Real time implementation of a new fuzzy-sliding-mode-observer for sensorless IM drive

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to improve the performance of sensorless vector control of induction motor drives by developing a new sliding mode observer for rotor speed and fluxes estimation from measured stator currents and voltages and estimated stator currents. Design/methodology/approach - In the present paper, the discontinuity in the sliding mode observer is smoothed inside a thin boundary layer using fuzzy logic techniques instead of sign function to reduce efficiently the chattering phenomenon that affects the rotor speed. Findings - The feasibility of the proposed fuzzy sliding mode observer has been verified by experimentation. The experimental results are obtained with a 1 kW induction motor using a dSPACE system with DS1104 controller board showing clearly the effectiveness of the proposed approach in terms of dynamic performance compared to the classical sliding mode observer. Practical implications - The experimental results of the whole control structure highlights that this kind of sensorless induction motor drive can be used for variable speed drive in industrial applications such as oil drilling, electric vehicles, high speed trains (HSTs) and conveyers. Such drives may work properly at zero and low speed in both directions of rotation. Originality/value - Both the proposed speed observer and the classical sliding mode observer have been developed and implemented experimentally with other adaptive observers for detailed comparison under different operating conditions, such as parameter variation, no-load/load disturbances and speed variations in different speed operation regions.