Control of electric drives and power converters

This course deals with control methods for electric machine drives and grid-connected converters. Some key applications are introduced. Selected control concepts are introduced using an induction motor, interior permanent-magnet motor, and synchronous reluctance motor as example machines. Using analogies to machine drives, control of grid-following and grid-forming converters are also covered.

Course contents

• Introduction, induction motor (IM)
• V/Hz-controlled IM drive
• Vector-controlled IM drive
• Pulse-width modulation (PWM) and current control
• Sensorless IM drive, direct torque control (DTC)
• Grid-connected converter (grid-following, grid-forming)
• LCL filter
• Grid faults and disturbances
• Lossless magnetic field, elementary synchronous machine
• Interior permanent-magnet synchronous motor (IPMSM) drive
• Sensorless IPMSM drive
• Recap, demos

Learning outcomes

After the course the students can

• draw and explain block diagrams of typical vector-controlled and DTC-controlled drive systems
• design three-phase current controllers
• select optimal current references for various AC machines
• build simulation models for drive systems and power-converter systems
• explain the most essential relationships between control of AC machine drives and control of grid converters.

Course materials and technology

All material will be shared digitally to the students.

MATLAB and Simulink will be used in the assignments. The software is freely available to the students.

For students with good programming skills, it is also possible to use a Python-based open-source software instead of MATLAB/Simulink: https://github.com/Aalto-Electric-Drives/motulator

Teaching schedule

Teaching sessions on campus:

• Lectures on Wednesdays at 8:15–10:15.
• Exercises on Wednesday at 10:15–12:00.
• Exam on 4.6.2025 at 9:00–12:00.

Attendance in lectures and exercises is recommended, but it is also possible to study the materials independently.

Completion methods

The course contains two assignments (30 % of the maximum points) and the exam (70 % of the maximum points).

Weekly individual working is necessary for learning. The course workload requires finishing homework assignments and reviewing lecture slides and exercises.

Total workload is 127 hours:

• Lectures 44 h
• Exercises 20 h and assignments 32 h
• Demo 4 h
• Prepairing for the exam 24 h and the exam 3 h

Please check the schedule from the Aalto University study guide.

You can get a digital badge after completing this course.

Sähkökäyttöisten taajuusmuuttajien ja tehomuuttajien ohjaus taajuusmuuttaja tehomuuntaja tehomuuttaja taajuudenmuuttaja, invertteriohjaus, moottorivaihtosuuntaaja, taajuudenmuutin