O objetivo desse trabalho é o estudo e a análise do desempenho de máquinas brushless com ímã permanente no rotor, com fluxo de entreferro não senoidal. São consideradas máquinas brushless com ímã permanente na superfície do rotor. Três modelos matemáticos são considerados: o modelo por fase de estator, o modelo vetorial e o modelo velocidade-tensão de segunda ordem. Máquinas com diferentes tipos de enrolamento de estator são comparadas, incluindo as máquinas síncronas com ímã permanente no rotor (com a densidade dos enrolamentos distribuída de forma senoidal no estator). Os resultados para o torque eletromagnético das máquinas foram obtidos considerando-se dois tipos de acionamentos em malha aberta: um acionamento de seis pulsos e um acionamento senoidal. Por fim, um método de controle é apresentado para máquinas não senoidais. As ondulações no torque e o desempenho das máquinas não senoidais. As ondulações no torque e o desempenho das máquinas não senoidais, utilizando controle vetorial, são comparados aos das máquinas senoidais. / The aim of this work is to analyse the torque performance of brushless machines with non-sinusoidal distributed magnetic fluxes. The machine type considered is a surface mount permanent magnet brushless machine. Three mathematical models for the machine are considered: the per stator phase, the vectorial and the linear second order speed-voltage models. Machines with different stator windings are compared including the permanent magnet synchronous machines with sinusoidal distributed stator windings. The torque outputs of these machines are obtained considering two kinds of open loop driving systems: one with a six-pulse waveform and other with a sinusoidal waveform. Finally, a vectorial control is proposed for the non-sinusoidal machines. The torque ripple as well the overall performance of non-sinusoidal machines with vectorial control is compared to that of sinusoidal machines.

Les stratégies de commande avancée des machines électriques nécessitent une connaissance précise de la position et/ou de la vitesse du rotor. Ces grandeurs mécaniques sont traditionnellement mesurées par des capteurs, ce qui augmente le coût et diminue la fiabilité et la robustesse du système. D’où l’importance de la commande sans capteurs mécaniques, dite commande sensorless : elle consiste à remplacer les capteurs physiques par un observateur d’état, qui estime les grandeurs mécaniques en se basant sur un modèle de la machine et à partir de ses entrées (tensions) et ses sorties (courants mesurés). Toutefois, avant d’entamer la synthèse d’un observateur, il faut examiner l’observabilité du système, c.à.d. vérifier si les grandeurs à estimer peuvent être reconstruites à partir des mesures et des entrées du système.Ce travail de thèse concerne la modélisation et l’étude d’observabilité des machines électriques en vue de la commande sensorless. Dans un premier temps, les modèles des machines électriques sont établis, et il est montré qu’une modélisation unifiée des machines à courant alternatif est possible. Ensuite, en se basant sur ces modèles, l’observabilité des machines électriques est étudiée en vue de la commande sensorless. La théorie d’observabilité instantanée locale est appliquée, ce qui permet de formuler des conditions analytiques, faciles à interpréter et à vérifier en temps-réel, et qui font le lien avec les phénomènes physiques dans les machines. La validité des conditions d’observabilité est confirmée par des simulations et sur des données expérimentales, en appliquant un observateur de type Kalman étendu.Cette thèse contribue à une nouvelle vision des machines à courant alternatif commandées sans capteurs mécaniques, et à une compréhension plus profonde de leurs propriétés. Elle contribue ainsi à la synthèse de stratégies d’observation plus performantes dans les régimes de fonctionnement critiques (à vitesse nulle et/ou à fréquence d’entrée nulle).Les nouveaux concepts proposés dans cette thèse, tels que le flux équivalent et le vecteur d’observabilité, avec les résultats obtenus, ouvrent de nouveaux horizons dans un domaine qui paraît devenir assez mature. / High-performance control of electric drives requires an accurate knowledge of the rotor position and/or speed. These mechanical variables are traditionally measured using sensors, which increases the cost and reduces both the robustness and the reliability of the system. This emphasizes the importance of electric drives control without shaft sensors, often referred to as sensorless control : it consists of replacing sensors with a state observer algorithm, that estimates the desired mechanical variables from currents and voltages sensing and based on the system’s model. Nevertheless, before designing a state observer, the observability ofthe system should be examined, that is, it should be checked whether the states to be estimated can be reconstructed, unambiguously, from the input/output signalsof the system.This work addresses the modeling and the observability analysis of electric drives in the view of mechanical sensors removal. Firstly, electrical machines models areelaborated, and it is shown that a unified modeling of alternating current machines is feasible, for the purpose of designing unified control and estimation strategies.The observability of the machines’ models is next studied in the view of sensorless control. The local instantaneous observability theory is applied, which enables us to formulate physically insightful analytic conditions that can be easily interpreted and tested in real time. The validity of the observability conditions is confirmed by numerical simulations and experimental data, using an extended Kalman observer.This work contributes to novel outlooks on the sensorless alternating current drives and to a deeper understanding of its properties, in order to develop higher performance estimation techniques in the critical operating conditions (mainly at standstill and/or zero-stator-frequency).The concepts introduced throughout this thesis, such as the equivalent flux and the observability vector, with the obtained results, open new horizons in a domainthat seems to become mature enough.

This master thesis presents an analogue peak holder circuit design aimed at facilitating the non-invasive inspection of the ageing process in electric drives. The ageing process of electric drives is a crucial aspect that demands accurate monitoring to ensure their long-term performance and reliability. The proposed peak holder circuit is specifically designed to detect fast and narrow-width pulses of ringing current present in the PWM drive current. By capturing and measuring the peak values of these pulses, the circuit provides valuable insights into the ageing characteristics of electric drives. Experimental results demonstrate the remarkable efficiency of the peak holder circuit in accurately detecting and quantifying the peak values of the ringing current pulses. The circuit exhibits a stable output swing within a specified effective input swing range, with low mean-squared error (MSE) values. This signifies a strong linear correlation between the input and output signals, enhancing the reliability of the ageing detection process. The ability of the peak holder circuit to effectively detect and analyze the ageing process of electric drives offers numerous advantages. By focusing on peak detection, which captures the highest values of the ringing current, the circuit provides a more efficient and targeted approach to inspecting the ageing process. This enables engineers and maintenance personnel to gain crucial insights into the degradation and performance of electric drives, allowing for timely interventions and proactive maintenance. / Detta examensarbete presenterar en nyutvecklad kretslösning för toppvärdesdetektering hos elektriska drivsystem, med målet att underlätta ickeinvasiv övervakning av åldrandesprocessen hos eldrivsystem. Åldrandet hos eldrivsystem är en avgörande faktor som kräver noggrann övervakning för att säkerställa deras långsiktiga prestanda och tillförlitlighet. Den föreslagna kretsen för att detektera toppvärden är specifikt utformad för att detektera snabba och kortvariga ringningar i PWM-modulerade strömmar. Genom att mäta toppvärdena ger kretsen värdefull information om åldrandekaraktären hos eldrivsystemen. Experimentella resultat visar på den enastående effektiviteten hos spetsdetekteringskretsen för att noggrant detektera och kvantifiera toppvärdena hos ringningarna i strömmen. Kretsen uppvisar en stabil utsignal inom ett specificerat ingångsintervall, med låga medelkvadratiska felvärden (MSE). Detta indikerar en stark linjär korrelation mellan ingångs- och utgångssignalerna, vilket förbättrar tillförlitligheten hos åldersdetektionsprocessen. Krestsens förmåga att effektivt detektera och analysera åldrandeprocessen hos eldrivsystem erbjuder flera fördelar. Genom att fokusera på toppvärdesdetektering, som fångar de högsta värdena av ringströmmen, ger kretsen ett mer effektivt och riktat tillvägagångssätt för att inspektera åldrandet. Det möjliggör för ingenjörer och underhållspersonal att få viktig information om nedbrytning och prestanda hos eldrivsystem, vilket möjliggör tidiga insatser och proaktivt underhåll.

This master thesis addresses the control of electric propulsion motors in a marine context. The focus lies mainly on the implementation of field oriented control (FOC) in a field programmable gate array (FPGA). The hypothesis is that FPGAs provide performance advantages over microcontroller-based control solutions by enabling parallel processing. Zparq AB, a startup specializing in electric marine propulsion, serves as the industry partner for this project. They develop sustainable alternatives to traditional fossil fuel powered propulsion, and the aim is to develop every included part of their electric propulsion systems inhouse. That makes the development of an FPGA-based motor control solution relevant to their goal. The research question focuses on how multiple marine propulsion motors can be controlled from a single FPGA. To answer this, the study investigates relevant engineering aspects such as reference frame transformations, motor control strategies, pulse width modulation (PWM) methods and technological aspects of modern FPGA architectures. For developing the motor controller, a Digilent Arty Z7-20 FPGA board is used. In the design process, all included functions are written as code in a hardware description language (HDL). This approach aims at maintaining complete insight in all details of the solution. Two variants of conventional FOC are developed; one with position feedback from an encoder and one sensorless. The developed motor controller is tested by controlling a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor, and the results prove the functionality of the encoder-based variant. They also show a latency of less than 15 microseconds and indicate the feasibility of the chosen approach. The modularity of the FPGA is demonstrated by successfully controlling two motors, using two copies of the developed solution in a single FPGA. A discussion on combining FPGA-based controllers with wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors is also included, where the main discussed advantage is high switching frequency. In conclusion, the results and insights from the project contribute to future development of FPGA-based motor control solutions, both within Zparq and the research field. The insights regarding the specific chosen approach for the FPGA development can also be useful for similar projects. / Detta masterarbete behandlar styrning av elektriska motorer i ett marint kontext. Fokus ligger huvudsakligen på implementeringen av fältorienterad styrning (FOC) i en ifält-programmerbar grindmatris (FPGA). Hypotesen är att FPGAer erbjuder prestandafördelar jämfört med mikrokontroller-baserade styrlösningar, genom att möjliggöra parallella beräkningsprocesser. Zparq AB, ett startup som specialiserar sig på elektriska marina drivsystem, är industripartner för detta projekt. De utvecklar hållbara alternativ till traditionell fossildriven framdrift och målet är att på egen hand utveckla alla ingående delar i deras elektriska drivsystem. Det gör att utvecklingen av en FPGA-baserad lösning för motorstyrning är relevant inom ramen för deras mål. Forskningsfrågan fokuserar på hur ett flertal motorer för marin framdrift kan styras från en enda FPGA. För att svara på detta undersöks relevanta tekniska aspekter såsom koordinattransformationer, motorstyrningsstrategier, metoder för pulsbreddsmodulering (PWM) samt teknologiska aspekter av moderna FPGA-arkitekturer. För utvecklingen av motorstyrningen används ett Digilent Arty Z7-20 FPGA-kort. I designprocessen formuleras alla inkluderade funktioner som kod i ett hårdvarubeskrivande språk (HDL). Detta tillvägagångssätt syftar till att ha god insyn i hela lösningen, ner på detaljnivå. Två varianter av konventionell FOC utvecklas; en med positionsfeedback från vinkelgivare och en sensorlös. Den utvecklade motorstyrningen testas genom att driva en borstlös likströmsmotor (BLDC) och resultaten visar på den vinkelgivarbaserade variantens funktionalitet. De visar även att fördröjningen är under 15 mikrosekunder, samt på genomförbarheten av det valda tillvägagångssättet. Modulariteten i FPGAn demonstreras genom att framgångsrikt styra två motorer med hjälp av två kopior av den utvecklade lösningen i en och samma FPGA. En diskussion kring att kombinera FPGA-baserad styrning och halvledare med brett bandgap (WBG) är också inkluderad, där den huvudsakliga fördelen som diskuteras är hög switchfrekvens.svis bidrar resultaten och insikterna från projektet till framtida utveckling av FPGA-baserade lösningar för motorstyrning, både inom Zparq och övriga forskningsfältet. Insikterna från det specifika valda tillvägagångssättet för FPGA-utvecklingen kan även de vara användbara i liknande projekt.

Power electronics applications in high power are normally large, expensive, spatially distributed systems. These systems are typically complex and have multiple functions. Due to these properties, the control algorithm and its implementation are challenging, and a different approach is needed to avoid customized solutions to every application while still having reliable sensor measurements and converter communication and control. This thesis proposes a synchronous digital control architecture that allows for the communication and control of devices via a fiber optic communication ring using digital technology. The proposed control architecture is a multidisciplinary approach consisting of concepts from several areas of electrical engineering. A review of the state of the art is presented in Chapter 2 in the areas of power electronics, fieldbus control networks, and digital design. A universal controller is proposed as a solution to the hardware independent control of these converters. Chapter 3 discusses how the controller was specified, designed, implemented, and tested. The power level specific hardware is implemented in modules referred to as hardware managers. A design for a hardware manager was previously implemented and tested. Based on these results and experiences, an improved hardware manager is specified in Chapter 4. A fault tolerant communication protocol is specified in Chapter 5. This protocol is an improvement on a previous version of the protocol, adding benefits of improved synchronization, multimaster support, fault tolerant structure with support for hot-swapping, live insertion and removals, a variable ring structure, and a new network based clock concept for greater flexibility and control. Chapter 6 provides a system demonstration, verifying the components work in configurations involving combinations of controllers and hardware managers to form applications. Chapter 7 is the conclusion. VHDL code is included for the controller, the hardware manager, and the protocol. Schematics and manufacturing specifications are included for the controller. / Master of Science

Use of multilevel inverters are inevitable in medium and high voltage drives. This is due to the fact that the multilevel inverters can produce voltages in smaller steps which will reduce the harmonic content and result in more sinusoidal voltages and currents as compared to voltages and currents from two-level inverters. Due to the device limitations, use of two-level inverters is not possible in medium and high voltage drive applications. Though multiple devices can be connected both in series and parallel to achieve two-level operation, the output voltages still suffer from high harmonic content. Multilevel inverters have multiple DC voltage levels with switches that enable one of the voltage steps to be applied to the load. Due to decrease in step size during each switching instant, output voltages and currents of the multilevel inverters have considerably less harmonic content. As the number of levels increase, the switching step reduces thereby the harmonic content also reduces drastically. Due to their advantages, multilevel inverters have gained lot of acceptance in the industry even at lower voltages. The three main configurations that have gained popularity are the neutral point clamped converter, the flying capacitor converter and the cascaded H-bridge converter. Each converter has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. Based on the requirements of various applications, it is possible to fabricate hybrid multilevel topologies that are combinations of the three basic topologies. Researchers around the world have proposed several such converters for diverse applications so as to suit particular requirements like modularity, ease of control, improved reliability, fault tolerant capability etc. The present thesis explores multilevel converters with single DC link to be used for motor drive and grid connected applications. A novel five-level inverter topology formed by cascading a floating capacitor H-bridge module to a regular three-level flying capacitor inverter has been explored in chapter 2. The three-level flying capacitor inverter can generate pole voltages of 0, VDC /2 and VDC . By cascading it with another floating capacitor H-bridge of voltage magnitude VDC /4, pole voltages of 0, VDC /4, VDC/2, 3VDC /4 and VDC . Each of these pole voltage levels can have one or more switching combinations. However each switching combination has a unique effect on the state of the two capacitor voltages. By switching through redundant switching combinations for the same pole voltage, the two capacitors present in each phase can be balanced. The proposed topology also has an advantage that if one of the devices in the H-bridge fails, the topology can still be operated as a regular three-level flying capacitor inverter that can supply full load at rated power by bypassing the faulty H-bridge. This fault tolerant operation of the converter will enable it to be used in applications like traction and marine drives where high reliability is needed. The proposed converter needs a single DC link. All the required voltage levels can be generated from the single DC link. This enables back to back grid connected operation possible where multiple converters can interact with a single DC link. Various pole voltage switching combination and its effect on individual capacitor has been studied. A control algorithm to balance the capacitor voltages by switching through multiple redundancies for the same pole voltage has been developed. The proposed configuration has been implemented in hardware using IGBT H-bridge modules and the control circuitry is realized using DSP and FPGA. The performance of the drive is verified for various frequencies and modulation indices during steady state by running a three phase induction motor at no load. The stability of the drive during transients has been studied by accelerating the machine suddenly at no load and analyzing the performance of the drive. The capacitor voltages are made to deviate from their intended values and the capacitor balancing algorithm has been verified for its ability to bring the capacitor voltages back to their intended values. The experimental results have been presented and discussed in detail in the chapter 2. In the third chapter a common-mode voltage eliminated three-level inverter using a single DC link has been proposed. The power schematic is similar to the one presented in chapter 2. In this chapter the space vector polygon formed by the three phases of the proposed topology has been presented. The common-mode voltage generated by different pole voltage combinations for same space vector location and the redundant switching state combinations has been studied. The pole voltage combinations with zero common mode voltage have been studied. The switching state redundancies for the the pole voltage have been studied. The space vector polygon formed with the pole voltage combinations has been analyzed. A drive is made with the proposed common-mode voltage eliminated inverter. The performance of the drive is tested for various modulation indices and frequencies by running a three phase squirrel cage induction motor at no load. The transient performance is verified by accelerating the motor suddenly and checking the common-mode voltage along with the capacitor voltages. The results have been presented and discussed in detail in chapter 3. This converter has advantages like use of single DC supply, ability to operate as a regular three level converter in case of failure of one of the H-bridges. The work presented in fourth chapter proposes a novel three phase 17-level inverter configuration which utilizes a single DC supply. The rest of voltages are generated using three floating capacitor H-bridges. The redundant switching combinations for generating various pole voltages and their effect on the capacitors have been studied and suitable capacitor balancing algorithm has been developed. The proposed topology has been realized in hardware and the performance of the drive during steady state has been studied by running an induction motor at various modulation indices and frequencies. The transient response of the drive has been observed by accelerating the motor suddenly under no load. The results have been presented in detail in chapter four. This configuration also needs a single DC link. The advantages of this configuration is in case of failure of any devices in the H-bridge, the drive can be operated at reduced number of levels while supplying full load current. This feature helps the drive to be used in fault tolerant applications like marine and traction drives where reliability of the drive is of prime importance. All the topologies that have been presented in the previous chapters have mentioned about the usage of the proposed genre of topologies use single DC link and hence will enable back to back grid tied inverter connection. In the fifth chapter this has has been verified experimentally. The three phase squirrel cage induction motor is driven by using the seventeen-level inverter drive proposed in chapter four. A five-level active front-end is realized by the converter topology proposed in chapter two. The converter is run and the performance of the drive is studied at various modulation indices and speeds of the motor. Various aspects like re-generation operation, acceleration and other aspects of the drive have been studied experimentally and the results are presented in detail. For experimental setup, Semikron SKM75GB12T4 IGBT modules have been used to realize the power topology. These IGBTs are driven by M56972L drivers. The control circuit is realized using TMS320F2812 DSP along with Xilinx Spartan 3 FPGA (XC3S200) has been used. The voltages and currents are sensed using LEM LV-20P and LA 55-P hall effect based sensors.