Proceedings of the 2008 International Conference on Electrical Machines
A Phasor Speed Control of a Single or Two Phase
Induction Motor
Manuel Guerreiro, Daniel Foito
Escola Superior de Tecnologia de Setúbal
Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal
Setúbal, Portugal
Email: mgaspar@est.ips.pt, dfoito@ est.ips.pt
Abstract — This paper is focused on the speed control of a
single or two phase induction motor using a diametrical inversion
(DI) of the stator voltages. The changes in the speed error sign are
responsible for each DI which inverts the stator voltage phasor
and its angular velocity. The main and the auxiliary windings are
always connected and thus the speed error sign allows to
determinate the rotating field direction. The motor is fed by a
rectifier associated with a three-phase inverter. The core of the
drive command it’s a 16-bit dsPIC device, which receives the
speed error sign and generate the appropriate PWM reference
voltages signs to the three-phase inverter. Simulation and
experimental results allow assume a good performance.
I. INTRODUCTION
Some market researches indicate that the annual commercial
sales volume of capacitor start single-phase induction motors
(SPIM) is approximately 4 million units (approximately 3 % of
the fractional horsepower motors). These motors are used in a
wide variety of commercial and industrial applications, with
the largest being ventilating, air conditioning equipment,
pumping equipment and commercial/industrial heating [1].
Most of these types of electrical machines are used in fixed
speed drives [2]. There is wide recognition that energy can be
saved with the installation of adjustable-speed drives and other
devices to control motor systems, particularly in HVAC fans
and industrial pumps [1].
Efforts have been made in single phase adjustable speed
drives with different kinds of PWM strategies, like SPWM and
Space Vector PWM, to perform better motor utilization with
higher efficiency [3].
This paper proposes a speed control strategy for SPIM or
Two-Phase Induction Motors (TPIM) using diametrical
inversion in which the two winding voltages are PWM
modulated using a 16-bit dsPIC device. The motor is fed by a
three-phase inverter.
II. COMMAND ACTIONS
An induction motor can be regarded as a complex system
consisting of two interconnected subsystems that are an
electromagnetic subsystem and a mechanical subsystem.
978-1-4244-1736-0/08/$25.00 ©2008 IEEE
Paper ID 1283
Armando Cordeiro
Instituto Superior de Engenharia de Lisboa
Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa
Lisboa, Portugal
Email: acordeiro@deea.isel.ipl.pt
The mathematical model of the electromagnetic subsystem is
generally made up of four first order differential equations and
a fifth equation [4] which reflects the generation of an
electromagnetic torque. Applying on the motor a voltage (one
or more phases depending on type of the motor) the currents
and fluxes are modified and their resulting interaction causes
the development of an electromagnetic torque.
Vα Vβ
Electromagnetic Mechanical
subsystem subsystem
Te ωm
Fig. 1 – The induction motor seen as two interconnected subsystems
So the input, or command action, of this subsystem is a
voltage and the electromagnetic torque is its output.
In turn, this electromagnetic torque ( Te ) is the input of the
mechanical subsystem and it changes the position or the speed
( ωm ) of the rotor with a load torque ( TL ). The rotational
dynamic of the system with a friction coefficient (D) and a
moment of inertia (J) can be described by (1).
D 1
ω
m + ωm = (Te − TL ) (1)
J J
Any significant delay in the control process, between the
applied voltage and the resulting electromagnetic torque, can
lead to an undesirable oscillatory response. To assure an
accurate speed control of a motor rotor it is necessary that the
command actions applied on it leads to a fast direction change
of the electromagnetic torque. Then, the motor response will
can be a fast brake or acceleration very convenient to set
against to the actual error.
A SPIM has generally two accessible windings that can be
fed by two independent voltages. The centrifugal switch or
capacitor, if any, shall be short-circuited or removed. As the
1
Proceedings of the 2008 International Conference on Electrical Machines
axes of those windings are displaced 90º one of another it is
possible to provide the machine with a phasorial control.
A spatial voltage phasor can be defined on a complex plane
as:
Vs = Vα + jVβ
where Vα and Vβ are the voltages applied on main and
auxiliary windings.
Both, Quadrature Inversion (QI) and Diametrical Inversion
(DI), are command actions which were developed in the scope
of the rotor position control applied on a three-phase induction
motor [5,6].
The QI technique consists of substituting the actual stator
voltage phasor by another which has a displacement of 90º
with the rotor flux phasor. The new voltage phasor will rotate
in the opposite direction of the previous one. This action
provokes the greatest variation of the torque derivative and so
it will presumably lead to the fastest change of the torque sign
[6].
The QI requires the rotor flux position determination in
every instant. It would be possible to construct a rotor flux
observer, however, in this work, the adopted way, was to
replace the QI by another command action. The QI can be
simplified and substituted by the diametrical inversion (DI).
The DI consists of replacing the voltage phasor (Vs )t −1 by
another one which is, as the name suggests, diametrically
opposed (Vs )t . The direction of the angular velocity must also
be reversed (fig. 2). The phasor angular speed is ω.
β The speed error is defined by the difference between the
ω t-1
V
β
(V )S t −1
θt
θ t-1
ωt 0 angular jump of ± π rad in the θ angle. This jump is a
V α
α
(V )
S t
Fig.2– The DI substitutes the (Vs )t −1 by diametrically opposed (Vs )t .
III. CONTROLLER SCHEME
A voltage phasor VS can be represented in time domain by
Vα and Vβ voltages. To obtain these voltages will be previously
generate their reference voltages, Vαref and Vβref , respectively.
Using the projections of Vs on the α , β axis it easy to
conclude that the desirable voltages are:
Vα ref = Vmax cosθ
(2)  (3)
Vβ ref = Vmax sin θ
The voltages to apply to the motor are reproduced from the
reference voltages using the motor control PWM of a dsPIC
device connected to a three-phase inverter (fig.3). Obviously,
in such a drive, it is advisable to use a low cost three-phase
inverter to reduce the final cost.
π/2 Energy
nref + θ Vα ref
+1 Vmax. cos θ PWM
− -1 Vmax.sin θ Inverter
Vβ ref
n ∫
ω
M
Fig.3 – Adopted controller scheme for SPIM speed control.
Although the actual speed can be obtained using an
estimator or observer, in this work, a speed sensor (a small DC
generator) was used. The sign of the speed error determines,
through a hysteretic comparator, the convenient direction of
the voltage phasor. The hysteretic width is directly related with
the switching frequency of the semiconductors. Obviously,
increasing the hysteretic bandwidth the drive performance can
diminish, and, consequently, it needs to attain a compromise.
reference speed and the actual speed (4)
en = nref − n (4)
Every change of the sign of the speed error provokes an
characteristic of the diametrical inversions.
The successive DI allow that the magnetic field of the motor
accelerate or decelerate, on average values, as necessary to
guarantee that the rotor speed reaches and follows the
reference speed.
To feed the motor was used a low cost three-phase PWM
inverter. A DC source, or a AC source with a simple bridge
rectifier provides the needed energy to the inverter.
Since there are two voltages the controller can be applied on
a single-phase induction motor with two windings permanently
connected or on a two phase induction motor.
The core of the drive command is a dsPIC30F4011 device.
The fundamental input of this device is the speed error sign.
Internally, an appropriated loop provides the integration, and it
2
Proceedings of the 2008 International Conference on Electrical Machines
provokes, if necessary, the discontinuities, generating the
necessary θ angle. A sinusoidal table is included and it is
shared by the sine and cosine functions.
The outputs of the dsPIC device are the PWM command
signals to the semiconductors of the inverter legs. The
converter topology is shown in fig 4. It consists of a simple
bridge rectifier and a three-phase PWM inverter. Two winding
single-phase induction motor connected to three-phase
inverter.
S1 S3
motor is hardly loaded with a step torque. The electromagnetic
torque response is fast and the speed change is insignificant.
The successive DI sequence creates a voltage which, in
average, has a non null rms value. This is the adequate value to
create the opposed electromagnetic torque against the load
torque.
Fig. 6 shows a step from 600 rpm to -600rpm. In this
simulation test, the motor is loaded with 1 Nm. The direction
of the load torque is opposite to the positive direction of the
rotor speed and, for that reason the speed of the rotor took
S5
almost as long to reach the 600 rpm from zero as the change
from 600 to -600 rpm.
The electromagnetic torque has two starting regions and two

Main
UAC
UDC
situations of constant speed. In the starting regions the
Auxiliary
dynamics of the electromagnetic torque is similar to normal
and non-controlled starting. In the constant speed regions, the
S2 S4 S6
rotor speed follows its reference and the average value of the
electromagnetic torque is the needed to support the opposite
rotational torque and the load torque.
Controller and Semiconductor Drives The currents of the main and the auxiliary windings are also
shown in Fig. 6. It is clearly visible the differences between the
Fig.4 – Adopted converter topology in the experimental tests.
starting region or speed reference inversion region and those
with constant speed.

IV. DRIVE RESULTS

The simulation tests were implemented in Matlab/Simulink 600
n(rpm)

software using the Power System Blockset. Different types of 0

speed references and load conditions were simulated. Some -600
experimental results were also obtained. Fig 5 represents the
drive response simulation to a step speed reference. 10
Te(Nm)

0
1000 -10
n (rpm)

Tr 20
Im(A)

0 0
0 0.5 1 1.5 -20

20
Tr 20
Te (Nm)

Ia(A)

10 0
-20
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2
-10 t(s)
0 0.5 1 1.5
t (s)
Fig.6 – Simulation results obtained with a step speed reference of 600 to -
Fig.5 – Simulation results obtained with a step speed reference of 1000 rpm. A 600 rpm. The motor is loaded with 1 Nm. The rotor speed, the
torque disturbance was introduced at t=1s. The rotor speed and the electromagnetic torque, the currents of the main and the auxiliary winding
electromagnetic torque are also represented. are represented.

In this conditions, the unloaded motor rotation starts freely.
The diametrical inversions are unnecessary and all the
available power is used to accelerate the motor and also to
compensate the rotational losses. After, there is an equilibrium
zone. A convenient DI sequence is applied. The
electromagnetic torque is oscillatory and it has a small average
value to just compensate the rotational losses. At t = 1 s, the
Fig. 7 shows a command signal with two levels. When a
level is substituted by the other one, there is a DI. The
reference voltages are described by (5).
Fig. 8 represents the same situation but it was obtained
experimentally using a dsPIC30F4011 device and a
three-phase inverter.

3
Proceedings of the 2008 International Conference on Electrical Machines

  π
Vα ref = Vmax cos  ∫ ( ±ω )dt ± 2 
   Nref
 (5)
V  π  Nm
β ref = Vmax sin  ∫ ( ±ω )dt ± 
  2
Imain
The reference voltages Vαref and Vβref suffer discontinuities.
The phases sequence, after and before, a DI are different, this
is, if after a DI Vαref leads Vβref before Vαref lags Vβref. Iaux
error sign

Fig.9 . Speed control. The curves are: reference speed, actual

speed motor and main and auxiliary currents. Experimental results.

V. CONCLUSIONS
A new approach to control the speed of a single or two phase
V alfa

induction motor drive was presented and its effectiveness was

analyzed by several simulation and experimental tests.
In this new approach the diametrical inversion was used,
avoiding the rotor flux position determination in every instant.
V beta

With this command action the applied voltage phasor can be

inverted and rotate in the opposite direction depending on the
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 speed error sign. As consequence, the torque direction can
t(s)
change very quickly and the drive will have a good
Fig.7 . Diametrical inversions caused by the changes of error sign. Simulation performance. Hence, the motor speed can be easily adjusted.
result. The results revealed that the rotor speed reaches the
reference speed without relevant damping or overshoot in
loaded or unloaded conditions.
The results also revealed that the speed control presents high
en robustness against external torque disturbances. The 16-bit
dsPIC device as core of the drive command revealed
acceptable results.
Vα
REFERENCES
Vβ [1] “Analysis of Energy Conservation Standards for Small Electric Motors”,
Building Technologies, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable
Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, June 2003.
[2] Blaabjerg, F.; Lungeanu, F.; Skaug, K.; Tonnes, M.; “Two-Phase
Induction Motor Drives”, IEEE 2004 – ISBN 1077-2618/04.
[3] Ba-thunya, Ali S.; Khopkar, R.; Wei, K.; Toliyat, H. A.; “Single Phase
Induction Motor Drives – A Literature Survey”, IEEE 2001 – ISBN 0-
Fig.8 . Diametrical inversions caused by the changes of error sign. 7803-7091-0/01.
Experimental result. [4] Kim, S., E. Benedict, F. Fatehi, , N. Patel, A. Homaifar, T.A Lipo,
“Adjustable Speed Drive Control Based on Random Pulse Width
Modulation”, CPES Annual Meeting, Apr. 2000, pp. 202-209.
An experimental result of the drive response can be seen in [5] M. Guerreiro, F. Silva, “A New Position Controller For Induction Machi-
Fig. 9. The first and second curves are the reference and actual nes: Diametrical Inversion of the Stator Voltage”, ISIE’97, Guimarães,
speed, respectively, and third and fourth are the main and Portugal, July 1997.
[6] M. Guerreiro, F.Silva, “Rotor Position Control for Induction Machines
auxiliary windings currents. Using Diametrical Inversion of Stator Voltage”, IEE Proceedings Electric
Power Applications, Vol. 147, Nr. 2, pp. 99-106, Março, 2000.
[7] Young, C. M; Liu, C. C; Liu, C. H; ”New Inverter-driven design and
control method for two-phase induction motor drives”, IEEE Proc.
Electr. Power Appl. Vol. 143, Nº6, November 1996.
[8] Caisse, A.; Richardson, D.; Rotating Electric Machinery and
Transformer Technology, 4th ed., Prentice Hall, 1997 – ISBN 0-13-
409649-1.
[9] Toro, V.; Basic Electric Machines, Prentice Hall, 1990 – ISBN 0-13-
0601462.