Performance Enhancement of Solar PV Fed BLDC Motor Drive Using Fuzzy Logic Control with Zeta Converter

Abstract

This paper proposes a simple, cost effective and efficient brushless DC (BLDC) motor drive for solar photovoltaic (SPV) array fed water pumping system. A zeta converter is utilized in order to extract the maximum available power from the SPV array. The integration of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems with Brushless DC (BLDC) motors offers an efficient and eco-friendly solution for applications such as water pumping and electric drives. However, improving dynamic performance parameters like starting response, overshoot, and settling time remains a challenge. This paper presents a performance enhancement strategy for a solar PV-fed BLDC motor drive by employing a Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) in conjunction with a Zeta Converter. The Zeta converter provides a continuous input current and voltage regulation, making it suitable for solar energy systems. The proposed FLC replaces the conventional PI controller to enhance the dynamic performance, particularly under varying irradiance conditions. Simulation results show that the FLC achieves smoother motor starting, reduced overshoot, and faster settling time compared to the PI controller, validating its effectiveness in renewable-powered drive systems.The proposed water pumping system is designed and modeled such that the performance is not affected under dynamic conditions. The suitability of proposed system at practical operating conditions is demonstrated through simulation results using MATLAB/ Simulink.

Introduction

This study presents the design and performance evaluation of a solar photovoltaic (SPV) array-fed BLDC motor-driven water pumping system using a Zeta converter and a Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC). With the growing demand for renewable energy solutions in rural and agricultural applications, solar-powered water pumping systems have become a reliable and eco-friendly alternative. BLDC motors are preferred due to their high efficiency, low maintenance, and reliability. However, solar irradiance variability introduces nonlinear and dynamic challenges, requiring efficient power conditioning and advanced control strategies.

The proposed system integrates an SPV array, a Zeta DC–DC converter with INC-MPPT for maximum power extraction, a voltage source inverter (VSI), and a BLDC motor coupled to a water pump. The Zeta converter is selected for its ability to both step-up and step-down voltage while maintaining continuous input current, reducing ripple and improving PV panel performance. The VSI operates with fundamental frequency switching, reducing switching losses and improving overall efficiency.

To enhance speed control performance, a Fuzzy Logic Controller is implemented and compared with a conventional PI controller using MATLAB/Simulink simulations. The fuzzy controller processes inputs through fuzzification, rule-based inference, and defuzzification, enabling adaptive control without requiring an exact mathematical model.

Simulation results under both constant (1000 W/m²) and variable irradiance (200–1000 W/m²) conditions demonstrate that the system maintains stable operation, soft starting, and effective maximum power tracking. The BLDC motor consistently achieves speeds above the minimum required for water pumping, even at low irradiance levels.

Performance comparison shows that the Fuzzy controller significantly reduces armature current ripple and slightly reduces back EMF fluctuation compared to the PI controller. Under constant irradiance, current ripple improvement reaches about 45%, while under variable irradiance it improves by about 34%. Settling time is also reduced, with approximately 36% faster response under variable solar conditions. Overall, the fuzzy-based control system provides smoother torque, improved efficiency, faster dynamic response, and better adaptability to nonlinear and uncertain solar conditions, making it superior to the conventional PI controller for solar-powered BLDC water pumping applications.

Conclusion

The SPV array zeta converter fed VSI-BLDC motor pump has been proposed and its suitability has been demonstrated through simulated results. The proposed system has been designed and modeled appropriately to accomplish the desired objectives and validated to examine the various performances under starting, dynamic and steady state conditions. This work presents an efficient control strategy for a solar photovoltaic-powered BLDC motor drive using a Zeta converter and a fuzzy logic controller. The integration of the Zeta converter ensures stable and continuous voltage regulation, effectively accommodating the variable nature of solar irradiance. The fuzzy logic controller, when compared to a traditional PI controller, significantly improves the system\'s dynamic response by offering smoother motor starting, reduced overshoot, faster rise time, and shorter settling time. Simulation results validate the superior performance of the fuzzy logic-based system in terms of accuracy and adaptability under fluctuating solar input conditions. The enhanced drive system is well-suited for water pumping applications in off-grid or rural locations where energy reliability and minimal maintenance are critical. Overall, the combination of intelligent control and efficient power conversion offers a promising solution for sustainable and high-performance solar water pumping systems. Fuzzy reduces electrical ripples and fluctuations, making the motor operate more efficiently, reduces settling time significantly, ensuring faster and smoother speed response. Together fuzzy over PI provides 23–46% improvement in real performance metrics.

References

[1] C. Gopal, M. Mohanraj, P. Chandramohan and P. Chandrasekar, “Renewable Energy Source Water Pumping Systems—A Literature Review,” Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 25, pp. 351- 370, September 2013 [2] Z. Xue song, S. Daichun, M. Youjie, and C. Deshu, “The simulation and design for MPPT of PV system based on incremental conductance method,” in Proc. WASE Int. Conf. Inf. Eng. (ICIE), Aug. 14–15, 2010 [3] R. Kumar and B. Singh, “Buck–boost converter fed BLDC motor drive for solar PV array based water pumping,” in Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. Power Electron. Drives Energy Syst. (PEDES), Dec. 16–19, 2014 [4] R. Kumar and B. Singh, “BLDC motor driven solar PV array fed water pumping system employing zeta converter,” in Proc. 6th IEEE India Conf. Power Electron. (IICPE), Dec. 8–10, 2014 [5] A.Maamoun,Y.M.Alsayed,A.Shaltout, “Fuzzylogic based speed controller for permanentmagnet synchronous motor drive”, in IEEE International Conference on Mechatronics andAutomation (IEEE, 2013), pp. 1518–1522

Copyright

Copyright © 2026 Harsha Vardhan, K. V. Sharma, M. T. Nayak. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.