A novel current sensing method for low-cost vector-controlled inverter of AC motor

This paper proposes a new low-cost current detection method to implement vector-controlled inverter of 3-phase induction motor or permanent-magnet synchronous motor using 2 shunt resistors instead of expensive Hall current sensors. The proposed method can detect perfect phase currents without current-immeasurable area in all operating conditions of motor. This method uses 2 shunt resistors in Hall current sensor positions conventionally used to detect phase currents. Therefore, it requires accurate analog differential amplifiers to detect voltages across shunt resistors at high electric potential to ground. We show the good solutions which are implemented by voltage-divider resistors networks and the instrumentation amplifiers using several Op Amps at cheap price. Computer simulations and experiments were performed to confirm the effectiveness of proposed method. These results show that proposed method can perfectly detect phase currents without current-immeasurable area in all operating conditions of motor.