Brushless DC motor speed control based on predictive functional control

Deying Gu, Jingquan Zhang, Jingxiao Gu

School of Control Engineering, Northeastern University at Qinhuangdao, Qinhuangdao 066004, China
E-mail: gdy0335@163.com
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65201, U.S.A
E-mail: jgy46@mail.missouri.edu
Abstract: Because the DC motor is characterized by multi-variables, nonlinearity, strong coupling and time-varying as
well as tradition control method strongly depends on the mathematical model of motor, predictive functional control
strategy is proposed to control speed of brushless direct-current motor in the paper. The current-loop adopts PI controller
while speed-loop uses predictive functional controller. Simulation result is shown that predictive functional control is
characterized by small on-line calculations, simple control and stronger anti- interference, along with the robustness, and
good static and dynamic performance, thus the control performance of system is enhanced in general.
Key Words: Brushless DC motor, Predictive Functional Control, Speed Control, DSP

primary function that needs optimal calculation every time

it is applied; un (i ) represents the primary function value at

INTRODUCTION

Brushless DC motor (BLDCM) DC motor not only has

good speed performance, but also has the advantages of AC
servo motor such as simple structure, reliable operation and
so on, so the servo system in many high performances has
been applied widely [1].
Brushless DC motor servo system is a multivariable,
nonlinear, strong coupling and time-varying system.
Traditional PID control cannot satisfy the requirement of
high precision for controlling motor. Thus, advanced
control strategies, such as fuzzy control, neural network,
variable structure control and self-adaptation [2-7], have
been widely applied in Brushless DC motor servo system.
Input structure control is the key problem of predictive
functional control, which solves the irregular input control
problem in predictive control of other models. Besides
input structure control has good tracking ability and strong
robustness. At present, the predictive functional control, a
control strategy that is able to provide better velocity servo
control for brushless DC motor, has been applied in motor
servo system and control of induction motor.

PREDICTIVE FUNCTIONAL CONTROL

ALGORITHM

In the predictive functional control (PFC), the input

structure control is the key factor that influences system
performance. The new control function added can be
expressed as a linear combination of several known primary
functions {un}:
D

u (k + i) = n ( k )un (i) i = 0,..., H 1

(1)

n =1

Where,

u (k + i ) is controlled variable at time k + i ,

n (k ) is

time

be obtained under its effect, while primary function is a step

function u1 .The reference trajectory is taken as a first-order
exponential function form, it can be expressed by:
N0

y r ( k + i ) = c0 ( k ) + c0 j ( k ) i j i [ c0 ( k ) y ( k )] (2)
j =1

Where

yr ( k + i ) expresses the value of reference

trajectory at time k + i ;

c0 (k ) is the value of tracking set

at time k; y (k ) represents actual system output value at

time k; is attenuation coefficient, generally expressed
by = e3Ts /Tr ; Tr represents expected closed loop response
time of the reference trajectory; The prediction model using
the discrete state space model is given by:
X m ( k ) = A X m ( k 1) + B u ( k 1)

y m ( k ) = CX m ( k )

Where X m M

n1

(3)

is the state vector of prediction model;

ym M 11 is s the output of prediction model; u M

controlled input of system; A M

n n

, BM

n1

11

is the

and C M

1n

represent the coefficient matrices of prediction model state

equations, respectively. After calculation, it can be
expressed by

a linear combination weighted coefficient of

This work is supported by National Nature Science Foundation under

Grant 61104005.

c
978-1-4799-7016-2/15/$31.00 2015
IEEE

i = iTs , Ts is the sampling period; D represents the

number of primary functions; H is the time domain while

predicting optimal calculation being applied. For the
selected primary function, through off-line calculation in
advance, response function g n (i ) of controlled plant will

3456

ym (k + i) = CAi X m (k ) + (k ) g (i)

(4)

Because brushless DC motor servo is a nonlinear, strongly

coupling and time-varying control system, there is some
degree of error between prediction model output ym(k) and
actual output y(k ). Self-compensator uses the difference
between the predicted model output and actual output value
of the past several times to fit into a polynomial of order N
after filtered then it is written as follows:
y (k + i ) = ym (k + i) + e(k + i )

and performance at high running speed. The structure

diagram of Brushless DC motor with speed loop is shown
in Figure 2. The transfer function of entire current loop
(including transfer function of motor speed loop) is taken as
the controlled object Gi (s) .

ys

= CA X m (k ) + n (k )g n (i ) + y ( k ) ym ( k ) + ei (k ) j
i

n =1

Gr (s)

yr

Gc (s)

u = Ir

PI

U d ( s)

1/R
Ts+
1 1

R
Ts
m

E ( s)

1
Ce

( s )

(5)

i =1

Where e(k) is the error at time k; y(k) is the actual output at

time k; ym ( k ) is the predictive output at time k; ei ( k )

G p (s )

is the polynomial coefficient. In the prediction function,

G f ( s)

the objective of optimization is to calculate formula (1) and

get the coefficients 1 , 2 ,..., B of the primary function,

Fig. 2 The speed loop structure of Brushless DC Motor

so that the predictive output y(k+i) of controlled object in

optimal time domain closes to reference trajectory value as
much as possible. In the online optimal algorithm of PFC,
quadratic form performance index [25-27] is mostly used. It
is expressed by:

The transfer function of controlled object in speed loop is

expressed by:
Kp2Rs2 +2KpKRs
+Ki2R
1
i
8
Gi (s) =
2
2
Ce TmKps4 +(KmTm + Kpra + Kp2)s3 +(2KpKi + Kr
i a )s + Ki s

min P ( k ) =

n'

[ ( k ) g ( h ) Q ( k + h )]
i

(6)

i =1

Where
(k ) = [ 1 (k ), 2 (k ),..., D (k )] g (hi ) = [ g1 (hi ), g 2 (hi ),..., g D (hi )] ;
N0

Q ( k + hi ) = (1 hi )( c0 ( k ) y ( k )) + c0 j ( k ) hi j C ( A hi I ) X m ( k )

j =1

As a result, the controlled output of predictive functional

control at time k is expressed by:
N0

u (k ) = k0 (c0 (k ) y (k )) + k j c0 j (k ) + km X m (k )

(7)

Where ra = 2 R is the winding resistance, Tm mechanical

time constant, Cg is the back EMF coefficient, and Kp, Ki
are proportional constant and integral constant of PI
controller, respectively. For asymptotically stable objects
with higher order, through fitting and simplifying, second
order model can be obtained as follows.
K
23.15
(9)
Gi ( s) = 2
=
as + bs + c 1.32 104 s 2 + 0.028s + 1
Where parameters (K,T,) represents steady-state gain, time
constant and lag time of system.

j =1

BRUSHLESS
DC
CONTROL SYSTEM

MOTOR

SPEED

Brushless DC motor speed control system uses speed

and current double closed-loop control. The speed loop
adopted in predictive functional control while current loop
uses PI regulator in order to limit the maximal current of
system and guarantee the stable running of the system. The
transfer function of PI controller for the current loop
is Gci = K p + Ki / s , where I r is the current reference value
and is the motor mechanical angular velocity. The
structure diagram of current loop is shown in figure 1.

Ir

U d ( s)
PI

I ( s)

E (s )

(s)

Fig. 1 The current loop structure of Brushless DC Motor

The speed loop can enhance the ability of anti-load

disturbance and restrain the fluctuation of speed and at the
same time guarantee the system to achieve better static and
dynamic tracking performance; Speed loop controller
design has tight connection with the servo system stability

SIMULATION OF SYSTEM

Parameters of Brushless DC motor contain: rated voltage is

24VDC; rated current is 6A; output power is 80W; The
rated speed and rated torque are 2000r/min and 0.4N m,
respectively; pole pairs is 2; armature resistance is 1.5;
the armature winding inductance is 0.004mH, mutual
inductance is 7.05mH, mechanical time constant is 0.028s;
the electromagnetic time constant is 0.0047s;the back EMF
coefficient is 0.0432Vs/rad and moment of inertias
1.766e-5Kgm2.
Brushless DC motor speed model (the equation No.8) is
transformed using Z transform and then discretized to get
difference equation, while the sampling period is 0.01s.

y ( k ) = 1.8236 y ( k 1) 0.9435 y ( k 2)
+ 0.018u (k 1) + 0.0444u (k 2)

10

Set the sampling period of velocity loop Ts=0.001s and

determine factors: A=1, B=1, C=2.379. Set response time
of closed-loop of reference trajectory Tr=0.005s so that the
attenuation coefficient of reference path is calculated and
3T / T
get the results: = e s r = 0.55 , (0,1) . Given a step
function with the amplitude (1=1500rad/s ) as primary
function, fitting point h=0.075 and coefficients A=1, B=1
and C=2.379, process response of primary functions

2015 27th Chinese Control and Decision Conference (CCDC)

3457

1600
PFC
PI

1400

1200

n r/m in)

1000

800

600

400

200

0.005

0.01

0.015

0.02

0.025
t/s

0.03

0.035

0.04

0.045

0.05

(a)
1100
1000
900
800

1200
PFC
PI

1000

800

n(r/min)

g(0.0075) and B=(g(0.0075)g(0.0075)T)-1g(0.0075) are

obtained. Based on the parameters above, coefficients in
formula No.7 are expressed by k0=0.115, kj=0.0001 and
km=0.4388.
Furthermore, Setting the initial value of state vector Xm(k)
of prediction mode is zero. According to equation No.7, the
given signal current PI control loop U (k) is achieved.
Based on design experience, the parameters of PI controller
of current loop are set as Kp=0.528, Ki=0.0014.
When it starts, given speed is 1000rad/s with 3 N m load
torque. At time 0.02s, change the given speed to 1500r/min,
while at time 0.035s, reduce the given speed to 1000r/min.
The simulation is shown in Figure 3(a).
When it starts, given speed is 1000rad/s with 3 N m load
torque. At time 0.03s, the load torque increases to
5 N m .The simulation is shown in Figure 3(b).
When it starts, given speed is 1000rad/s with 3 N m load
torque. At time 0.03s, the load torque increases suddenly.
The comparison simulation chart of prediction function and
PI is shown in fig 3 (c).
When it starts, given speed is 1000rad/s with 4 N m load
torque. Then add random disturbance into it. The
comparison simulation chart of prediction function and PI
control is shown in Figure 3 (d).

600

400

200

0.005

0.01

0.015

0.02

0.025
t/s

0.03

0.035

0.04

0.045

0.05

(d)
Fig.3 Output waveform of BLDCM by using PFC in different simulation.

From the simulation results, it can be concluded that based

on predictive functional control to achieve speed loop
control, at different given speed, the system can show nice
tracking performance. Thus, there are several advantages
such as small overshoot, low torque ripple and small
starting current. Besides, zero-error in steady state and
ability to restrain interference signal are also excellent
properties.

CONCLUSION

Predictive functional control has strong anti-interference

ability and robustness, which the steady-state accuracy and
dynamic performance superior to the conventional PID
control. The predictive functional control method can
provide unbiased tracking to speed Co set by the step
function. It can eliminate interference effectively, which
has strong robustness, and then control performance is
improved. Brushless DC motor speed servo system based
on the predictive functional control has a good dynamic and
static performance. It can also solve problems of brushless
DC motor speed servo system such as time-varying
parameters, anti-interference, rapid tracking and high
control accuracy requirements. Therefore, predictive
functional control is able to improve the overall control of
the brushless DC motor speed servo system and will be
applied extensively.

n ( r/ m in )

700

REFERENCES

600
500
400
300
200
100
0

0.005

0.01

0.015

0.02

0.025
t/s

0.03

0.035

0.04

0.045

0.05

(b)
1100
1000
900
PFC
PI

800

n r/ m i n )

700
600
500
400
300
200
100
0

0.005

0.01

0.015

0.02
t/s

(c)

3458

0.025

0.03

0.035

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2015 27th Chinese Control and Decision Conference (CCDC)