Fuzzy gain scheduled PI speed controller for switched reluctance motor drive

In this paper we present the performance of a fuzzy gain scheduled PI controller as applied to a switched reluctance motor (SRM) for speed control application. The SRM usefulness as servo has been limited due to its strong nonlinear electromechanical characteristics which result in significant torque and hence speed ripples. It has been shown that conventional fixed gain PI controller is not able to meet the stringent requirements of servo drive systems, such as minimum overshoots and almost no oscillations during speed transitions. This paper describes the development of a fuzzy gain scheduling scheme for a PI speed controller for SRM drive. Fuzzy rules and reasoning are utilized to determine the controller gains on-line based on the error signal and its first derivative. Hardware implementation of the proposed controller has been achieved using TI's TMS320C50 Digital Signal Processor. Experimental results obtained for speed control of SRM show improvements over conventional fixed gain PI controller.