Rotor-Flux based MRAS Speed Estimator for Direct
Torque and Flux Control of an Induction Motor Drive
Aenugu Mastanaiah*, Tejavathu Ramesh
Department of Electrical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra, Haryana, India
*
mastan665@gmail.com, #tramesh.ee@gmail.com
Abstract—This paper presents a speed estimation scheme
using Rotor flux based Model Reference Adaptive System
(MRAS). This estimated speed is incorporated as a
feedback to the Direct Torque and Flux Control (DTFC) of
Induction Motor Drive (IMD). In this scheme the rotor flux
linkage components of the Induction Motor (IM) are
obtained from the Reference Model (RM) and Adaptive
Model (AM) respectively. The difference between these
quantities is called speed tuning error signal. The speed
tuning error signal is passed through a PI controller to get
the estimated speed. The estimated rotor speed is feedback
into AM to reduce the error signal. The performance of the
Rotor flux based MRAS is compared with the measured
quantities of the IMD using MATLAB/SIMULINK
software. The performance of IMD is simulated under
various operating conditions, such as, no-load, load, change
in speed and sinusoidal speed respectively.
Keywords— Direct torque and flux control, induction
motor drive, model reference adaptive system, adaptation
mechanism, PI Controller.
I. INTRODUCTION
In recent times, the induction Motor drives (IMD) are widely
used in industrial, commercial and domestic applications due to
their simple structure, rugged, low cost and easy to implement.
The IMD control schemes are classified as scalar and vector
control schemes. The scalar control scheme offers good
satisfactory performance under steady state speed, but it shows
very poor response at transient conditions. The vector control
scheme which also called as field oriented control scheme
offers good satisfactory performance under dynamic and steady
state conditions [1-2]. However, it requires coordinate
transformations and current controllers, information of
parameters, etc. In order overcome with these drawbacks, I.
Takahasi invented a new control strategy in mid of 1986, which
is called DTFC scheme [3].
The DTFC of an IMD requires the rotor speed information
for accurate speed control [4-6]. The rotor shaft position can be
measured through either speed sensors (i.e. speed
encoder/tacho-generators) or from an estimator/observer using
978-1-4673-8597-8/15/$31.00 ©2015 IEEE
current and voltage signals [7]. The use of speed encoder is
associated with some drawbacks, such as, requirement of shaft
extension, reduction of mechanical robustness of the motor
drive, reduces the drive reliability and not suitable for hostile
environments, and more costly [8-12]. These drawbacks have
made speed sensorless IM drive very attractive over the
conventional speed sensored IM drive. The advantage of
eliminating speed sensors are: the mechanical robustness of the
system is improved especially in hazardous environments,
reliability and less cost. Moreover, there are some applications
for sensorless drive, where there is no sufficient space to put the
speed sensor or the nature of the environment (such as
hotheaded environment in some chemical plants) does not
allow the use of any additional rotor speed sensors.
Over the past years, several speed estimation schemes have
been proposed for speed sensorless DTFC of IMD such as
direct calculation method, MRAS, Observers (Extended
Kalman Filter, luenberger, etc), Estimators using Artificial
intelligence etc [11-19]. Among these schemes Rotor-flux
based MRAS scheme is the best scheme due to its good
performance and ease of maintenance. The MRAS estimation
schemes are classified into back emf, rotor flux and active and
reactive power [13-19]. The back emf and reactive power based
estimation schemes gives satisfactory performance at high
speed, but it shows poor response at low speed and zero speed
operation [18]. Among these, the rotor-flux based MRAS speed
estimation seems the most popular and easy to implement [14].
The rotor flux based MRAS speed estimation is implemented in
MATLAB/SIMULINK Software under various operating
conditions such as no-load, load, change in speed and
sinusoidal speed respectively and the results were discussed in
section V.
II. MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF INDUCTION
MOTOR DRIVE
The mathematical model of IMD is developed using stator
flux linkage and voltage equations in d-q axis transformation.
The voltage equations of an induction motor (I.M) in the
stationary reference frame can be expressed in matrix form as:
 Where Te is electromagnetic torque, P : number of poles,
vds Rs +Ls p 0 Lm p 0  ids
      ^: represents estimated quantities, *: represents reference
vqs = 0 Rs +Ls p 0 Lm p  iqs quantities.
 0   L p ω L R +L p ω L  i  (1) Neglecting the stator resistance from the Equation (5), the
   m r m r r r r
  dr stator flux can be written as:
 0   −ωr Lm Lm p −ωr Lr Rr +Lr p iqr   
ψ s (t + 1) ≈ ψ s (t ) +  v s dt (6)
Where ‘p’ is differential operator. The Equation (6) can be rewritten as:

The state space model of I.M in stationary reference frame dψ s 
can be derived from the Equation (1) as [4-5]: ≈ vs (7)
dt
− a1 0 a2 a 3ω r  From the Equation (7) it is clear that the stator flux is
 p i ds     i ds 
   0 − a 1 − a 3ω r a 2    following the voltage vector. To select the voltage vectors for
 p i qs   L m 1  i qs  controlling the stator flux magnitude, the voltage vector plane is
p ψ  =  0 − − ω r  
T T ψ  divided into six sectors. As mentioned above, the switching
 dr
  r r
  dr  table consists of these six sectors. In order to use the switching
 p ψ qr   0 Lm 1 ψ 
  ωr −   qr  table, the stator flux position is required and it is estimated
 Tr T r  (2)
using equation (8).
 1 
0 
σ L ˆθe = tan −1  ψ qs  (8)
 s
1   v ds  ψ 
 0  ds 
+
 σ L s   v qs 
 
Flux Hysteresis Band Voltage Vector
 0 0  ψ s* Eψ dψ
vdc

Voltage Source Inverter

1 Switching Selection
q
  +
− 0
θ( θe (2)
Sa C

 0 0  ψˆ s Torque Hysteresis Band v (4) ) θθ((16 v1

Hψ e 3 )
e
Sb
4 θ θ (5) ) d e
G
e
+1 e Sc
Where ω r* eω Speed Te
* ETe 0
dT e
v5 v6 E

+ +
Rs 1− σ Lm Lm − Controller −
θˆ (k ) e
a1 = + ,a2 = , a3 = , ω̂ r Tˆe
−1 HTe

σL s σTr σL s L r Tr σL s L r dq
va

L2m Lr d ψˆ s = ψ ds2 + ψ qs2 vds vb

σ =1− , and Tr = ,p=  ψ qs 
vqs vc
Ls L r Rr dt θˆe = tan−1 
 ψ ds  ids ia

Tˆe =
3P
(
ψ dsiqs − ψ qsids ) iqs ib
idqs , idqr : d, q-axis stator and rotor currents, ψ ds , ψ dr : d-axis 2 2
ic
abc
Stator Flux & Torque Estimation
stator and rotor flux linkages, ψ qs , ψ qr : q-axis stator and rotor ψ dr Reference Model
vds vds
ψ qr vqs vqs
(Voltage Model) ids
ids

Induction Motor
flux linkages, Ls , Lr : stator and rotor self inductances, Lm : εω
iqs

−+ X iqs
mutual inductance, and Rs , Rr : stator and rotor resistances. X ψˆ dr Adaptive Model
ωr
ψˆ qr
(Current Model)

III. DIRECT TORQUE AND FLUX CONTROL Adaptive ω̂ r

Mechanism MRAC

The schematic model of the speed sensorless Direct Torque

and Flux Control (DTFC) of an IMD is shown in Figure 1. In Figure 1 Schematic model of direct torque and flux controlled
this scheme the stator flux and electromagnetic torque are IMD.
directly controlled using the switching table as shown in Table
1. The stator flux and electromagnetic torque are estimated IV. ROTOR-FLUX BASED MRAS
using the measured voltage and current quantities of the three- The Rotor-flux based MRAS speed observer is shown in
phase IM. These equations are as follows [1], [4-6]: Figure 2. This scheme consist of three blocks, in which the RM
ˆ s = ψ 2ds + ψ 2qs
ψ (3) and AM are used to estimate the rotor flux linkages of IM and
the Adaptation Mechanism gives the speed tuning signal. This
Tˆe =
3 P
2 2
(
ψ ds iqs − ψ qs ids ) (4)
signal is passed through the PI controller to get the estimated
speed. In the RM, the rotor flux linkages are estimated using the
  
ψ s =  (v s − is Rs )dt (5)
measured stator voltage and current quantities in the stationary
reference frame. This RM is independent of rotor speed and it is
also called as stator voltage model. These expressions are given MATLAB/SIMULINK environment. The machine parameters,
by Equation (9 a) and (9 b) [14], [18]. DTFC hysteresis based system parameters and gain values of PI
Lr controllers which are used in the speed controller and MRAS
ψ dr =  (v ds − (R s + σ Ls p ) ids ) dt (9 a) controller is shown in Table 3. Initially, the performance of
Lm IMD is simulated under no-load torque with a reference speed
Lr of 1200 rpm is shown in Figure 3 (a). It is observed from the
ψ qr =  (vqs − (Rs + σLs p ) iqs ) dt (9 b) results, the estimated rotor speed is exactly tracking the
Lm reference speed and also less ripple contents of torque and
In the AM, the rotor flux linkages are estimated using the stator currents.
measured stator current and estimated speed. This model is also TABLE 1 VOLTAGE VECTOR SWITCHING SELECTION
called as current model and these expressions are given by Hysteresis Sector Selection θe(k)
Controller
equation (10 a) and (10 b). dΨ dT Sector Sector Sector Sector Sector Sector
θe (1 ) θe (2) θe (3) θe (4) θ e (5) θe (6)
L 1 
ψˆ dr =   m ids − ψˆ dr − ωˆ rψˆ qr dt (10 a) 1 V2
110
V3
010
V4
011
V5
001
V6
101
V1
100
 Tr Tr  1 0 = V7 V8 V7 V8 V7 V8
111 000 111 000 111 000
L 1  -1 V6 V1 V2 V3 V4 V5
ψˆ qr =   m i qs − ψˆ qr + ω
ˆ r ψˆ dr dt (10 b) 101 100 110 010 011 001
 Tr Tr  1 V3
010
V4
011
V5
001
V6
101
V1
100
V2
110
In the Adaptation Mechanism, the angular difference of the 0 0 = V8 V7 V8 V7 V8 V7
outputs of the RM and AM is taken as the speed tuning signal. 000 111 000 111 000 111
-1 V5 V6 V1 V2 V3 V4
The expression for the speed tuning signal is given by Equation 001 101 100 110 010 011
(11).
( 
ε ω = Im ψ r ⋅ ψˆ r∗ = ψˆ drψ qr − ψ drψˆ qr ) (11) The performance of IMD is simulated under sudden
application of load torque is shown in Figure 3 (b). The sudden
The estimated speed is obtained by passing the speed tuning load of 9 Nm is applied at 1 sec and withdrawn at 2 sec. When
signal through the PI controller and it is given by Equation (12). a sudden load toque is applied, the rotor speed drop around 10
 1  rpm and quickly settle to its reference speed.
ωˆ r =  K p + ε ω (12)
 Ti p  The performance of induction motor is simulated under
The schematic model of rotor-flux based MRAS speed sudden change in speed is shown in Figure 4 (a). The sudden
estimation is implemented using the mathematical expression change in speed of 300 rpm from 600 rpm to 900 rpm is applied
of Eqs. (9-12) is shown in Figure 2. at 1sec and from 900 rpm to 1200 rpm is applied at 2 sec, etc.
Reference Model The reversal speed of 1200 rpm is applied at 2 sec is shown in
vds + Lr 1 ψ dr
− Lm p Figure 4 (b).
ids
Rs + σLs p
iqs The performance of IMD is simulated under triangular and
Rs + σLs p

vqs − 1 ψ qr
sinusoidal speed change with a load torque of 4.5 Nm is shown
+ Lr
Lm p in Figure 5 (a) and Figure 5 (b), respectively. The sudden
Adaptive Model 1 change of triangular and sinusoidal speed of 600 rpm is applied
Tr
−
Adaptation Mechanism
at 5 sec under load torque of 4.5 Nm. The presented simulation
Lm + 1 ψˆ dr +
Tr
− p
−
responses are speed (reference speed, measured speed and
estimated speed), stator currents, and d-axis rotor flux
1
Kp +
Ti p components of RM and AM and also q-axis rotor flux
Lm + + 1 ψˆ qr components of RM and AM, respectively.
Tr p ω̂ r
− The error analysis of IMD is carried out at various load
1
Tr
torque (No load, half load and Full load) operating conditions
ω̂ r when the IM is operating at steady state. The various error
Figure 2 Rotor-flux based MRAS speed estimation. results are summarized in Table 2. The presented error analyses
are Integral of Absolute Error (IAE), Integral of Time
V. SIMULATION RESULTS multiplied by Absolute Error (ITAE), and Root Mean Square
To verify the performance of the rotor-flux based MRAS Errors (RMSE). The various error analyses are measured at 3
scheme, a detailed simulation studies are carried out in sec.
IAE =  e(t ) dt
t

 ( e(t ) ) dt
t 2
(13)
0
RMSE = 0
(15)
ITAE =  (t e(t ) ) dt t
t
(14)
0

(a) (b)
30 20

20
(i) Torque (Nm)

10
Estimated Torque
10
0
0
Reference Torque Estimated Torque
-10 -10
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
1500 1500
(ii) Speed (rpm)

1000 1000
Reference speed Measured speed Estimated speed Reference speed Measured speed Estimated speed

500 500

0
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
20
isa isb isc
isa isb isc 10
(iii) Stator Current (A)

10

0 0

-10
-10
-20 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
Time (s) Time (s)

Figure 3 Simulation response of DTFC of an IMD under (a). No-load torque, (b). Load torque of 9 Nm.
(a) (b)
20
20
10
10
(i) Torque (Nm)

0
0
Reference Torque Estimated Torque
-10 Reference Torque Estimated Torque
-10
-20 -20
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
1500
1000
1000
(ii) Speed (rpm)

Reference speed Measured speed

Estimated speed
Estimated speed 0
500 Measured speed

Reference speed -1000

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
20
isa isb isc isa isb isc
(iii) Stator Current (A)

10
10

0 0

-10
-10
-20
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Time (s) Time (s)
Figure 4 Simulation response of DTFC of an IMD under the operating conditions of: (a). sudden change in speed, (b). reversal
motoring from +1200 rpm to -1200 rpm are: (i). Torque, (ii). rotor speed and (iii). stator current.
 (a) (b)
1500 1500
Measured speed
Measured speed
(i) Speed (rpm)

1000
1000
Estimated speed
500
Estimated speed
500 Reference speed

Reference speed 0
0
-500
0 5 10 15 20 25 0 5 10 15 20 25

isa isb isc isa isb isc

10
(ii) Stator Current (A)

10

0 0

-10 -10
0 5 10 15 20 25 0 5 10 15 20 25
1 1
(iii) d-axis Rotor flux (wb)

0.5 0.5

0 0

-0.5 -0.5

-1 -1
0 5 10 15 20 25 0 5 10 15 20 25
1 1
Reference flux Reference flux
0.5 Estimated flux 0.5
Estimated flux

0 0

-0.5 -0.5

-1 -1
7 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5
1 1
(iv) q-axis Rotor flux (wb)

0.5 0.5

0 0

-0.5 -0.5

-1 -1
0 5 10 15 20 25 0 5 10 15 20 25
1 1

Reference flux Reference flux

0.5 0.5
Estimated flux

Estimated flux
0 0

-0.5 -0.5

-1 -1
7 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5
Time (s) Time (s)

Figure 5 Simulation response of DTFC of an IMD under the operating conditions of: (a). Triangular change in speed, (b). sinusoidal
change in speed are: (i). speed, (ii). stator current, (iii). d-axis rotor flux and (iv). q-axis rotor flux.
TABLE 2 ERROR ANALYSIS OF IMD UNDER VARIOUS OPERATING CONDITIONS.

Load (N-m) tr (sec.) ts (sec.) Mp (%) ess IAE ITAE RMSE

0 0.3011 1.3559 4.6375 0.0134 193.91 22.49 224.86

4.5 0.394 1.52 3.54 0.02 248.78 35.40 257.08

9 0.5699 1.526 2.4375 0.08 354.45 69.73 309.03

 TABLE 3 PARAMETER VALUES.
Induction Motor Parameters DTFC-Hysteresis based system
Rated power 1.5 kW
Flux hysteresis band, HBΨ : 0.045 wb
Rated voltage 400 V
Torque hysteresis band, HBTe : 0.9 N-m
Rated current 3.39 A
DC link voltage, Vdc : 400 v
Rated speed 1410 rpm
Rated torque 10 Nm
Rated flux 1 Wb
Gain values:
Stator resistance 5.5 ohm
Speed PI controller:
Rotor resistance 4.51 ohm
Kp = 2.67, Ti = 0.1333
Stator self inductance 306.5 mH
Rotor self inductance 306.5 mH
MRAS PI controller:
Mutual inductance 291.9 mH Kp = 13968, Ti = 0.0362
Number of poles 4

VI. CONCLUSION
In this paper, rotor-flux based MRAS speed estimator for
DTFC of a sensoless IMD is presented. The rotor flux linkage
components are obtained from the RM and AM using measured
voltage and current signals. The error signal fed into the PI
controller based adaptation mechanism which is used to
minimise the speed tuning error signal. The performance of
IMD is simulated under various operating conditions. The
estimated speed is exactly tracking the reference speed. The
error analysis of IMD is presented under various operating
conditions. The simulation results are presented in forward and
reversal motoring under no-load, load, sudden change in speed
and sudden zero speed operating conditions. It is observed from
the simulation results that the rotor speed accurately tracking
the reference speed, quick settling time, less ripple contents in
torque and current and also reduces the speed drop under
various load disturbance conditions using proposed scheme.
REFERENCE
[1] Buja. G. S and Kazmierkowski. M. P, “DTC of pwm inverter-fed AC
motors – A Survey”, IEEE Trans. on Ind. Elec., vol. 54, no. 5, 2004, pp.
744 – 757.
[2] Blaschke. F, “The principle of field-orientation as applied to the
transvector closed-loop control system for rotating-field machines”,
Siemens Rev., vol. 34, 1988, pp. 135-147.
[3] Takahashi. I and Noguchi. T, “A new quick response and high efficiency
control strategy of an induction motor”, IEEE Trans. Ind. Appl., vol. 22,
no. 5, 1986, pp. 820-827.
[4] Mengoni, Michele, et al. "High-Torque-Density Control of Multiphase
Induction Motor Drives Operating Over a Wide Speed Range." IEEE
Transactions on Ind. Electronics, Vol. 62, No. 2, 2015, pp: 814-825.
[5] Vas P., “Sensorless Vector and Direct Torque Control”, Oxford, U.K.:
Oxford Univ. Press, 1998.
[6] Lascu C. C., Boldea I., and Blaabjerg F., “A modified direct torque
control for induction motor sensorless drive”, IEEE Trans. Ind. Appl.,
vol. 36, no. 1, Jan./Feb. 2000, pp. 122–130.
[7] Holtz J., “Sensorless control of induction motor drives”, Proc. IEEE,
Vol. 90, No. 8, 2002, pp. 1359– 1394.
[8] Faiz J., “Sensorless direct torque control of induction motors used in
electric vehicle”, IEEE Tran. Energy Con., vol. 18, no. 1, 2003, pp. 1-10.
[9] Caruana. C, Asher. G.M, and Sumner. M, “Performance of high
frequency signal injection techniques for zero-low-frequency vector
control induction machines under sensorless conditions”, IEEE Trans. on
Ind. Electron., Vol. 53, 2006, pp. 225–238.
[10] Holtz J., “Sensorless control of induction machines—with or without
signal injection”, IEEE Trans. Ind. Electron., vol. 53, no. 1, 2006, pp.
30-53.
[11] Lee C.-M. and Chen C.-L., “Observer-based speed estimation method for
sensorless vector control of induction motors”, Proc. Inst. Electr. Eng.—
Control Theory Appl., vol. 145, no. 3, 1998, pp. 359-363.
[12] Maes J. and Melkebeek Jan. A., “Speed-sensorless direct torque of
induction mootrs using an adaptive flux observer”, IEEE Trans. on
Industry Applications, Vol. 36, No. 3, 2000, pp.778-785.
[13] Rashed. M and Stronach. A. F., “A stable back-emf MRAS-based
sensorless low speed induction motor drive insensitive to stator
resistance variation”, IEE Proc. Electric Power Appl., Vol. 151, 2004,
pp. 685–693.
[14] Gadoue S. M., Giaouris D., and Finch J. W., “MRAS sensorless vector
control of an induction motor using new sliding-mode and fuzzy-logic
adaptation mechanisms”, IEEE Trans. Energy Conversion, Vol. 25, No.
2, 2010, pp. 394–402.
[15] Kojabadi. H. M, “Simulation and experimental studies of model
reference adaptive system for sensorless induction motor drive”, Simulat.
Model. Practice Theory, vol. 13, 2005, pp. 451–464.
[16] Maiti S., Chakraborty C., Hori Y., and Ta M. C., “Model reference
adaptive controller based rotor resistance and speed estimation
techniques for vector controlled induction motor drive utilizing reactive
power,” IEEE Trans. Ind. Electron., Vol. 55, No. 2, 2008, pp. 594–601.
[17] Kojabadi H. M, “Active power and MRAS based rotor resistance
identification of an IM drive”, Simulat. Model. Practice Theory, vol. 17,
2009, pp. 376–389.
[18] Schauder. C, “Adaptive speed identification for vector control of
induction motors without rotational transducers”, IEEE Trans. Ind.
Appl., Vol. 28, 1992, pp. 1054–1061.
[19] Zerikat M., Mechernene A., and Chekroun S. “High-performance
sensorless vector control of induction motor drives using artificial
intelligent technique”, European Transactions on Electrical Power, Vol.
21, 2011, pp. 787–800.