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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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Switching-cycle-based Startup for Grid-connected Inverters

Conventional inverter startups, or grid synchronization, are hindered by slow dynamics and inrush current issues, which impede the integration of more renewable energy resources into the power grid. This paper overcomes the barriers by introducing a novel switching cycle-based startup approach for grid-connected inverters, eliminating the need for voltage sensors and phase-locked loops (PLLs). The proposed method surpasses the bandwidth constraints of traditional PLL-based techniques and achieves grid synchronization in just two switching cycles. Relying solely on sensed three-phase currents, synchronization is accomplished without inrush currents or the need for additional hardware or increased software complexity, resulting in a faster inverter startup. The paper also presents a sensitivity analysis to discuss the impact of critical parameters on the method's accuracy. As a result, the effectiveness of the proposed technique is demonstrated through simulation and experimental results.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Stator and Rotor Flux Based Deadbeat Direct Torque Control of Induction Machines

A new, deadbeat type of direct torque control is proposed, analyzed, and experimentally verified in this paper. The control is based on stator and rotor flux as state variables. This choice of state variables allows a graphical representation which is transparent and insightful. The graphical solution shows the effects of realistic considerations such as voltage and current limits. A position and speed sensorless implementation of the control, based on the self-sensing signal injection technique, is also demonstrated experimentally for low speed operation. The paper first develops the new, deadbeat DTC methodology and graphical representation of the new algorithm. It then evaluates feasibility via simulation and experimentally demonstrates performance of the new method with a laboratory prototype including the sensorless methods.

Kenny, Barbara H.↗

Stator and Rotor Flux Based Deadbeat Direct Torque Control of Induction Machines

A new, deadbeat type of direct torque control is proposed, analyzed, and experimentally verified in this paper. The control is based on stator and rotor flux as state variables. This choice of state variables allows a graphical representation which is transparent and insightful. The graphical solution shows the effects of realistic considerations such as voltage and current limits. A position and speed sensorless implementation of the control, based on the self-sensing signal injection technique, is also demonstrated experimentally for low speed operation. The paper first develops the new, deadbeat DTC methodology and graphical representation of the new algorithm. It then evaluates feasibility via simulation and experimentally demonstrates performance of the new method with a laboratory prototype including the sensorless methods.

Kenny, Barbara H.↗

Stator and Rotor Flux Based Deadbeat Direct Torque Control of Induction Machines

A new, deadbeat type of direct torque control is proposed, analyzed and experimentally verified in this paper. The control is based on stator and rotor flux as state variables. This choice of state variables allows a graphical representation which is transparent and insightful. The graphical solution shows the effects of realistic considerations such as voltage and current limits. A position and speed sensorless implementation of the control, based on the self-sensing signal injection technique, is also demonstrated experimentally for low speed operation. The paper first develops the new, deadbeat DTC methodology and graphical representation of the new algorithm. It then evaluates feasibility via simulation and experimentally demonstrates performance of the new method with a laboratory prototype including the sensorless methods.

Kenny, Barbara H.↗

Speed Sensorless Induction Motor Drives for Electrical Actuators: Schemes, Trends and Tradeoffs

For a decade, induction motor drive-based electrical actuators have been under investigation as potential replacement for the conventional hydraulic and pneumatic actuators in aircraft. Advantages of electric actuator include lower weight and size, reduced maintenance and operating costs, improved safety due to the elimination of hazardous fluids and high pressure hydraulic and pneumatic actuators, and increased efficiency. Recently, the emphasis of research on induction motor drives has been on sensorless vector control which eliminates flux and speed sensors mounted on the motor. Also, the development of effective speed and flux estimators has allowed good rotor flux-oriented (RFO) performance at all speeds except those close to zero. Sensorless control has improved the motor performance, compared to the Volts/Hertz (or constant flux) controls. This report evaluates documented schemes for speed sensorless drives, and discusses the trends and tradeoffs involved in selecting a particular scheme. These schemes combine the attributes of the direct and indirect field-oriented control (FOC) or use model adaptive reference systems (MRAS) with a speed-dependent current model for flux estimation which tracks the voltage model-based flux estimator. Many factors are important in comparing the effectiveness of a speed sensorless scheme. Among them are the wide speed range capability, motor parameter insensitivity and noise reduction. Although a number of schemes have been proposed for solving the speed estimation, zero-speed FOC with robustness against parameter variations still remains an area of research for speed sensorless control.

Elbuluk, Malik E.↗

New Technique of High-Performance Torque Control Developed for Induction Machines

Two forms of high-performance torque control for motor drives have been described in the literature: field orientation control and direct torque control. Field orientation control has been the method of choice for previous NASA electromechanical actuator research efforts with induction motors. Direct torque control has the potential to offer some advantages over field orientation, including ease of implementation and faster response. However, the most common form of direct torque control is not suitable for the highspeed, low-stator-flux linkage induction machines designed for electromechanical actuators with the presently available sample rates of digital control systems (higher sample rates are required). In addition, this form of direct torque control is not suitable for the addition of a high-frequency carrier signal necessary for the "self-sensing" (sensorless) position estimation technique. This technique enables low- and zero-speed position sensorless operation of the machine. Sensorless operation is desirable to reduce the number of necessary feedback signals and transducers, thus improving the reliability and reducing the mass and volume of the system. This research was directed at developing an alternative form of direct torque control known as a "deadbeat," or inverse model, solution. This form uses pulse-width modulation of the voltage applied to the machine, thus reducing the necessary sample and switching frequency for the high-speed NASA motor. In addition, the structure of the deadbeat form allows the addition of the high-frequency carrier signal so that low- and zero-speed sensorless operation is possible. The new deadbeat solution is based on using the stator and rotor flux as state variables. This choice of state variables leads to a simple graphical representation of the solution as the intersection of a constant torque line with a constant stator flux circle. Previous solutions have been expressed only in complex mathematical terms without a method to clearly visualize the solution. The graphical technique allows a more insightful understanding of the operation of the machine under various conditions.

Kenny, Barbara H.↗

Motor Control and Regulation for a Flywheel Energy Storage System

This talk will focus on the motor control algorithms used to regulate the flywheel system at the NASA Glenn Research Center. First a discussion of the inner loop torque control technique will be given. It is based on the principle of field orientation and is implemented without a position or speed sensor (sensorless control). Then the outer loop charge and discharge algorithm will be presented. This algorithm controls the acceleration of the flywheel during charging and the deceleration while discharging. The algorithm also allows the flywheel system to regulate the DC bus voltage during the discharge cycle.

Kenny, Barbara↗

Resolving the Issues with Flywheel Position Sensors

For the past few years, the Advanced Electrical Systems Branch here at NASA Glenn has been pursuing research in the area of flywheels. The purpose of these pursuits has been t o explore the potential for flywheels to replace current battery-powered systems in space. So far it has been learned that flywheels offer large momentum storage capacity, comparatively small volume, high durability, and near- complete discharge capabilities, all of which are advancements over the existing nickel hydrogen and nickel cadmium batteries. Another significant advantage of flywheels is the potential they offer for combining the function of attitude control with energy storage. During the summer of 2004, I worked with Dr. Barbara Kenny in the Advanced Electrical Systems Branch, supporting the work she is doing by analyzing and testing some new components for the new Generation-2 flywheel. To monitor the speed and angular position of the flywheel rotor, a once-around (OAR) signal along with a sensorless algorithm is used. The OAR signal is used for the magnetic bearings that keep the flywheel suspended for frictionless operation. The sensorless algorithm is used for the flywheel motor/generator control. The OAR is generated from position sensors that monitor a circular plate. The plate has a cut down the middle such that one half of the circle is on a slightly lower level than the other. Every half-turn, or 180, the sensors detect the "cut" on the plate, and trigger the OAR, telling the computer that the rotor has made half a revolution. This, however, doesn't provide needed detailed information about the angular position of the rotor, since it only provides a signal alert every half- revolution. This is enough information for the magnetic bearing control but is insufficient for the motor/generator control. A new resolver was designed such that it would give continuous angle information rather than the 180 degree information of the OAR. The new resolver has two separate observable pieces: a flat middle section to monitor vertical motion, and an angled section around the circumference, which, when observed from above, produces a sine-wave displacement through the entire 360" revolution. My first job when I arrived this summer was to calibrate the sensors that would be mounted on the inside of the flywheel casing to monitor the position (angular and vertical) of the shaft. After calibration, I used the sensors to evaluate voltage outputs created by position differences between two pairs of sensors on the angled portion of the resolver for eight different angular positions, moving the resolver vertically and laterally through its entire potential range of motion. The results of these tests will be used to determine the rotor angular (and axial) position from the sensor readings once the new flywheel unit is assembled. The sensorless algorighm mentioned above consists of two operations: the signal injection method and the back electro-motive force (EMF). The signal injection is meant to work at low speeds, while the back EMF algorithm is meant to work at higher speeds. Both work together to determine the correct estimate of rotor position and speed based on the measured motor/generator current. It was determined that we wanted to know exactly how accurate our estimation methods were, and so a resolver (a commercially available mechanical sensor mounted to the motor/generator shaft to measure rotor position and speed) and a "Resolver to Digital" (R2D) circuit board was purchased to make the comparison to the existing estimation. My work related to the R2D board has included the following: creating two connector cables (one to power the circuit and one to get readable output off the board), writing Simulink code to process the board's output, and building a dSpace panel to control and monitor the circuit. The next step in the process will be to perform tests to compare the estimated rotor position and speed from the sensorless algorithm to the actual rotor and speed from the resolver signal.

Fehrmann, Elizabeth A.↗