Linear-Rotary Position Control System With Enhanced Disturbance Rejection for a Novel Total Artificial Heart

• Published in: IEEE open journal of the Industrial Electronics Society Vol. 5; pp. 359 - 375
• Main Authors: Giuffrida, Rosario V., Horat, Andreas, Bortis, Dominik, Bierewirtz, Tim, Narayanaswamy, Krishnaraj, Granegger, Marcus, Kolar, Johann W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York IEEE 2024; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Actuators; Artificial biological organs; Artificial organs; Axial loads; Blood; Closed loops; Control systems design; Electronic systems; Force; Heart; Hydraulic loading; Inductance; permanent magnet machines; Permanent magnets; Pistons; Position control; Position measurement; rotating machines; Synchronous machines; Synchronous motors; Torque; Tracking
• ISSN: 2644-1284; 2644-1284
• DOI: 10.1109/OJIES.2024.3385865

A novel implantable total artificial heart, hereinafter referred to as the ShuttlePump , is currently under development in a research collaboration between the Medical University of Vienna, the Power Electronic Systems Laboratory of ETH Zurich and Charite Berlin. Its novel, low-complexity, pulsatile pumping principle requires a specially shaped piston performing a controlled, synchronized linear-rotary motion while providing the necessary hydraulic force and torque. The machine design of the Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machine (PMSM)-based linear-rotary actuator was conducted in previous work of the authors, leading to the construction of a hardware prototype satisfying the application requirements in terms of electromechanical force, torque, power losses, and volume. This article provides the details of the closed-loop linear-rotary position control system required to operate the ShuttlePump . The design of the position control system targets tight reference tracking (<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">\pm</tex-math></inline-formula>8 mm linear stroke and continuous rotation) up to an operational frequency of 5 Hz, under the heavy disturbance introduced by the axial hydraulic load force, as high as 45 N. The experimental measurements show successful linear-rotary position tracking under the specified axial load, with a maximum error of 1 mm and 5<inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">^{\circ }</tex-math></inline-formula>.