it, using, as a rule, a relay current
regulator. As a result, in a first approximation, the average
SRM torque in this zone can be considered independent of
speed, therefore this zone is usually called the SRM
operation zone at a constant torque Tav = const [1].
At a certain speed value, which is usually called the base
speed, the EMF of the movement reaches the UDC value and
the current controller stops working. The motor goes into
high-speed zone 2 (marked in blue color in Fig. 1). In this
zone the phase current Iph in each SRM switching cycle has
the form of a single pulse. The change in the SRM
parameters in the switching cycle in this zone is shown in
Fig. 2.
Typical forms of the phase current Iph, the torque Tph and
the voltage Uph of the SRM, as well as the inductance of the
phase L as a function of the current position of the rotor 
for zone 2 of the torque control Tav are shown in Fig. 2. The
phase is switched on in the on position by applying a
positive polarity voltage UDC to it. The phase is switched off
in the com position when the polarity of the voltage Uph
applied to it changes.
The current Iph and the torque Tph increase only in the
displacement interval from the on position to the unal
position at a mismatched position of the poles. With the
beginning of the overlap of the poles in the unal position Iph
and Tph begin to decrease due to the increasing opposite
EMF. The growth of the opposite EMF with increasing
speed leads to the fact that at constant positions on and
com the average torque developed by the phase decreases
approximately in proportion to the square of the speed. For
this reason, the developed power is decreasing with
increasing speed, i.e. mode P  const is not provided.
However, the shift of the on position in the advance
direction allows one to increase the amplitude of the pulses
Iph and Tph, which leads to an increase in the average value
of the torque. This allows, with the corresponding law of a
III. PROPOSED ALGORITHMS CONTROL OF AVERAGE
Fig. 1. Typical mechanical characteristics of SRM
Authorized licensed use limited to: Bauman Moscow State Technical University. Downloaded on August 15,2020 at 09:53:23 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
Fig. 2. Changing the parameters of the view in the switching cycle in
the high-speed zone.
change in the position of on in the speed function in a
certain range of speed variations, to ensure the regime
P  const .
The upper limit of the SRM operating speed in the high-
speed zone 2 is limited by switching parameters at which the
position of the current falling to zero in the previous
switching cycle and the subsequent phase switching
coincides. An important feature of SRM operation in this
mode is that at the end of each switching cycle, the phase
current Iph decreases to zero in the off position.
For SRM with typical parameters, the range of speed
variation at P  const during SRM operation in zone 2
usually does not exceed 4 [7]. Further expansion of the
regulation range at P  const to a zone of super high speeds
is possible only when the SRM is operating with continuous
phase currents. This requires a corresponding change in the
control algorithms. Features of the SRM in ultra-high-speed
zone 3 (see Fig. 1) will be considered by the authors in the
future. A description of some of these features can be found
in the papers [8, 9].
This paper reflects the results of the authors' research on
the development of SRM control algorithms when working
only in high-speed zone 2. It should be noted that the
features and control algorithms for controlling the average
torque of SRM in this zone are considered in many works
[10, 11, 12, 13].
An analysis of literary sources shows that today in this
zone of SRM operation the method of tabular setting of
switching positions has the best indicators of control quality
[10, 13]. However, the formation of such tables is very time-
consuming, and the data obtained for a specific instance of
the SRM cannot be used for machines with other
parameters. The authors of this work have proposed a
universal method for determining the switching positions by
analytical dependencies using separating functions. In our
opinion, this approach combines the convenience of an
analytical and the accuracy of a tabular definition of the
position of the switching SRM.
TORQUE OF SRM AND SIMULATION RESULTS
Earlier, one of the authors of this work found that
changing the switched off position com practically does not
affect the quality of movement [7]. For this reason, in this
 paper we propose a method for controlling the average In the course of research, it was found that for
torque of the SRM in the high-speed zone only by changing
the angular position is switched on on of the phase. It will
geometrically similar motors, the form of functions h Tav'  
be shown below that this approach greatly simplifies the and g  ω changes slightly. When processing characteristics
consideration of non-linearities of SRM and allows the Tav  γon  of the SRM with one of the most common
obtained control laws to be applied to a certain class of
motors with similar characteristics. magnetic system configurations 8/6 (8 poles on the stator
and 6 poles on the rotor) using the package Curve Fitting
The main disturbing factor affecting the change in the Tool (Matlab app) in this paper, we obtain the following
average torque per switching cycle is the change in speed. expressions for functions h Tav'  and g  ω in piecewise
At a constant speed, the dependence of the average torque
on the angular interval of phase switched on polynomial form.
γon  (unal  on ) is nonlinear. In the simplest SRM control On the interval 0.5  Tav'  2.2 :
systems, this nonlinearity is neglected.
Most simply the nonlinear nature of the dependence of
h Tav'   -0.195 Tav'   1.371Tav'  -3.72 Tav'  
4 3 2
the average torque Tav on the switched on angle on and the
(3)
angular speed of rotation Tav  γon ,ω can be taken into
+5.393Tav' -1.846;
account using the inverse characteristics γon Tav ,ω in the
controller structure. With insignificant changes in speed On the interval 2.2  Tav'  8.0 :
during the switching cycle, which can be accepted without
large errors for the high-speed zone, and in the absence of
h Tav'   0.002182 Tav'  -0.05473 Tav'   0.7792Tav' -
3 2
other disturbing influences, using a nonlinear block (4)
γon Tav  in the control channel, in steady state, it is possible -0.5928;
to provide direct proportionality between the signals of the
given and real values of the average torque. ω
Similarly, g  ω as a function of argument ω* = :
Typically, the switching position are given in a table. ωbase
However, in practice this approach is not convenient,
because each time for a motor with different parameters, it On the interval 1  ω*  2 :
is necessary to obtain characteristics either experimentally
or through simulation.
g  ω*   0.9667  ω*   7.003  ω*  +19.24  ω*  
4 3 2

From the analysis of the family of characteristics (5)

Tav  γon ,ω it follows that, to a first approximation, they can -24.04ω* +11.84;
be represented as the product of two functions, each of
which depends on only one variable On the interval 2  ω*  4 :

Tav  kaTbase  f  γon   g  ω , g  ω*   0.00628  ω*   0.0914  ω*  +0.5087  ω*  

(1)
1 dL() 2
where Tbase – base value of the torque; Tbase  I sat ;
2 d
Isat - values of phase current Iph in a transition point of SRD
magnet system from a linear condition of operation to a
condition with local saturation; k a – constant coefficient
depending on the geometrical parameters of the SRM and
the value of the angular interval γ on .
Then the value of the angular interval γ on can be found
using the inverse function:
4 3 2
(6)
-1.307ω* +1.375;
The use of these dependencies universal for a certain
class of machines will lead to a deviation of the actual value
of the moment from the set due to a discrepancy with the
real characteristics. In order to compensate for these
deviations, as well as the influence of disturbing influences,
it is proposed in this paper to introduce a control channel
with torque feedback. In real time, the average value of the
torque can be determined by calculation, for example, using
the phase torque function by the expression:

 Tref  1
tcycle
m 
γ on  f 1   , (2) Tav     Tph,i  I ph,i ,    dt (7)
 a base   
k T  g ω tcycle 0  i 1 

were Tref - reference torque. were tcycle – switching cycle time.

Tref Since the characteristics Tav  γon  represent smooth

We denote Tav'  , then you can write
kaTbase  g  ω  functions; when creating a closed loop for controlling the
average torque, it is possible to use linearization by the
tangent method. With PI control, controller coefficients:
γ on  γ base  h Tav'  .

Authorized licensed use limited to: Bauman Moscow State Technical University. Downloaded on August 15,2020 at 09:53:23 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
 kP mode is primarily determined by the accuracy of the phase
kP  (8)
dTav dγ on torque characteristics Tph  I ph ,   . Dynamic error is less, the
more accurate the real characteristics Tav  γon  described by
kI universal dependencies f  γon  , g  ω and higher values of
kI  (9)
dTav dγ on the constant coefficients of the PI controller kP and kI are.
The maximum values of the coefficients are limited, first of
dTav df  γ on  all, due to the delay in the circuit of the moment due to the
 kaTbase   g  ω (10)
dγ on dγ on discrete control action. Increasing the coefficients may lead
to oscillations in the system.
In the same way as for functions h Tav'   и g  ω for In order to evaluate the effect of the delay in the torque
circuit on the dynamic characteristics of the drive, we
df  γon  additionally studied a structure closed in speed, containing a
derivative the following expression is
dγon proportional speed controller and a developed controller of
received: the average torque value. The study was conducted on a
simulation model in the environment of Matlab-Simulink in
relative units.
df  γ on  1   γ on  
 0.669    0.187  (11) The description of the model was described earlier in the
dγ on γbase   γbase  
work of one of the authors [14]. As base values of current
Iph, torque Tph and speeds  accepted their values in a
From expression analysis (8), (9), (10) it follows that transition point of SRD magnet system from a linear
with increasing speed, the controller coefficients increase, condition of operation to a condition with local saturation of
and with increasing γ on and, consequently, with the average overlapping stator and rotor teeth: I base  I sat . Base voltage
torque - they decrease. Thus, we come to the structure of the U base  U DC . As base angle value of the angular interval base
average torque controller of the SRM, as shown in Fig. 3.
Converter C generates rectangular voltage pulses in each is size of a tooth, width Z is accepted. Base speed
phase according to the signal for setting the switching angle.
The block for calculating the average value of the torque
U DC
determines used expression (7), used signals from phase ωbase  , (13)
current sensors and rotor angle. dL()
I sat
d
The linearization block determines the variable
coefficients of the PI controller. Here, the control signal is Variables marked with an asterisk (*) are represented in
used to linearize the torque loop γ on , calculated in the the relative system of units. The unit of model time
previous switching cycle to exclude the creation of an corresponds to the period in which, at the base speed, the
algebraic loop. The reference value of average torque Tref rotor of the SRM will rotate by the base angle,
must be limited in accordance with the limit mechanical γ
i.e. tbase = base . Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 show the transient processes
characteristic SRD. ωbase
Note some of the features of this regulator. A channel
using the principle of perturbation control allows to obtain
high performance. Feedback of average torque compensates
for the influence of secondary disturbing influences. It
should be noted that for small values of the torque, you can
additionally use a decrease in phase voltage.
In such a control structure, the control error in the static

Fig. 4. Acceleration transient (▬ reference speed, ▬ actual speed

Fig. 3. Functional diagram of the average torque controller in the
SRM, ▬ actual speed DC motor, ▬ load torque; ▬ instantaneous
high-speed zone.
torque SRM, ▬ torque DC motor).

Authorized licensed use limited to: Bauman Moscow State Technical University. Downloaded on August 15,2020 at 09:53:23 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.

Fig.5. Transient with linear increase in load (▬ reference speed, ▬
actual value of the SRM speed, ▬ actual value of the of DC motor
speed, ▬ torque of the load, ▬ instantaneous torque of SRD, ▬
torque of DC motor).
in SRM during acceleration (Fig. 4) and with a linear
increase in load (Fig. 5), respectively.
In the same figures, for comparison, transients in a
system with a DC motor with the same output parameters
are shown for a dual-circuit structure of slave control with a
P-speed controller and a PI-current controller. Regulators in
the SRM and DC motor control systems have the same
settings for the aperiodic transient when the speed reference
jumps, i.e. when the lag in the internal circuit of the torque
can be neglected.
As you can see, the speed curves of the two drives
almost coincide. This allows us to conclude that the above
approach to the control of the SRM torque provides the
possibility of forming specified dynamic properties of the
motor in a closed control structure.
CONCLUSION
To control the average value of the SRM torque in the
high-speed zone, it is advisable to use combined control, in
which control methods for perturbation and deviation are
simultaneously used. The main SRM control channel in the
high-speed zone is a change in the angular position of the
phase winding γ on . Relationship between γ on and Tav is
essentially nonlinear; its form changes with a change in
angular speed.
For one of the most common SRM configurations 8/6 a
universal form of dependency γon Tav ,ω is found in the
form of the product of two functions of one variable. The
resulting expressions can be used to calculate γ on in the
SRM control loop with various technical characteristics by
linear scaling. In the control channel for deviation, the
controller coefficients should vary depending on the values
of the angular speed of rotation of the shaft and the control
signal, calculated in the previous switching cycle. To avoid
creating an emergency, the set torque must be limited in
accordance with the ultimate mechanical characteristic.
Authorized licensed use limited to: Bauman Moscow State Technical University. Downloaded on August 15,2020 at 09:53:23 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
REFERENCES
[1] Miller T.J.E., “Electronic control of switched reluctance machines“,
Oxford: Newnes, 2001.
[2] Krishnan R., “Switched reluctance motor drives: modeling,
simulation, analysis, design, and applications“, Cambridge: CRC
Press, 2001.
[3] Berker Bilgin, James Weisheng Jiang, Ali Emadi, “Switched
Reluctance Motor Drives: Fundamentals to Application”, Boca Raton
CRC Press Taylor & Francis Group, 2019.
[4] P. Ashok ; D. Tesar, “Computer aided design of switched reluctance
motors for use in robotic actuators“, 2006 World Automation
Congress, Year: 2006, pp: 1 – 7.
[5] Krasovsky A., Sobolev V. Solov’ev V. “Output Power Control
Switched Reluctance Drive For Automotive Applications“, 2018
International Conference on Industrial Engineering, Applications and
Manufacturing (ICIEAM), Year: 2018, DOI:
10.1109/ICIEAM.2018.8728648.
[6] Lin Miaoshan ; Wang Yuqun ; Chen Yunxing “ A applied research
into switched reluctance motor in electric vehicle”, 2011 International
Conference on Consumer Electronics, Communications and Networks
(CECNet), DOI: 10.1109/CECNET.2011.5768723.
[7] Krasovskii A.B An Analisis of the Condition for Obtaiming Constant
Output Power in a Switched Reluctance Electric Drive. Electrical
Technology Russia, 2002. № 1.
[8] .Niranjan A. Patil, J. S. Lawler. “Issues in the Control of the Switched
Reluctance Motor During Continuous Conduction“, 39th North
American Power Symposium, 2007, pp. 534–540.
[9] M. Rekik, et al. “Improvement in the field-weakening performance of
switched reluctance machine with continuous mode“, IET Electr.
Power Appl., 2007, 1, (5), pp. 785–792.
[10] J. J. Gribble, P. C. Kjaer and T. J. E. Miller, “Optimal commutation in
average torque control of switched reluctance motors”, IEE Proc.
Electric Power Applications, Vol. 146, No.1, Jan. 1999, pp. 2-10.
[11] Shahabi, A. Rashidi, and S.M. Saghaian-Nejad Torque Ripple
Reduction of SRM Drives Below the Base Speed Using Commutation
Angles Control. 21st Iranian Conference on Electrical Engineering
(ICEE) 2013 pp. 1 - 6, DOI: 10.1109/IranianCEE.2013.6599798.
[12] Nuwantha Fernando ; Mike Barnes “Average torque control with
current-peak regulation in switched reluctance motors”, 2015 IEEE
11th International Conference on Power Electronics and Drive
Systems, DOI: 10.1109/PEDS.2015.7203478.
[13] R. Mitra, W. Uddin Y. Sozer, Iqbal Husain, “Torque Ripple
Minimization of Switched Reluctance Motors using speed signal
based phase current profiling“, 2013 IEEE Energytech, DOI: 10.1109
EnergyTech.2013.6645357.
[14] Krasonsij A.B. “The use of simulation as a tool for investigating a
switched reluctance electric drive", Electrical Technology Russia,
2003 (2).