Comparative Analysis of Integer-order and Fractional-order Proportional Integral Speed Controllers for Induction Motor Drive Systems

Linear proportional-integral (PI) controllers are an attractive choice for controlling the speed of induction machines because of their simplicity and ease of implementation. Fractional-order PI (FO-PI) controllers, however, perform better than PI controllers because of their nonlinear nature and the underlying iso-damping property of fractional-order operators. In this work, an FO-PI controller based on the proposed first-order plus dead-time induction motor model and integer-order (IO) controllers, such as Ziegler-Nichols PI, Cohen-Coon PI, and a PI controller tuned via trial-and-error method, is designed. Simulation and experimental investigation on an indirect field-oriented induction motor drive system proves that the proposed FO-PI controller has better speed tracking, lesser settling time, better disturbance rejection, and lower speed tracking error compared with linear IO-PI controllers. Our experimental study also validates that the FO-PI controller maximizes the torque per ampere output of the induction machine and can effectively control the motor at low speed, in field-weakening regions, and under detuned conditions.