Phobia Motor Controller

PMC is an open project that aims to build the quality permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) controller for use in a variety of scopes like RC or electrotransport.

ATTENTION: the repository is moving to sf.net.

Hardware specification (rev4c)

Dimension: 90mm x 50mm x 15mm.
Weight: 40g (PCBs) or 230g (with 20cm wires and heatsink).
Wires: 10 AWG.
Connector: XT90-S and bullet 5.5mm.
Supply voltage from 5v to 50v.
Phase current up to 120A (IPT007N06N, 60v, 0.75 mOhm).
Light capacitor bank (3 x 2.2uF + 3 x 680uF).
PWM frequency from 20 to 80 kHz.
STM32F405RG microcontroller (Cortex-M4F at 168 MHz).
Onboard sensors:
- Two current shunts (0.5 mOhm) with amplifiers (AD8418) give a measuring range of 150A.
- Supply voltage from 0 to 60v.
- Three terminal voltages from 0 to 60v.
- Temperature of PCB with NTC resistor.
Motor interfaces:
- Hall Sensors or Quadrature Encoder (5v pull-up).
- External NTC resistor (e.g. motor temperature sensing).
Control interfaces:
- CAN transceiver with optional termination resistor on PCB (5v).
- USART to bootload and configure (3.3v).
- Pulse input control: RC servo pulse width, STEP/DIR, QEP (5v-tolerant).
- Two analog input channels (from 0 to 6v).
Auxiliary interfaces:
- Two combined ports with: SPI, I2C, USART, ADC, DAC, GPIO (3.3v).
- BOOT and RESET pins to use embedded bootloader.
- SWD to hardware debug.
- External FAN control (5v).
Power conversion:
- Supply voltage to 5v buck (up to 1A).
- 5v to 12v boost (up to 100 mA).
- 5v to 3.3v linear (up to 400 mA).
- 5v to 3.3vREF optional reference voltage (accuracy 0.2%, 25 mA).

Look into phobia-pcb repository for PCB design source files.

Software features

Sensorless vector control of PMSM based on two inline current measurements.
Advanced PWM scheme to reduce switching losses and fully utilise DC link voltage.
Fast and robust multi-hypothesis flux observer (MHFO) with gain scheduling.
Terminal voltage sensing to reduce the effect of Dead-Time.
Automated motor parameters identification with no additional tools.
Self test of hardware integrity to diagnose troubles.
Flux weakening control (EXPERIMENTAL).
Terminal voltage tracking to get smooth start when motor is already running (EXPERIMENTAL).
Two phase machine support (e.g. bipolar stepper) (EXPERIMENTAL).
Advanced command line interface (CLI) with autocompletion and history.
Non critical tasks are managed by FreeRTOS.
Flash storage for all of configurable parameters.
Operation at low or zero speed:
- Forced control that applies a current vector without feedback to force rotor turn.
- High frequency injection (HFI) based on magnetic saliency (EXPERIMENTAL).
- Hall Sensors or Quadrature Encoder (TODO).
Control loops:
- Current control is always enabled.
- Speed control loop.
- Servo operation (EXPERIMENTAL).
- Battery charger (TODO).
- Voltage rectifier (TODO).
Adjustable limits:
- Phase current (with adjustable derate from overheat).
- Source current (or power) consumption and regeneration.
- DC link overvoltage and undervoltage.
- Maximal speed and acceleration (as part of speed control loop).
Control inputs:
- CAN bus (TODO).
- RC servo pulse width.
- STEP/DIR (TODO).
- Analog input with brake signal.
- Manual control through CLI.
- Custom embedded application can implement any control strategy.
Available information:
- Total distance traveled.
- Source energy (Wh) and charge (Ah) consumed (or reverted).
- Fuel gauge percentage.
- Peak values.

TODO

Analyse HFI operation on large current values.
Make a detailed documentation.
FIX: add detached motor Kv probing

Current Status

Now we can declare that PMC is ready to use in most applications. But there is still a lot of unresolved issues. It may be difficult to configure the PMC for a specific motor.

There are a few videos that show the operation of the prototypes (may be outdated).

yconst / phobia-code