Brushless DC Motor Electromagnetic Torque Estimation with Single-Phase Current Sensing

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to find an effective method for measuring electromagnetic torque produced by a brushless DC motor with single-phase current sensing in real-time. A torque equation is derived from the theory of brushless DC motor. This equation is then validated experimentally with a motor dynamometer. A computer algorithm is also proposed to implement the electromagnetic torque estimation equation in real-time. Electromagnetic torque is a linear function of phase current. Estimating the electromagnetic torque in real-time using single-phase current is not appropriate with existing equations, however, because of the rectangular alternating-pulse nature of the excitation current. With some mathematical manipulation to the existing equations, the equation derived in this paper overcame this limitation. The equation developed is simple and so it is computationally efficient, and it takes only motor torque constant and single-phase current to evaluate the electromagnetic torque; no other parameters such as winding resistances, inductances are needed. The equation derived is limited to the three-phase brushless DC motor. It can, however, easily be extended to the multi-phase brushless DC motor with the technique described in this paper.