Transactions on Machine Intelligence

Transactions on Machine Intelligence

Sensorless Stator Flux Oriented Control for Startup Gas Turbine

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
F. Mohammadi 1
F. R. Salmasi 2
1 School of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Tehran
2 Senior Member, IEEE School of Electrical and Computer Engineering University of Tehran
10.47176/TMI.2018.10
Abstract
This paper introduces a novel hybrid rotor‐position estimation technique for wound‐field synchronous motors (WFSM) powered by load‐commutated inverters (LCI), operating continuously from standstill through turbine ignition speed. At low speeds, where signal‐injection techniques excel, a high‐frequency injection‐based estimator provides initial rotor‐angle information. As speed increases past this low‐speed region, a model‐based stator‐flux observer seamlessly takes over both position estimation and firing‐pulse generation for the thyristor bridge. By combining these two complementary estimation strategies, the proposed algorithm overcomes limitations inherent in each individual method—namely, poor low‐speed observability for flux observers and the energy losses associated with continuous injection at higher speeds. The result is reliable commutation of the load‐commutated inverter’s thyristors across the entire speed range, from zero to nominal. In addition, we present a new stator‐flux‐oriented control architecture tailored for LCI‐fed WFSMs. This structure enhances the motor’s power factor and yields a faster dynamic response in the speed controller, while simplifying the overall drive design to reduce manufacturing costs. The efficacy of the hybrid estimation algorithm and the novel control structure is demonstrated through detailed MATLAB/Simulink simulations. Results confirm seamless transition between estimation modes, robust commutation under varying operating conditions, improved power quality, and accelerated speed regulation—validating the approach as a practical, cost‐effective solution for high‐performance WFSM drives.
Keywords
Load Commutated Inverter
Sensorless Control
Stator Flux Oriented Control
Wound Field Synchronous Motor
Stemmler, H. (1994). High-power industrial drives. Proceedings of the IEEE. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 82(8), 1266–1286. doi:10.1109/5.301688
Azbill, D. C., Propst, J. E., & Catlett, R. E. (1990). A case study of replacing steam turbines with LCI-type variable-speed drives. IEEE transactions on industry applications, 26(6), 1086–1094. doi:10.1109/28.62392
Ranganathan, V. T. (2012). High power AC motor drives: Status review and work at IISc. Journal of the Indian Institute of Science, 90(3), 327–346.
Brochure, P. (χ.χ.-a). ABB Medium voltage AC drive MEGADRIVE-LCI for control and soft starting of large synchronous motors.
Brochure, P. (χ.χ.-b). ABB MEGATROL The power package for gas turbine start-up and generator Excitation.
Helland, S. (2017). Evaluation of a Medium-Voltage High-Power Bidirectional Dual Active Bridge DC/DC Converter for Marine Applications. NTNU.
Bose, B. K. (2010). Power electronics and motor drives: advances and trends. Elsevier.
Hasegawa, C., & Nishikata, S. (2008). A sensorless rotor position detecting method for self-controlled synchronous motors. International Conference on (1017–1021). IEEE.
Deng, X., Wang, L., Zhang, J., & Ma, Z. (2011). Rotor position detection of synchronous motor based on high-frequency signal injection into the rotor. (ICMTMA), Shanghai, China. doi:10.1109/icmtma.2011.619
Choi, J., Jeong, I., Nam, K., & Jung, S. (2013). Sensorless control for electrically energized synchronous motor based on signal injection to field winding. IECON 2013 - 39th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society. Vienna, Austria. doi:10.1109/iecon.2013.6699627
Griffo, A., Drury, D., Sawata, T., & Mellor, P. H. (2012). Sensorless starting of a wound-field synchronous starter/generator for aerospace applications. IEEE transactions on industrial electronics (1982), 59(9), 3579–3587. doi:10.1109/tie.2011.2159953
Plunkett, A. B., & Turnbull, F. G. (1979). Load-commutated inverter/synchronous motor drive without a shaft position sensor. IEEE transactions on industry applications, IA-15(1), 63–71. doi:10.1109/tia.1979.4503613
Ogino, H., Tamai, S., Hosokawa, Y., & Ando, A. (2011). Static starting device for the start-up of the gas turbine using position sensorless control method. 8th International Conference on Power Electronics - ECCE Asia., Jeju, Korea (South). doi:10.1109/icpe.2011.5944420
Nozari, F., Mezs, P. A., Julian, A. L., Sun, C., & Lipo, T. A. (1995). Sensorless synchronous motor drive for use on commercial transport airplanes. IEEE transactions on industry applications, 31(4), 850–859. doi:10.1109/28.395296
Le-Huy, H., Jakubowicz, A., & Perret, R. (1982). A self-controlled synchronous motor drive using terminal voltage system. IEEE transactions on industry applications, IA-18(1), 46–53. doi:10.1109/tia.1982.4504031
Li, S., Ge, Q., Wang, X., & Li, Y. (2007). Implementation of Sensorless Control with improved flux integrator for Wound Field Synchronous Motor. 2007 2nd IEEE Conference on Industrial Electronics and Applications., Harbin, China. doi:10.1109/iciea.2007.4318662
Jain, A. K., & Ranganathan, V. T. (2011). Modeling and field oriented control of salient pole wound field synchronous machine in Stator flux coordinates. IEEE transactions on industrial electronics (1982), 58(3), 960–970. doi:10.1109/tie.2010.2048295
Jain, A. K., & Ranganathan, V. T. (2012). Improved control of load commutated inverter fed salient pole wound field synchronous motor using field oriented technique. 2012 IEEE Energy Conversion Congress and Exposition (ECCE). Raleigh, NC, USA. doi:10.1109/ecce.2012.6342674
Tessarolo, A., Bassi, C., Ferrari, G., Giulivo, D., Macuglia, R., & Menis, R. (2013). Investigation into the high-frequency limits and performance of load commutated inverters for high-speed synchronous motor drives. IEEE transactions on industrial electronics (1982), 60(6), 2147–2157. doi:10.1109/tie.2012.2192897
Sato, N., & Semenov, V. V. (1971). Adjustable speed drive with a brushless DC motor. IEEE transactions on industry and general applications, IGA-7(4), 539–543. doi:10.1109/tiga.1971.4181338
Transactions on Machine Intelligence
Volume 1, Issue 1
Winter 2018
Pages 10-18

  • Receive Date 20 January 2018
  • Revise Date 10 February 2018
  • Accept Date 05 March 2018