Integrated Framework for Initial Position Estimation and Self-Commissioning of SRM Using Voltage Signals

Switched reluctance motors have gained popularity across various applications, including electric vehicles, owing to their advantages such as low manufacturing costs and the absence of rare-earth magnets. However, their highly nonlinear control characteristics present significant challenges. Given that torque generation in switched reluctance motors relies on precise rotor position knowledge, position estimation emerges as a crucial research area for these machines. While the conventional asymmetric half-bridge drive is widely employed, this study investigates an initial position estimation method utilizing a full-bridge bipolar drive, leveraging voltage signals exclusively. The method is explained and verified using finite element analysis data of an 8/6 switched reluctance motor. Findings demonstrate the feasibility of establishing an integrated framework for both initial position estimation and self-commissioning, capitalizing on the same information utilized for position estimation. The results are presented for several faults showing the effectiveness of the approach. Further developments might be applied for using the same approach for fault diagnosis or even fault tolerant control during motor running state in the next steps.