Model Predictive Control of Six-Phase Induction Motor Drives Using Two Virtual Voltage Vectors

Finite-control set model predictive control (FCS-MPC) has been successfully applied to three-phase electric drives and has proven to bring fast dynamics and high flexibility. The extension of FCS-MPC to regulate machines with more than three phases (i.e., multiphase) presents, however, additional challenges. Leaving aside the higher computational requirements, the appearance of additional degrees of freedom requires a simultaneous current tracking in different subspaces. Hence, the accuracy in the fundamental plane needs to be accomplished with no simultaneous excitement of the secondary planes in order to avoid unacceptable inefficiencies. This paper jointly tackles the performance improvement of fundamental and secondary planes following a two-step procedure: individual virtual voltage vectors (VVs) first ensure low circulating currents and the optimal combination of two VVs provides enhanced current tracking in the fundamental plane. Comparative experimental results confirm the satisfactory performance of the proposed strategy.