Efficient Control of Induction Motor Current in a Frequency-Controlled Electric Drive

An analysis of methods for controlling the current of an asynchronous electric motor in a frequency-controlled electric drive is performed. The disadvantages of a control system with relay current controllers that provide system operation in the “current corridor” mode are shown. Such disadvantages as increased thermal losses in the transistors of the frequency converter are caused by the unstable switching frequency of the motor current. The relevance of the principles of current control using the predictive model to form control actions in the frequency converter circuit with relay controllers is noted. A method of current control in an asynchronous electric drive is considered that makes it possible to stabilize the switching period of the inverter power switches when controlling the current in the motor. To obtain this result, it is proposed to influence the width of the hysteresis loop of the relay current controllers and form it depending on the parameters of the load circuit. The required accuracy of the current control is maintained. The structure of the control system is proposed, in which the considered method is implemented. A key element of the system is a computing unit that generates signals that set the required width of the hysteresis loop of the relay controllers. The method of predicting changes in the controlled current after the next switching of transistors in the inverter of the frequency converter of the electric drive is the analytical basis of the calculations. Analytical expressions providing the calculations necessary for the computing unit operation are presented. The effect of applying the relay current controllers with variable hysteresis in the control system of a frequency-controlled electric drive is shown.