CONTROL OF BLDC MOTORS

1. INTRODUCTION:
BLDCs have more complex control than traditional DC motors. They require the following
components (usually): -

• Hall effect sensor

• Position & speed sensors (encoders)
• Microcontroller(s)

2. CLOSED-LOOP CONTROL:
2.1. Introduction:

The inverter generates the current in the stator coil which in turn produces the stator field. The
interaction of stator and rotor fields produces the torque. The control of speed requires us to control
the switching.

The above block gives us good basics for building the drives for the BLDC motors. In practise, the
Commutation logic block is a PWM generator, the DC Voltage could be a DC/DC converter, etc. The
above control block can be realized in 5 popular ways.
All the methods require a basic understanding of dq axis theory and space vectors.
2.2. dq Axis Theory:

In fig.1 we have sinusoidal ref. In control theory, we use small signals and not large signals. The use
of the sinusoidal ref. implies the use of large signals which complicates the controller design. Such
controllers are called tracking controllers. To avoid complexities in design, one would want to work
with a set-point controller which has a DC signal as ref. This can be achieved by the means of
transform which converts AC signals to DC signals.
AC signal → Transform→ DC signal
Let ‘r’ be a 3-phase quantity,
=> rR + rY + rB = 0
=> The 3 phase quantities would span a plane.
=> the 3 phase quantities require only 2 orthogonal vector to span the vector space.

• α and β are those orthogonal vectors:

This is known as αβ transform, it converts the 3 phase quantities to 2 orthogonal time-varying

quantities.

• Though we reduced the no. of vectors we still have time-varying signals. This is solved by dq
axis theory. We convert the α and β axis into dq axis. The dq axis rotates at the speed ‘wt’ of ‘r’, 3
phase quantity. Since the dq-axis rotates at ‘wt’, the remaining stationery is in the time axis.
Hence, the AC signal is converted to a DC signal.
 AC signal → αβ transform →dq-axis→ DC signal
The inverse also holds true.

2.3. Control Block Realizations:

2.3.1. Method 1- Trapezoidal control:

2.3.1.1. Without Inverter:

They are good small loads and low speed-torque requirements. This is due to torque ripples produced
in the above method. The ripples are the result of switching which results in the change of load angle,
δ and torque α sin(δ). In low voltage level applications, we can use a very high switching frequency,
and hence the ripples in the current wouldn’t be sensed in the torque due to very high (relatively) time
constants of mechanical parts of the motor.
2.3.2. Method 2- FOC:
In trapezoidal control, load angle is load dependent. In Field Oriented Control (FOC), we can fix the
load angle to 900.
Here, we use the αβ transform and dq-axis. With the help of these transforms we try to generate stator
magnetic field that is perpendicular to the rotor magnetic field or leading by 900.

For this, we try to get the d-axis component to zero. Also, the αβ transform and dq-axis are called
Clarke and Park Transforms.
2.3.2. Method 3- State Vector PWM Control:

Here, the SVPWM can be replaced by SPWM. This method can get the same features of load angle of
FOC with lesser calculations as it avoids the use of the inverse Clarke transform.
3. CONCLUSION:
Comparison between all the methods:

METHOD ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Trapezoidal Control Computationally less intensive Torque ripples

• Can maintain load angle = Computationally intensive

FOC 900.
• No torque ripples in steady-
state operation.
• Can maintain load angle = Computationally intensive
900.
• No torque ripples in steady-
SVPWM state operation.
• Computationally intensive
compared to FOC.

Every control method has advantages and disadvantages. The choice of control method comes down
to application- the load characteristics, torque requirements, speed requirements, budget, etc.