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Policies to reduce emissions from transportation are implemented by different World and European<p>associations. Personal and freight transportation is one of the key contributors in GHG<p>emissions, being the second biggest GHG emitter after energy sector in the European Union.<p>The policies to reduce emissions from transportation are focusing on the optimization of the efficiency<p>of the existing vehicles, the development of new sustainable fuels and propulsion systems<p>and the electrification of the vehicles<p>The continuously increasing price of the permanent magnets and the shortage of rare earths<p>demand the finding of alternatives for the permanent magnet synchronous machines which is<p>currently the leading technology in several domains as hybrid and full electric propulsion and<p>wind turbines due to their best overall performances.<p>The good efficiency and the large constant power-speed ratio in addition to low the cost, high<p>reliability and fault-tolerance make the SRM a candidate with real chances on the market of<p>vehicle propulsion. The main drawbacks of the SRM related to the torque ripple, noise and<p>vibration make the research object in R&Ds all over the world.<p>This thesis is focused on the development of an efficient and robust switched reluctance drive<p>which can be integrated in a hybrid dive train or can be solely used for electric vehicle traction.<p>To achieve this goal, various instantaneous and average torque control techniques are implemented<p>and compared. A converter is designed, built and integrated on a test bench which<p>allows testing SRMs for vehicle propulsion. An investigation on noise production in SRDs ends<p>the thesis. / Doctorat en Sciences de l'ingénieur / info:eu-repo/semantics/nonPublished

abstract: As the world population continues to age, the demand for treatment and rehabilitation of long-term age-related ailments will rise. Healthcare technology must keep up with this demand, and existing solutions must become more readily available to the populace. Conditions such as impairment due to stroke currently take months or years of physical therapy to overcome, but rehabilitative exoskeletons can be used to greatly extend a physical therapist’s capabilities. In this thesis, a rehabilitative knee exoskeleton was designed which is significantly lighter, more portable and less costly to manufacture than existing designs. It accomplishes this performance by making use of high-powered and weight-optimized brushless DC (BLDC) electric motors designed for drones, open-source hardware and software solutions for robotic motion control, and rapid prototyping technologies such as 3D printing and laser cutting. The exoskeleton is made from a series of laser cut aluminum plates spaced apart with off-the-shelf standoffs. A drone motor with a torque of 1.32 Nm powers an 18.5:1 reduction two-stage belt drive, giving a maximum torque of 24.4 Nm at the output. The bearings for the belt drive are installed into 3D printed bearing mounts, which act as a snug intermediary between the bearing and the aluminum plate. The system is powered off a 24 volt, 1,500 MAh lithium battery, which can provide power for around an hour of walking activity. The exoskeleton is controlled with an ODrive motor controller connected to a Raspberry Pi. Hip angle data is provided by an IMU, and the knee angle is provided by an encoder on the output shaft. A compact Rotary Series Elastic Actuator (cRSEA) device is mounted on the output shaft as well, to accurately measure the output torque going to the wearer. A Proportional-Derivative (PD) controller with feedforward relates the input current with the output torque. The device was tested on a treadmill and found to have an average backdrive torque of 0.39 Nm, significantly lower than the current state of the art. A gravity compensation controller and impedance controller were implemented to assist during swing and stance phases respectively. The results were compared to the muscular exertion of the knee measured via Electromyography (EMG). / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Engineering 2020

This thesis presents advanced torque control methods for torque ripple reduction and performance improvement in switched reluctance motor (SRM) drives. A new offline torque sharing function (TSF) method is proposed for torque ripple reduction in SRMs. The proposed TSF achieves lower current tracking error by establishing a new current reference generation strategy. The phase current reference is first derived from the torque command using offline calculations and also from the phase current response that is obtained from the dynamic model of the SRM. Then, an optimization problem is formulated to shape the current reference for the objective of minimizing the torque ripple and copper losses, while maintaining the required average output torque at the given operating speed. The dynamic simulation of the SRM model is also utilized in the optimization problem. A new online TSF method is proposed for torque ripple reduction in SRMs. The proposed TSF takes the current dynamics and induced electromotive force into account by establishing a new online current profile generation technique. First, a primary phase current reference derived from the torque reference is applied to the SRM. Then, the decaying phase current after the turn-off angle is sampled, and it is used to update the current reference. A new online optimization strategy is performed to shape the current reference during the operation of the machine. Owing to the proposed current profile generation technique, the optimization process is decoupled to independently minimize the torque ripple by optimizing the turn-on angle and minimizing copper losses by optimizing the turn-off angle. Compared to the conventional TSFs and existing optimization-based TSFs, the proposed two TSFs achieve accurate torque control, improved torque-speed capability, reduced torque ripple, and better current tracking performance. All the proposed TSF methods are validated by both simulations and experiments on a 3-phase, 12/8 SRM. / Dissertation / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

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Switched reluctance machines (SRMs) are gaining increasing interest in industrial applications due to their low manufacturing cost, simple and robust structure, excellent fault-tolerant capability, and reliable operation in high-temperature operating environments. However, the inherent pulsative torque and radial force lead to the well-known torque ripples and acoustic noise issues. Although there are numerous advanced methods to address the above two issues, the high nonlinearity inevitably brings difficulties in controlling the SRMs. Since the linear SRM voltage and toque equations are simple, it would be beneficial to explore the control algorithm by using such simple linear model. The application of the linear torque model is firstly explored. To utilize such simple model, the connections between the linear toque model and the nonlinear torque model are built through the mapping. The features of these mapping curves are studied in detail. Applying the linear torque equation to generate the reference currents in the optimization-based torque sharing function method shows a significant reduction of the time consumption in solving the bi-optimization problem. Later, the complete equivalent linear SRM model is constructed by introducing the linear voltage equation and corresponding mapping. Since the linear model is easy to predict the behaviour of SRMs, it is beneficial to apply such model in the model predictive torque control (MPTC) methods. The application of the equivalent linear model in the finite control set (FCS) MPTC method shows a low computational burden and occupies less storage space. Besides, the improved switching table in the proposed FCS MPTC method also enhances the torque control performance in high-speed operation conditions. To further reduce the torque ripples, the continuous control set (CCS) MPTC method is developed based on the constructed equivalent linear SRM model. The impossibility in analytically solving the optimization problem in the CCS MPTC method if using the original nonlinear SRM model is innovatively addressed by using the equivalent linear SRM model and properly modifying the cost function. Extensive simulation and experimental results prove the low-ripple feature of the proposed CCS MPTC method in a wide speed range. The high nonlinearity also makes the current control of SRM drives difficult. An intersection-method-based current controller is presented to ensure good current tracking performance for SRMs. The employed adaptive flux-linkage observer makes this current controller show robust performance when there is a deviation on the employed flux-linkage characteristics. Finally, the key but unmeasurable radial force information for the advanced acoustic reduction method is reconstructed based on the measured flux-linkage curves and some core relationship. This core relationship, which is between the square root of the radial force and the flux-linkage, is explored in detail. Simulation results reveal that the proposed method shows good radial force estimation accuracy when there is even 50% airgap length variation. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

This study examines a specific application of button-head type twist-off bolts. Currently, the Research Council on Structural Connections Specification (2000) removes the requirement for ASTM F436 washers (ASTM 2000a) under the bolt head of twist-off bolts where the head diameter equals or exceeds that of an ASTM F436 washer when oversized and slotted holes are used. The need for washers is also removed for A490 strength bolts used on steels with specified yield strengths less than 40 ksi provided that the head diameter equals or exceeds an ASTM F436 washer. The ASTM F1852 Specification (ASTM 2000b) allows for head diameter dimensions that are slightly smaller than an ASTM F436 washer. Following the RCSC Specification, manufacturers that produce bolts using the ASTM F1852 dimensions are required to use ASTM F436 washers under the bolt head. The discrepancies between the specifications lead to this study, which involved the testing of button-head type twist-off bolts with two different head diameters, both of which were smaller than an ASTM F436 washer. Five bolt diameters between 5/8 in and 1-1/8 in. were tested in standard, oversized, and long-slotted holes. The performance of the twist-off bolts was determined by measuring and comparing the achieved relaxed pretension force in the bolt after tightening. It was found that twist-off bolts with head diameters less than an ASTM F436 washer had no trouble attaining their required minimum pretension force. Bolt head diameter and hole size were found to have no significant influence on the pretension force that was achieved for all bolts tested. / Master of Science

In this thesis, after a comprehensive literature review on different conventional and predictive torque control strategies for switched reluctance motor (SRM) drives, two online methods and one offline multi-objective optimization-based method are proposed to extend the operating speed range of finite control set model predictive torque control (FCS-MPTC) for SRM by adaptively controlling the commutation angles in the entire speed range. Furthermore, a method is proposed to minimize the steady state torque tracking error of FCS-MPTC for SRM drives. The incapability of the conventional FCS-MPTC in controlling the commutation angles, which is considered as one of the main drawbacks of the conventional FCS-MPTC, limits its application for high-speed torque control of SRM drives. The phase turn-off angle is always selected to be close to the aligned position with the conventional FCS-MPTC regardless of the operating speed. However, commutation angle advancement is required for high-speed torque control of SRM drives to limit the negative phase torque resulting from the current tail after the turn-off angle in the generating region. Excessive negative torque with the conventional FCS-MPTC at higher speeds can result in a degraded performance with high rms current, low average torque, high torque ripple, and reduced efficiency. The phase turn-off angle can be adaptively controlled as speed changes with the first online commutation angle control strategy proposed in this thesis. This method is based on predicting the free-wheeling phase current in an extended time interval which is much bigger than the prediction horizon of FCS-MPTC. The second online turn-off angle control method is also proposed by improving the optimality condition defined for determining the optimal turn-off angle. The optimality condition is determined by calculating the work done by the conducting phase after the phase is turned off. The weighting factor of the objective function of FCS-MPTC is kept constant with both proposed online methods. An offline multi-objective optimization-based strategy is proposed to determine the globally optimal turn-off angle and the weighting factor in the entire operating torque and speed ranges. The effectiveness of both proposed online methods and the offline commutation angle control strategy is verified using simulations and experimental results. The results are also compared to the conventional FCS-MPTC and the indirect average torque control with optimized conduction angles which is considered as one of the main conventional torque control strategies for SRM drives. In order to minimize the torque tracking error as a result of either parameter uncertainties or tracking multiple objectives with a single objective function with weighting factors, a method is proposed which is based on updating the reference torque at each sample time by calculating the average torque tracking error in the previous sample times. The validity of the proposed method is verified using simulations. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

O mecanismo 3-RPS é um mecanismo paralelo que possui três graus de liberdade: rolagem, arfagem e elevação. Tem vantagem em relação ao custo em comparação com o manipulador Plataforma de Stewart em aplicações onde não são necessários seis graus de liberdade e, por ser um mecanismo paralelo, possui maior relação peso/capacidade de carga que robôs seriais. No presente trabalho, um estudo é realizado para a concepção de um robô do tipo 3-RPS. O estudo aborda a cinemática, a dinâmica e estratégia de controle para o robô. Um controle por torque computado é aplicado a um modelo virtual em ambiente CAD em escala 1:1 desenvolvido com o intuito de testar a estratégia de controle elaborada a partir da realização de simulações computacionais do sistema por completo. Ao todo foram realizadas sete simulações para diferentes condições de trajetórias desejadas. No Caso I executou-se primeiramente um sistema idealizado onde o erro de regime tendeu a zero para um comportamento subamortecido. Os ganhos calculados no Caso I idealizado foram aplicados então no Caso I com o modelo virtual onde verificou-se que os ganhos calculados não foram suficientes para garantir a trajetória desejada do robô. Com os ganhos aumentados em cem vezes, verificou-se que o erro de regime ficou na ordem de 0,22 mm, sendo o valor considerado aceitável. Nas simulações subsequentes, o erro de regime nos Casos II e III foram também de 0,22 mm e nos Casos IV, V, VI e VII o erro máximo de trajetória não ultrapassou os 0,22 mm estipulados. / The 3-RPS mechanism is a parallel mechanism that has three degrees of freedom: roll, pitch and heave. It has a cost advantage compared to the Stewart Platform manipulator in applications where six degrees of freedom are not required and, because it is a parallel mechanism, has a higher weight / load ratio than serial robots. In the present work, a study is carried out for the design of a 3-RPS robot. The study addresses the kinematics, dynamics and control strategy for the robot. A computed torque control is applied to a 1:1 scale virtual CAD model developed with the purpose of testing the control strategy elaborated from the computational simulations of the entire system. Seven simulations were performed for different conditions of desired trajectories. In Case I, an idealized system was first run where the regime error tended to zero for an underdamped behavior. The calculated gains in Case I idealized were then applied in Case I with the virtual model where it was verified that the calculated gains were not enough to guarantee the desired trajectory of the robot. With gains increased by one hundred times, it was found that the regime error was 0.22 mm, and the value was considered acceptable. In the subsequent simulations, the regime error in Cases II and III were also 0.22 mm and in Cases IV, V, VI and VII the maximum error of trajectory did not exceed the stipulated 0.22 mm.