Quantifying the commutation error of a BLDC machine using sensorless load angle estimation

BLDC motors are often used for high speed applications, for example in pumps, ventilators and refrigerators. For commutation discrete position information is necessary. This feedback is often provided by Hall sensors instead of more expensive encoders. However, even small misalignment of the Hall sensors in low cost BLDC motors can lead to unwanted torque ripples or reduced performance of BLDC motors. This misplacement leads not only to noise and vibrations caused by the torque ripples but also to lower efficiency. In this paper, a self-sensing technique to assess the misalignment is introduced. The objective is to obtain knowledge of the quality of the commutation by quantifying the misalignment. The method used in this paper is based on the fundamental components of voltage and current measurements and only needs the available current and voltage signals and electrical parameters such as resistance and inductance to estimate the misalignment.