This my latest project which was funded by CASA(China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation) and BUAA(Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics) to develop a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor(PMSM) Power Hardware in Loop(PHIL) simulator for space application(Chang'e 3 and Chang'e 5 unmanned lunar exploration mission). The figure below is the block diagram of the PHIL system.
In order to do ground tests and experiment on lunar rover motor control system, a much more efficient way which using Power Hardware in Loop simulator technology is necessary. This PMSM PHIL system has the ability to simulate the real motor behaviors which mounted on to the lunar rover with high accuracy and fidelity.
The waveform above are real BLDC motor phase current(Right) and a simulated virtual phase current(Left) from my PHIL system. There is a slight different between them, due to the mathematical model in the PHIL system is not the same with the real BLDC motor.
On the other hand, this PHIL simulator also has the ability to simulate the operation of PMSM under FOC(Field Oriented Control) by simply changing the mathematical model in the PHIL simulator. The below waveform (left) is virtual PMSM running at a acceleration process with current open loop FOC. The below waveform(right) is the virtual PMSM running at normal load with closed loop FOC.
The whole PHIL system is designed by our team and had been used in the real ground test processes of the lunar rover motor control system. For more details, please click on "Design of Brushless DC Motor Power Hardware in the Loop Simulator"