Position estimation of a two-phase switched reluctance motor at standstill

In this paper, a sensorless position detection method of a two-phase switched reluctance motor (SRM) at standstill is proposed based on the voltage pulse injection method. Due to the torque dead zone and the lack of starting capability in the two-phase SRM, a rotor with a stepped structure is adopted to ensure continuous torque generation. The inductance characteristics of the asymmetric SRM are analyzed, and the region of the rotor position is categorized into linear regions and nonlinear regions with several key rotor positions and threshold values of self-inductance. A simple analytical model of the phase self-inductance profile of the asymmetric rotor SRM is proposed, which only requires a few linear equations, to replace the conventional look-up table. A pulse injection-based position estimation method is proposed based on the aforementioned analytical model. Short voltage pulses are injected into both phases at the same time to determine the position where the rotor is actually located at standstill. The proposed position detection method is simple and requires no extra circuitry. The simulation results are given and show the proposed estimation method can acquire a precise rotor position accurately at a standstill condition.