Sensorless rotor position estimation at standstill of cylindrical brushless dc motors using opened phase voltage change caused by eddy currents

Abstract

A rotor position estimation of a cylindrical brushless dc motor at standstill has been difficult to obtain. Therefore, torque control of a motor has been difficult at starting of the motor, and realization of the position estimation at standstill has been sought. This paper proposes a simple processing of a rotor for which nonmagnetic materials are pasted on the rotor surface. This processing generates an eddy current on nonmagnetic materials and causes an opened phase voltage change according to rotor position. The experimental results using a microcomputer show that it is possible to estimate rotor position of the cylindrical motor despite a standstill by using the opened phase voltage change. ©�1998 Scripta Technica, Electr Eng Jpn, 126(1): 52–60, 1999