Three-Phase Induction Motor Control and Monitoring Using VFD and ESP32 Based on Modbus RTU Protocol

Abstract

The use of energy in industrial processes is required to be efficient to reduce production costs as low as possible. In general, an industry relies heavily on three-phase induction motors. In its operation, the induction motor is operated in such a way that the energy usage is not maximized, so it is more efficient. To achieve this goal, the industry has used VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) to regulate the speed of induction motors according to the desired needs as well as to avoid "magnetic weak and saturation" conditions in the motor. This paper presents a Learning module for control and monitoring of 3-phase induction motor using Microcontroller embedded WIFI (ESP32), a VFD, and Modbus RTU protocol. The existence of this learning module will be helpful to control and view the motor parameters globally and easily. The presence of Esp32 provides convenience and flexibility for control designers to provide a cheaper control system, more speed process (2 processor), and be adaptive to future needs. Another advantage of this design model is that a user is given a choice of two user friendly applications, namely WhatsApp and Blynk IoT for giving users or students more enjoyable in learning control engineering. However, selecting the type of access application in an industrial environment must be done appropriately by considering network latency, stability, safety, feasibility, and the capability to overcome potential server failures. Regarding the use of VFD on a three-phase induction motor, an initial testing should be done to determine the maximum frequency that can be applied to achieve the motor's nominal current according to its nameplate (in this experiment, the maximum motor frequency is 40 Hz). Such testing is necessary to avoid more severe damage and can extend the motor's operational lifespan.