Maximum torque per ampere controlled induction motor drive with reduced DC link capacitor

ABSTRACT

This paper presents a three-phase induction motor (IM) drive comprising a single-phase Pulse Width Modulated (PWM) converter with an active power decoupling (APD) as an active front-end converter (AFEC) to reduce the size of a DC link capacitor. Consequently, film capacitors can be used in place of bulky electrolytic capacitors that improve the power density, reliability, and cost of AFECs. A control scheme for an APD circuit is developed to mitigate the ripple power, and to control the three-phase IM, a maximum torque per ampere (MTPA) control scheme is implemented. A Simulink model of the proposed system rated for 3.73 kW, 200 V, and 50 Hz three-phase IM drive and its equivalent prototype model are developed in a laboratory and the APD and the MTPA control schemes are implemented with the help of STM32F407VG, a 32-bit microcontroller and dSPACE 1104, respectively. This paper demonstrates the experimental verification of the concepts for APD and MTPA control. Further, a significant reduction in motor current at starting/light load conditions is observed that leads to lower energy requirements. The prospective application of these schemes includes railway traction drive, electric vehicles, and so on, where compactness, reliability, and lower energy requirements are the prime concerns.

KEYWORDS:

• active power decoupling
• maximum torque per ampere
• railway traction drive

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.