Analyzing the Performance of Fault-Tolerant Switched Reluctance Motor Control Strategies With Novel Commutation Angle Variation

This paper analyzes control techniques using a novel commutation angle variation for fault-tolerant operation in Switched Reluctance Motor (SRM) drives. It explores the use of hard chopping hysteresis current control (HCC) and pulse width modulation (PWM), and proposes a cascaded current and PWM technique for fault-tolerant SRM drive operation. The HCC method is most effective for low-speed operations with higher external loads, while the PWM method is suitable for medium to high-speed operations but it can’t control current effectively at high external loads. The proposed control technique approach is developed to address the limitations of HCC and PWM methods, by combining current and PWM methods with optimized commutation angle control. This approach effectively controls current and variable speed operations even under fault conditions. This paper evaluates control strategies by varying commutation angles to determine the optimized angles that ensure balanced performance and better operation under fault conditions. This paper assesses the mechanical performance under light and high external loading conditions at optimized commutation angles during open circuit fault conditions. Simulation studies are conducted using a 4 kW, 4-phase, 8/6 SRM configuration on the MATLAB/Simulink platform. Additionally, real-time FPGA-based modelling experiments are performed using a Controller Hardware-in-Loop (CHIL) setup on the OPAL-RT 4510 platform. The performance analysis highlights the importance of identifying the best control techniques to ensure high fault tolerance and reliable mechanical performance, making this approach promising for variable-speed drive systems. The findings of this study significantly advance fault-tolerant SRM control techniques, enhancing their suitability for various industrial applications.