Model-Based Hardware-in-the-Loop Closed-Loop Control of Brushless Direct Current Motor in Electric Vehicle Applications

Abstract

AbstractElectric vehicles (EVs) widely use brushless direct current (BLDC) motor with trapezoidal commutation due to its high-power efficiency, ability to operate at high speeds, acceleration, and less maintenance. However, load torque ripples due to trapezoidal commutation and load torque variations due to terrain conditions affect the BLDC motor speed and performance significantly. Furthermore, load torque fluctuations reduce the lifetime of driver components and the battery significantly. Therefore, efficient driver design for BLDC motors that can handle load torque variations and maintains a set-speed for BLDC motors are emerging as an urgent need in the EVs. This investigation presents a hardware-in-the-loop (HIL)-based closed-loop control of BLDC motor for electric vehicle applications. The hardware to be tested which is the proportional integral controller that adjusts the pulse-width modulation applied to the BLDC motor. The motor parameters are obtained from experiments, and their values are used in the simulations. Then the electronic control unit is developed with Arduino and is tested with the MATLAB/Simulink model. Our results demonstrate the ability of HIL to provide a controller design that matches the electric vehicle requirements.KeywordsBLDCHILArduino