Dynamic emulation of mechanical loads using a vector-controlled induction motor-generator set

This paper addresses the problem of electronic emulation of both linear and nonlinear mechanical loads using a vector-controlled induction machine dynamometer. It is shown that a basic emulation scheme where the dynamometer torque demand is derived from the inverse dynamics of the emulated load is not generally viable, especially if the emulated load is part of a closed-loop speed control system. A new feedforward speed-tracking control scheme for the dynamometer is presented, which preserves the load dynamics and allows for emulation of a large class of nonlinear loads. An experimental rig is described using vector-controlled induction machines as the drive motor and dynamometer, and experimental results showing excellent emulation of both linear and nonlinear load dynamics are presented.