A study on adaptive load torque observer for robust precision position control of BLDC motor

A new control method for precision robust position control of a brushless DC (BLDC) motor using asymptotically stable adaptive load torque observer is presented in the paper. Precision position control is obtained for the BLDC motor system approximately linearized using the field-orientation method. Many of these drive systems use BLDC motors to avoid backlash. However, the disadvantages of the motor are high cost and complex control because of nonlinear characteristics. Also, the load torque disturbance directly affects the motor shaft. However, the motor flux linkage is not exactly known for a load torque observer. There is the problem of uncertainty to obtain very high precision position control. Therefore, a model reference adaptive observer is considered to overcome the problem of unknown parameter and torque disturbance in this paper. The system stability analysis is carried out using Lyapunov stability theorem. As a result, asymptotically stable observer gain can be obtained without affecting the overall system response. The load disturbance detected by the asymptotically stable adaptive observer is compensated by feedforwarding the equivalent current which gives fast response. The experimental results are presented in the paper.