Current control issues in rotor flux oriented multiphase induction motor drives

Rotor flux oriented control of multiphase induction machines with sinusoidal MMF distribution can theoretically be realized by using only two current controllers in the synchronous reference frame. In practice however this is inadequate, as shown in the paper using experimental results collected from a five-phase induction motor rig. Various asymmetries of the machine and non-ideal nature of the inverter necessitate an appropriate modification of the current control scheme in the rotating reference frame. Such a modified current control scheme is developed in the paper and its ability to provide operation of the machine with practically perfectly sinusoidal and balanced system of five-phase currents is demonstrated experimentally.