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Design of a Brushless DC (BLDC) motor controller

Conference Paper · April 2014

DOI: 10.1109/ICEEICT.2014.6919048

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International Conference on Electrical Engineering and Information & Communication Technology (ICEEICT) 2014

Design of a Brushless DC (BLDC) Motor Controller

Md. Rifat Hazari, Effat Jahan
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB)
Dhaka, Bangladesh
E-mail: rifat.hazari@gmail.com, effat.jahan25@gmail.com
Md. Ettaker Siraj, Md. Tauhedull Islam Khan, Ahmed
Mortuza Saleque
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB)
Dhaka, Bangladesh
E-mail: shishir.srabon@gmail.com,
shaikat.khan007@gmail.com, ahmed.saikat@gmail.com

Abstract— Growing need for high productivity is placing
new demands on mechanisms connected with electrical motors.
The demand for low cost Brushless DC (BLDC) motor has
increased in industrial applications. A simple BLDC motor
control algorithm for low cost motor drive applications using
general purpose microcontrollers has been created and
presented in this paper. Proposed design will allow the user to
rotate the motor either clockwise or counter clockwise
direction. Depending on the rotor position the sensor will give
response to the controller circuit. Then the controller circuit
will fix the direction of current following to the stator. The
design controller circuit is also implemented. The overall
design consists of microcontroller circuit, logic gates, switching
devices (MOSFET/BJT), BLDC motor, sensors.
Keywords— BLDC motor; Microcontroller; Sensor; BJT;
MOSFET.
brush dc motor, but using a solid state-static circuit rather
than a commutator/brush system.
II. CONVENTIONAL BLDC MOTOR STRUCTURES
The construction of modern brushless dc motor is very
similar to the ac motor, known as permanent magnet
synchronous motor. Figure 1 illustrates the structure of a
typical three phase brushless dc motor. The stator windings
are similar to those in a poly phase ac motor, and the rotor is
composed of one or more permanent magnets. Brushless dc
motors are different from ac synchronous motors in that the
former incorporates some means to detect the rotor position
or (magnetic poles) to produce signals to control the
electronic switches as shown in figure 2. The most common
position/pole sensor is the hall element, but some motors use
optical sensors [2].

I. INTRODUCTION
The use of the permanent magnets in electrical machines
in place of electromagnetic excitation results in many
advantages such as no excitation losses, simplified
construction, improved efficiency, fast dynamic performance
and high torque or power per unit volume. The PM
excitation in the early 19th century was not adopted due to
the poor quality of PM materials. In 1932, the invention of
Alnico revived the use of PM excitation systems, however it
has been limited to small and fractional horse power dc
commutator machines [1].
Fig. 1. Disassembled view of a brushless dc motor [2]
A brushless dc (BLDC) motor is a synchronous electric
motor which is powered by direct-current electricity (DC)
and which has as electronically controlled commutation
system, instead of a mechanical commutation system based
on brushes. In such motors, current and torque, voltage and
rpm are linearly related.
In BLDC motor the electromagnets do not move, instead
the permanent magnets rotate and the armature remains
static. This gets around the problem how to transfer current
to a moving armature. In order to do this, the brush systems
assembly is replaced by an electronic controller. The
controller performs the same power distribution found in a
Fig. 2. Brushless DC motor block diagram

978-1-4799-4819-2/14/$31.00 ©2014 IEEE

Although the most outerbox and efficient motors are three
phases but two phases brushless dc motor are also very
commonly used for simple construction and drive circuits.
Figure 3 shows the cross sections of a two phase motor
having axiliary salient pole [2].
Fig. 3. Two phase brushless dc motor [2]
III. PROPOSED DESIGN OF BRUSHLESS DC MOTOR
The proposed design of brushless dc motor will made
with two phases. The two phases are phase A and phase B.
Considering the figure 4, for phase A the current is entering
via FA and current leaving via SA. In the case of phase B
current entering via SB and leaving via FB. If the two phase
current in same direction then there is neutral pole will be
created. If the two current are in opposite direction then there
is a pole must be created. So in between SA and SB South
Pole is created. As a result North Pole of the rotor will try to
align with South Pole of the stator winding.
Fig. 4. Brushless DC motor
Now from the figure 5, for phase A the current entering is
same of the figure 4. In case of phase B the current is
entering via SB and leaving via FB. So the south pole will
shift to the new postion in between SB and FA. Also in
between SA and SB neutral pole will be created. So the
rotor will try to align with this new postion. Hence the rotor
will move clockwise 45 degree.
Fig. 5. Brushless DC motor (Phase A as before, Phase B reverse)
Taking account the figure 6, for phase B the current is
entering is same of the figure 5. In case of phase A the
current is entering via SA and leaving via FA. So the south
pole will shift to the new position in between FA and FB. In
between SB and SA neutral pole will be created. So the
rotor will try to align with this new position. Hence the rotor
will move another 45 degree. Now at this moment the total
rotation is about 90 degree.
Fig. 6. Brushless DC motor (Phase A as reverse, Phase B as before)
Similarly in the figure 7, for phase A the current is
entering as same of the figure 5. For phase B the current is
entering via SB and leaving via FB. So the south pole of the
rotor will shift to the new position. Hence the rotor will
move clockwise another 45 degree. In this way the rotor will
rotate clockwise.
Fig. 7. Brushless DC motor (Phase A as before, Phase B reverse)
For counter clockwise rotation the sequence of the
switching will be starts form figure7 then figure 6, figure 5,
figure 4.
IV. STATOR CURRENT SWITCHING
The direction of the stator current will be controlled by
using semi-conductor devices. The switches are may be
MOSFET, BJT. In the figure 8 the positions of the switches
are shown. Each phase connected with four switches. They
are S1, S2, S3, and S4. In the figure 4, for phase A the
current enter via FA and leaving via SA. So for phase A,
considering the figure 8 switch S2 and S3 must be close and
S1 and S4 must be open, in order to flowing the stator
current from SB to FB. So the rotor will move 45 degree.
Similarly for figure 5, 6, 7 the respective switch of figure8 TABLE III. SWITCHING SEQUENCE OF CLOCKWISE AND
COUNTERCLOCKWISE ROTATION IN TERMS OF ANGLE(COMBINING TABLE I
will turn on and off. AND TABLE II)

Switch 0º 45º 90º 135º 180º 225º 270º 315º 360º

SA1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0

SA2 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1

SA3 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1

SA4 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0

SB1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1

SB2 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0

SB3 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0
Fig. 8. Stator switching of phase B and phase A SB4 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1

Table I and Table II shows the switching of phase A From table III,
and Phase B for various positions. The table exactly • When the rotor position is 0 degree:
matches with the previous discussions of stator switching. The switch s1 and switch s4 are off and switch s2 and s3 are
For clockwise rotation the rotor moves from position 1 to on for A phase. The switch s2 and switch s3 are off and
position 4. For counter clockwise rotation the rotor moves switch s1 and s4 are on for B phase.
from position 4 to position 1. The turn on of the switch • When the rotor position is 45degree:
represented as binary one and the turn off of the switch The switch s1 and switch s4 are off and switch s2 and s3
represented as binary 0. are on for A phase. The switch s1 and switch s4 are off and
switch s2 and s3 are on for B phase.
• When the rotor position is on the position is
TABLE I. FOR PHASE A(S_A-F_A) 90degree:
The switch s2 and switch s3 are off and switch s1 and s4 are
Switch Position 1 Position 2 Position 3 Position 4 on for A phase. The switch s1 and switch s4 are off and
switch s2 and s3 are on for B phase.
S1 0 0 1 1 • When the rotor position is on the position is
135degree:
S2 1 1 0 0 The switch s2 and switch s3 are off and switch s1 and s4 are
on for A phase. The switch s2 and switch s3 are off and
S3 1 1 0 0 switch s1 and s4 are on for B phase.
• When the rotor position is on the position is
S4 0 0 1 1 180degree:
The switch s1 and switch s4 are off and switch s2 and s3 are
TABLE II. FOR PHASE B(S_B-F_B) on for A phase. The switch s2 and switch s3 are off and
switch s1 and s4 are on for B phase.
Switch Position 1 Position 2 Position 3 Position 4 • When the rotor position is on the position is
225degree:
S1 1 0 0 1 The switch s1 and switch s4 are off and switch s2 and s3 are
on for A phase. The switch s1 and switch s4 are off and
S2 0 1 1 0
switch s2 and s3 are on for B phase.
• When the rotor position is on the position is
S3 0 1 1 0 270degree:
The switch s2 and switch s3 are off and switch s1 and s4 are
S4 1 0 0 1 on for A phase. The switch s2 and switch s3 are off and
switch s1 and s4 are on for B phase.
According to table I, for phase A, the switch s2 and s3 are • When the rotor position is on the position is
on for position 1 and position 2.And the switch s1 and s4 315degree:
are on for position 3 and position 4. The switch s2 and switch s3 are off and switch s1 and s4 are
According to table II, for phase B, the switch s1 and s4 are on for A phase. The switch s2 and switch s3 are off and
on for position 1 and position 4 and switch s2 and s3 are on switch s1 and s4 are on for B phase.
for position 2.And the switch s1, s2and s3 are on for • When the rotor position is on the position is
position 3. 360degree:
The switch s1 and switch s4 are off and switch s2 and s3 are V. CONTROLLER DESIGN
on for A phase. The switch s2 and switch s3 are off and
switch s1 and s4 are on for B phase.
In above discussions by changing the switching position
of phase A and phase B of stator, user can change the rotor
position
Figure 9 shows a wave shape by multiplying the common
portion of the switching sequence. The wave shapes is
required for designing the controller circuit. The wave shape
described, for every position which switches will turn on
and off.

Fig. 10. Sensors position in our proposed design of BLDC motor

The four sensors C1, C2, C3 and C4 are attached to the

BLDC motor as shown in figure 10. Let consider the tables
IV, signals of sensors are coming from BLDC motor as
input depending on the rotor position. Depending on that the
controller circuit will control the stator current. In the table
IV there is another signal called CW/CCW which will user
define. That means user can control this signal. According
to the table IV if the user will give 1(high) on CW/CCW
pin then the rotor will rotate clockwise. If the user will give
Fig. 9. Waveshpae based on table III
0(Low) on CW/CCW pin then the rotor will rotate
counterclockwise. Consider the figure 3.20 if the rotor is
TABLE IV. TRUTHTABLE OF SENSORS OUTPUT FOR CLOCKWISE AND exactly on the position of Sensors C1.So C1 is interrupted,
COUNTER CLOCKWISE ROTATION as a result of that C1 is high(logical 1), C2, C2, C3 are low.
Now if the user will give CW/CCW is high (1) then the
CW/
Degrees C1 C2 C3 C4 CCW A14 A23 B14 B23 controller circuit will must give the signal of 45 degree to
0º 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 shift the rotor from 0 degree to 45 degree. So A23 and B23
are high, A14 and B14 are low according to the wave shape
45º 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
of figure 9.Similarly from 45 degree to 90 degree, 90 degree
90º 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 to 135 degree, 135 degree to 180 degree, 180 degree to 225
135º 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 degree, 225 degree to 270 degree, 270 degree to 315 degree,
180º 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 315 degree to 360 degree. For counterclockwise rotation,
225º 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 same switching sequence just user will give of CW/CCW
270º 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0
low instead of high.
315º 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0
Start
360º 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
315º 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0
270º 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0
225º 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 Read the Sensor Signal
180º 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 and CW/CCW
135º 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0
90º 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0
45º 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 Depending on the value of
0º 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1
sensors and CW/CCW
signal set the value of A14,
A23, B14, B23

Fig. 11. Flow chart for designing the BLDC controller

A. Controller Design Using Digital Logic Circuit
The above controller circuit is done by using table IV.
By derive the sum of product expressions the proposed
controller circuit has been designed using DSCH-2
software. Here C1, C2, C3, C4 are coming from the sensors
depending on the rotor position and CW/CCW is user
define. It is actually used to control the clockwise and
counter clockwise rotation. The output signal A14, A23,
counter clockwise.If the led is turn on that means the current
will flow in the respective direction. Depending on the
direction of current the magnetic pole will create in the
stator windings. The stator winding is actually connected on
the place of light emitting diodes.
+5v

B14, and B23 are connected to the motor stator winding. +5v

Depending on the input signal the controller circuit will give

output signal to control the clockwise and counter clock
wise rotation. QA1 QA2
2SD756
2SD756

DA2

C1
LED-YELLOW
U1
DA1 9
RESET PC0/SCL
22
23 R1
PC1/SDA
13 24
XTAL1 PC2/TCK
12 25
XTAL2 PC3/TMS 10k
LED-YELLOW 26
PC4/TDO
QA3 QA4
40
PA0/ADC0 PC5/TDI
27 C2
39 28
2SD756 2SD756 PA1/ADC1 PC6/TOSC1
38 29
37
PA2/ADC2 PC7/TOSC2 R2
PA3/ADC3
36 14
35
PA4/ADC4 PD0/RXD
15 C3 10k
PA5/ADC5 PD1/TXD
34 16
PA6/ADC6 PD2/INT0
33 17 R3
PA7/ADC7 PD3/INT1
18
PD4/OC1B
1 19
2
PB0/T0/XCK PD5/OC1A
20
C4 10k
PB1/T1 PD6/ICP1
3 21
PB2/AIN0/INT2 PD7/OC2
4
PB3/AIN1/OC0
5 R4
PB4/SS
6
PB5/MOSI
7 32
8
PB6/MISO AREF
30 CW / CCW 10k
PB7/SCK AVCC
QB1 QB2 ATMEGA32
2SD756
2SD756
R5
DB1
10k

LED-YELLOW

DB2

LED-YELLOW
QB3 QB4
2SD756 2SD756

Fig. 13. Microcontroller based controller circuit

VI. SIMULATION AND RESULT

Fig. 12. Logic circuit based controller circuit

B. Controller Design Using Microcontroller

The microcontroller based controller circuit is done
using Atmega 32 chip and simulated using proteus software.
Though we have the limitations of getting sensors, the
signal of the sensors is giving by mannual switches. We
have the also limitations of getting brushless dc motor the
stator winding is represented by light emitting dieodes. The
LEDs are used for showing the direction of current. In the
main circuit the LEDs are replaced by stator winding of
brushless dc motor.
Taking into account of figure 13, the four manual input
c1, c2, c3, c4 represents the sensors which are connected Fig. 14. Waveshape of the output of the controller circuit
with the motor. CW/CCW switch represents the users define
input to rotate the motor clockwise and counter clockwise.
When CW/CCW switch is on then the motor will rotate
clockwise and when the swich is off then motor will rotate
 +5v +5v Table V shows that the proposed BLDC motor controller
has almost 50 percent less price compared to the
conventional brushless dc motor controller.
QA1 QA2 CLOCK WISE / COUNTER CLOCK WISE
2SD756
2SD756

DA14
9
U1
RESET PC0/SCL
22
VIII. CONCLUSION
23
PC1/SDA

A new algorithm for BLDC motor controller has been

LED-YELLOW 13 24
12
XTAL1 PC2/TCK
25 U2
XTAL2 PC3/TMS
26 9 22
DA23 PC4/TDO RESET PC0/SCL

represented which is low cost and easier to understand. The

40 27 23
PA0/ADC0 PC5/TDI PC1/SDA
39 28 13 24
PA1/ADC1 PC6/TOSC1 XTAL1 PC2/TCK
38 29 12 25
PA2/ADC2 PC7/TOSC2 XTAL2 PC3/TMS
37 26
modeling and analysis of brushless dc motor controller is
LED-YELLOW PA3/ADC3 PC4/TDO
36 14 40 27
QA3 QA4 35
PA4/ADC4 PD0/RXD
15 39
PA0/ADC0 PC5/TDI
28
2SD756 PA5/ADC5 PD1/TXD PA1/ADC1 PC6/TOSC1
2SD756 34 16 38 29
33

1
PA6/ADC6
PA7/ADC7
PD2/INT0
PD3/INT1
PD4/OC1B
17
18
19
37
36
35
PA2/ADC2
PA3/ADC3
PA4/ADC4
PC7/TOSC2

PD0/RXD
14
15
done in microcontroller (AVR compiler, proteus) and logic
gates generated in DSCH-2. The results of simulation give
PB0/T0/XCK PD5/OC1A PA5/ADC5 PD1/TXD
2 20 34 16
PB1/T1 PD6/ICP1 PA6/ADC6 PD2/INT0
3 21 33 17
PB2/AIN0/INT2 PD7/OC2 PA7/ADC7 PD3/INT1
4 18

help in building hardware with expected results. The novelty

PB3/AIN1/OC0 PD4/OC1B
5 1 19
PB4/SS PB0/T0/XCK PD5/OC1A
6 2 20
PB5/MOSI PB1/T1 PD6/ICP1
7 32 3 21
PB6/MISO AREF PB2/AIN0/INT2 PD7/OC2
8
PB7/SCK
ATMEGA32
AVCC
30 4
5
6
PB3/AIN1/OC0
PB4/SS
PB5/MOSI
of this proposed designed BLDC controller is that it is
QB1
7
8
PB6/MISO
PB7/SCK
AREF
AVCC
32
30 simple in terms of design, cost effective and can be
QB2
implemented by using low cost microcontroller and ICs
ATMEGA32
2SD756
2SD756
A
DB14
B available in the market. In previous the entire BLDC
LED-YELLOW
C

D
R1 controller that was design is expensive, difficult to
DB23
understand. But the proposed controller is easier to
10k

QB3
LED-YELLOW
QB4
understand and this is too much good to use in various
application.
2SD756 2SD756

REFERENCES
[1] B. Das, S. Chakraborty, P. M. Kasari, A. Chakraborti and M.
Bhowmik, “Speed control of BLDC Motor using soft computing
Fig. 15. Microcontroller based BLDC motor controller(Automatic input Technique and its stability analysis,” vol. 3, issue 5,
instead of sensor) ISSN(Online):2249-071X.
[2] T. Kenjo, “Permanent magnet and brushless dc motor”, Oxford,1985.
[3] B. Singh, S. Singh, “State of the art on Permanent Magnet Brushless
The wave shapes that shown in figure 14 is the output DC Motor Drives”, Journal of power Electronics, Vol.9, No. 1,
signal of the controller circuit A14, B14, A23, B23 which January 2009.
will drive the switching devices. The simulated waveshape [4] B.K. Lee and M. Ehsami, “Advanced Simulation Model for Brushless
exactly match with the theoretical waveshape of figure 9. DC Motor Drives”, Electric power Components Systems, 31:841-868,
The above waveshpes are fouund by using another 2003.
microcontroller chip. The second microcontroller chip [5] R.J. Tocci and N. S. Widmer, “Digital Systems”, 7th edition, Prentice
generates the sensor signal automatically. Practically the Hall.
controller circuit get the sensor signal automatically [6] V. K. Mehta, R. Mehta, “Principles of Electrical Machines”, S. Chand
and company Limited.
depending on the rotor position.Due to the limitation of
[7] T. J. E. Miller, “Brushless permanent magnet and reluctance motor
getting the sensor and motor, the sensor is replaced by drive”, oxford, 1989.
microcontroller chip only for simulation purpose.Figure 15 [8] V. Hubik, M. Syeda, V. Singule, “Mathematical model of a sensorless
shows the automatic sensor signal generator. BLDC motor for aerospace actuators”, in modeling and simulation
MS 2008, Qubec City, Canada: 2008, p.165-169. ISBN: 978-0-
88986-741-3.
VII. COST COMPARISON OF TRADITIONAL BLDC MOTOR
CONTROLLER WITH THIS PROPOSED CONTROLLER
The price of the brushless dc motor controller that is
available in the market is $ (14-18). Considering the
following table:

TABLE V. COST OF THE DIFFERENT COMPONTS IN THE PROPOSED

BLDC MOTOR CONTROLLER

Components Pieces Cost($)

MOSFET 8 $ 1.5

Hall Sensor 4 $3

Atmega 32 chip 1 $ 2.90

PCB layout 1 $ 1.25

Total= $ 8.62

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