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An analytical determination of the torquespeed and efciencyspeed characteristics of a BLDC motor

Miroslav Markovic, Andre Hodder and Yves Perriard
Integrated Actuators Laboratory (LAI), Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland e-mail: miroslav.markovic@ep.ch

AbstractThe paper presents a complete mathematical analysis of a BLDC motor commutation which results in the motor static characteristics torquespeed and efciencyspeed. The motor, having a sinusoidal back emf, is supplied from a DC source via a 6-leg inverter using the 120 ON operation. The formulas for the phase currents and voltages are derived. The rst harmonic of the phase voltage is determined, which is used in combination with the classical BLDC motor theory to obtain simple formulas for the motor torque and efciency. The model is veried using a measurement on a small industrial BLDC motor.

Fig. 1.

Three-phase inverter for BLDC motor supplying.

I. I NTRODUCTION To accurately determine the torque, power and efciency of a BLDC motor with a sinusoidal back emf, supplied from a DC source via a 6-leg inverter using the 120 ON operation, an exact analysis of the motor commutation periods should be used, which is the goal of this paper. In literature, there are no many papers treating the accurate analysis of the motor commutation. In [1], the commutation period is correctly analyzed, but the nal solutions are not given in a closed form. Many authors [2] present the methodology to simulate the inverter circuit it could be useful, but it would be more important to have a mathematical model. The references [3] and [4] give an accurate mathematical analysis of the commutation period, but they analyze the case with trapezoidal back emf which causes a much simpler model than with the sinusoidal one. Finally, [5] and [6] treat the same problem as in this paper, however the approach and the solutions are different than here. Neither publication reports a complete analysis leading to a simple motor static characteristics, which is very important from the engineering point of view. Throughout the paper, the formulas for the phase currents presented in [7] will be used, however the main ones will be repeated for clarity. Then, analytical formulas for the phase voltages will be added, their harmonic analysis will be performed, and simple original formulas for the torquespeed and efciencyspeed characteristics will be the nal result. II. P ROBLEM DEFINITION The goal is to analytically determine the torquespeed and efciencyspeed characteristics of a 3-phase BLDC motor supplied from a DC source Udc via a 6-leg inverter (Fig. 1). As the transistor ON resistance cannot be neglected, it will be incorporated into the phase resistance. The BLDC motor is connected in star, and its back emfs ea , eb and ec are purely sinusoidal. Its mechanical speed is

p times less than its electrical speed , where p is the number of pole pairs. The electrical period is T = 2/ . The inverter operation is 120 ON. It means that a corresponding couple of transistors is constantly held in the state ON during 60 electrical degrees (from now on: edeg). III. BLDC MOTOR AND INVERTER MODELLING The BLDC motor phase voltages are given by: ux = Rix + Lix + ex (1)

where x {a, b, c}, R is the phase resistance, L = Ls Lm is the phase equivalent inductance (difference between the phase self inductance Ls and phase-to-phase mutual inductance Lm ), quantities: and denotes d/dt. We introduce three additional = L/R, = arctan(L/R) and Z = R2 + 2 L2 . The phase back emfs are sinusoidal, with the rms value E = K directly proportional to the motor speed via the motor back emf constant K : ea = 2E cos t (2) eb,c = 2E cos(t 2/3) (3) The motor instantaneous electromagnetic power pe and torque me are given by: pe = me = ea ia + eb ib + ec ic . The instantaneous input power pdc is given by: pdc = Udc idc . with idc the instantaneous source current. IV. C OMMUTATION , ITS SUB - PERIODS AND THE PHASE
CURRENTS AND VOLTAGES

(4)

(5)

According to Fig. 2, the switching logic for 120 ON operation can be dened as: t = T /6 (corresponding to t = 60 edeg) around the maximum/minumum of ea , TA1/TA2 is ON (similarly for the phases b and c).

978-1-4244-2893-9/09/$25.00 2009 IEEE

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TA1 TC2 eac

TB1 TC2 ebc

TB1 TA2 eba

TC1 TA2 eca

TC1 TB2 ecb

TA1 TB2 eab

The duration tx of the sub-period 1 is determined by the nal condition ib |t=tx = 0, which using (9) gives the relation between tx and I1 : tx = ln Udc /3 Eb . RI1 + Udc /3 Eb (11)

ea

eb

ec

t=0

t=T

Substituting the last relation in (10) and knowing the nal condition ic |t=tx = I2 , the relation between I1 and I2 is obtained as: I2 = Ea + Eb 2Udc /3 I1 . RI1 + Udc /3 Eb (12)

B. Sub-period 2
Fig. 2. Switching logic for BLDC motor.

We analyze the period 0 < t < 60 edeg, when TA1 and TC2 are ON. It is divided into two sub-periods as it will be shown. A. Sub-period 1 During this sub-period, TA1, DB1 and TC2 are conducting (Fig. 3). The initial values are ia |t=0 = I1 , ib |t=0 = I1 and ic |t=0 = 0. This sub-period lasts for tx until ib reaches zero, and the nal values are ia |t=tx = I2 , ib |t=tx = 0 and ic |t=tx = I2 . The values I1 , I2 and tx are unknowns which will be determined later.

During this sub-period, TA1 and TC2 are normally conducting (Fig. 4). The initial values (t = tx ) are ia |t=tx = I2 , ib |t=tx = 0 and ic |t=tx = I2 . This sub-period lasts for the remaining T /6 tx , and the nal values are ia |t=T /6 = I1 , ib |t=T /6 = 0 and ic |t=T /6 = I1 .

Fig. 4.

Equivalent circuit during the sub-period 2.

The model of the circuit in Fig. 4 is: i a + ic = 0 Udc = ua uc . The solution for the phase currents is:
Fig. 3. Equivalent circuit during the sub-period 1.

(13) (14)

ia = ic = The model of the circuit in Fig. 3 is: ia + ib + ic = 0 Udc = ub uc = ua uc (6) (7)

Udc (1 e(ttx )/ ) + I2 e(ttx )/ + 2 R 6E cos(tx )e(ttx )/ + 2 Z 6 6E cos(t ) . (15) 2Z 6

As it is shown in [7], assuming that the sub-period 1 is short enough, the values ea and eb do not change signicantly during this sub-period, therefore they are treated as constants. Introducing Ea = ea |t=0 and Eb = eb |t=0 , (2) and (3) give Ea = 2E and Eb = 2E/2. The solution for the phase currents is: ia = I1 et/ + ib = I1 et/ and: ic = Udc /3 Ea (1 et/ ) R Udc /3 Eb (1 et/ ) + R (8) (9)

The nal condition ia |t=T /6 = I1 gives the relation between I1 , I2 and tx : I1 = Udc (1 e(T /6tx )/ ) + I2 e(T /6tx )/ + 2 R 6E cos(tx )e(T /6tx )/ + 2 Z 6 6E cos( ) . (16) 2Z 6

Ea + Eb 2Udc /3 (1 et/ ) . R

(10)

The problem is now completely solved. The system of 3 equations (11), (12) and (16) with 3 unknowns I1 , I2 and tx is solved. As the equations are complicated, we are obliged to apply a numerical solution.

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C. Phase voltages To complete the model, the equations for the phase voltages will be derived for the two sub-periods. For the sub-period 1, the voltage uc will be determined combining (1) and (10). After the derivations, the next result is obtained: 2Udc (17) uc = 3 which gives using (7): ua = ub = Udc 3 (18)

The rms value Uk of the k -th harmonic of the phase voltage is calculated as:
2 4 ua cos kt dt (23) Uk = 2 0 The integration interval is divided into two: for 0 < t < /(3 ), ua is given by (20); for /(3 ) < t < /(2 ), ua = ea . After performing the integration, and taking the rst harmonic only (k = 1), it follows: 3 3 1 31 Udc + 1 E (24) U1 = 2 2 2

For the sub-period 2, the voltage uc will be determined combining (1) and (15). After the derivations, the next result is obtained: 2 Udc eb Udc 2E cos(t )= (19) uc = 2 2 3 2 2 which gives using (14): 2 Udc eb Udc 2E cos(t )= ua = 2 2 3 2 2 and: 2 ub = eb = 2E cos(t ) 3

or numerically: U1 = 0.3898 Udc + 0.0865 K which gives: ua = 2 U1 cos t (25) (26)

(20)

Obviously, by introducing the approximation, the phase voltage ua is put in phase with the corresponding phase back emf ea . B. Electromagnetic torque

(21)

It is interesting to note, that the quantities tx , I1 and I2 disappeared in the obtained formulas, which have a very simple form. However, the solution is not completely analytical, as the duration tx of the sub-period 1 should be determined numerically. V. T ORQUE SPEED CHARACTERISTIC The only approximation taken so far is that the phase back emfs remain constant during the sub-period 1. In all other aspects, the model is complete, and can be readily applied. However, its main drawback is that the solution is numerical and in addition the formulas for the currents are complicated. For an engineering approach, it would be useful to introduce some approximations which simplify the model and make it purely analytical, and the price to pay is of course a loss of accuracy. The idea is as follows: as the formulas for the voltages are simple, their harmonic analysis will be performed using an approximation. Then, only the rst harmonic will be taken, and used with a classical motor model to obtain the torque speed and efciencyspeed characteristics. A. Harmonic analysis of the phase voltages The harmonic analysis of the phase voltages will be performed by neglecting the sub-period 1 as too short in comparison with the sub-period 2. This is the only way to avoid the numerical solution. The voltage ua (given by (20)) is chosen for the analysis, and it can be written in the form: 2 Uk cos kt (22) ua =
k=1,5,7,11...

According to the classical synchronous motor theory [8], by introducing the phasors: U = U1 exp(0), E = E exp(0), I = I1 exp( ), the diagram in Fig. 5 is obtained.

Fig. 5.

The motor phasor diagram.

From I = (U E )/(R + L) it follows that the rms value of the phase current rst harmonic is: U1 E (27) Z After substituting here Z , U1 and E , the characteristics currentspeed is: I1 = I1 = 0.3898 Udc 0.9135 K R2 + p2 L2 2 (28)

The motor electromagnetic power is, using (4), given by: Pe = Me = 3EI1 cos = 3EI1 cos 3KR (U1 E ) Z2 The nal form of the characteristics torquespeed is: Me = Me = 3KR (0.3898 Udc 0.9135 K ) R2 + p2 L2 2 which gives: (29)

(30)

(31)

170

current (A)

Concerning the iron losses, they can approximately be treated as generated only by the permanent magnets and independent on the phase currents (which is usually proven by the simulations), therefore Pf = Pf (). In that case, they can be regarded as an additional friction term. Therefore, the corresponding torque Mf = Pf / is to be subtracted (along the real friction torque) from the torque Me to obtain the mechanical torque produced at the motor shaft. C. The Joule losses and efciency To complete the model, the Joule losses Pj are to be determined. The accuracy in their calculation is more reduced by taking only the rst harmonic of the current: it is the only one which generates the electromagnetic torque in this case, but all of them generate the losses. In the other hand, as higher harmonic order k implies a decay in harmonic amplitude, and as the losses depend on the square of the current, the error should not be too important. Therefore:
2 Pj = 3RI1

4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 0 model measured simulation

0.002

0.004

0.006 time (s)

0.008

0.01

Fig. 6.

The phase current at the speed of n = 5517 rpm.

(32)

20 15 10 model measured simulation

The efciency of the motor (the iron losses excluded, which also means Pdc = Pe + Pj ) is: = Pe Pe + P j (33)
voltage (V)

5 0 5 10 15

(To include the iron losses, the term Pf should be added in the denominator.) After the substitutions, it gives: = ER 3EI1 cos E Z = R = 2 E 3EI1 cos + 3RI1 U1 E Z + R U1Z K 0.3898 Udc + 0.0865 K VI. R ESULTS The obtained model is experimentally veried. A two-pole (p = 1) motor (motor #136198 in [9]) with L = 135 H and the emf constant K = 1.587 102 V/(rad/s) is used in the experiment. Concerning the phase resistance, the motor phase itself has the resistance of 497 m, to which we add the transistor ON resistance of 17.5 m and the half (20 m) of the shunt resistance, giving R = 534.5 m. The DC voltage is Udc = 24.1 V. In addition to the experiment, the numerical simulation results obtained by modelling the complete drive in Simulink are presented. A. Phase currents and voltages The rst results are the phase current and voltage. Figs. 6 and 7 present the results obtained using the analytical model, using the Simulink simulation without any approximation, and using the measurements, for the speed of n = 5517 rpm. The analytical and simulation results match completely. The difference between the measured values and the model is explained by additional resistances (e.g. contacts) and inductances in the electronic circuit which are difcult to determine. (34)

which gives nally: = (35)

20 0 0.002 0.004 0.006 time (s) 0.008 0.01

Fig. 7.

The phase voltage at the speed of n = 5517 rpm.

B. Electromagnetic torquespeed characteristics The next result is the characteristics Me . Fig. 8 presents the results obtained using (31), using the simulation and using the measurements. In the experiment, the torque Me is calculated by a DSP, using the measured phase currents and estimated phase emfs. The results match well, with an error between the model and simulation of less than 5%.

C. Efciencyspeed characteristics The nal result is the characteristics . Fig. 9 presents the results obtained using (35), using the simulation and using the measurements. The results match well. Actually, the calculated current is higher than the measured one, but in the other hand only the rst harmonic is taken into account, which reduces the error.

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0.16 0.14 0.12 torque (Nm) 0.1 0.08 0.06 0.04 0.02 0 5000

[4] M. Carlson et al., Analysis of torque ripple due to phase commutation in brushless DC machines, IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, Vol. 28, No. 3, May-June 1992. [5] R. Nucera, S. Sudhoff, P. Krause, Computation of steady-state performance of an electronically commutated motor, IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, Vol. 25, No. 6, November/December 1989. [6] S. Sudhoff, Theory and simulation of the brushless dc 120 degrees inverter system, Masters thesis, Purdue University, West Lafayette, USA, 1989. [7] M. Markovic, A. Hodder, Y. Perriard, Analysis of the commutation currents for a sinusoidal BLDC motor, IEEE ICEMS 2008, Wuhan (China), October 2008. [8] J. Hendershot, T. Miller, Design of brushless permanent magnet motors, Magna Physics, Oxford, 1994, p.6-35 [9] Maxon motors catalog. [Online]. Available: http://www.maxon.com

5200

5400 5600 speed (rpm)

5800

6000

Fig. 8. Characteristics Me (

model, simulation and measured).

1 0.98 0.96 0.94 efficiency () 0.92 0.9 0.88 0.86 0.84 0.82 0.8 5000 5200 5400 5600 speed (rpm) 5800 6000

Fig. 9.

Characteristics (

model, simulation and measured).

VII. C ONCLUSION The paper presented simple approximate analytical formulas for the torque and speed of a BLDC motor, which is a new contribution. In the analyzed example, the approximations (the sub-period 1 too short compared to the sub-period 2; only the rst harmonics are analyzed) do not inuence signicantly the solution accuracy. However, the generality of the solution cannot be claimed at this stage. The future work would be to challenge the formulas on other examples. R EFERENCES
[1] C. Fleury, Modelisation de lentrainement electrique synchrone autocommute (in French), Thesis 1428, EPFL, Lausanne, 1995. [2] Y. Jeon, H. Mok, G. Choe, A new simulation model of BLDC motor with real back EMF waveform, Computers in power electronic COMPEL, 2000. [3] B. Kang et al., Analysis of torque ripple in BLDC motor with commutation time, IEEE International Symposium on Industrial Electronics ISIE, Pusan, Korea, 2001.

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