Experimental investigation on high efficiency real-time control algorithms for IPMSMs

This paper describes an experimental investigation on the power losses variations occurring in an Interior Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (IPMSM) with respect to the direct axis current component. Such investigation can be useful to determine a mathematical model accounting for copper, iron and mechanical friction losses, and for the arrangement of a speed control drive system equipped with a real-time power losses minimization algorithm. In particular, a test bench has been set up in order to carry out all measurements and the final power loss identification. The test bed is composed by a IPMSM drive with a field oriented control (FOC) strategy, a power analyzer, a dynamometric brake and a computer for data storage and processing. The experimental investigation was carried out by making several tests at different speed, magnetization and load conditions. From the obtained results, it can be stated that the power losses occurring in the IPMSM can be minimized by acting on the direct axis current component, increasing, therefore, the efficiency, without decreasing the dynamic performances of the drive.