Characteristics of Sensorless Vector Controlled

Multiple Induction Motor Drive Connected in

Parallel Fed by a Single Inverter
Toru Inoue1, Kazuya Azegami1, Kouki Matsuse1, Shigeru Ito2, Yoichiro Nakajima2
1

Meiji University. Japan

SANKEN ELECTRIC CO.,LTD. Japan
E-mail: ce01008@meiji.ac.jp

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to present multiple

motors connected in parallel are driven with stability. The
parameters of each motor, namely stator current, rotor flux, and
speed were estimated using adaptive rotor flux observers to
achieve sensorless control. The validity and effective of the
proposed method was demonstrated through simulations.
I.

different, is1 does not equal is 2 . Therefore, We must choose

which current the inverter will control.

INTRODUCTION

One induction motor (IM) is driven with generally one

inverter in the vector control. However, in industrial
applications such as electric railways and steel processing, one
inverter may drive multiple IMs connected in parallel for
reasons of cost performance, compactness, and lightness.
One important practical application is railway traction
drives, in which from two to four IMs must operate in parallel
[1]. If the load torque or the parameter is different, the drive
system becomes unstable.
Various types of multiple-motor drive systems have been
proposed to solve this problem [2]-[4]. In this work, the
averages and differences of the parameters of the motors are
used to obtain a more accurate representation of the conditions
of the system. Furthermore, to achieve sensorless control,
adaptive rotor flux observers are used to estimate stator
currents, rotor fluxes, and motor speeds. This study
investigated the effectiveness of the proposed method through
simulations.
II. VECTOR CONTROL OF MULTIPLE INDUCTION MOTORS
A. Current Model
Fig.1 shows current flowing in the parallel-connected
dual induction motor. The source current from the inverter i s
is divided into two parts: i s1 to Motor 1 and i s 2 to Motor 2. is ,
the average of is1 and is 2 , and is , the current flowing
directly between the motors, can be written in terms in terms
of is1 and is 2 as follows:
i +i
(1)
is = s1 s 2
2
i i
is = s 2 s1
(2)
2
In this study, - indicates an average and indicates a
difference. When the loads on the motors are unbalanced, is1
does not equal is 2 . Or, when the parameter of IM1 and IM2 is

Fig.1. Current model of parallel connected multiple

induction motors

B. Rotor Flux Model

Fig.2 shows a vector model of dual IMs connected in

parallel. er1 and er 2 are the rotor flux of the motors. re is
the average of er1 and er 2 ; and er is the difference
between them. To perform vector control, the re is aligned
with de-axis which rotates at a synchronous angular velocity.

Fig.2. Rotor flux model of parallel connected multiple

induction motors

C. Reference Current of Torque

In a rotating reference frame, the rotor flux of the induction
motor is given by the equation
d e
r + {S r I + ( r ) J } er = Uise
(3)
dt
where
1 0
0 1
I =
J =

0
1

1 0

Sr =

Rr
Lr

is = [ids
r = [ dr

r
M
Ls
Lr

U = MS r
iqs ]T stator current;

angular frequency of the inverter;

angular velocity of the inverter;
mutual inductance;
self-inductance of stator;

self-inductance of rotor;
Equation (3) is synthesized to IM1 with IM2. It becomes the
next equation.
d
( er1 + er 2 ) + {S r1 + ( r1 ) J } er1 + {S r 2 + ( r 2 ) J } er 2
dt
= U 1ise1

+ U 2ise2

(4)
Equation (4) and the average of the rotor flux equations for
the dual IM can be represented by the following equation:
d e
r + {S r I + ( r ) J } er + (S r I r J ) er
dt
= U ise + Uise (5)

re =

er1 + er 2
2

er =

er 2

S re2 S re1
2
U +U2
U = 1
2
U U1
U = 2
2
r1 + r 2
=
2

S re =

2
If the machine parameters and speeds of the two motors are
exactly the same, then same equation (5) is equivalent to
equation (3).
In equation (5) re and ise are divided into de-qe-axes
e
components, then equation (5) is expressed for idse and ids
as
follows:
d e
dr + S r dre ( r ) qre + S r dre + r qre
dt
= U i dse + U i dse (6)

From equation (7), we obtain the reference current idse* used

to average rotor flux

e
S r dre* + S r dre + r qr U idse
idse* =
(8)
U
D. Reference Current of Torque
The equation for the torque Te in a rotating reference
frame is expressed by
M
Te = p (ise er )
(9)
Lr
Where p is the number of pole pairs. Just as for the rotor flux,
if we applied equation (9) to IM1 and IM2, combining the two
resulting equations yield the following equation for the
average torque Te :
T = pM {(ise re ) + (ise er )}

er1

2
e
i
+
ie
ise = s1 s 2
2
e
i ie
ise = s 2 s1
2
e
S + S re2
S = r1
2

r 2 + r1

Since the average rotor fluxes is constant, (d ) /( dt )dre

equals zero, and since re is aligned with the de-axis,
re = dre and qre = 0 . Then equation (6) is expressed by
S r dre + S r dre + r qre = U i dse + U i dse
(7)

qr ]T rotor flux;

Where

M
Te
M
M 2
1
M 2

Te

(10)
(11)

Where
M =

M
Lr

Te1 + Te 2
2
Te 2 Te1
Te =
2
M 1 + M 2
M=
2
M 2 M 1
M =
2
In equation (11) if the machine parameters of each IM are
equal (M = 0) , T is equal to Te .
In equation (10) re and ise are divided into de-qe-axes
Te =

Fig3. System configuration

components then equation (10) is expressed by:
T = pM {iqse dre idse qre + iqse dre idse qre } (12)
Since re is aligned with the de-axis, re = dre and qre = 0 .
Then, (12) is expressed by
T = pM {i qse dre + i qse dre i dse qre }
(13)
And from equation (13), we obtain the reference current iqse* to
control the average torque
T *
i qse dre + i dse qre

p
M
(14)
i qse* =
e

dr

In these equations, * indicates reference values and ^

indicates estimated values.

III.

SYSTEM CONFIGURATION

Table I shows the parameter of IMs. Fig.3 shows the system

configuration that implements the proposed method. The
speed and the rotor flux of each motor are estimated from the
stator current and the voltage of each motor by the adaptive
rotor flux observer [5]-[10]. Each torque reference is requested
from speed reference and estimated speed. The average torque
reference is requested from each torque reference by equation
(11). The current reference use to determine the average rotor
flux reference is calculated from the average torque reference
by equation (14). The current reference used to determine the
average rotor flux is calculated from the average rotor flux

reference by equation (8). The IMs are controlled based on

these referencea.
TABLE I
Parameter of induction motor

IM1

IM2

Output

2.2[kW]

3.7[kW]

Voltage

180[V]

160[V]

Current

10[A]

20[A]

Frequency

50[Hz]

50[Hz]

Pole pairs

Rotor Resistance

0.5965[]

0.2367[]

Stator Resistance

0.7185[]

0.3831[]

Rotor Self Inductance

63.38[mH]

33.34[mH]

Stator Self Inductance

63.38[mH]

33.34[mH]

Mutual Inductance

61.28[mH]

32.11[mH]

IV.

SIMULATION RESULT

A. Test for Same Rating Motors

The parameter of IM1 and IM2 is 2.2[kW] in Table I. Table
II shows simulation condition. Fig.4-8 shows some simulation
results for a same ratings test. The speed of IM1 and IM2
doesn't become equal to the command when the load is
different. However, both motors are steady. On the other hand,
the operation of IM1 and IM2 is completely corresponding

when the load is the same. The torque response clearly follows
the load for each IM (Fig.5-6). Each parameter that substitutes
the value of the table1 reaches the following values.
0.5965
= 9.4115
63.38e 3
U 1 = U 2 = U = 61.28e 3 9.4115 = 0.5767
S r1 = S r 2 = S r =

61.28e 3
= 0.9669
63.38e 3
S r = U = M , = 0
e
9.4115 dre* + r qr
idse* =
U

T = Te

M 1 = M 2 = M =

iqse* =

Fig6. Torque response (IM2)

0.5171Te iqse dre + idse qre

e

dr

TABLE II
Simulation condition

Time[s]

Fig7. Stator current (IM1)

700

Speed[rpm]
Torque(IM1)[%]

Torque(IM2)[%]

50

75
50

Fig.8 Stator current (IM2)

Fig.4 Motor Speed

Fig.5 Torque response (IM1)

B. Test for Different Rating Motors

The parameter of IM1 is 2.2[kW] in Table 1. And the
parameter of IM2 is 3.7[kW] in Table I. Table III shows
simulation condition. Fig.9-13 shows some simulation results
for a different ratings test. The speed of IM1 and IM2 doesn't
become equal to the command when the load is different.
However, both motors are steady. The operation of IM1 and
IM2 is not corresponding when the load is the same. This is
different from the result of same ratings test. As for the cause,
the parameter of IM1 and IM2 is different. The torque
response clearly follows the load for each IM (Fig.10-11).
Each parameter that substitutes the value of the table1 reaches
the following values.
0.5965
= 9.4115
S r1 =
63.38e 3
0.2367
= 7.0996
Sr2 =
33.34e 3

S r1 + S r 2
= 8.2555
2
S S r1
S r = r 2
= 1.156
2
U 1 = 61.28e 3 9.4115 = 0.5767
Sr =

U 2 = 32.11e 3 7.0996 = 0.5767

U1 + U 2
= 0.4024
2
U U1
U = 2
= 0.1744
2
61.28e 3
= 0.9669
M 1 =
63.38e 3
32.11e 3
= 0.9631
M 2 =
33.34e 3
M + M 2
M = 1
= 0.9650
2
M M 1
M = 2
= 0.0019
2
U=

idse* =

Fig10 Torque response (IM1)

e
8.225dre* 1.156 dre + r qr + 0.1744idse

Fig11 Torque response (IM2)

U
T = Te 0.0021Te
i qse*

T *
i qse dre + i dse qre
1
.
93
=
e

dr

TABLE III
Simulation condition

Time[s]

4
Fig12. Stator current (IM1)

700

Speed[rpm]
Torque(IM1)[%]

Torque(IM2)[%]

50

75
50

Fig13. Stator current (IM2)

V.
Fig9. Motor speed

CONCLUSION

The validity and effectiveness of this method were

confirmed though simulations. If IM ratings and the load
torque are the same, the movement of the IMs is completely

corresponding. The IM was able to drive stability in either

case of same ratings and different ratings.
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