Equivalent Hardware Representation of PM Synchronous Motors From the Physics-Based Phase Variable Model Obtained Through FE Computation

This paper presents an approach utilizing a machine model to achieve an equivalent hardware representation of machines as a computational prototyping tool. The purpose of our study is to find a way to perform hardware experiments of machine control without the actual machine. The proposed approach provides a way to test the control before the machine is fabricated, or in the cases where the controller needs to be experimentally tested before being implemented onto the actual machine. The equivalent hardware of a machine is built using a current controllable load, a controller, and a machine model in a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) real time simulation environment. The equivalent hardware representation of the machine is achieved by controlling the currents of the controllable load to be the same as the currents of the actual machine under the same operating conditions. The machine model is used to provide the reference signal for the control. In this paper, the introduction of the proposed approach is presented focusing on three issues: the machine model, the procedure to enable the machine model to be compatible with the HIL real time simulation, and performance examination. Finally, the validity of the proposed approach is demonstrated with the voltage and current waveforms and the torque and speed profiles measured at the developed equivalent hardware of the machine. A 2-hp surface mounted permanent magnet (PM) synchronous motor is used as an example machine to present and verify our work.