69659 - ELECTRIC DRIVES FOR AUTOMATION M

Learning outcomes

The aim of this course is to present advanced problems concerning electrical drives and power electronics for energy conversion. The main topic of the course is the control of high-performance vector drives and power converters used in typical industrial applications, and in more recent applications, such as wind energy plants, solar plants and electric vehicles. The main topics presented in the course are d-q models of electrical machines, fundamentals of the voltage modulation in power converters, modern control schemes for induction machines, anisotropic synchronous machines, reluctance motors and linear actuators, back-to-back converters, UPS and active filters, and their applications in modern smart grids. At the end of the course the students have a deep insight about electrical drives and their advanced control schemes, and know basic tools and technologies for energy conversion. The course requires a previous knowledge of the fundamentals of electrical machines and power electronics. Power electronic fundamentals are given in the course “Power Electronic Circuits M”.

Course contents

Advanced motors
- brushless motors with surface PM
- brushless motors with inner PM
- induction motors with squirrel cage rotor
- doubly-fed induction motors

 Brushless AC motor drives

Dynamic model of permanent magnet synchronous machines with surface mounted magnets. The dq machine and flux equations. Principles of field orientation. Torque production and control. Dynamic model of permanent magnet synchronous machines with interior magnets. The dq machine and flux equations. Torque production and control. Control of the synchronous machine supplied by current controlled PWM inverter. Simulation of electromechanical transients. Maximum torque capability of the machine in the flux weakening region.

Induction motor drives

Analysis of induction motors based on steady-state machine model. Torque and machine equations. Steady-state characteristics. Starting of induction motors. Dynamic model of induction machines. The dq machine and flux equations. Torque equation. Principles of field orientation. Machine equations and torque in the rotor flux oriented reference frame. Decoupling control of flux and torque in the rotor flux oriented reference frame. Flux models. Direct scheme and indirect scheme of induction motor field oriented control. Control of the induction machine supplied by current controlled PWM inverter. Simulation of electromechanical transients. Maximum torque capability of the machine in the flux weakening region. Applications.

 Elements of power electronics

-Space vectors
-Inverter with vector control
-Back-to-back converter
-Modulation strategies
-Active filters
-Fundamental of electric drives and power electronics converters for Smart Grid and renewable sources.

Current regulators for electric drives

- Synchronous PI regulators
- Resonant PI regulators
- Dead-beat control
- Repetitive control

Fundamentals of wind energy systems

- Structure of a wind turbine. Power of the wind. Power coefficient. Betz's limit. Maximum power point tracking. Speed control. Power control at high wind speed. Wind energy systems based on PM generators and induction generators.

Fundamentals of electric vehicles

- Structure of an electric and hybrid vehicle. Topologies of hybrid vehicles. Model of a tire. Simplified model of a vehicle.

Readings/Bibliography

A.E. FITZGERALD, C. KINGSLEY JR., A. KUSKO, Macchine Elettriche, Franco Angeli Editore, Milano, 1978.
JOHN M.D. MURPHY, F.G. TURNBULL, Power Electronic Control of AC Motors, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1988.
TAKASHI KENJO, Stepping motors and their microprocessor controls, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1985.
T.J.E. MILLER, Brushless permanent-magnet and reluctance motor drives, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1989.
T.J.E. MILLER, Switched reluctance motor and their control, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1989.

Teaching methods

The lessons are in ENGLISH!

Simulink models in the laboratory, and numerical exercises.

Assessment methods

The exam consists at least of two parts, i.e., a written test and the discussion of a Simulink project. The mark of the written test is in the range 0-30, whereas the mark of the project is usually in the range 0-3 (depending on the project complexity).

If a student is not satisfied by the mark of the written test, they can ask for an additional oral test, provided that the mark of the written exam is at least greater than 15. The oral exam takes about 1 hour and covers all topics of the course, including the Simulink project.

Teaching tools

All the slides of the course are available.

Links to further information

http://www.die.ing.unibo.it/automazione/

Office hours

See the website of Luca Zarri