Speed Regulation of Induction Motor Using Sliding

Mode Control Scheme

Yue Wang Zhanan Wang Jun Yang

Ruilin Pei

School of Electrical Engineering Xian Jiaotong University

Xian, CHINA
yuewang_1972@163.com

Department of Equipment, Hot Rolling Mill

BAOSHAN IRON & STEEL CO,LTD
Shanghai, CHINA
Hitler-99@163.com
conventional controller is very easy to design and implement,
and a PI controller is used in the outer loop for the
compensation of drive operating characteristics in the presence
of external load and other disturbances. However, it is well
known that the performance obtained by PI controller is
sensitive to plant parameter variations[6].
Furthermore, the PI controller gains have to be carefully
selected in order to obtain a desire response. For instance, a PI
controller tuned for a step input will not achieve the desired
performance for four quadrants speed control[7].
To solve these problems, different methods through the
literature have been used which are adaptive and robust control
methods. The subject of this paper is concerned with the
application of SMC for vector controlled AC speed drive
system in which main advantages of SMC technique compared
with PI controller can be summarized as these points that by
using SMC controller we can obtain faster dynamic response
than by using PI controller; the software and hardware system
of SMC are simple design and easy to implement; the SMC
controller, especially in robustness control, has low sensitivity
to variation in system parameters and load disturbances.
In addition, this paper gives the design of a robust speed for
a three-phase induction motor drive system, and finally
discusses the selection of detail parameters such as c, m and n.
At the last section of this paper, the excellent dynamics
using SMC controller are further demonstrated by computer
simulation and experiment result.

AbstractThis paper presents the design of a robust sliding mode

controller for a vector control induction motor drive that
employs an outer-loop speed controller using sliding mode
strategy. In this scheme, the motor speed is controlled by a
sliding mode controller. The methods of decoupling and torque
linearization for the induction motor are derived from the fieldorientation. Sliding mode control operation can typically reduce
the dependence on accurate acquisition of motor parameters and
improve the system robustness. With this controller, the dynamic
and static performance of the system are studied. The controlled
motor can response well to the change of speed and load. Even
when drive inertia is not accurate acquired, this system also
displays excellent quality. The new scheme is compared with the
conventional approach using PI control. The availability of the
proposed scheme is demonstrated by simulation and experiment
results.Speed Regulation of Induction Motor Using Sliding Mode
Control Scheme.
Keywords- Sliding mode control; Vector control; Induction
motor; PI controller

I.

INTRODUCTION

With the development of computer control system and

power electronics technology, some novel control strategies are
widely applied in industrial domain.
A sliding mode control (SMC) with a variable control
structure is basically an adaptive control whose primary
characteristic is robust performance of a drive with parameter
variation and load torque disturbance. Because of many
advantages of sliding mode controller in AC speed drive
system, using the control method has received worldwide
recognition in the recent past years[1-5].
Usually, in some applications of induction motor drive
systems using SMC, two-loop control strategy is applied in
speed drive system. An outer-loop speed controller that
employs SMC strategy, with the inner-loop vector controller
incorporated. The vector control concept, has become a
standard tool for high-performance control of AC motors. The
ultimate objective of vector control is to enable decoupling
control of torque and flux similar to the control of separately
excited DC motor. There are two ways to solve this problem.
One way is to perform online identification of the motor
parameters and accordingly update the values used in the
controller. The other method is to find a robust control
algorithm. Conventionally, the proportional plus integral (PI)

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II.

SLIDING MODE CONTROL BASIC CONCEPT

The sliding mode control approach is based on switching

functions of the state variable representations that are used to
create a sliding surface. When this surface is attained, the
switching functions keep the trajectory on the surface, thus
yielding desired system dynamics. The control is nonlinear and
can be applied to a linear or non-linear plant.
A. Switching function
An SMC is basically a variable structure control system
(VSS) where the structure or topology of the control is
intentionally varied to stabilize the control and make its
response robust. Considering a simple second-order undamped
linear system, as shown in Figure1, with variable plant gain K.
It can be easily seen that the system is unstable in either
negative or positive feedback mode. However, by switching

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back and forth between the negative and positive feedback

modes, the system cannot only be made stable, but its response
can also be made independent to the plant parameter K.
The switching process between negative and positive
feedback is similar to the mathematics mode switching
between ellipses and hyperbolas and the elaborate process is
described in the next section sliding mode.
Sliding Mode Controller

x1

+
-

s J m ( s ) + B m ( s ) = T e ( s ) Tl ( s )

1
JS + B

The electromagnetic torque Te , is defined as a function of

sliding mode controller output by:

mr

Te (s) =

Figure 1. Variable structure control of second-order system

B. Sliding mode
Figure 2 show the sliding track by switching function
control. From (a) to (c), the frequency of switch is becoming
faster and faster.

(a)

(b)

(5)

For a constant Tl , (4) can be written in time domain using

the following differential equation:
d 2m
B d m G
=
+ u
2
dt
J dt
J
(6)
In sliding modes speed control system, the speed error and
its derivatives, are selected as state variables, therefore,
x1 = m r m
(7)
x 2 =  m = x1

(c)

as:

(8)
Equation (7) , can be expressed in terms of the system error

x2 =

by:

G
B
x2 u
J
J

(9)
Therefore, the state space representation of Fig 1,is given
x1 0
x = 0
2

1
a

x1 0
x + b u
2

(10)

Where

S = cx1 + x 2 = 0

a=

(1)
K
so that the line slope is lower and beyond
Where C <
the range of the K variation. Note carefully that on the sliding
line, defined as the reference trajectory, the positive and
negative feedback trajectories, describe by hyperbolas and
ellipse, respectively, cross in opposite directions. The operating
point will thus track the sliding line in a zigzag path until the
steady-state point is reached at the origin.

B
J

b =

G
J

B. Selection of sliding mode line and control law

1) Sliding mode line
For the Fig 1, it is now required that a speed controller that
generates the control signal u so that the speed error (x1)
response follows certain prescribed dynamics be designed
irrespective of plant parameter (a,b) variations. In most
applications, it is desired to have fast response without
overshoot. This can be achieved by introducing a sliding-mode
technique along line segment S given by equation (1).
The prescribed dynamics in equation (1) is a first-order
response with c, which is the time constant of the speed
response. Various control laws can be used to force the system
to slide along the sliding line.
According to equation (1), a new switching equation can be
obtained, as the following:

DESIGN OF SPEED SLIDING MODE CONTROLLER

A. The system phase variable state representation

To design speed sliding mode controller, a control block
diagram can be first established in Figure 1, which shows a
simplified block diagram of a speed drive system with outerloop speed control and inner-loop vector control.
The electromechanical governing equation of the machine
can be written as:

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(4)

s 2 J m ( s ) + sB m ( s ) = G u ( s ) sT l ( s )

There are two straight lines appearing in the diagram (c),

AO and BO which mean sliding line and slope line
respectively. The operating point will then move along the
straight line BO and settle at steady-state point O, where error
x1and error velocity x2 are zero. The slope of line BO may vary
with a variation of K. Precision switching at point B is
practically impossible to reach the steady-state point O. Let us
define the sliding line equation as:

dm 1
= ( Te Tl B m )
dt
J

Gu(s)
s

Substituting (2), into (3) and rearranging yields:

Figure 2. Form process of sliding mode

III.

(3)

Where
J : moment of inertia for the drive system
B: friction coefficient

Tl
u Te
K
+

- FB

is , then Tl is the feedback quantity of induction motor

torque. Equation (2) is switched by Laplace transform as the
following:

Vector Control System

+ FB

Where Te is the command torque input of the inner-loop

vector controller, and its control structure is represented by

(2)

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1
) x2
c
(11)
Where c is a time constant. Assuming the speed quantity
and acceleration quantity are x1 and x2 respectively, for
equation (11), the coefficient (-1/c) defined a time constant. If
the value c is lager, the coefficient (-1/c) will be larger and
the absolute value of (-1/c) will be smaller. The meaning of (1/c) is the response time t which can be smaller, therefore, the
speed of response will be faster. However, when the value of
c is too large, the speed drive system will occur overshoot.
Generally speaking, the approximate range of the value c can
be limited, for instance, in all selections of sliding mode line,
c>0 is required. Although the expression c>0 is a necessary
condition for selections of all sliding control line slopes, a large
range appears, and it is difficult to ensure the exact value of c.
In most case, the range of value of c is: 0<c<30
We can consider that the above range of c is an empirical
value. In the simulations and experiment, try-and error method
(cut-and-try method) can be used in ensuring the value of c.
For instance, if c=1, c=3, c=10 and c=20 four group values are
tested, there are four groups simulation waveforms
respectively. To ensure the value of c, the value c will be
selected by showing the best impression of four simulation
waveforms.
When we changed the value of c, upon step changes in x1,
the system trajectory (x1- x2) in the state plane is not robust
until it hits one of the sliding lines, Once hitting occurs, the
system will enter sliding mode (if sufficient controller gains are
used) and slide along the prescribed trajectories towards the
origin of the phase plane.

if S x2 > 0, then c-a-br < 0

x1 = (

hence r > max{(c-a)/b}

if S x2 < 0, then c-a-bs > 0

(17)

hence s < min{(c-a)/b}

From (14) to (17) , it can be seen that, for SMC design ,
only the upper and lower limits and not the exact values of the
system parameters, need to be known .
Figure3 shows the system model diagram using sliding
mode control, and shows the use of control parameters (m,n).
p

m+

x1
-

Vector
control

r
n

dx1 /dt

s
Figure 3. IM drive showing sliding mode controller in detail

IV.

SIMULATION AND EXPERIMENT RESULT

A. Selecting the parameters for sliding mode controller by

computer simulation
A prototype implementation of the induction motor drive
system is built and simulated. Control dynamics of speed drive
system is influenced by choosing variable sliding mode line
slope c and the control parameters m, n In the section, Some
simulation waveforms will be shown by choosing variable c
and m, n, for instance,

2) Control law
The design of SMC requires a suitable control law. Sliding
mode control strategy consists of many pieces, such as:
constant switch control; function switch control and proportion
switch control. In the speed drive system of induction motor,
selecting proportion control strategy can be more fixable, and
the following control law is used to enable fast hitting and
minimal chattering in steady state:
u = m x1+ k x2

(16)

(1)

c = 1 and c = 20

(2) p = 0.25, q = 1, r = - 0.1, s = -0.01

(3) p = 13, q = 60, r = - 7, s = -0.04.
Figure 4 shows the speed and torque response when the
siding mode line slope is c =1 and c=20.

(12)

m = p if S x1 > 0
m = q if S x1 < 0
n = r if S x2 > 0
n = s if S x2 < 0
The controller gain (m,n) can be evaluated based on the
existence condition of the sliding mode. In mathematical form,
this is given by
lim SS < 0

s0
(13)
Choosing fitful control parameters becomes a difficult point
in sliding mode control, however, the mathematical form in the
above section may define the approximate range.
if S x1 > 0, then p > 0
(14)

if S x1 < 0, then q < 0

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Figure 4. Speed response for c=1 and c=20

Figure 5 shows the speed and torque response when the

siding mode control parameters is team (2): p = 0.25, q = 1, r =

(15)

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- 0.1, s = -0.01 and team (3): p = 13, q = 60, r = - 7,

0.04.

s=-

Figure 6. Torque and speed simulation using SMC

Figure 7 shows the torque and speed response by

experiment result, which is tested by 5kW induction motor and
the sliding mode line slope c and the control parameters m,
n are rightly chose, too. They are written as following:

Figure 5. Speed response for team (1) and (2)

c=5

As can be seen, from Figure 4 to Figure 5, the speed

response is sensitive to control parameters and sliding mode
line slope c variations and exhibits undulation along idealized
speed line. Choosing a suitable value c and control
parameters is significantly important. According to simulation
examples, we can find that when the value of c is too large,
the speed drive system will occur overshoot; when the value of
c is smaller, the speed drive system will take a long time to
achieve idealized speed line.

u = m x1+ k x2+15

p = 8.5, q = 110, r = -9.5, s = -0.05 and Ts = 1e-4

In the same way, when the control parameters values p, q, r,

and s are smaller, the control ability of the control parameters
for speed drive system will be feeble. If the control parameters
are too large, the speed drive system will appear overshooting.
Therefore, selection of the value c and the control parameters
p, q, r, and s are ensured by computing a, b, J, and B to the
narrow the range of control parameters and many simulation
result.

(a) experiment waveform under commend speed

B. Excellent performance of SMC drive verified by computer

simulation and experiment results (control dynamics under
command speed and impact load disturbance)
(b) experiment waveform under load disturbance

Speed, rotor flux, and sliding-mode control surfaces

corresponding to SMC with a change in the speed reference,
Figure 6 and Figure 7 show the speed and torque response
waveform when induction motor speed system start ( from 0
r.p.m to 90 r.p.m ) and when it changes the load disturbance (
addition 0-20 Nm ) by computer simulation and by experiment
result respectively.

Figure 7. Torque and speed experiment wave using SMC

As can be seen from this figure, a first-order speed response

is realized as a consequence of sliding line S being implement.
To make motor system working under rating state, and torque
value is limited upper +300Nm. If the value of torque is too
large when induction motor start, the system will possibly be
broken. The steady-state error is minimal, and smooth torque
control is achieved. With SMC, there is no start speed
overshoot.

For Figure 6, which shows the torque and speed response

by computer simulation, the sliding mode line slope c and
the control parameters m, n are rightly chose. They are
written as following:
c=5

C. The SMC Performance Compared With the PI Control

Technique by computer simulation and experiment result
The SMC performance is also compared with the
conventional PI control technique. The PI controller is tuned
to give similar speed response and load disturbance as
obtained by SMC. The control performance by computer
simulation under PI action is shown in Figure 8.

u = m x1+ k x2+15

p = 10, q = 120, r = -11.6, s = -0.05 and Ts = 1e-4

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and reducing torque chatting. As shown in this paper, the

qualities obtained by the proposed method are superior to the
conventional technique using PI control.
The studies show that larger values of the sliding mode
controller gains provide robustness improvement at the
expense of increased transient torque and speed oscillations.
The sliding mode line slope c and the control parameters
m, n are three significant parameters whose value effectively
influence the control dynamics of sliding mode control.
Therefore, selecting reasonable c and m, n is very
necessary.

Figure 8. Torque and speed simulation using PI controller

REFERENCES
Figure 9 shows the torque and speed response using PI
controller by experiment result, which is tested by 5kW
induction motor.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]
[6]

(a) experiment waveform under commend speed

[7]

Edward Y.Y. Ho and Paresh C. Sen Conteol Dynamics of Speed Drive

Systems Using Sliding Mode Controllers with Integral Compensation,
IEEE Trans. Ind. Applications, vol.27, No 5, Sep/Oct 1991
Edward Y.Y. Ho and Paresh C. Sen A Microcontroller-Based Induction
Motor Drive System Using Variable Structure Strategy with
Decoupling IEEE Trans. Ind. Electronics, vol.37, No 3, June 1990
Sajed ,Abed and M.S.Khanniche A Microprocessor-Based Induction
Motor Drive System Using Sliding Mode Control, 0-7803-3026-9/95
1995
Zhao Jin and Wan Shuyun A New Sliding Mode Controller for AC
Speed Regulation System, Transactions of China Electrotechnical
Society, 1995.(3) 58-62
Bimal.K.Bose , Modern Power Electronics and AC Drives. Beijing:
China Machine Press. 2003
Wang Fengyao. Sliding Mode VSS Control. Beijing: China Machine
Press, 1995
Li Yongdong, AC Motor Digital Control System. Beijing: China
Machine Press, 2002

(b) experiment waveform under load disturbance

Figure 9. Torque and speed experiment wave using PI

As can be seen from Figure 8 and Figure 9, the speed

response is sensitive to plant parameters variations and exhibits
overshooting . Unlike SMC, it is also difficult to compromise
control performance and stability with PI control systems.
SMC seems to have an edge over the PI control in most
aspects.

V.

CONCLUSION

Based on the analytical, simulated and experimental

investigations presented in this paper, the following conditions
are drawn:
A new control strategy that an outer-loop speed controller
which employs SMC, with the inner-loop vector controller
incorporated is investigated by a block diagram of AC speed
drive system. Sliding mode control operation can typically
reduce the dependence on accurate acquisition of motor
parameters and improve the systems robustness. The scheme
provides parameter-insensitive nature, minimal speed error,

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