Abstract:
This paper aims to develop an innovative sensorless control approach for a five-phase
induction motor (IM) drive. The operation principle of the sensorless scheme is based on the sliding
mode theory, within which a sliding mode observer (SMO) estimates the speed and rotor resistance
simultaneously. The operation methodology of the proposed control technique is formulated using
the mathematical model of the machine and the two-time-scale approach. The observation technique
offers a simple and robust solution of speed and rotor resistance estimation for the sensorless control
approach of the multiphase drive. The paper considers the five-phase induction motor (IM) as a case
study; however, the proposed control algorithm can be employed by different types of multiphase
machines. To test the applicability of the proposed sensorless control approach, the drive performance
is firstly validated using MATLAB/Simulink-based simulation. Then, the simulation results are
verified using real-time simulation and experimentally using TMS320C32 DSP-based control board.
The obtained results confirm and validate the ability of the proposed control procedure in achieving a
robust dynamic performance of the drive against the system uncertainties such as parameter variation.