Position-Dependent Feedforward Control for Torque Ripple Mitigation in an IPM Motor

This thesis proposes an effective control strategy for torque ripple minimization in an Internal Permanent Magnet (IPM) electric motor designed for traction in low- to medium-speed vehicles. The proposed approach introduces a feedforward compensation layer within a Field-Oriented Control (FOC) framework, employing a position-dependent reference current generator. All the look-up tables (LUTs) in the controller are functions of the rotor angular position, enabling more accurate tracking of the reference torque. An FEM-based model of the motor was developed in ANSYS Motor-CAD and exported to Simulink for the implementation of the power converter and control algorithms. The feedforward-based strategy was then compared with two alternative approaches: a conventional Proportional-Integral (PI) controller and a Proportional-Integral-Resonant (PIR) controller, the latter being considered state-of-the-art in torque ripple minimization. The final chapter presents a comparative performance analysis carried out in Simulink and discusses potential directions for future development.