Switched Reluctance Machine (SRM) for Electric Power Steering (EPS) Application

Rajib Mikail, Dr Iqbal Husain

ECE, North Carolina State University
Experimental Setup

Abstract

Control Algorithm

Power steering creates the necessary torque assist for the driver while

Profile slopes and segments are function of machine inductance, maximum

operating speed, maximum current , battery voltage and other machine
parameters.

rotating the steering wheel.

SRM is the only non-permanent magnet machine which is highly reliable

A novel predictive current

control technique is
developed.

and inherently fault tolerant for steering application.

SRM has unsuitable torque ripple and acoustic noise for steering

Current

application.
Both the torque ripple and acoustic noise are minimized with a combination

( )( , )
=

= +
()

< <
()

=
()

Final profile with

torque feedback
and fine tuning

Machine

= ,

+
= + + ,
()

Initial profile
from Static T-i-
characteristics

of modified machine characteristics and advanced control algorithm.

A prototype control board and machine according to the FEA design is built.

Controller Board

Rotor Position (Mechanical Degree)

Finite Element Design

Simulation Result
A high fidelity FEA coupled simulation
is used to develop current profiles for
different torque command.
Dynamic ripple minimization with torque
feedback reduces the torque ripple
within the specification of EPS
Application.
Mitigation of rotor eccentricity and
sensor errors are investigated.

Differential of the co-energy

60

, =

( , ) (3)

(4)

0.016

40

12

15

18

21

24

27

30

0.008

-2
0.006

-4
0

0.004

50
0.002
0

1.5

100
Phase Current (A)
0

10

20

30
Current (A)

40

50

60

10

20

30

40

Ic

0.2

0
0

20

40

60

80

100

Mechanical Position in degree

50

11619 Times Amplified

1.8
1.6

0.012

1.2

0
0

0.005

0.01
Time (s)

0.015

0.02

0.01
0.008
0.006

1
0.8
0.6
0.4

0.004

0.2

0.002

Peripheral Displacement

-0.2
0

10

20

30
Current (A)

40

50

60

10
15
Angle (Degree)

20

25

Impact

0.6

0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2

0.1
0
0.0075

0.0095

0.0115

Time (s)

Mechanical Position (Degree)

Experimental characteristics
1.4

Displacement in micro-meter

Torque (Nm)

0.01

0.4

0.014

Acoustic Analysis

0.012

Ib

0.016

0.014

0.6

Experimental characteristics

The electromagnetic force was used for structural analysis. The displacement
with the maximum operating condition resembles that of PMSM.

(6)

Ia

-0.2

0.5

Mechanical Degree

(5)

achieved

20

Characteristics

Flux Linkage

Lambda (Wb-t)

< 3%

0.8

2.5

T 0.4 Nm
T 0.8 Nm
T 1.2 Nm
T 1.6 Nm
T 2.0 Nm
T 2.4 Nm

,
=

, =

State Space Model

Co-energy

Torque (Nm)

80

Dynamic Ripple Minimization

Torque (Nm)

( , )
=
(1)

( , )
=
(2)

Phase Torque
Current (A)

Characteristics

Current Profiling

Experimental
torque ripple

Current(scaled by 50) and torque (Nm)

Machine Model

Torque

1.2

Lambda (Wb-t)

Finite Element design of the machine

Experimental Result

Classical Bridge Converter

0.0135

A cost effective, highly fault tolerant , safe and reliable EPS system.
The manufacturing process of the proposed system using SRM offers
less complexity over the existing PMSM technology
Permanent Magnet (PM) machine of similar performance cost about
$40, while SRM cost $10. The SRM controller has a $4 increase in cost.