Comparison of Interior Mounted Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor Drives with Sinusoidal, Third Harmonic Injection, and Space Vector Pulse Width Modulation Strategies with particular attention to Current Distortions and Torque Ripples

Abstract

Interior Mounted Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors (IPMs) have become popular in electric vehicle traction applications in recent years due to their superior features such as high efficiency and high power density compared to other machines. Therefore, development of IPM drive systems is an important research area. In this study, three different pulse width modulation (PWM) strategies commonly used in machine drives are compared extensively in IPM drives. Simulations have been carried out with optimum dq-axes currents based on demanded torque from the system, and hence, the simulated drives are efficiency-optimized. Sinusoidal pulse width modulation (SPWM), third harmonic injection pulse width modulation (THIPWM), and space vector pulse width modulation (SVPWM) strategies have been employed in the drives, and comparisons have been made by paying particular attention to the total harmonic distortion (THD) rates of phase currents and torque ripples. It has been validated through extensive simulations that the SVPWM strategy has less THD percentage for IPM drives than SPWM and THIPWM at wide operating points, and hence, the current and torque responses are better with smooth output torque. Simulation results also validate that the current distortions and torque ripples are the highest when SPWM strategy is adopted in the drives, and hence, the THIPWM strategy is superior to the SPWM. © 2023 Istanbul University. All rights reserved.