Robust Controller Design Based-on Aerodynamic Load Simulator Identification Driven by PMSM for Hardware-in-the-Loop Simulations

Aerodynamic load simulators generate the required time varying load to test the actuator’s performance in the laboratory. Electric Load Simulator (ELS) as one of variety of the dynamic load simulators should follows the rotation of the Under Test Actuator (UTA) and applies the desired torque to UTA’s rotor at the same time. In such a situation, a very large torque is imposed to the ELS from the UTA. Recently, the Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) has been used for the ELS. In practice, the composition of PMSM and its drive is an unknown nonlinear plant. Model-based ELS design methodologies use a simplified model for PMSM and its drive. In this paper, a model-free method is used for ELS controller design. Two applicable and novel experiments are set up for identifying the ELS and disturbance models. Then, the identified models are used for a robust controller design based on quantitative feedback theory. The proposed method uses the ELS as a black-box and eliminates the large disturbance only based on the estimated model of the unknown nonlinear model. The control effort limitation is considered in the design stage and simultaneously a large bandwidth is achieved for the non-minimum phase system. The robust performance of the controller is evaluated on the ELS coupled to UTA.