See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/3919676

Parameter identification of a DC motor: An experimental approach

Conference Paper · February 2001

DOI: 10.1109/ICECS.2001.957638 · Source: IEEE Xplore

CITATIONS READS

52 6,321

2 authors, including:

Samer Saab
Lebanese American University
76 PUBLICATIONS   2,037 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Indoor Navigation View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Samer Saab on 03 June 2014.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 Parameter Identification of a DC Motor: An Experimental Approach
Samer S. Saab, Senior Member, IEEE, and Raed Abi Kaed-Bey, Member, IEEE
ABSTRACT: The main goal of this paper is to
estimate the parameters of a DC motor experimentally
employing discrete measurements of an integrated
dynamometer. The parameters under consideration are
the motor armature-winding resistance and
inductance, back emf constant, motor torque constant,
moment of inertia, and the viscous friction. The
dynamometer outputs are the discrete measurements
of the armature current, angular velocity, armature
voltage (system input), and the torque developed by
the motor. In this paper parameter identification of a
DC motor, employing least-squares algorithm, is
implemented without the use of a D/A converter and a
power amplifier. In particular, the armature voltage is
generated using a prime mover and a synchronous
generator. Data acquisition system is composed of the
existing dynamometer data acquisition coupled with
special software resulting in collecting different
measurements automatically at a desired fixed time
interval. A Kalman filter is also implemented, as a
state observer, to estimate the angular acceleration
and the derivative of the armature current. In addition,
to improve the overall identification performance, the
DC parameters were first estimated by decoupling the
AC parameters using a DC input signal.
Subsequently, the estimated DC parameters are then
used to identify the AC parameters. Experimental
results are included to illustrate the efficiency of the
proposed system.
Index terms-DC motor, parameter identification, and Kalman
filter.
1 INTRODUCTION
There are several techniques currently employed for
parameter identification [ I]-[2]. The gradient
algorithm, which is a steepest descent approach
minimizing the identification error. The stochastic
state estimation, where the set of parameters is
considered ,to be the unknown state of the system,
which is estimated using a Kalman filter. For linear
time invariant systems, the least-squares algorithm is
*The author is with the Lebanese American University, Byblos,
Lebanon.
02001 IEEE.
0-7803-7057-O/Ol/$lO.OO
widely used. This method minimizes the integral-
squared identification error. The first two methods are
typically used for time-varying systems and require
closed-loop setup. In this paper, the third method, that
is the least-squares algorithm, is selected for its
efficiency and simplicity. However, these three
methodologies possess a common sufficient condition
for convergence. This sufficient condition requires
that the input-output measurements up to a finite time
must be persistently exciting [I]. Accordingly, the
input must excite all parameters of the system. For
instance, let the input, which is in our case the
armature voltage, to be a DC signal. Consequently, by
examining the equation describing the dynamics of a
DC motor, it can be readily noticed that the armature-
winding inductance and the moment of inertia do not
influence the outputs of the dynamometer.
One simple approach to determine the characteristics
of a persistently exciting input can be somewhat
achieved by way of computer simulation. Generally,
the associated input signal cannot be generated using
commercial signal generators. Nevertheless, this
“digital” signal, obtained through simulation, may be
fed to a D/A converter followed by a power amplifier.
In addition, the corresponding dynamometer outputs
should be collected using an A/D converter.
Consequently, parameter identification can be
implemented by post-processing the input and output
data. Unfortunately, the required power amplifier is
not available.
The main contribution of this paper is to identify the
parameters of a DC motor without the use of a D/A
converter and a power amplifier. Based on simulation
analysis, a time-varying input voltage with different
frequency contents is required. In order to generate
such a signal, a prime mover is mechanically
connected to a synchronous generator. The speed of
the prime mover is manually altered, which in turns,
forced the synchronous generator to produce a voltage
with different amplitudes and frequencies. Hence, the
synchronous generator hnctions in an asynchronous
mode. This setup partially substituted the formerly
proposed D/A converter and power amplifier. The
dynamometer data acquisition software can acquire
up to sixty different measurements initiated by a
98 1
mouse click. In order to collect the input voltage and 1
the dynamometer outputs simultaneously at a desired
sampling rate, particular software is coupled with the
dynamometer software to collect different
measurements automatically at a desired fixed time
interval.
The parameter identification procedure also requires
This system is composed of two linear algebraic
measurements 'of angular acceleration and the
equations with ~inknownsL , R, K T,J , and,f: The
derivative of the armature current. A Kalnian filter
system coefficients are obtained from the state
[3]-[4] is designed as a state observer to estimate
these variables. A similar Kalman filter is applied to dw di
variable measurements 8, U, -, i, -, v,
estimate angular rate and acceleration using wheel dt dt
pulse generator of a freight train [ 5 ] . If the model of the motor is precisely given by
Finally, to improve the performance of the overall ( l ) , along with nominal values of i(0, v(0, Q(t),
system, the DC parameters were first estimated, di dw
- - , U ( / ) , and -, thcn equation ( 2 ) must hold
employing least-squares algorithm, by decoupling the dr dt
AC parameters using a DC input signal. These for all time /. Let o ( n )denote the speed at time
estimated DC parameters are then used to identify the
AC parameters. nT, i(n) denote the current at time nT, etc., define
This novel experimental approach is the main 4,
contribution of this paper. -(U) i(n) w(n) 0 R',
This paper is arranged as follows. Section 2 includes dlt'
the dynamics of a DC motor with notation and the 0 0 -i(n) -(/I) it.(/?)
clt
corresponding least-squares algorithm. Section 3 -f -
presents the proposed system showing armature
- - -
voltage generation committing to this problem, data
acquisition, and implementation of a Kalnian filter.
Section 4 includes experimental results and the
and J'( n ) = La'"'] E 912.Equation (2) above may be
performance of the proposed system. Finally, Section written in the form M ( n ) K = y ( n ) (3)
5 concludes the findings of this work. A4 is referred to as the regressor matrix. Multiply both
2 LEAST-SQUARES ALGORITHM sides of (3) by M ( n ) . we have
M T ( n ) M ( n ) K= M ( n ) y ( / ?.)Consequently,
The system dynamics of a DC motor is given by

L dgt - R i ( t ) - K -b w ( t )+ v ( t )
=

J dwht
Equation (4) can be rewritten as follows
K , i ( t ) bw ( t )
= - (1)
R,w K = R,bl!. (5)
v
where R,,, E M ( n ) M ( n )E 3'"'and
In order to design a controller based on these lI=I

equations, the values of the I

motor parameters L , R, K b = K T , J , and f need to be R,\,, E M ( n ) y ( n )E 3'.

found. This can be achieved
Y
by assuming a voltage commanded into If R,, M ( n ) M ( n )is invertible,
the amplifier of the motor and by the 11=1

measurements of v(i), i(t) and e ( d , then K = R y; R,\/, The key to this method is ensuring that
,
which are then used to estimate the
parameters. This can be accomplished R ,, is invertible. This is completely dependent on
by considering the first two equations choosing the correct input to the motor, that is any arbitrary
above which can be written as follows input generally does not guarantee the nonsingularity of
4 1 '

982
DC decoupling
In the “DC decoupling” methodology R, and k are first
estimated using DC input. The corresponding state
equation employed is given by
R,i + K w = v
-Ki+bw=O
These estimates are then used, as constant parameters,
to estimate La,J, and b using unbiased AC inputs. The
corresponding “AC” equations are given by
di
L - = v - R,i - K w
dt
dw
J-+bw= Ki
dt
Using the least-squares estimates E , the associated
least-squares error can be obtained using
E (K)I -
K=K=R,;’R,,
= R, - R,, R; R,,
E is also referred as residual error, that is, the total
squared error after using the value of K which
minimizes the squared error. Note that if the error
index is close to 1, then our estimate is not much
better than taking all the parameter values equal to
zero! Thus, the error index must be much less than
one for the estimate to be of any value. If the error
index were close to one, then it would be suspicious
that the original model of the motor would be
incorrect.
3 PROPOSED EXPERIMENTAL SETUP
The variable DC voltage is connected to the
primemover, which is coupled mechanically to the
synchronous generator. As the prime mover rotates
the synchronous generator, it produces sinusoidal
functions with different frequencies in order to excite
our DC motor parameters. It is clear that the electric
output of the synchronous generator will be the input
of the DC motor. The DC motor is coupled to an
almost frictionless dynamometer for measurement
determination. The data acquisition provided by the
-
L1
_I
dynamometer supplier (Labvolt@)is used. Since the
motor bandwidth is about 2 Hz, then it will be
reasonable to sample the data at a rate of 8 Hz.
Consequently, the choice of sampling rate employed
throughout this experiment is 9 Hz. Unfortunately,
this software can collect and save up to sixty points at
a time. The proposed system is described in the block
diagram shown in Figure 1.
983
Synchronous
Generator
*
I
I
nr 1
ri
Mntnr
Dynamometer
System
Figure 1. Block diagram of the proposed system
In order to use the Least-squares algorithm, the motor
angular acceleration, and the derivative of the angular
rate need to be observed from the measurements of
the state variables. A steady-state Kalman filter
observer is implemented. This filter is also used to
“smooth” the discrete measurements of the armature
current, and the motor angular rate. This is depicted in
Figure 2, where KT = [L R, K, J b].
Steady-state
Kalman
Filter
b u
Figure 2. Proposed observer block diagram.
4 PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS
Based on simulation analysis, a time-varying input
voltage with different frequency contents is required.
In order to generate such a signal, a prime mover is
mechanically connected to a synchronous generator.
The speed of the prime mover is manually altered,
which in turns, forced the synchronous generator to
produce a voltage with different amplitudes and
frequencies. Hence, the synchronous generator
functions in an asynchronous mode. This setup
partially substituted the formerly proposed D/A
converter and power amplifier. The dynamometer
data acquisition software can acquire up to sixty
different measurements initiated by a mouse click. In
order to collect the input voltage and the
dynamometer outputs simultaneously at a desired
sampling rate, particular software is coupled with the
 dynamometer software to collect different automatically at a desired fixed time interval; 3-
measurements automatically at a desired fixed time implementing a steady-state Kalman filter, as a state
interval. observer, to estimate the angular acceleration and the
Table 1. Experimental results before using Kalman derivative of the armature current. Experimental
results illustrated the efficiency of the proposed
Paramet. La R, K J system.
0.5
AC
Input to
6.3e-3 32.78 0.251 2e-4
Pi
DC mtr
DC -0.53 27.73 1.592 -0.014
Decoupl

10

Table 2. Experimental results after using Kalman

filter.

[Henr [Ohm

Input to
the DC
motor
DC
Decoupl
0.658

1.198
32.91

27.73
rt- 0.556

1.592
1.k-3

0.004
le-4

2e-4
0.145

0.730
814.2

8.438
0 1 2 3
S
4

Figure 3. Armature current, I, (top), and cU,/dt (bot.)

4,
5 6 7

ing
I I I I I I I I
1
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Figures 3 and 4 show the performance of Kalman
filter as an observer and smoother operator. The top
of Figures 3 and 4 show the measurement of the
armature current and the motor angular rate and the
superimposed smooth plots are the Kalman filter -20
outputs. Similarly, bottom of Figures 3 and 4 show 0 1 2 3
5
4 5 6 7

the derivatives of the armature current and the angular Figure 4. Angular speed, w(top), and d d d t (bottom)
rate. The “non-differentiable’’signals are obtained by
explicit differentiation, where the smooth plots are the 6 REFERENCES
output of the Kalman filter. Tables 1 and 2 include a
summary of all the considered methodologies. By S. Sastry, and M. Bodson, Adaptive Control
examining the condition of the matrix RM,it is Stability, Convergence, and Robustness,
obvious that the DC decoupling method with a steady- Prentice-Hall Adv. Reference Series, 1989.
state Kalman filter implementation resulted in the best K. J. Astrom, and B. Wittenmark, Adaptive
results. In addition, the parameters estimated are Control, Addison- Wesley Series in Electrical
consistent with the physical parameters of the Engineering: Control Engineering, 1989.
employed DC motor. R. E. Kalman, and R. S. Bucy, “New results in
linear filtering and prediction theory,” ASME, J.
5 CONCLUSION Basic Eng., vol. 83D, pp. 95-108, 1961.
R. E. Kalman, “A new approach to linear
This paper showed that parameter identification of a filtering and prediction problems,” ASME, J.
DC motor, without the use of a D/A converter and a Basic Eng., vol. 82D, pp. 34-45, 1960.
power amplifier, is made possible. This was basically S. Saab, “A Map Matching Approach for Train
achieved by: 1- employing a synchronous generator Positioning. Part 11: Application and
coupled to a prime mover in order to generate the Experimentation,” IEEE Transactions on
“required” DC motor input voltage; 2- integrating a Vehicular Tech.n, vol. 49, No. 2, March, 2000.
special software to the existing data acquisition
system resulting in collecting different measurements

984

View publication stats