Nonlinear control of an active magnetic bearing system achieved using a fuzzy control with radial basis function neural network

Abstract

Studies on active magnetic bearing (AMB) systems are increasing in popularity and practical applications. Magnetic bearings cause less noise, friction, and vibration than the conventional mechanical bearings; however, the control of AMB systems requires further investigation. The magnetic force has a highly nonlinear relation to the control current and the air gap. This paper proposes an intelligent control method for positioning an AMB system that uses a neural fuzzy controller (NFC). The mathematical model of an AMB system comprises identification followed by collection of information from this system. A fuzzy logic controller (FLC), the parameters of which are adjusted using a radial basis function neural network (RBFNN), is applied to the unbalanced vibration in an AMB system. The AMB system exhibited a satisfactory control performance, with low overshoot, and produced improved transient and steady-state responses under various operating conditions. The NFC has been verified on a prototype AMB system. The proposed controller can be feasibly applied to AMB systems exposed to various external disturbances; demonstrating the effectiveness of the NFC with self-learning and self-improving capacities is proven.