A novel hybrid control approach for modular automation system: a case study of sensorless interior permanent magnet in-wheel motor

Purpose Sensorless interior permanent magnet in-wheel motor (IPMIWM), as an exemplar of modular automation system, has attracted considerable interests in recent years. This paper aims to investigate a novel hybrid control approach for the sensorless IPMIWM from a cyber-physical systems (CPS) perspective. Design/methodology/approach The control approach is presented based on the hybrid dynamical theory. In the standstill-low (S-L) speed, the rotor position/speed signal is estimated by the method of the high frequency (HF) voltage signal injection. The least square support vector machine (LS-SVM) is used to acquire the rotor position/speed signal in medium-high (M-H) speed operation. Hybrid automata model of the IPMIWM is established due to its hybrid dynamic characteristics in wide speed range. A hybrid state observer (HSO), including a discrete state observer (DSO) and a continuous state observer (CSO), is designed for rotor position/speed estimation of the IPMIWM. Findings The hardware-in-the-loop testing based on dSPACE is carried out on the test bench. Experimental investigations demonstrate the hybrid control approach can not only identify the rotor position/speed signal with a certain load but also be able to reject the load disturbance. The reliability and the effectiveness of the proposed hybrid control approach were verified. Originality/value The proposed hybrid control approach for the sensorless IPMIWM promotes the deep combination and coordination of sensorless IPMIWM drive system. It also theoretically supports and extends the development of the hybrid control of the highly integrated modular automation system.