An enhanced sensorless control based on active disturbance rejection controller for a PMSM system: design and hardware implementation

Purpose This paper mainly aims to deal with the problems of uncertainties including modelling errors, unknown dynamics and disturbances caused by load mutation in control of permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). Design/methodology/approach This paper proposes an enhanced speed sensorless vector control method based on an active disturbance rejection controller (ADRC) for a PMSM. First, a state space model of the PMSM is obtained for the field orientation control strategy. Second, a sliding mode observer (SMO) based on back electromotive force (EMF) is introduced to replace the encode to estimate the rotor flux position angle and speed. Third, an infinite impulse response (IIR) filter is introduced to eliminate high frequency noise mixed in the output of the sliding mode observer. In addition, a speed control method based on an extended state observer (ESO) is proposed to estimate and compensate for the total disturbances. Finally, an experimental set-up is built to verify the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed ADRC-based control method. Findings The comparative experimental results show that the proposed speed sensorless control method with the IIR filter can achieve excellent robustness and speed tracking performance for PMSM system. Research limitations/implications An enhanced sensorless control method based on active disturbance rejection controller is designed to realize high precision control of the PMSM; the IIR filter is used to attenuate the chattering problem of traditional SMO; this method simplifies the system and saves the total cost due to the speed sensorless technology. Practical implications The use of sensorless can reduce costs and be more beneficial to actual industrial application. Originality/value The proposed enhanced speed sensorless vector control method based on an ADRC with the IIR filter enriches the control method of PMSM. It can ameliorate system robustness and achieve excellent speed tracking performance.