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Sensorless low range speed estimation and parameter identification of

induction motor drives devoted to lifts automatic rescue devices

Conference Paper · October 2010

DOI: 10.1109/ICELMACH.2010.5608209 · Source: IEEE Xplore

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 1

Sensorless Low Range Speed Estimation and

Parameter Identification of Induction Motor Drives
Devoted to Lifts Automatic Rescue Devices
A. O. Di Tommaso, R. M. Ferrigno

Abstract—In this paper a sensorless rotor speed estimation and and are very important elements both for passenger’s comfort
parameter identification algorithm is presented. The algorithm and for the system performances.
is designed specifically for induction motor (IM) drives devoted They must ensure, both in the case of a sudden electric
to automatic rescue devices (ARD) used in lifts and hoist
applications. Its peculiarity is that it is based on the sinusoidal energy absence or in case of electrical system failure, the
steady state mathematical model of the IM and, therefore, can quick bring back of the lift car to the closest floor in a
be implemented on a low cost micro-controller in a simple way, whole safety manner, freeing passengers that, otherwise, would
however without lacking in terms of dynamic performance. It is be trapped within the lift car. Moreover, they are electronic
also capable of self tuning so that no information is required devices coupled to electric lifting motors and other additional
about the specific IM used in the ARD drive. Finally the
algorithm allows also an appreciable energy saving of the ARD service circuits (brake, door operator, lights, etc.), therefore
when compared to older types. they are to be considered as full-blown electrical drives with
automatic insertion supplied by electric battery accumulators.
Index Terms—Lift, Hoist, Induction Motors, Sensorless, Speed
Control, Parameters Estimation. These electrical drives have to follow all the norms and safety
conditions dealing with elevators, without limiting their perfor-
mances during the ordinary operation. In the state of the art the
I. L IST OF S YMBOLS market tendency is addressed to the continuous improvement
I¯s stator space phasor current; of the system performances (speed, motion comfort, etc.), by
Rs stator resistance; adopting mainly gearless applications (i.e. without gearing)
Ls
0
stator transient inductance; with a direct mechanical coupling or with a very mild gear
LM referred magnetizing inductance; ratio, supplied by variable voltage and variable frequency
Rrref referred rotor resistance; (VVFF) electronic power converters.
Tr rotor time constant; The simplified block diagram of a lift plant is shown in
s rotor slip; Fig. 1. The lift panel taking the power from the main power
ω stator angular frequency; supply manages the electrical and mechanical components of
Ωr rotor angular speed; the system (main motor, brake, door operator, light inside the
p number of pole pairs of the IM motor; lift car, etc.).
Req equivalent motor resistance;
Xeq equivalent motor reactance;
Psr active power delivered to the rotor;
Qsr reactive power delivered to the rotor;
Asr apparent power delivered to the rotor.

Figure 1. Block diagram of a standard lift without ARD.

II. I NTRODUCTION
ODAY automatic rescue devices (ARD) in lifts and hoist
T are essential elements to ensure the quietness of people
This work was financially supported by MIUR - Ministero dell’Istruzione
dell’Università e della Ricerca and Emergenzamatic S.r.l..
Antonino Oscar Di Tommaso is with the Department of Electrical,
Electronic, Telecommunication and Automation Engineering - University
of Palermo, viale delle Scienze, Ed. 9, 90128 Palermo - Italy. E-mail:
ditommaso@dieet.unipa.it.
Raffaele Marco Ferrigno is with Emergenzamatic S.r.l., via dell’Airone,
nr. 10, 90040, Isola delle Femmine (PA) - Italy. E-mail: ferrig-
nom@emergenzamatic.it.
The present work is the result of a contractual agreement between the
Department of Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunication and Automation
Engineering and Emergenzamatic S.r.l. whose scientific persons in charge
are respectively prof. Vittorio Cecconi and eng. Stefano Cannioto.
In order to ensure the working condition, in the case of a
sudden electric energy absence, a battery back-up unit could
used as shown in Fig. 2. The back-up unit, which sometimes
could be an auxiliary generator driven by a combustion engine,
is usually equipped with a power electronic converter which is
able to generate the voltage and current needed by the system
to supply directly the lift panel. This configuration results as
an expensive one because the back-up unit is to be designed
for the whole lift plant installed power and, moreover, it can
not be used if just one component of the panel fails.
A less expensive but less reliable solution relative to the
above described configuration is presented in Fig. 3, where
the battery back-up unit is now connected on part of the

Figure 2. Block diagram of a battery back-up system (1-st type).
components of the lift panel in order to allow it to manage
the main functional parts of the lift system. In this case back-
up system and lift panel are to be designed to fit each other
during the rescue operation. Also in this case the fail of
most important electrical components do not allows the rescue
procedure.
Figure 3. Block diagram of a battery back-up system (2-nd type).
An improvement of the above mentioned solutions is the
following one, whose scheme is reported in Fig. 4. In this
last case the rescue system operates as an alternative panel
powered by a set of accumulators exactly in the same way of
the main panel, but managing the main motor at low speed
and with low power absorption.
Figure 4. Block diagram of Emergenzamatic ARD.
The important improvement determined by this solution is
that the rescue operation is performed not only in case of
lack of main power supply, but also for any electrical or
electromechanical fault within the lift panel. As a consequence
a great improvement in reliability can be assured with respect
to the previously described systems, but, moreover, the ARD
can be designed independently with respect to the specific lift
plant. A specific intrinsic characteristic of this ARD is the
capability to drive the motor without the use of any speed
and/or position sensor. The last two positive aspects make the
2
ARD full flexible with respect to all lift plants actually present
in the market.
The present paper describes the results of the co-operation
between “Emergenzamatic S.r.l.” and the “Electrical Machines,
Converters and Drives” research Unit of the University of
Palermo that led to a innovative ARD speed estimation al-
gorithm for lifts and hoist moved by induction motors (IM).
The ARD can be considered at the leading edge and currently
in a production and marketing stage and is able to take into
consideration the current normative and market requirements,
introducing innovative criteria both for reducing costs in
commissioning and for energy saving. The simple sensorless
speed detection algorithm here proposed and used in the
ARD is described and some experimental results are presented
and discussed. The main characteristics of the sensorless
speed control algorithm is that it is specifically designed for
induction motors operating in the low speed range (from 0 to
about 240 rpm).
III. S ENSORLESS S PEED E STIMATION A LGORITHMS
Many sensorless speed detection algorithms are present in
literature [1], [2], [5], [6], [4], but almost all are based on the
dynamic electro-mechanical equations of the motors. In the
case of ARDs in lift and hoist applications a high performance
dynamic behavior is not of fundamental importance; this is due
to three fundamental reasons:
1) the inertia of the whole system (lift) is always high
enough so that the electrical time constants of the
motor, of the electronic power converter and of the
control system are usually small when compared to the
mechanical ones;
2) the speed estimation algorithms proposed in literature
mainly adopt integration procedures in order to obtain
the state variables to be used for the speed estima-
tion. Such procedures, in the case of open-loop control
systems, can determine state variable drifts due to the
presence of offsets in the measured electrical quantities
(voltages, currents, etc.);
3) high speed performance is not required because the final
goal of an ARD is to freeing people safely and in the
most comfortable way as possible.
For these reasons a simple sensorless speed estimation al-
gorithm based on the sinusoidal steady state regime was
conceived whose characteristics are presented in the next
sections and briefly described, having the main feature of
overcoming the above mentioned problems.
IV. M ETHODOLOGY FOR S ENSORLESS S PEED E STIMATION
From the sinusoidal steady-state equivalent circuit shown in
Fig. 5, [1], [3] the equivalent impedance is determined
Z˙eq = Req + j Xeq (1)
where the equivalent resistance is
ω 2 s LM Tr
Req = Rs + (2)
1 + (sωTr )2
 3

and the equivalent reactance is

Psr ωsLM
ωLM = (13)
Xeq = ωL0s + . (3) Qsr Rrref
1 + (sωTr )2
which can be substituted in the second term of the denom-
inator in (12) giving the value of the referred magnetizing
inductance

 2
Psr
1+ Qsr 2
Psr + Q2sr A2
LM = Qsr  2 =  2 =  sr 2 . (14)
ω I s  ω I s  Qsr ω I s  Qsr
Finally, substituting (14) in (13), the expression of the motor
slip is obtained as
 2
Psr Psr I s 
s = Rrref = Rrref (15)
ωLM Qsr A2sr
Figure 5. IM sinusoidal steady state equivalent electrical circuit. and the speed can be calculated by the well known expres-
sion
The active and reactive IM absorbed powers are
ω
 2 Ωr = (1 − s) . (16)
P = Req I s  (4) p

 2 V. IM E LECTRICAL PARAMETERS I DENTIFICATION AND

Q = Xeq I s  (5) A LGORITHM I MPLEMENTATION
while the ones delivered to the rotor are respectively The simplified block scheme of the ARD electrical drive is
 2 shown in 4. The electrical drive is constituted by a electronic
Psr = P − Rs I s  (6) power converter with six MOSFETs supplying the IM and
governed by a digital control unit. The power converter is
 2 equipped with two Hall-effect sensor for the IM phase current
Qsr = Q − ωLM I s  . (7)
measurements and a resistive divider for the DC-link voltage
Defining the referred rotor resistance as [1] measurement and is supplied by a group of fourin series
connected 12 V / 6 Ahrechargeable lead-acid batteries. In the
LM control unit the measured DC-link voltage is used as reference
Rrref = (8)
Tr value for the space vector modulator (SVM). In the control
and substituting it in (2) and (3) the following expressions unit both the “Speed estimator” and the “Auto Tuning Unit”
are obtained are digitally implemented. Finally a user interface is provided
for programming, testing and measuring purpose and an I/O
L2 signal interface by means of which the rescue operations is
P ω 2 s Rrref
M

Req =  2 = Rs +  2 (9) activated.

I s 
1 + sω RLrref
M

Q 0 ωLM
Xeq =  2 = ωLs +  2 . (10)
I s 
1 + sω RLrref
M

By comparing (6) and (7) respectively with (9) and (10) the
expressions of both the active and reactive power delivered to
the rotor from the stator are deduced
L2
ω 2 s Rrref
M
 2
Psr =  2 ·  I s  (11)
1 + sω RLrref
M

ωLM  2
Qsr =  2 ·  I s  . (12)
1 + sω RLrref
M

Now dividing expression (11) by (12) the following is

obtained Figure 6. Block diagram of the implemented ARD.

In order to apply the mathematical model previously de-
scribed it is necessary to determine the electrical parameters
of the IM under consideration. For this purpose the automatic
parameters recognition procedure (the “Auto Tuning Unit”
shown in Fig. 6) was implemented. In this manner it is
possible to determine automatically the electrical parameters
of each motor attached to the ARD. The procedures, described
in [1], [7], are here briefly explained. All the parametric
identification procedures are carried out with the IM in locked
rotor condition, which is the only possible as the no load test
is not feasible in a lift or hoist plant.
A simple volt-ampere DC measurement through the power
converter is carried out for each of the three IM phases, and
their average value is considered as the stator resistance Rs .
Now from (15) in the IM locked rotor condition (in which s=1)
the value of Rrref can be deduced by the following formula
A2sr
4
P = usD · isD + usQ · isQ (19)
and
Q = usQ · isD − usD · isQ . (20)
Therefore, a 3-phase to 2-phase fixed reference transforma-
tion of supply voltages and currents is required.
The block diagram of the speed estimation algorithm here
presented, which was tested in a preliminary phase through
simulations carried out with the help of Matlab/Simulink
program, is shown in Fig. 8.
Particular care must be taken in the adoption of filters (1-st
order filters are enough) in order to avoid undesired noise and
intolerant peaks in the estimated speed due to the presence of
the algebraic division between the electrical quantities in (15).
Rrref =  2 . (17) The algorithm is implemented within the control unit of the
Psr I s  ARD electrical drive whose characteristics and rated values
are summarized in Table I. The electronic board of ARD in
It is to be noted that at very low supply voltages and
which the sensorless algorithm was implemented and which
frequencies the Rrref value is not constant due to magnetic
contains also the MOSFET power converter is represented in
saturation effects and rotor resistance drifts caused by tem-
Fig. 9.
perature changes. Therefore, a locked rotor test is necessary
for each supply condition and the values are recorded into a Table I
look-up table for use during the service at low speed. R ATED VALUES OF THE IMPLEMENTED ARD.
For the stator transient inductance measurement two rect-
quantity value
angular voltage pulses with a value of Ud are supplied to the
Power [kW] 18
IM at SR and TR stator terminals. The resultant stator phase DC-link voltage [V] 48
current is registered in time and is analyzed. An example of Max. output current
50
such current time profile is depicted in Fig. 7. Referring to (peak) [A]
Max. output current (rms)
this figure the two time instants t3 , t4 and the relative current [A]
35
values are considered to calculate the transient inductance with Operative output
2 to 6
the aid of (18) frequency range [Hz]
Sampling frequency [Hz] 1000
PWM frequency [Hz] 1000
2 t4 − t3
L0s = Ud . (18)
3 IsDC (t3 ) − IsDC (t4 )

Figure 7. Stator transient current.

The power delivered by the power converted is calculated

by means of the following equations where the voltages and
current are considered with respect to a fixed space reference Figure 9. The ARD electronic board.
frame [1], [2], [3]:
 5

Figure 8. Block diagram of the speed estimation algorithm.

VI. E XPERIMENTAL R ESULTS In the first test during the run the IM was suddenly unloaded
Many tests were carried out, in order to verify the effective- and immediately reloaded in order to verify the dynamic
ness of the proposed algorithm, on an induction motor for lift response of the speed estimation algorithm (see Fig. 10).
applications manufactured by “S.A. elettromeccanica Enrico
Bezzi”, Milan, Italy, whose electro-mechanical parameters and
rated values are summarized respectively in Table II and III.

Table II
R ATED VALUES OF THE B EZZI IM.

quantity value
Power [kW] 2.5
Voltage ∆/Y [V] 220/380
Current ∆/Y [A] 12/6.95
Frequency [Hz] 50
Speed [rpm] 1400
Duty cycle 60%

Table III Figure 10. Comparison between the measured and the estimated speed at
E LECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL PARAMETERS OF THE B EZZI IM . 3.2 Hz.

quantity value
Stator resistance [Ω] 1.25
Stator leakage inductance [mH] 21.15
Magnetizing inductance [mH] 295.6
Rotor leakage inductance referred
21.15
to stator [mH]
Rotor resistance referred to the
3.71
stator [Ω]
Iron losses [W] 185.4
Mechanical friction torque [Nm] 0.21

The tests were carried out driving the Bezzi IM by means

of the previously described ARD simulating a sudden rescue
operation. The rotor speed estimation was compared with the
one measured by means of an encoder mounted on the IM
shaft. In the present paper two examples of tests are reported.
The ARD starts its rescue operation performing an initial
Figure 11. Comparison between the measured and the estimated speed at 4
sensing phase (at locked rotor condition) in order to carry out Hz.
the parameters estimation and to establish the most favourable
direction of movement with respect to the lift car weight. After In the second test (Fig. 11) the motor is initially loaded with
that the motor starts to run under the application of a load the same torque as in the first one, but at a higher speed and
torque of about 11 Nm. with a succession of loading-unloading sequences.

For the first test a supply frequency of 3.2 Hz was chosen,
while for the second test a frequency of 4 Hz.
An other test was carried out in order to determine the
energy consumption of the here proposed ARD. The test
consists in a typical ARD car lift rescue operation (test cycle)
performed by the proposed ARD and by an older one with a
previous different implemented algorithm. Within the test the
mean power Pm absorbed from the batteries was calculated
multiplying the DC-link voltage VDC by the DC-link mean
current IDC ; the Energy E was calculated by a time-integration
of the mean power during time ∆t. The electrical quantities
of both ARDs are shown and compared in Table IV.
Table IV
E LECTRICAL QUANTITIES DURING THE COMPARATIVE TEST BETWEEN
THE NEW ARD AND THE PREVIOUS ONE .
ARD VDC [V] IDC [A] ∆t [s] E [kJ] Pm [W]
new 48.0 4.9 59 13.9 235.2
previous 48.0 6.2 72 21.4 297.6
Finally, the percentage of energy saving obtained with the
new ARD calculated with respect to the previous one is
Enew
∆E = 1 − = 35 %. (21)
Eprevious
VII. C ONCLUSIONS
In this paper a simple rotor speed estimation and IM
parameter sensing algorithm has been proposed and some
experimental test were carried out in order to verify its static
and dynamic performances. The algorithm was developed
considering the IM sinusoidal steady state model neglecting,
therefore, the dynamic behavior of the system, but making
its implementation possible on low performance and low cost
digital controllers. Although the steady state approximation,
the ARD performance appears enough adequate considering
its function and specifications and the fact that, however,
the estimated speed fits quite evidently the measured one.
Moreover, by inspecting (15) it is possible to see that the only
quantity which can change its sign is the power delivered to the
rotor (Psr ). Therefore, the proposed ARD sensorless algorithm
is also suitable for gearless lift systems because it is capable
to estimate negative rotor slips. In this last case the ARD drive
works in the regenerating field recharging the batteries.
Regarding the energy saving, the proposed ARD was
compared with a previous ARD whose supply converter
is controlled by an older six step modulation technique.
The comparative laboratory test highlighted a remarkable
reduction of the energy consumption as can be deduced by
an inspection of Table IV and (21). The consequence of the
energy saving is a lower electrical stress on the lead-acid
batteries and, therefore, a longer life.
6
Finally from (14) it is possible to obtain the instant value of
the referred magnetizing inductance from the same electrical
quantities used for the speed estimation.
In conclusion all these positive characteristics make the here
proposed algorithm certainly suitable for the application in
ARD for lifts and hoist applications as the experimental tests
have demonstrated.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This work was supported by SDESLab (Sustainable De-
velopment and Energy Savings Laboratory)-University of
Palermo and Emergenzamatic S.r.l..
R EFERENCES
[1] P. Vas, “Sensorless Vector and Direct Torque Control”, Oxford University
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[2] P. Vas, “Parameter Estimation, Condition Monitoring and Diagnosis of
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[3] D. W. Novotny, T. A. Lipo, “Vector Control and Dynamics of AC Drives”,
Oxford University Press, 1996.
[4] R. Bojoi, P. Guglielmi, G. Pellegrino, “Sensorless Direct Field Oriented
Control of Three-Phase Induction Motor Drives for Low Cost Applica-
tions”, Transactions on Industrial Applications, Vol. 42, Issue No. 2, 2008,
pp. 475-481.
[5] Marcello Montanari, Sergei M. Peresada, Carlo Rossi, Andrea Tilli,
”Speed Sensorless Control of Induction Motors Based on a Reduced-
Order Adaptive Observer”, IEEE Transaction on Control Systems Tech-
nology, VOL. 15, No. 6, November 2007, pp. 1049-1064.
[6] Toshiyuki Kanmachi Isao Takahashi, “Sensorless Speed Control of an
Induction Motor with No Influence of Resistance Variation ”, in Proc. of
the Power Convertion Conference, Nagaoka, 1997, pp. 91-96.
[7] Myoung-Ho Shin and Dong-Seok Hyun, ”Online Identification of Stator
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[8] Alfredo Muõz-García, Thomas A. Lipo and Donald W. Novotny, “A
New Induction Motor V/f Control Method Capable of High-Performance
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Antonino Oscar Di Tommaso was born in Tübingen (Germany) on June
5, 1972, received the degree in electrical engineering in 1999 and the Ph.D.
degree in 2004 from the University of Palermo, Italy. He was a post Ph.D.
fellow in electrical machines and drives at the Department of Electrical
Engineering - University of Palermo, from 2004 to 2006. Currently he is a
researcher at the Department of Electrical, Electronic and Telecommunication
Engineering - University of Palermo. His main research interests deal with
electrical machines, drives and power converters.
Raffaele Marco Ferrigno was born in Palermo in Italy on April 13, 1972.
He graduated in Electronic Engineering at the University of Palermo in 1999.
He works as Project Engineer and Researcher with Emergenzamatic Group.
His special field of interest includes control of electrical drives, electrical
motor parameters identification and electronics.