359
39th Southeastern Symposium on System Theory
Mercer University
Macon, GA, 31207, March 4-6, 2007
Adaptive Backstepping Control of a Speed-Sensorless Induction Motor
Under Time-Varying Load Torque and Rotor Resistance Uncertainty
Arbin Ebrahim and Gregory Murphy
Abstract- A new global adaptive backstepping controller is
designed for induction motor speed control based on measure-
ments of stator current and estimation of rotor speed. The
designed partial state feedback controller is singularity free and
guarantees asymptotic tracking of smooth reference trajectories
for the speed of the motor under time varying load torque and
rotor resistance uncertainty.
The new control algorithm generates estimates for unknown
time varying load torque, rotor resistance and rotor speed,
which asymptotically tracks and converges to their true val-
ues. The rotor flux modulus asymptotically tracks a desired
reference signal which allows the motor to operate within
its specifications. As in the field-oriented control scheme; the
control algorithm generates references for the magnetizing flux
component and for the speed component of the stator current.
The control strategy yields decoupled rotor speed and rotor
flux amplitude tracking control goals which allow the selection
of an appropriate flux modulus for the rotor to maximize the
efficiency.
I. INTRODUCTION
Induction motor has grown in popularity for industrial ap-
plications due to its low cost and ruggedness. Advanced con-
trollers are employed in applications which require robust,
precise and fast system response. Typically these involve the
use of speed sensors for rotor speed measurements which
lead to high costs and unreliability in the system. Therefore
in recent years the development of controllers based on
elimination of speed sensors has gained attention which
involves developing speed-sensorless control algorithms that
guarantee reliable high performance control.
In [6] a speed-sensorless controller is designed based
on measurements of rotor position and stator currents. An
asymptotic controller with an explicitly computed domain
of attraction is designed in [5] for induction motor control
with uncertainties. A global controller design for sensorless
induction motors with known parameters can be found in
[7]. In [8] a local asymptotic controller is designed for
the induction motor based on current measurements under
unknown constant load torque.
The contribution of this paper is to design an adap-
tive backstepping controller for induction motors which is
adaptive with time-varying load torque and uncertain rotor
resistance conditions. The controller design is based only
This work was supported by the Graduate Council Research/Creative
Activity Fellowship, The University of Alabama
Arbin Ebrahim is a Doctoral Student in the Department of Electrical
Engineering, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, USA
ebrahOOl@ua.edu
Gregory Murphy is the Chair, Electrical Engineering Department,
Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USA gvmur-
phy@tuskegee.edu
1-4244-1051-7/07/$25.00 ©2007 IEEE.
TB2.6
on measurements of stator currents. We use the polynomial
approximation [10] to estimate the time-varying load torque.
The main idea is to represent it as a polynomial in a finite
interval of time. The accuracy of approximation depends on
the order of polynomial and the width of interval. During
each interval, the coefficients of the polynomial can be
considered as constant and approximated by adaptive laws.
The dymamic control algorithm generates estimates for load
torque, rotor resistance and rotor speed that converge to their
true values.
II. INDUCTION MOTOR MODEL
Based on the assumptions of linear magnetic circuits, i.e,
a proportional change in magnetic flux due to change in
current, the dynamic model of a balanced induction motor
in a fixed reference frame (a-b frame) is given by the fifth
order model (see [1] for derivations, modelling assumptions
and general machine theory)
dw
dt 8(aib- bia )-L (t)
d4a
dt -T<a -
pb +Tta
d<b
dt -Tbb + lpa + TMib
dia
-a + TPba + npPW&b + -Ua
dt
dib
--ib + Tp<b -fnpPWa + -Ub (1)
dt
where s = L(1 _M2/L,Lr), T= RrILr, p = M'§Lr,
p = npM/JLr. The state variables of the system are
the rotor speed w, rotor fluxes ba, b and stator currents
ta, ib. The known parameters of the motor are the moment
of inertia J, stator resistance R5, stator self-inductance
L,. rotor self-inductance Lr, mutual inductance M, and
the number of pole pairs np. The control objective is
to control the rotor speed w and the rotor flux modulus
4bO2 4b by using the stator voltages Ua, Ub as control
inputs based on the measurements of ia, ib. The load torque
TL (t) and rotor resistance Rr are uncertain parameters. The
torque changes are typically a function of time while the
resistance is usually a constant unknown with respect to time.
Introducing an angle nprTo(t) [2], the dynamics of which
will be defined later, we can define a transformation of
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varibles by choosing woo(t) and control inputs ud, Uq so that for any
unknown TL (t) and T we obtain
[Ud] CoS(npTio) Sin(npTio) ua

uqj[-sin(npTlo) cos(npo) Ubj lim [w(t) -Wr(t)] = 0 (4)

[d cos(npro) Sin(nprTo)) lia1
liMt [Od(t) r(t)l
- = ° (5)
tq -sin(npTlo) coS(nprTo) 'ib
[id] cS(npTo7) sin(npTro) Oa t--.C)c [Oq (t)]
liM 0 (6)
oq -sin(npTlo) cos(npTlo) Ob (2)
Equations (5) and (6) indicates that the flux vector rotates at
to obtain the rotor flux components 4bd, 4bq, stator current speed npwo, which shows that field orientation is achieved. In
vectors td, iq and stator voltage vectors ud, Uq. These vectors otherwords the rotating (d,q) frame rotating at speed npr0o
represent varibles with respect to a time-varying d-q frame, tends to have the d-axis coincident with the rotating flux
rotating at a speed npwoo(t) and contributing to the angle vector as t goes to infinity
npilO(t). The equations for the dynamics of motor in the IV. REPRESENTATION OF TIME-VARYING FUNCTIONS
arbitrary rotating d-q frame, are given by (see for example
[11] for detailed d-q frame modeling)
dw f(t)A
dt
H(iqeq d _TL(t f (t

d<d
dt
-T<d + np(wo0-/)q + TM'1d ./
f,(t) (t)
diq -Tq -np(wo -W)d + TMiq
dt
did
--id + npWOJq + -Ud + TP<d + npPbq
dt
-TMp'Jd <
T
< )
T
>' T

diq
--q-npWOidU
+ Pq npPWfd 41
dt tr t +I t

-TMpiq
dr,o wo
dt (3)
Fig. 2. Local approximation of a continuous function. Each fr (t) can be
approximated by a polynomial in time.

III. CONTROL STRATEGY In order to represent a general time-varying function, we

introduce the following lemma from [4]
Lemma 1. Let I be an open interval in X, and f be a p-times
continuously differentiable function of I into X; then, for any
pair of points to, t in I

f (t) = f (to) + l! tof()(to) + ... + (t to)P f(P- 1)(t)

It (t )P (1
J P (7)
+0 (p 1)!f )<

where f(i) (.) denotes the ith derivative of the function f(.),
c [to, t].
From Lemma 1, it follows that the time-varying function
and its time derivative can be represented locally at to as
polynomials of time with constant coefficients given by

Fig. 1. Field-Oriented Control

f (t) co(to) + cl(to)(t -to) + + cp(to)(t -to)p 1

+ Qf (t, to)
(p- 1)
Let Wr(t) and /r(t) be the smooth bounded reference = ci(to)(t -to)i + 5f (t, to), t C [to, to + T)
signals for the output variables to be controlled which are the i=O
speed and the rotor flux modulus /+ = /id + . /q
(p- 1)
Adopting the field-oriented control strategy [14] as shown in (t) = ic (to)(t - to)i-t + 6f (t, to) (8)
Figure 1, the goal is to design a compensator ro (t) = zo(t) i=l

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where t C [to,to + T), c(to) (1/i!)f()(to), = Choosing the Lyapunov function [12]
0, 1, ..., (p -1), f() (to)is the ith time derivative evaluated
at t = to, and T is the window length chosen. Assuming Vo =- 2+ d+ q) (14)
that the window length is sufficiently small, 6f (t, to) is
negligible. Suppose the pth derivative of f(t) is bounded, By computing the time derivative Vo of Vo, we can choose
that is, SUpt f (P) (t) 1 < sp, then 6f (t, to) can be bounded
j
the virtual control laws iddes, qdes, control law WOdes to
by make V0 negative semidefinite, assuming TL (t) are known T,

f (t,to) < (9) 1ddes M (-/Wiq + Tor + 4r)

p!
- p!
Therefore it is possible to approximate f(t) closely by 1qdes k= (k + + Cr)
choosing either a higher-order polynomial, that is p large,
or a small interval T such that (t- to) < T or both. WOdes (TMiqdes)
+ (15)
Figure 2 illustrates the idea of dividing the estimation time np r
t into many small time intervals of size T. During each where k, is a positive design parameter. Defining the
time interval the load torque TL(t)can be approximated by estimate parameters TL (t), w; the expressions in (15) are
T,

a local polynomial of time. At the beginning of each time modified by substituting the estimates for the unknown
interval to = tr (r = 0,1,2...), coefficient ci needs to be parameters TL (t),
T,

reset. The resetting condition ensures that the estimated time-

varying parameter is continuous and the local polynomial 1ddes M (Tr +r)

in each interval is different. Let tr be the time when the

r-th window begins, and tr±+ be the time when the r+l- iqdes = 8 -kw(c - br) + J + .r)
th window begins. T is the length of the window, and
T = (tr+l- tr). Let [Co(tr+i)Cl(tr+l) ...Cp(tr+i)]T be the
WOdes + (TMiqdes) (16)
coefficient vector of the estimated parameter TL (t) during the
time interval beginning at tr±l and [CO(tr)Cl(tr)...Cp(tr)]T The adaptation law for the estimate will be designed using
be the coefficient vector during the time interval beginning the adaptive backstepping design approach and will include
at tr. As in [10], the resetting condition is given by (10), a projection algorithm to ensure that :t 0 V t > 0 that so
where B is the transition matrix of order p x p, and bij is singularity is avoided and (16) is well defined.
the element of B.
B. Adaptive Design
CO(tr+ i ) CO (tr)
Ci (tr+ ) Ci (tr) Defining the current tracking errors and speed observation
error as below
=Bx

ed = id -ddes

Cp (tr±+1 ) Cp (tr)
eq = iq -tqdes
(10) e, = w- (17)
bj=j j Tt V i,j O, 1, 2....p (I11) where is the estimate of rotor speed. The dynamics of the
rotor speed observer is chosen as given below
TL
V. CONTROLLER DESIGN Wi II Yd 'q /)q'd) (18)
A. Non-Adaptive Design where X is a parameter that will be suitably designed using
Defining the error variables the adaptive backstepping design technique. From (3), (13)
and (16) we get
CD = q-U

Od = Od - r -k(w -ew) + P(jdiq - bqid) + I/req-

r

oq = 'Oq (12)
O=-d T/d + np(O -)q + T(Middes ) + TMed
by using the motor equations in the d-q rotating reference 49q T-bqq-np(wo w>/) d + TMiqdes +nlpe r
frame, we can deduce the error equations
+TMeq (19)
,i = II(Od'q Oq'd)-
- g where T = T- and TL(t) = TL(t) -TL(t). Substituting
TL(t) = co+c1 (t -to) from (8), where co and cl are constant
O/d = -T/d + np(WO -W/)q Tr +TMid
coefficients of the first order polynomial used to estimate the
V)q = T-Tq -np(O- )(O d + Or) + TMiq (13) time-varying parameter TL(t). Defining the estimates co, cl
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and estimation errors (co = co -co, c= cl-cl), TL Inorder to ensure that T(t) :t 0 V t > 0, we modify the
in (18) and TL(t) in (19) is replaced by co + c(t -to) dynamics of (26) as
and co + c,(t- to) respectively. The adaptation law for
the estimates co, cl will be designed using the adaptive T =
Proj (-[(Middes -)r)d+M&d<)d
backstepping design procedure and the estimates are reset
at the beginning of each interval as given in (10).
Defining a new set of error variables
+M(,dQd1, T) (28)

¢d = ed + P<d
where Proj(,, T) is a smooth projection algorithm as
given in [3]. These selections of the variables results in the
¢,q = eq + p<q
derivative of the Lyapunov function to be
(20)
and choosing a Lyapunov function given by
V> - (T + TMP)[/d + /q -kd(d -kqq2
-kew,i,,e2 (29)
V (d + q + ¢d + ¢q +Ye +Y2 The rotor flux measurements which is unavailable is ob-
2

+7~3CO + -74Cl) (21) tained by open-loop online integration from zero initial con-
ditions; assuming nominal values for the motor inductances
where 7i, 72, 73, are suitably chosen positive design pa- and stator resistance, using the equations given below
rameters. The dynamics of ¢d, ¢,q by making use of (13), (20)
is given as 4'/sd = Ud- Rids+no, d(O) = 0

* 1 4bsq Uq -Rsiq' pWo,4 q(0) = 0 (30)

¢d =-Uld+OWdl
s
LrLs Lr
&q = -Uq + ql (22) <>d
M'
td - M id +
M
MOsd
M

where the design variables Odl, Oql are suitably chosen oq Mi- LrLs.
Mtq q M Osq
M iq + Lr (1
(31)

using the adaptive backstepping design procedure as

where Osd, Osq
are the stator flux vectors. From (29)
Odl - Rs.id + npWO iq + TP)r -TMPJddes + npPWO4/q it follows that V < 0. Consequently from (21) and (29)
we conclude that all the signals (eC, bd, (d, (q, T, Co, c1) bq,
<)r <)Jr + 4gr in the closed loop system remain bounded, it follows
m m+ T2M
_2T
M TM
that (eu, bd, bq, (d, (q) C L, from Lyapunov theory.
Rs. Besides, due to the boundedness of all state variables
Oql =- q - npWoidlppWYrr-MPT-qdes-lppWOYd
and control inputs from (25) we can further guarantee
p02
rwC (Co-k -or) + f+ f(t - to) + Car]
-kw (eS,Cd,Cq,¢,d,¢,q) C L.O. Hence (ev,bd,bq,(d,(q) are
bounded and therefore (e,,, (d, (q) are uniformly
d q

d CO Cl
WJr) ff+ jf to) continuous. We can also easily obtain f0° IV dt V(oc)-
[r dtk (w
+ A A
t
-
V(0) < oc which in turn implies that (eC, 4bd, (d, (q) C 4bq,

+ Cf +Wr] L2. Therefore by Barbalat's lemma ([16],[17]) we can con-

clude that
The design variable x is chosen as
liM 0

X( =-kewewe-npO.fq (24) t . C)c

where kew is a positive design parameter. The control inputs liM [;F- (t) .o (t) .j (t)]
. . 0 (32)
t--.C)c
Ud, Uq selected are given by
From (32) and (12) we can conclude that e, Wr= ; and
Ud = S(-kd(d -dl- TM<d) this can be used in (24) and (27) for implementing the con-
uq = s(-kq(q-W -TMyq) q (25) troller. From (19) we can deduce that C tends asymptotically
where kd and kq are positive design parameters suitably to zero. This shows that asymptotic speed and flux tracking
chosen. The adaptation laws are given by is achieved.
VI. SIMULATION
T [(Mtddes - br)d + M(d/d + M((qbq] (26)
Simulations are carried out in Matlab/Simulink to demon-
strate the effectiveness of the above adaptive backstepping
design. The parameters of the motor are RS=5.3 Q, Rr=3.3
Q, np=2, L,=.365 H, Lr=.375 H, M=.34 mH, J=.0075 kgm2
In the simulation, the desired speed of the motor WJr iS
cl =: 1 (tto)1 (27) required to reach the rated speed of 100 rad/sec at t=0.5
TY4 J
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 363

sec at a constant rate of change starting from 0 rad/sec at

Load torque
t=0.3 sec, and maintained constant as shown in Figure 3.
The desired rotor flux modulus <r is increased from 0.01
Wb at t=0 sec to the rated value [15] of 1.16 Wb at t=0.5
sec at a constant rate and held constant as in Figure 4. The E,
time-varying load torque applied to the motor is increased
from 0 Nm at t=0.5 sec to 5.8 Nm at t=0.75 sec at a constant F--
0

rate and held constant as shown in Figure 5.

Simulation results are shown in Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
and 12. The controller design parameters chosen are ke, =
28000, kw = 1.5, kd = 2000, kq 4000, -7, = 99200.5,
-72 = .00008, -)3 = 10505.2, y4= 100, T = 0.lmsec.
Figure 6 shows that the speed of the motor tightly tracks Fig. 5. Load torque profile
the reference even though load torque changes as a function
of time. The speed observation error is as shown in Figure
7. The Flux modulus tracks the desired reference as shown 120
Actual speed
in Figure 8. The estimate of = Rr/Lr converges to its
T

true value at t=0.3 sec as in Figure 9, which indicates that 100 _

the estimate of the unknown rotor resistance (Rr) is 3.3Q. 80

a)
The estimate of load torque is as shown in Figure 10. The 60
load torque estimate coverges to its true value. The d-axis -a)a1)
and q-axis flux calculations are shown in Figures 11 and 12 Q1
CD 40

respectively.
20

Speed reference 0 0.5 1 1.5 2

120
Time (sec)
100 _
Fig. 6. Actual motor speed
a1)

-a)

-a)Q1
(1

0 0.5 1 1.5 2
C)- -1

Time (sec)
Et -2

Fig. 3. Desired reference speed Z5

L1 -3

Flux modulus reference

1.2 _

Fig. 7. Motor speed observation error

-M 0.8

D 0.6
06--

0.4
Flux modulus

0.2

Fig. 4. Desired flux reference

LL

VII. CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE WORKS

A. Conclusions
In this paper, we have presented a new adaptive back-
stepping controller that achieves global asymptotic rotor Fig. 8. Actual flux modulus
speed tracking for the full-order nonlinear model of an
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 364

Estimate of tau d - axis Flux

a1) -o

5:

Time (sec)

Fig. 9. Estimate of tau

Fig. 11. d-axis flux
Load torque estimate
q - axis Flux

E,
23 -

CD
CZ 2
0
F-- -o

Time (sec)

Fig. 10. Estimate of load torque

Fig. 12. q-axis flux

induction motor despite the uncertainty in rotor resistance

and time-varying load torque conditions based only on the
measurements of stator currents.
B. Future Works
Future research will be directed towards designing a
new adaptive backstepping controller for a speed-sensorless
induction motor with flux observers under time-varying load
torque and rotor resistance uncertainty.
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