Rotor Control Research Articles

Optical flow-based closed-loop control of a multi-degree-of-freedom clamping-type ultrasonic motor.

Rotor speed and position detection are integral parts of the closed-loop control system for multi-degree-of-freedom (multi-DOF) ultrasonic motors. The non-contact speed detection method is important for the high-precision control of the spherical rotor. This paper proposes a closed-loop control method based on an optical flow sensor for the velocity-position control of a multi-DOF clamping-type ultrasonic motor. The optical flow information is analyzed using the conical L-K optical flow algorithm to obtain the rotor speed and position. An incremental PID control method is used to perform dual closed-loop positioning control of the motor regarding speed and position. An experimental platform for the optical flow sensor is designed, and the method's feasibility is verified experimentally.

Direct active and reactive powers control of double-powered asynchronous generators in multi-rotor wind power systems using modified synergetic control

In the future, renewable energy sources will be of great importance in overcoming the problems of power generation using traditional sources, as their use contributes to protecting the environment from pollution and helps to raise human development. Therefore, it is necessary to search for a generation system that has high characteristics to raise the quality of energy and reduce the total cost of producing, transmitting, and consuming energy. This work proposes a new nonlinear direct reactive and active power control (DRAPC) for grid-connected double-powered asynchronous generators (DPAGs) in multi-rotor wind power (MRWP) systems. The designed DRAPC employs a modified synergetic control theory (MSCT) to regulate the DFPG-MRWP stator power. With out involving any synchronous coordinate transformations, the DRAPC-MSCT reduces the steady-state error (SSE), ripples and response time of stator powers while directly determining the required rotor control voltage. This technique fundamentally improves the transient performance compared to the DRAPC-SCT. Constant switching frequency is achieved as well by using pulse width modulation, which eases the designs of the power converters and AC harmonic filters.Through the use of three test cases (tracking test, robustness test, and variable-speed test using the Maximum Power Point Tracking), the potential of the DRAPC-MSCT to reduce system instability and uncertainty is evaluated. This comprises the ability of the controller to track DPAG powers references and improve performance during variations in system parameters and wind speed.Simulated results on a 1.5 MW grid-connected DPAG-MRWP are presented and compared with those of the DRAPC-SCT. The DRAPC-MSCT improves the reactive and active power ripples by 73.33% and 84.50%, respectively. Besides, improves the SSE of the reactive and active power by 51.61% and 69%, respectively compared to the DRAPC-SCT. The simulation results demonstrate the high performance and robustness of the DRAPC-MSCT for parametric variations of DPG-MRWP compared to the DRAPC-SCT.

Development of a High-Performance Low-Weight Hydraulic Damper for Active Vibration Control of the Main Rotor on Helicopters—Part 2: Preliminary Experimental Validation

Vibrations generated by the main rotor-gearbox assembly in a helicopter are the principal cause of damage to cockpit instruments and crew discomfort in terms of cabin noise. The principal path of vibration transmission to the fuselage is through the gearbox’s rigid support struts. This article is Part 2 of a two-part paper presenting an innovative solution involving the replacement of rigid struts with low-weight, high-performance active dampers for vibration control developed by Elettronica Aster S.p.A. Part 1 provided a comprehensive overview of the system layout obtained through a model-based design process and presented a thorough description of the adopted nonlinear mathematical model. Part 2 focuses on the physical realization of the damper and its dedicated experimental test bench. The mathematical model parameter fitting procedure is presented in detail, as it has been used to help in the definition and optimization of the control schemes and the verification of the expected performance. The experimental results obtained in Part 2 not only demonstrate the compliance of the active damper prototype with the acceptance tests outlined in the ATP but also provide compelling evidence reinforcing the promise of the presented solution for effective vibration reduction.

Analysis of a Segmented Axial Active Magnetic Bearing for Multi-MW Compressor Applications

In high-speed compressor and turbine applications, active magnetic bearings are employed to increase reliability, reduce maintenance, and provide contact-free and oil-free operation. Evidently, the dynamic performance of active magnetic bearings must correspond to application-specific events like compressor surge or thrust disturbances. This article presents a segmented stator as one of the solutions to increase the bandwidth of axial active magnetic bearings (AMBs) and further improve the stability of the shaft system. We analyze the effects and discuss the tradeoffs of axial active magnetic bearing stator segmentation and slitting to alleviate bandwidth limitations. Finite element method design optimization and control plant modeling methods, open- and closed-loop tests, and identification of the overall thrust AMB–rotor control plant are studied.

Sensorless control of a PMSM based on an RBF neural network-optimized ADRC and SGHCKF-STF algorithm

For the problem of the rotor position estimation and control accuracy of permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM), this paper proposes a PMSM sensorless based on radial basis function (RBF) neural network optimized Automatic disturbance rejection control (RBF-ADRC) and strong tracking filter (STF) improved square root generalized fifth-order cubature Kalman filter (SGHCKF-STF). The Automatic disturbance rejection control (ADRC) has strong robustness, but there are many parameters and difficult to adjust. Now we use RBF neural network to adjust the parameters in ADRC online so as to improve the robustness and anti-disturbance ability. In order to improve the estimation accuracy of rotor position and speed, the orthogonal triangle (QR) decomposition and STF are introduced on the basis of the generalized fifth-order cubature Kalman filter (GHCKF) to design the SGHCKF-STF algorithm that not only ensure the non-positive nature of the covariance matrix but also improve the ability to cope with sudden changes in state during the filtering process. Experimental results show that the combination of RBF-ADRC and SGHCKF-STF improve the sensorless control effect of the PMSM to some extent.

A Study on Influence of Flapping Dynamic Characteristics on Vibration Control of Active Rotor with Trailing-Edge Flaps

An active rotor with trailing-edge flaps (TEFs) is an effective active vibration control method for helicopters. Blade flapping dynamic characteristics have a significant effect on the active vibration control performance of an active rotor. In this study, an aeroelastic model is developed using the Hamilton principle, and a quasi-steady Theodorsen model for the airfoil with a TEF is utilized to calculate the aerodynamic loads induced by the dynamic deflection of TEFs. The accuracy of this model is validated through a comparison with the CAMRAD calculation and flight test results of a SA349/2 helicopter. Based on the modal orthogonality and the equilibrium equation of the blade flapping motion, the method of changing the blade flapping dynamic characteristics is obtained. Blade sectional characteristics are adjusted to study the effect of blade flapping dynamics on the vibration control authority of an active rotor. The simulation results demonstrate that if the modal frequency of second-order flap is tuned to close to the rotor passage frequency, the flapping dynamic characteristics are capable of enhancing the vibration control performance of the active rotor.

Experimental investigation of vibration control of flexible rotors using shape memory alloys

Vibration is an essential subject for the design of rotordynamic systems, being responsible for compromising the integrity and causing risks to operational functioning. This work deals with an experimental investigation of the semi-active vibration controller for a rotordynamic system using shape memory alloy (SMA) elements. SMAs are smart materials that present thermomechanical coupling represented by solid phase transformations that promote either stiffness change or hysteretic dissipation. In this regard, they are useful in controllers employing thermal actuation from electric current through the Joule effect. This paper presents a proof of concept of a controller using SMA elements. An experimental apparatus is proposed considering a typical rotor system using SMA wires at the bearings. In this regard, proper temperature variations allow the system to cross critical resonant conditions.

Parameter Analysis of Active Flap Control for Rotor Aerodynamic Control and Design

Active rotor control of helicopters is the future development direction, and active flap control (AFC) is one of the most promising technologies. However, the numerical simulation of an AFC rotor is challenging. It is necessary to consider the fidelity of the local flow details while dealing with complex shapes and motions. Therefore, few simulations of the flow field and analyses of the influencing parameters have been conducted. In particular, there is a lack of aerodynamic design criteria and recommendations for the AFC rotor. Thus, a new overset assembly algorithm, an arbitrary multilevel moving grid transformation algorithm, and a solver for the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations (URANS) are proposed to establish a suitable numerical method for AFC rotor simulation. The aerodynamic characteristics of the rotor and key influencing factors are systematically analyzed under different flow conditions and design and control parameters, and suggestions for the design of the AFC rotor are provided. The results show that the AFC significantly changes the load distribution of the rotor. The thrust loss of the rotor is approximately 1%, but the offset angle compensates for the loss. The control parameters show relatively consistent trends under different working conditions. The phase is the key control parameter, and the effect on the load is more pronounced when the control frequency is an integral multiple of the rotor’s natural load frequency. Increasing the chord length, span length, and deflection amplitude can also enhance the active control performance.

Active control of flexible rotors using deep reinforcement learning with application of multi-actor-critic deep deterministic policy gradient

Vibration in rotating machinery is one of the main causes of machine failure. Active and passive control methods have been developed in order to reduce vibration levels and extend the operating speeds of machines. These controllers are either manually tuned or tuned during operation using adaptive control techniques and are tailored to a single vibration source. In the field of artificial intelligence, deep reinforcement learning has greatly impacted the field of continuous control, from mastering simple games to controlling multiple actuators in a robot doing complex tasks. Deep reinforcement learning agents are capable of finding optimal control policies without a model of the underlying system. This work proposes the multi-actor-critic deep deterministic policy gradient (MAC-DDPG) algorithm by integrating multiple criteria to train concurrent actors in a periodic system. Using the frequency footprint of each type of vibration, a cost function is designed to train the critics and actors. The proposed controller is evaluated on a test rig supported by two patented Smart Electro-Magnetic Actuator Journal Integrated Bearings (SEMAJIB). The proposed controller is capable of finding optimal control policies for reducing the synchronous vibration caused by the rotor’s unbalance and stabilizing a system with oil whip vibration. A derivative controller actor and a harmonic actor are used concurrently for controlling the vibrations. The proposed controller is able to reach unbalance vibration reduction up to 93%. In addition, the proposed controller is successful in completely eliminating oil whip instability with up to 99% reduction.

Modelling, control and simulation of a single rotor UAV with swashplateless torque modulation

Single rotor-base unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) represent the most minimalistic design to implement an aerial vehicle. We describe here a mono-rotor UAV, also named mono-spinner, that uses torque modulation (also called swashplateless mechanism) to provide roll and pitch control without the need of a complicated swashplate mechanism. A full non-linear model of the mono-spinner based on the Euler-Poincaré theoretical framework is given including a description of the structure of the drone and its rotor control system. Mechanical properties, kinetic energy and all of the external forces of interest to derive the equations of motion are described. A novel, Lyapunov-stable, quaternion-based nonlinear control law based on the decomposition of the orientation quaternion into a spin component and a reduced orientation component is provided. Finally, simulation results based on parameters measured from a real implementation of a mono-spinner are produced.

Influence of displacement sensor runout on active magnetic bearing-rotor system and control analysis

In the active magnetic bearing (AMB)-rotor system, a displacement sensor is one of the indispensable components. It detects the displacement of the rotor in real time and feeds back to the control system to realize the stable suspension of the rotor. However, due to electromagnetic interference, unstable power supply, poor grounding, and uneven rotor surface, the signal runout of the displacement sensor can often occur, resulting in rotor vibration. Given the above problems, this paper establishes the control model of the AMB-rotor system, lists three typical sensor runout signals, then analyzes the influence of different types of sensor runout on the system, and discusses the control methods under different sensor runout conditions. The research results have a specific guiding significance for vibration control of the maglev rotor under sensor runout influence.

Design advantages and analysis of a novel five-phase doubly-fed induction generator

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of the performance of a new five-phase doubly fed induction generator (DFIG).Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents the results of a research work related to five-phase DFIG framing, including the development of an analytical model, FEM analysis as well as the results of laboratory tests of the prototype. The proposed behavioral level analytical model is based on the winding function approach. The developed DFIG model was used at the design stage to simulate the generator’s no-load and load state. Then, the results of the FEM analysis were shown and compared with the results of laboratory tests of selected DFIG operating states.FindingsThe paper provides the results of analytical and FEM simulation and measurement tests of the new five-phase dual-feed induction generator. The use of the MATLAB Simscape modeling language allows for easy and quick implementation of the model. Design assumptions and analytical model-based analysis have been verified using FEM analysis and measurements performed on the prototype. The results of the presented research validate the design process as well as show the five-phase winding design advantage over the three-phase solution regarding the control winding power quality.Research limitations/implicationsThe main disadvantage of the winding function approach-based model development is the simplification regarding omitting the tangential airgap flux density component. However, this fault only applies to large airgap machines and is insignificant in induction machines. The results of the DFIG analyses were limited to the basic operating states of the generator, i.e. the no-load state, the inductive and resistive load.Practical implicationsThe novel DFIG with five phase rotor control winding can operate as a regular three-phase machine in an electric power generation system and allows for improved control winding power quality of the proposed electrical energy generation system. This increase in power quality is due to the rotor control windings inverter-based PWM supply voltage, which operates with a wider per-phase supply voltage range than a three-phase system. This phenomenon was quantified using control winding current harmonic analysis.Originality/valueThe paper provides the results of analytical and FEM simulation and measurement tests of the new five-phase dual-feed induction generator.

Development of a High-Performance Low-Weight Hydraulic Damper for Active Vibration Control of the Main Rotor on Helicopters—Part 1: Design and Mathematical Model

The helicopter vibrations generated by the main rotor/gearbox assembly are the principal cause of damage to cockpit instruments and discomfort of the crew in terms of cabin noise. The principal path of vibration transmission to the fuselage is through the gearbox rigid support struts. With the aim of reducing these vibrations, this paper presents the design of a low-weight high-performance active damper for vibration control developed by Elettronica Aster S.p.A. The system is intended to replace the conventional struts and is composed of an electro-hydraulic actuator hosted within a compliant structure. This parallel nested structure allows the system to reach a high-power density. A physics-based mathematical model was used as a design digital twin to optimize the performance to meet the strict requirements. The active damper was designed for a reference application of a 15-seat medium-sized twin-engine helicopter. The model was used to perform the tests specified in the acceptance and testing procedure document, showing the compliance with the requirements of the current design. The damper physical realization, test bench design, experimental campaign, and model validation will be presented in Part 2.

Kriging-Based Surrogate Controller for Robust Control of a Flexible Rotor Supported by Active Magnetic Bearings

Abstract Vibration control in supercritical rotors is a challenging task due to the underlying complex dynamics that high-speed machinery undergoes. When taking into account both structural (e.g., structural integrity and material properties) and operational (e.g., rotational speed variation and environmental effects) uncertainties that can plague such systems, the task of designing and implementing a robust and reliable control system becomes increasingly daunting. In this contribution, a Kriging modeling approach is used to derive a representative surrogate-based controller applied to a flexible rotor supported by active magnetic bearings. The surrogate controller is formulated by considering the relationship between the shaft position and actuator current. This means that after proper training, the surrogate control takes the rotor position (proximity sensor readings) as input, and the output corresponds to the current levels for the actuators to control the system vibration amplitudes. Experimental tests considering a test rig composed of a flexible rotor supported by two active magnetic bearings were used to validate the proposed approach for different operational scenarios, namely, steady-state, run-up, and transient-state. In this case, the surrogate model was trained considering the shaft positions and the corresponding control currents measured with the rotor operating close to its first bending critical speed. The obtained results illustrate how the Kriging-based surrogate controller can reliably maintain acceptable vibration levels, even when exposed to unexpected constant rotation speeds and other operating conditions not manifested in previous sample sets.

Resilient virtual synchronous generator approach using DC-link capacitor energy for frequency support of interconnected renewable power systems

Modern interconnected power systems with many renewable energy sources (RESs) are more susceptible to disturbances than conventional power systems because they lack the inertia constant. Therefore, this study presents an advanced frequency control strategy for interconnected power systems considering high RESs penetration relying on the virtual inertia control (VIC) strategy-based high voltage direct current (HVDC) link, thus improving the dynamic frequency performance of future power systems. The HVDC link has been used as a DC capacitor which stores the electrostatic energy. This stored energy can supply the earliest active power support in automatic generation control system operation. Moreover, this paper develops the conventional VIC strategy based on the HVDC link by considering the dynamic behavior of a virtual rotor that mimics the inertia and damping properties of actual synchronous machines, thus stabilizing future renewable power systems. Also, this paper proposes a novel frequency control scheme based on the inertia emulation-based HVDC link and a virtual synchronous generator, which mimics the virtual rotor and virtual frequency control loops, to improve further the frequency regulation of low-inertia modern interconnected power systems. The parameters of the virtual synchronous generator scheme are optimally adjusted utilizing particle swarm optimization. The utility and superiority of the proposed VIC strategies based on the HVDC link are confirmed by contrasting them with the conventional VIC strategy relying on the HVDC link in the studied interconnected power system against various load/renewables interruptions, uncertainties, and physical restrictions. MATLAB/Simulink® software was used to simulate the results of the investigated system.

Control Study for Compensating Rotor Vibration of Four-DOF Six-Pole Hybrid Magnetic Bearings Based on Variable Step Size LMS Algorithm

In order to solve the problem that the unbalance vibration caused by rotor mass eccentricity of the four-degree-of-freedom (four-DOF) six-pole hybrid magnetic bearings (HMBs), a feed-forward compensation control strategy based on variable step size least-mean-square (LMS) adaptive filter is proposed. First, the structure, operation principle and mathematical model of the four-DOF six-pole HMBs are introduced, the motion law of rotor vibration is analyzed, and the dynamic equation is derived. Second, the variable step size LMS adaptive filter is improved by using the Versoria function. The step size of LMS algorithm is adjusted adaptively by using Versoria function model and Takagi–Sugeno (TS) fuzzy inference machine. The LMS adaptive filter can generate a signal with the same frequency, amplitude, and phase as the rotating speed to offset the vibration signal, so as to realize the vibration compensation control of the four-DOF six-pole HMB rotor. Finally, the simulations and experiments not only prove the effectiveness of this method but also show that the method has good compensation accuracy. The result shows that the Versoria function used in variable step size LMS adaptive filter for vibration compensation is better than the traditional variable step size filtering algorithm based on Sigmoid function.

Tilting Control of Rotor Suspended by Complex Magnetic Bearings with Coupling Torques

For a novel Vernier-gimballing magnetically suspended flywheel (Vernier-gimballing MSFW) with conical magnetic bearing (MB) and Lorentz MB, the rotor’s dynamic model is constructed based on the characteristics of both coupling torque generated by conical MB and nonlinear titling torques generated by Lorentz MB. To make the high-speeding rotor tilt precisely and fast to output large moment, the Vernier-gimballing control method based on the extended state observer (ESO) combined with feedback linearization is presented originally considering torques’ complex nonlinearities, and the sliding mode control (SMC) with ESO is designed to improve the robustness of the closed-loop system. Simulations and experimental tests to verify the rightness and validity of SMC with ESO have been done and all research results indicate that the rotor can track the tilting signal faster and more accurately than classic SMC to output high precision moment.

A New Algorithm on Automatic Trimming for Helicopter Rotor Aerodynamic Loads

In order to simulate the flight state of the helicopter effectively, it is necessary to trim the helicopter during the forward flight in a wind tunnel test. Previously, due to the lack of an internal-control closed loop in the test rig, the helicopter-wind-tunnel-test trimming was carried out manually, with low test efficiency, unstable data quality, and high labor intensity. With the continuous development of computer technology and automatic control technology, the helicopter-wind-tunnel-test trimming technology has been developing in the direction of automation and intelligence. The helicopter wind tunnel test automatic trimming system is a typical multi-input–multi-output (MIMO), strongly coupled, and complex nonlinear system, involving data acquisition and a processing system, rotor control system, tail-supported mechanism control system, wind-tunnel-speed pressure control system, and other subsystems, which is difficult to describe with an accurate mathematical model. Therefore, in order to meet the needs of a 3 m diameter rotor model aerodynamic performance evaluation and noise characteristics research wind tunnel test, an error feedback variable step automatic trimming algorithm is proposed based on the fuzzy-control principle to realize automatic trimming of aerodynamic loads of rotor model in the forward flight state. To verify the effectiveness and reliability of the trimming strategy, a series of wind tunnel tests on a 3 m diameter scaled rotor model of a helicopter were conducted in the FL-17 aeroacoustics wind tunnel of China Aerodynamics Research and Development Center (CARDC) based on the Φ3m tail-supported helicopter rotor model wind tunnel test rig. The wind tunnel test’s results show that the proposed automatic trimming algorithm has the characteristics of fast trimming speed and high efficiency, which can realize the automatic trimming of rotor model aerodynamic loads under different test states in the wind tunnel test effectively and reliably and greatly improve the intelligence level of helicopter wind tunnel test.

Influence of Discretization on the Speed Gradient Synchronization Control

Increasing the productivity of technological operations is a current task of modern science. The introduction of modern industrial equipment control systems is associated with the digitalization and computerization of enterprises. Vibration technology is one of the common types of industrial equipment used for screening, crushing, vibratory movement, etc. The energy approach for the vibration setups control makes it possible to keep a constant level of total energy of vibration setup oscillations, which makes it possible to develop intelligent control system under conditions of uncertainty in the parameter space. This paper is devoted to the study of the influence of digitalization and discretization on the speed gradient algorithm operation for the multiple synchronization control of vibration setup rotors and evaluation of the critical sensor signals sampling steps. The paper presents the results of numerical simulation based on the system dynamics equations and approximate values of vibration setup parameters. The simulation results present that an increase of the discretization sampling step leads to a disruption of the multiple synchronization mode up to the stability loss. The results of an experimental study on a mechatronic vibration setup SV-2M demonstrate in normal operation mode the low-frequency oscillations of the rotors speeds and the total system energy, which frequency is determined by the control signal limit. When the discretization step increase, the motion with stops is observed, which has a similar nature with the stable relaxation self-oscillations. The practical relevance of the obtained results is a detection of possible effects that occur in the system with significant discretization steps. Further development of adaptive control systems can be aimed to compensating of the discretization effect on the operation of the speed gradient control of the vibration setup rotors synchronization.

A study on combination of number of poles and slots of motor and number of magnetic bearing phase for uniform control of rotor

By applying the halbach arrangement, an integrated magnetic bearing structure can be designed that secures the space inside the rotor core as a space for inserting the magnetic bearing. In this case, since the bearing is present inside the rotor, the bearing magnetic flux for controlling the rotor position is affected by the magnetic field of the permanent magnet and the rotating magnetic field of the phase winding of the stator. At this time, in a specific combination of the number of pole slots, the arrangement of the windings of the stator facing the bearing teeth appears asymmetrically for each bearing phase. In this paper, for more linear control, the formula for the number of stator pole slots and the number of bearing teeth to eliminate structurally generated force asymmetry was presented, and the formula was verified by comparative analysis of the force waveform for each axis. The validity of the proposed model was verified using the finite element method.