FULLY DIGITAL, VECTOR-CONTROLLED PWM VSI-FED AC DRIVES
WITH AN INVERTER DEAD-TIME COMPENSATION STRATEGY
T. SUKEGAWA, K. KAMIYAMA
Omika Works of Hitachi Ltd.
ABSTRACT
A dead-time compensation method in VSIs is
proposed. The method is based on a feed forward
approach which produces compensating signals obtained
from those of the Id-Iq current and primary angular
frequency references in a rotating reference (d-q)
frame. Its features include excellent inverter output
voltage distortion correction for both fundamental and
harmonic components. The correction is not affected
by the magnitude of the inverter output voltage or
current distortions. Since this dead-time compensa-
tion method allows current loop calculations in the d-
q frame at a slower sampling rate, with a conventional
microprocessor, than calculations in a stationary
reference frame, a fully digital, vector-controlled
speed regulator with just a current component loop is
realized for PWM VSIs.
Test results obtained for the compensation method
are also described.
1. INTRODUCTION
In adjustable speed drives for advanced rolling
mills, technology is strongly desired which makes it
possible to produce different kinds of thinner and
higher quality strips of various materials, with the
same mill, at both high productivity and low cost.
Such mill drives require higher accuracy and faster
response in speed and torque control over a wide speed
range. In addition, they must provide flexibility in
performance and operations for the various materials.
From the viewpoint of maintenance, energy and
installation space savings, ac drives have been
extensively applied. This tendency is being acceler-
ated because ac drives are available which exceed the
drive s stem performances attainable using dc
c2
drives. c l T s 3 With the evolution of microelec-
tronics and power electronics, the software-based
implementation of sophisticated motor control algo-
rithms have been precisely made possible. Excellent
drive system performances have been obtained by vector
control c41 in combination with multivari-
able control theory using a digital controller. For
example, the vector-controlled ac drive demonstrates
higher performance speed and torque control capability
with a squirrel-cage induction motor, without the
brush and commutator needed for a dc motor.^^^,
As power converters frequently applied to
adjustable speed ac drives, there are three kinds,
i.e., VSI (voltage-source inverter), CSI (current-
source inverter), and cycloconverter. For applica-
tione below the medium power range, the moat popular
selection is the PWN (pulse-width modulation) VSZ, it
88CH25654/88/00000163SOr.000 1988 IEEE
T. MATSUI, T. OlCUYAMA
Hitachi Research Laboratory of Hitachi Ltd.
is more competitive in terms of cost and performance.
When performance characteristics with less torque
ripple are required, a fast response ac current
controller must be rovided in a vector-controlled PWM
VSI-fed ac drive.e57
As microprocessor-based controllers for ac drives
have become more, desire has arisen for a fully
digital type, ac drive with higher precision and
performance and better functions. To realize such a
digital controller for the ac current loop control and
its sophisticated software, high speed AID converters
would increase costs, so a hybrid digital control
system, in which only the ac current control loop is
implemented bf an analog controller, has generally
been employed. 5 h c61
Now, the authors have developed a fully digital,
vector-controlled VSI-fed. ac drive, which has no ac
current loop. Operations are comparable to those
obtained for an ac drive with the ac current control
loop. The new drive provides VSI output voltage
distortion correction for both fundamental and
harmonic components. This correction is not affected
by the magnitude of the inverter output voltage or
current distortions.
In this paper, the authors describe the principle
and method for the inverter dead-time compensation and
results from tests and simulations.
2. DEAD-TIME COMPENSATION
2-1 Description of Problem
Modern control schemes of adjustable speed ac
drives began with a V/F control type, followed by a
slip frequency control type. Taking advantage of
advances in microelectronics and power electronics,
the latter was successfully expanded into the present
slip frequency vector control type, which combines
vector control and multivariable control theories.c61
In the slip frequency vector control type, an ac
current control loop, which must be highly reponsive,
is generally employed for providing better sinusoidal
current waveforms. This type has been widely used for
present PWM VSI-fed ac drives.
As use of vector-controlled ac drives and desife
for their complete digital control increased, a fully
digital regulator for these drives began to be
considered. Before the fully digital regulator can be
developed, there are several problems to solve. The
major problem is that a very fast ac current control
loop makes it difficult to realize digital current
control which is economical, although it is technical-
ly possible. Therefore, research and develapment work
has been done for a fully di ita1 regulator, excluding
5
the ac current control loop.( 3
 FULLY DIGITAL, VECTOR-CONTROLLED PWM VSI-FED AC DRIVES
WITH AN INVERTER DEAD-TIME COMPENSATION STRATEGY
T. SUKEGAWA, K. KAMIYAMA
Omika Works of Hitachi Ltd.
ABSTRACT
A dead-time compensation method in VSIs is
proposed. The method is based on a feed forward
approach which produces compensating signals obtained
from those of the Id-Iq current and primary angular
frequency references in a rotating reference (d-q)
frame. Its features include excellent inverter output
voltage distortion correction for both fundamental and
harmonic components. The correction is not affected
by the magnitude of the inverter output voltage or
current distortions. Since this dead-time compensa-
tion method allows current loop calculations in the d-
q frame at a slower sampling rate, with a conventional
microprocessor, than calculations in a stationary
reference frame, a fully digital, vector-controlled
speed regulator with just a current component loop is
realized for PWM VSIs.
Test results obtained for the compensation method
are also described.
1. INTRODUCTION
In adjustable speed drives for advanced rolling
mills, technology is strongly desired which makes it
possible to produce different kinds of thinner and
higher quality strips of various materials, with the
same mill, at both high productivity and low cost.
Such mill drives require higher accuracy and faster
response in speed and torque control over a wide speed
range. In addition, they must provide flexibility in
performance and operations for the various materials.
From the viewpoint of maintenance, energy and
installation space savings, ac drives have been
extensively applied. This tendency is being acceler-
ated because ac drives are available which exceed the
drive s stem performances attainable using dc
c2
drives. c l T s 3 With the evolution of microelec-
tronics and power electronics, the software-based
implementation of sophisticated motor control algo-
rithms have been precisely made possible. Excellent
drive system performances have been obtained by vector
control c41 in combination with multivari-
able control theory using a digital controller. For
example, the vector-controlled ac drive demonstrates
higher performance speed and torque control capability
with a squirrel-cage induction motor, without the
brush and commutator needed for a dc motor.^^^,
As power converters frequently applied to
adjustable speed ac drives, there are three kinds,
i.e., VSI (voltage-source inverter), CSI (current-
source inverter), and cycloconverter. For applica-
tione below the medium power range, the moat popular
selection is the PWN (pulse-width modulation) VSZ, it
88CH25654/88/00000163SOr.000 1988 IEEE
T. MATSUI, T. OlCUYAMA
Hitachi Research Laboratory of Hitachi Ltd.
is more competitive in terms of cost and performance.
When performance characteristics with less torque
ripple are required, a fast response ac current
controller must be rovided in a vector-controlled PWM
VSI-fed ac drive.e57
As microprocessor-based controllers for ac drives
have become more, desire has arisen for a fully
digital type, ac drive with higher precision and
performance and better functions. To realize such a
digital controller for the ac current loop control and
its sophisticated software, high speed AID converters
would increase costs, so a hybrid digital control
system, in which only the ac current control loop is
implemented bf an analog controller, has generally
been employed. 5 h c61
Now, the authors have developed a fully digital,
vector-controlled VSI-fed. ac drive, which has no ac
current loop. Operations are comparable to those
obtained for an ac drive with the ac current control
loop. The new drive provides VSI output voltage
distortion correction for both fundamental and
harmonic components. This correction is not affected
by the magnitude of the inverter output voltage or
current distortions.
In this paper, the authors describe the principle
and method for the inverter dead-time compensation and
results from tests and simulations.
2. DEAD-TIME COMPENSATION
2-1 Description of Problem
Modern control schemes of adjustable speed ac
drives began with a V/F control type, followed by a
slip frequency control type. Taking advantage of
advances in microelectronics and power electronics,
the latter was successfully expanded into the present
slip frequency vector control type, which combines
vector control and multivariable control theories.c61
In the slip frequency vector control type, an ac
current control loop, which must be highly reponsive,
is generally employed for providing better sinusoidal
current waveforms. This type has been widely used for
present PWM VSI-fed ac drives.
As use of vector-controlled ac drives and desife
for their complete digital control increased, a fully
digital regulator for these drives began to be
considered. Before the fully digital regulator can be
developed, there are several problems to solve. The
major problem is that a very fast ac current control
loop makes it difficult to realize digital current
control which is economical, although it is technical-
ly possible. Therefore, research and develapment work
has been done for a fully di ita1 regulator, excluding
5
the ac current control loop.( 3
 Table 1. Inverter dead-time compensation methods

Method Block Diagram Desciption

1) The detected current signal is

tailored through the compensator to
d generate a compensating signal.
a
P 2) It is summed with the voltage reference
W in the stationary reference frame.
r4
U
C
v1
a U W
U &
ui+
3 h
5
c
U 1) The detected voltage signal is
d compared to the voltage reference
r4 P
V
signal .
2) It is summed with the deviation signal
W
r4 in the stationary reference frame.
M
0)

U W
+ a
O h
> H
r L

~~ ~

1 ) The compensating signal is tailored by

IOEAD-TIME I a current component reference.
COMPEN-
SATOR
fa* + 2 ) It is summed with the voltage
19.
fq reference by a feed forward in the d-q
frame.
a
2a
L
PI
+

Then the next problem to solve is development of
the dead-time compensation method, as otherwise an
inverter output voltage distortion arises. Its
distortion causes a torque ripple which prohibits a
highly responsive speed control system.
In PWM VSIs, there is an inherent source of the
output waveform distortion in the power stage which is
caused by the dead-time.C8j, c 9 3 This is the short
time which elapses between switching one device in an
inverter leg off and switching the other one on, which
ensures that both do not conduct simultaneously.
Overcoming the inverter dead-time in the slip frequen-
cy vector control type without using the ac current
control loop has been the target of a lot of research
and development. 3 , c The reason why the compensating signal is concerned
Table 1 shows dead-time compensation methods
previously employed in the V/F and slip frequency
control schemes. In these schemes, no ac current loop
control is used. Therefore, dead-time compensation
must be made either by supplying a compensating signal
produced by the output current to the voltage
reference, which is the current feedback type, or by
supplying a compensating signal directly produced by
the deviation signal between the voltage reference and
detected voltage to the voltage reference, which is
the voltage feedback type. Compensation of these two
schemes is made in a stationary reference frame which
then leads to the same problem as for the slip
frequency vector control type, including the ac
current control loop. TO overcome this, the authors
propose the dead-time compensation method shown at the
bottom of Table 1.
with the proposed dead-time compensator, Compensation
is made in the rotating reference (d-q) frame. The ac
current control loop is eliminated. The dead-time
compensator receives the current reference signals Iq*
and Id* from the speed controller and the field
current generator, respectively. It also receives the
motor frequency w l , from the input signal to the two-
phase oscillator. The dead-time compensator produces
a compensating signal, which is a space vector added
to the voltage reference in the d-q frame. Here, the
voltage referece is concerned with generating a signal
for the fundamental output voltage, while the
compensating signal is concerned with generating a
signal mainly for the required harmonic compensation.
with the harmonic is described in section 3 . There-
fore, the compensating signal should be a space vector
which must be produced corresponding to the region
where the motor current may be found in the stationary
frame. The method is performed by a feed forward in
the d-q frame.
The advantages of this method include inverter
output voltage distortion correction for both
fundamental and harmonic components in the d-q frame.
Thus, it allows control implementation in the d-q
frame at a slower sampling rate, with a conventional
imcroprocessor, than when implementation is performed
in the stationary reference frame. Therefore, it can
help to provide a fully digital, vector-controlled
speed regulator with just a current component loop for
PWM VSIS.
The principle of the dead-time compensation is
detailed in the next section.

2-2 Dead-Time Compensation

Fig. 1 shows a speed control system block diagram

464
 Table 1. Inverter dead-time compensation methods

Method Block Diagram Desciption

1) The detected current signal is

tailored through the compensator to
d generate a compensating signal.
a
P 2) It is summed with the voltage reference
W in the stationary reference frame.
r4
U
C
v1
a U W
U &
ui+
3 h
5
c
U 1) The detected voltage signal is
d compared to the voltage reference
r4 P
V
signal .
2) It is summed with the deviation signal
W
r4 in the stationary reference frame.
M
0)

U W
+ a
O h
> H
r L

~~ ~

1 ) The compensating signal is tailored by

IOEAD-TIME I a current component reference.
COMPEN-
SATOR
fa* + 2 ) It is summed with the voltage
19.
fq reference by a feed forward in the d-q
frame.
a
2a
L
PI
+

Then the next problem to solve is development of
the dead-time compensation method, as otherwise an
inverter output voltage distortion arises. Its
distortion causes a torque ripple which prohibits a
highly responsive speed control system.
In PWM VSIs, there is an inherent source of the
output waveform distortion in the power stage which is
caused by the dead-time.C8j, c 9 3 This is the short
time which elapses between switching one device in an
inverter leg off and switching the other one on, which
ensures that both do not conduct simultaneously.
Overcoming the inverter dead-time in the slip frequen-
cy vector control type without using the ac current
control loop has been the target of a lot of research
and development. 3 , c The reason why the compensating signal is concerned
Table 1 shows dead-time compensation methods
previously employed in the V/F and slip frequency
control schemes. In these schemes, no ac current loop
control is used. Therefore, dead-time compensation
must be made either by supplying a compensating signal
produced by the output current to the voltage
reference, which is the current feedback type, or by
supplying a compensating signal directly produced by
the deviation signal between the voltage reference and
detected voltage to the voltage reference, which is
the voltage feedback type. Compensation of these two
schemes is made in a stationary reference frame which
then leads to the same problem as for the slip
frequency vector control type, including the ac
current control loop. TO overcome this, the authors
propose the dead-time compensation method shown at the
bottom of Table 1.
with the proposed dead-time compensator, Compensation
is made in the rotating reference (d-q) frame. The ac
current control loop is eliminated. The dead-time
compensator receives the current reference signals Iq*
and Id* from the speed controller and the field
current generator, respectively. It also receives the
motor frequency w l , from the input signal to the two-
phase oscillator. The dead-time compensator produces
a compensating signal, which is a space vector added
to the voltage reference in the d-q frame. Here, the
voltage referece is concerned with generating a signal
for the fundamental output voltage, while the
compensating signal is concerned with generating a
signal mainly for the required harmonic compensation.
with the harmonic is described in section 3 . There-
fore, the compensating signal should be a space vector
which must be produced corresponding to the region
where the motor current may be found in the stationary
frame. The method is performed by a feed forward in
the d-q frame.
The advantages of this method include inverter
output voltage distortion correction for both
fundamental and harmonic components in the d-q frame.
Thus, it allows control implementation in the d-q
frame at a slower sampling rate, with a conventional
imcroprocessor, than when implementation is performed
in the stationary reference frame. Therefore, it can
help to provide a fully digital, vector-controlled
speed regulator with just a current component loop for
PWM VSIS.
The principle of the dead-time compensation is
detailed in the next section.

2-2 Dead-Time Compensation

Fig. 1 shows a speed control system block diagram

464
 SPEED REGULATOR

DEAD-TIME I
COMPENSA -

SPEED

CURRENT 1 IIfq*lfFl VSI RyJ

II ENCODER '
FIELD -+SLIP
CURRENT RlAsE-=
GENERATOR
U l e

Iq

1,
-
CURRENT
COMPONENT
DETECTOR
!ip 3/2 -
Fig. 1 Fully digital speed control system with current controller
using dead-time compensator.

3. THEORETICIAL PRINCIPLE AND EVALUATION

3-1 Principle of the Proposed Compensation Method fq* =

The error voltage which is caused by the inverter
dead-time contains harmonics, such as the fundamental
and odd harmonics. However, the zero-sequence
voltages such as 3rd-order and 9th-order harmonics are
not present in the line-to-line voltage. This fact
suggests that compensation of the dead-time can be
made in the rotating reference (d-q) frame. In other
words, compensation signals for the error voltage can
be generated in the d-q frame, which contains all the
odd harmonics without zero-sequence components. Based
on this idea, the compensating signals are shown in
Fig. 2. The Vfu*, Vfv* and Vfw* are described in the
stationary reference frame. No zero-sequence
components are contained in these signals. Between
the three phase instantaneous signals Vfu*, Vfv* and
Vfw* in the stationary reference frame and the two-
phase compensating signals Vfa* and Vf,g* in the two-
axis ( u - p ) frame, the following expression can be
obtained :
[fd*] [ '(Is
-sin wlt sin ]$i:[wlt
cos .tlw ..... ( 2 )
where w1 is a primary angular frequency.
In addition, the space vector components in the d-q
frame of the compensating signals are given. The fd*
and fq* also are shown in Fig. 2. It can be seen here
that the space vector of the compensating signal moves
discontinuously as the angular wlt increases,
therefore its trajectory is a hexagon. This is
because the error voltage depends on the polarity of
the motor current, but not on its magnitude or shape.
Furthermore amplitude of the error voltage depends
linearly on the ratio td/Tc where td is the dead-time
and Tc is the period of the switching frequency.
On the other hand, the space current vector
components in the d-q frame can be given directly by
the current component references. Between the two-
phase instantaneous currents i, and ig in the a-,g
frame and current component references Id* and Iq* in
the d-q frame, the following expression can be
obtained :

I;:[ cos wlt

= [sin wlt
-sin wlt
cos w1t]*[2:]

Then, the space vector components in the a-fi frame of

the compensating signals are given. The 'fa* and Vf,g*
are shown in Fig. 2. Furthermore, between the two-
phase compensating signals Vfa* and VfB* in the a-j3 where I1* is amplitude of the motor current, e*=
frame and the proposed compensating signals fd* and tan(Iq*/Id*). The space current vector moves
fq* in the d-q frame, the following expression can be continuously as the angular wit increases, therefore
obtained : its trajectory is a circle.
465
 SPEED REGULATOR

DEAD-TIME I
COMPENSA -

SPEED

CURRENT 1 IIfq*lfFl VSI RyJ

II ENCODER '
FIELD -+SLIP
CURRENT RlAsE-=
GENERATOR
U l e

Iq

1,
-
CURRENT
COMPONENT
DETECTOR
!ip 3/2 -
Fig. 1 Fully digital speed control system with current controller
using dead-time compensator.

3. THEORETICIAL PRINCIPLE AND EVALUATION

3-1 Principle of the Proposed Compensation Method fq* =

The error voltage which is caused by the inverter
dead-time contains harmonics, such as the fundamental
and odd harmonics. However, the zero-sequence
voltages such as 3rd-order and 9th-order harmonics are
not present in the line-to-line voltage. This fact
suggests that compensation of the dead-time can be
made in the rotating reference (d-q) frame. In other
words, compensation signals for the error voltage can
be generated in the d-q frame, which contains all the
odd harmonics without zero-sequence components. Based
on this idea, the compensating signals are shown in
Fig. 2. The Vfu*, Vfv* and Vfw* are described in the
stationary reference frame. No zero-sequence
components are contained in these signals. Between
the three phase instantaneous signals Vfu*, Vfv* and
Vfw* in the stationary reference frame and the two-
phase compensating signals Vfa* and Vf,g* in the two-
axis ( u - p ) frame, the following expression can be
obtained :
[fd*] [ '(Is
-sin wlt sin ]$i:[wlt
cos .tlw ..... ( 2 )
where w1 is a primary angular frequency.
In addition, the space vector components in the d-q
frame of the compensating signals are given. The fd*
and fq* also are shown in Fig. 2. It can be seen here
that the space vector of the compensating signal moves
discontinuously as the angular wlt increases,
therefore its trajectory is a hexagon. This is
because the error voltage depends on the polarity of
the motor current, but not on its magnitude or shape.
Furthermore amplitude of the error voltage depends
linearly on the ratio td/Tc where td is the dead-time
and Tc is the period of the switching frequency.
On the other hand, the space current vector
components in the d-q frame can be given directly by
the current component references. Between the two-
phase instantaneous currents i, and ig in the a-,g
frame and current component references Id* and Iq* in
the d-q frame, the following expression can be
obtained :

I;:[ cos wlt

= [sin wlt
-sin wlt
cos w1t]*[2:]

Then, the space vector components in the a-fi frame of

the compensating signals are given. The 'fa* and Vf,g*
are shown in Fig. 2. Furthermore, between the two-
phase compensating signals Vfa* and VfB* in the a-j3 where I1* is amplitude of the motor current, e*=
frame and the proposed compensating signals fd* and tan(Iq*/Id*). The space current vector moves
fq* in the d-q frame, the following expression can be continuously as the angular wit increases, therefore
obtained : its trajectory is a circle.
465
These are described in Fig. 3 , where the space vectors
of the compensating signals and motor current are
plotted in the a-j frame. It can be seen that the
trajectory of the space vector of the compensating
signals consists of six points a to f. Each point a
to f corresponds to the region A to F where the space
current vector exists. Accordingly, from the
selection method of the compensating signals and
expressions (1) and ( 3 ) , the proposed compensation
signals are given by equations ( 4 ) and (5).

L J

Equations ( 4 ) and (5) reveal that the compensating

signals fd* and fq* can be calculated by the current
component references Id* and Iq*. Thus, the proposed
method gives a feed forward method which can
compensate the fundamental and harmonics components of
the error voltage in the d-q frame.
(a) Space current vector

Rotating
Reference 0 t
Frame Time
(d-q)

0 n n n n n n n ILt

Two- Axis
Frame VfP*
W-P)
0 1 -t
I
(b) Compensating vector corresponding to space
current vector

Fig. 3 Relationship between space current vector and

*-VfV * inverter dead-time compensating vector on
Stationary a-,b frame.

3-2 Evaluation

Accuracy and sensitivity of the proposed method

F
* is evaluated with a simulation model as shown in
Vfu- v Fig. 4 . The simulation model is verified later by
Line to Line comparing computed and measured results shown in
Voltage o -t Figs. 8 and 9 . ~ 4 , the error voltage
In Fig.
(U-v) components due to the dead-time appear in the
Time distortion generator where respective errors are
calculated by the phase of the space current vector.
This also has the beneficial effect of minimizing the
calculation error caused by the motor current shape,
Next, in the dead-time compensator, the proposed
compensating signals fd* and fq* in the d-q frame can
be calculated by equations ( 4 ) and (5). The
compensating signals are added to the voltage
Fig. 2 Compensating signals of proposed inverter references from the current component controllers IdC
dead-time compensation method. and IqC, respectively.
466
These are described in Fig. 3 , where the space vectors
of the compensating signals and motor current are
plotted in the a-j frame. It can be seen that the
trajectory of the space vector of the compensating
signals consists of six points a to f. Each point a
to f corresponds to the region A to F where the space
current vector exists. Accordingly, from the
selection method of the compensating signals and
expressions (1) and ( 3 ) , the proposed compensation
signals are given by equations ( 4 ) and (5).

L J

Equations ( 4 ) and (5) reveal that the compensating

signals fd* and fq* can be calculated by the current
component references Id* and Iq*. Thus, the proposed
method gives a feed forward method which can
compensate the fundamental and harmonics components of
the error voltage in the d-q frame.
(a) Space current vector

Rotating
Reference 0 t
Frame Time
(d-q)

0 n n n n n n n ILt

Two- Axis
Frame VfP*
W-P)
0 1 -t
I
(b) Compensating vector corresponding to space
current vector

Fig. 3 Relationship between space current vector and

*-VfV * inverter dead-time compensating vector on
Stationary a-,b frame.

3-2 Evaluation

Accuracy and sensitivity of the proposed method

F
* is evaluated with a simulation model as shown in
Vfu- v Fig. 4 . The simulation model is verified later by
Line to Line comparing computed and measured results shown in
Voltage o -t Figs. 8 and 9 . ~ 4 , the error voltage
In Fig.
(U-v) components due to the dead-time appear in the
Time distortion generator where respective errors are
calculated by the phase of the space current vector.
This also has the beneficial effect of minimizing the
calculation error caused by the motor current shape,
Next, in the dead-time compensator, the proposed
compensating signals fd* and fq* in the d-q frame can
be calculated by equations ( 4 ) and (5). The
compensating signals are added to the voltage
Fig. 2 Compensating signals of proposed inverter references from the current component controllers IdC
dead-time compensation method. and IqC, respectively.
466
 Simulations are carried out for the dead-time
td=30 p s , switching frequency fc=l.7Wlz, and dc source
voltage Vdc=600 V. Fig. 5 shows characteristics
between torque ripple caused by the dead-time and
output frequency where torque ripple p is defined as
0.2T \
\ \
\\\y""
......-
ut
Ccinpensotion
\~ /
-: Rated Load
_----:No Load
the ratio of torque ripple to rated torque of the
motor. It can be seen here that the torque ripple due =L
to the dead-time decreases logarithmically as the
inverter output frequency increases. This is because
the ratio of the error voltage to the inverter output \ i.
a
voltage decreases with the output frequency. It also Tim
can be seen that torque ripple at no load is larger
than that at rated load without compensation. This is
because almost all of the zero-cross point waveform
distortion affects the torque current component in the
d-q frame, when the motor condition is no load. On
the other hand, when the motor is running at the rated Outplt Frequency f (Hz)
load, the above mentioned distortion affects the field
current component in the d-q frame. However the motor
flux shows hardly any correspondence to the current Fig. 5 Characteristcs between torque ripple caused
component ripple. Therefore the torque ripple is by inverter dead-time and output frequency.
smaller than that at no load.

Fig. 6 shows characteristics between the torque

ripple due to the dead-time and the compensating
signal amplitude at 10% of the rated motor speed. The
sensitivity to the compensating signal amplitude at
no load is higher than that at the rated load. This
is because the motor current zero cross point waveform
distortion due to under- or over-compensation affects
the torque current component at no load. On the other
hand, at the rated load the above mentioned waveform
distortion affects the field current component.
Therefore the torque ripple is smaller because the
motor flux has hardly any correspondence to the
current component ripple. In both cases, the
compensating signal amplitude plays a critical role in
minimizing torque ripple in the motor. 0 0.5 1.0
Compensating Sign01 Amplitude k ( p. U . 1

Fig. 6 Characteristics between torque ripple and

inverter dead-time compensating signal
amp1 itude.

CURRENT

J
I I1 ' I
SPEED tOr

*: Indicates reference values.

Fig. 4 Simulation model of proposed control system for evaluating torque ripples
caused by inverter dead-time.

461
 Simulations are carried out for the dead-time
td=30 p s , switching frequency fc=l.7Wlz, and dc source
voltage Vdc=600 V. Fig. 5 shows characteristics
between torque ripple caused by the dead-time and
output frequency where torque ripple p is defined as
0.2T \
\ \
\\\y""
......-
ut
Ccinpensotion
\~ /
-: Rated Load
_----:No Load
the ratio of torque ripple to rated torque of the
motor. It can be seen here that the torque ripple due =L
to the dead-time decreases logarithmically as the
inverter output frequency increases. This is because
the ratio of the error voltage to the inverter output \ i.
a
voltage decreases with the output frequency. It also Tim
can be seen that torque ripple at no load is larger
than that at rated load without compensation. This is
because almost all of the zero-cross point waveform
distortion affects the torque current component in the
d-q frame, when the motor condition is no load. On
the other hand, when the motor is running at the rated Outplt Frequency f (Hz)
load, the above mentioned distortion affects the field
current component in the d-q frame. However the motor
flux shows hardly any correspondence to the current Fig. 5 Characteristcs between torque ripple caused
component ripple. Therefore the torque ripple is by inverter dead-time and output frequency.
smaller than that at no load.

Fig. 6 shows characteristics between the torque

ripple due to the dead-time and the compensating
signal amplitude at 10% of the rated motor speed. The
sensitivity to the compensating signal amplitude at
no load is higher than that at the rated load. This
is because the motor current zero cross point waveform
distortion due to under- or over-compensation affects
the torque current component at no load. On the other
hand, at the rated load the above mentioned waveform
distortion affects the field current component.
Therefore the torque ripple is smaller because the
motor flux has hardly any correspondence to the
current component ripple. In both cases, the
compensating signal amplitude plays a critical role in
minimizing torque ripple in the motor. 0 0.5 1.0
Compensating Sign01 Amplitude k ( p. U . 1

Fig. 6 Characteristics between torque ripple and

inverter dead-time compensating signal
amp1 itude.

CURRENT

J
I I1 ' I
SPEED tOr

*: Indicates reference values.

Fig. 4 Simulation model of proposed control system for evaluating torque ripples
caused by inverter dead-time.

461
 Fig. 7 shows characteristics between the torque
ripple and compensating signal delay angle at 10% of
the rated motor speed. The effect of sampling delay
time in the microprocessor on the compensation
accuracy can be evaluated from this result. The delay
angle is obtained as the product of the delay time and
the inverter output frequency. The compensating
signal delay time produces torque ripple in the motor
because of the deviation from the intended amplitude
of the compensating signal resulting from the phase
delay angle. As a result, compensation for the signal
Fig. 9 shows experimental results of the inverter
output voltage references and the output currents
under the same conditions as Fig. 8. From comparison
of the computed and measured results, in the two
figures, the computed motor current waveform shapes
accord very well with measurements. Thus the
simulation model can be applied to evaluate accuracy
and sensitivity of the proposed inverter dead-time
compensation method.
- 7 - 0

delay angle is required. The compensation can be made .-.--I-

t

by correction of the phase 0 * of the space current rw

- -
vector described in equations ( 4 ) and (5). -

/
/

No Lood ,'
/

,'Rated food ,
~

.
. -. ... -- - . -.
..-
-.-:I I__--

-15 -10 -5 0 5 IO 15
Compensoting Signol Deloy Angle 6 (deg)
k=O.O k=0.5 k-1.0 k=1.25
Fig. 7 Characteristics between torque ripple and Compensating Signal Amplitude k 1p.u.)
compensating signal delay angle.
Fig. 9 Experimental results of inverter voltage
references and output currents.
Fig. 8 shows simulation results of the inverter
output references and the output currents under the
condition that the motor is running at 10% of the
rated speed at no load. For under-compensation k=0.5, 4. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
the motor currents are trapezoidal shaped. On the
other hand, for over-compensation k=1.25, the motor
currents are convexly shaped. The ripple due to Fig. 10 shows motor currentsiu, iw, voltage
undesired compensation appears on the torque and field references v *, Vd", and current components Id, Iq
current components in the d-q frame. The torque with and w?thout the compensation when dead-time
current component ripple is larger than the field td=30 p s , sampling time Ts=l.Bms, and carrier
current component ripple at no load. It also contains frequency fc=1.7kHz. As shown in the figure, an
six times the output frequency. excellent compensation result is obtained at this
slower sampling rate.
0.1 ./dh

Torque =
current
V

Phase

Reference

Motor
Current

Time Time Time

k=O. 5 k=1.0 ko1.25

Compensating Signal Amplitude k (P.u.) (a) without compensation (b) with compensation

Fig. 8 Simulation results of inverter voltage Fig. 10 Experimental results of proposed inverter
references and output currents. dead-time compensation method.
468
 Fig. 7 shows characteristics between the torque
ripple and compensating signal delay angle at 10% of
the rated motor speed. The effect of sampling delay
time in the microprocessor on the compensation
accuracy can be evaluated from this result. The delay
angle is obtained as the product of the delay time and
the inverter output frequency. The compensating
signal delay time produces torque ripple in the motor
because of the deviation from the intended amplitude
of the compensating signal resulting from the phase
delay angle. As a result, compensation for the signal
Fig. 9 shows experimental results of the inverter
output voltage references and the output currents
under the same conditions as Fig. 8. From comparison
of the computed and measured results, in the two
figures, the computed motor current waveform shapes
accord very well with measurements. Thus the
simulation model can be applied to evaluate accuracy
and sensitivity of the proposed inverter dead-time
compensation method.
- 7 - 0

delay angle is required. The compensation can be made .-.--I-

t

by correction of the phase 0 * of the space current rw

- -
vector described in equations ( 4 ) and (5). -

/
/

No Lood ,'
/

,'Rated food ,
~

.
. -. ... -- - . -.
..-
-.-:I I__--

-15 -10 -5 0 5 IO 15
Compensoting Signol Deloy Angle 6 (deg)
k=O.O k=0.5 k-1.0 k=1.25
Fig. 7 Characteristics between torque ripple and Compensating Signal Amplitude k 1p.u.)
compensating signal delay angle.
Fig. 9 Experimental results of inverter voltage
references and output currents.
Fig. 8 shows simulation results of the inverter
output references and the output currents under the
condition that the motor is running at 10% of the
rated speed at no load. For under-compensation k=0.5, 4. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
the motor currents are trapezoidal shaped. On the
other hand, for over-compensation k=1.25, the motor
currents are convexly shaped. The ripple due to Fig. 10 shows motor currentsiu, iw, voltage
undesired compensation appears on the torque and field references v *, Vd", and current components Id, Iq
current components in the d-q frame. The torque with and w?thout the compensation when dead-time
current component ripple is larger than the field td=30 p s , sampling time Ts=l.Bms, and carrier
current component ripple at no load. It also contains frequency fc=1.7kHz. As shown in the figure, an
six times the output frequency. excellent compensation result is obtained at this
slower sampling rate.
0.1 ./dh

Torque =
current
V

Phase

Reference

Motor
Current

Time Time Time

k=O. 5 k=1.0 ko1.25

Compensating Signal Amplitude k (P.u.) (a) without compensation (b) with compensation

Fig. 8 Simulation results of inverter voltage Fig. 10 Experimental results of proposed inverter
references and output currents. dead-time compensation method.
468