EE 588: Control System Design

Design Project
Design and Implementation of a Magnetic Levitation System

Stage 1

Submitted to: Dr. Yasir Awais Butt

Submitted By: Babar Sultan

MSEE-1423

Spring 2017
Objective: The goal of this project is to design and implementation of a laboratory-scale
magnetic levitation system. The control algorithm is implemented using assembly language on
Intel 8051 microprocessor to levitate and stabilize a spherical steel ball at a desired vertical
position.

Introduction:
A magnetic levitation system is a nonlinear and unstable system whose identification and control
has been a subject of research in recent times in view of its applications to transport systems,
magnetic bearings used to eliminate friction, magnetically levitated micro robot systems and
magnetic levitation-based automotive engine valves.

System design:
An assembled magnetic levitation system is shown in figure 1. The position of the object is
sensed by the controller with the Hall-effect sensor and drives the current in the solenoid to
maintain levitation. The system exhibits high sensitivity to initial conditions and considerable
visible wobble of the object. The laboratory kit is based on low-cost design developed by Guy
Marsden which uses simple proportional control and is only marginally stable.

The list of kit contents is shown below:

U1 LM7805 voltage regulator

U2 MIC502 fan-management IC
U3 LMD18201 motor H-bridge IC
U4 SS495A Hall-effect sensor
 C1 470 F electrolytic capacitor
C2 1 F ceramic capacitor
C3 0.1 F ceramic capacitor
C4 0.01 F ceramic capacitor
Prewound solenoid
Soft-steel carriage bolt
Neodymium magnets (2)
Heat sink for LMD18201
Small circuit board

The schematic diagram of magnetic levitation system is shown in figure 2. The SS495 Hall effect
sensor senses the position of the levitated object. The input of the MIC 502 fan-management chip
is driven by the output voltage of the sensor. The fan management chip produces a PWM signal
to LMD18201 motor drive H-bridge chip.

The PMW drive adjusts the average current in the solenoid to control the magnetic field.

Mathematical modeling of the system dynamics:

According to Kirchoffs voltage law, the electromagnetic force produced by the current is,
u t VR VL
dL x i
iR
dt
Where, u is the applied voltage, i is the current in the coil, R is coils resistance and L is coils
inductance.

The free body diagram of suspended and balanced ferromagnetic ball is shown below:

Figure 3. Free Body Diagram of Magnetic Levitation System

Mechanical Model:
According to the Newtons third law, the net force on acting on the ball (neglecting friction, drag
force of air) is given by,
f net f g f em
2
i
mx mg C
x
Where, m is mass of the ball, g is gravitational constant and C is magnetic force constant.

Non Linear model:

The following set of differential equations describes the nonlinear model of magnetic levitation
system.
dx
v (1)
dt
 dL x i
u iR (2)
dt
2
i
mx mg C (3)
x

The approximation of coil induction can be written as,

Lx
L x L 0 0 (4)
x
Where, L is the constant inductance of coil in the absent of ball.

From equation (2) and (4) we get,

d Lx
u t iR Lc 0 0 i
dt x
di L0 x0 dx
iR L
dt x 2 dt

Substitute L0 x0 2C
di i dx
u t iR L C 2 (5)
dt x dt

If we take x x1 , v x2 , i x3 , then equation (1), (3) and (5) can be written in vector form as,

x2

x1 2 0
x g C x3 0 u
2
m x1
x3 1
R 2C x2 x3 L
L x3 L x 2
1
y x1 x3 1 0 0
T
x2
x f x f xu

Linear model:
The linearization of system around a point x1 x01 results in state vector as,
X 0 x01 x03
T
x02
At equilibrium, the derivative of x must be zero that is x02 0 and the equilibrium current must
satisfy the condition,
gm
x03 x01
C

Thus, the linearized model in state space form will be,

0 1 0

Cx 2 Cx03
A 033 0 2 2
mx01 mx01
Cx03 R
0 2 2

Lx01 L

0

B 0
1
Here onward, it falls beyond scope of our
L
C 1 0 0 course.
Relative degree of the system:
In order to determine the relative degree of the system consider the equation,
2C x3
Lg L2f h x (6)
mL x12

At equilibrium point the term Lg L2f h x 0 shows that the degree of system is 3.

Diffeomorphism and Feedback transformation:

Consider the following nonlinear change in the coordinates.
C x3
2

z x1 x2 g
m x1

In new coordinates, system equation becomes,

z1 z2
z2 z3
z3 x x u
Where,
2
2C 4C 2 x32 x2 2CR x3
x
m mL x13 mL x1
2Cx3
x
mLx12

After using state feedback,

x
u , where z3
x

Therefore, the linear state representation will be,

z1 0 1 0 z1 0
z 0 0 1 z 0
2 2
z3 0 0 0 z3