Analysis and control of low-speed fractional horsepower synchronous drive motors

A study of a quasi-linear synchronous motor used as a wheelchair drive is presented with the intent of highlighting the strength of analytical and simulation tools for low-speed fractional horsepower devices. The method of analysis and the development of the controls for the motor are quite general in their applicability. The analytical field computation capitalizes on the extraction of key spatial and constitutive information in the design. The terminal and field relations are used to examine and simulate control strategies. This information is especially useful in assessing control constraints (e.g., power supply voltage). Various schemes for realizing torque and speed control are discussed. Comparisons between the analytical predictions and actual motor data are presented