Discussion on 'Adaptive sliding-mode-observer for sensorless induction motor drive using two-time-scale approach'

This short communication is a discussion of the paper entitled “Adaptive sliding-mode-observer for sensorless induction motor drive using two-time-scale approach” by A. Mezouar, M.K. Fellah and S. Hadjeri published in the Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory 16 (2008) 1323–1336. In the discussed paper the authors present a current and flux sliding mode observer for the induction motor that also incorporates an adaptive laws in order to estimate the rotor speed and the inverse of the rotor time constant. However the proposed design for the observer and for the adaptive laws, employs the real value of the rotor time constant and the real value of the rotor speed, which are unknown, and therefore cannot be used in the observer design nor in the adaptive laws design.