Reduced-Order Model for Bearingless PMSMs in Hardware-in-the-Loop

High production costs and extended development timelines pose significant challenges to the manufacturing of bearingless permanent magnet synchronous motors (BPMSMs). Moreover, uncertainties regarding the motor’s ability to generate suspension and torque often persist even after prototyping, primarily due to the limitations of lumped parameter models in capturing the system’s complex dynamics. Since this technology is not yet fully consolidated, there is a clear need for a solution that enables the effective evaluation of BPMSMs prior to physical production. To address this, a reduced-order model (ROM) was developed for BPMSMs with combined windings, capturing the cross-coupling effects associated with rotor eccentricity, magnetic saturation, and topological complexity. The model was constructed using the parametric interpolation method (PIM), enabling efficient and accurate representations of nonlinear electromechanical behavior as ferromagnetic materials and spatial harmonics are addressed through finite element modeling. Additionally, hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) techniques were used for gain tuning, and active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) was applied to enhance performance. This combined approach offers a comprehensive solution for the design and control of BPMSMs.