T.J.E. Miller

On the variation with flux and frequency of the core loss coefficients in electrical machines

A model of core losses, in which the hysteresis coefficients are variable with the frequency and induction (flux density) and the eddy-current and excess loss coefficients are variable only with the induction, is proposed. A procedure for identifying the model coefficients from multifrequency Epstein tests is described, and examples are provided for three typical grades of non-grain-oriented laminated steel suitable for electric motor manufacturing. Over a wide range of frequencies between 20-400 Hz and inductions from 0.05 to 2 T, the new model yielded much lower errors for the specific core losses than conventional models. The applicability of the model for electric machine analysis is also discussed, and examples from an interior permanent-magnet and an induction motor are included.

Torque prediction using the flux-MMF diagram in AC, DC, and reluctance motors

This paper uses the flux-MMF diagram to compare and contrast the torque production mechanism in seven common types of electric motor. The flux-MMF diagram is a generalized version of the flux-linkage versus current (/spl psi/-i) diagram for switched-reluctance motors. It is illustrated for switched-reluctance, synchronous-reluctance, induction, brushless AC, brushless DC, interior PM and commutator motors. The calculated flux-MMF diagrams for motors with the same electromagnetic volume, airgap, slotfill, and total copper loss are shown and are used to compare the low-speed torque and torque ripple performance. The motor designs used were reasonably optimized using a combination of commercially available motor CAD packages and finite-element analysis.

Line-start permanent-magnet motor single-phase steady-state performance analysis

This paper describes an efficient calculating procedure for the steady-state operation of a single-phase line-start capacitor-run permanent-magnet motor. This class of motor is beginning to be applied in hermetic refrigerator compressors as a high-efficiency alternative to either a plain induction motor or a full inverter-fed drive. The calculation relies on a combination of reference-frame transformations including symmetrical components to cope with imbalance, and dq axes to cope with saliency. Computed results are compared with test data. The agreement is generally good, especially in describing the general properties of the motor. However, it is shown that certain important effects are beyond the limit of simple circuit analysis and require a more complex numerical analysis method.

Assessment of torque components in brushless permanent magnet machines through numerical analysis of the electromagnetic field

For the calculation of torque in brushless (BL) AC motors a local method is proposed, based on the Maxwell stress theory and the filtered contributions due to the harmonics of the magnetic vector potential in the motor air-gap. By considering the space fundamental field only, the method can efficiently estimate the average synchronous torque for a variety or motor topologies, including concentrated winding designs. For BLDC motor analysis a global method is introduced, based on the virtual work principle expressed in terms of energy components in various motor regions. The method leads to simplifications in the average torque calculation and enables the direct identification of the cogging and ripple components. The mathematical procedures have been validated against experiments and other numerical techniques.

MMF Harmonics Effect on the Embedded FE-Analytical Computation of PM Motors

This paper aims to define a minimum set of finite-element (FE) solutions to be used in the design and analysis of saturated permanent-magnet motors. The choice of the FE solutions belonging to this set is strictly associated with the classical d-q axis theory, and it is described in terms of key points on the flux-magnetomotive-force diagram. When synchronous machines are considered, such a diagram has a regular shape, so that a huge reduction in FE field solutions is possible with no loss of accuracy. It is also shown that the torque computed by using the d-q axis theory is almost independent of the variation of the flux linkage with the rotor position. At last, this paper describes a technique in which few FE solutions allow the identification not only of the average torque but also of the main torque harmonics. As a result, the torque behavior versus rotor position can be rapidly predicted.

Asynchronous performance analysis of a single-phase capacitor-start, capacitor-run permanent magnet motor

This work presents a detailed analysis of the asynchronous torque components (average cage, magnet braking torque and pulsating) for a single-phase capacitor-start, capacitor-run permanent magnet motor. The computed envelope of pulsating torque superimposed over the average electromagnetic torque leads to an accurate prediction of starting torque. The developed approach is realized by means of a combination of symmetrical components and d-q axes theory and it can be extended for any m-phase AC motor - induction, synchronous reluctance or synchronous permanent magnet. The resultant average electromagnetic torque is determined by superimposing the asynchronous torques and magnet braking torque effects.

Fault-tolerant operation of single-phase SR generators

This paper studies fault-tolerant operation of multipole single-phase switched reluctance generators (SRGs), in particular, an 8/8-pole switched reluctance machine. The multipole single-phase SRG system is advantageous for reduced cost and higher efficiency compared to polyphase equivalents. However, using the classical phase-leg topology, a phase fault may prevent generating operation completely, since redundancy in the number of phases does not exist like polyphase systems. A new power converter topology which connects two coil banks in parallel is proposed for higher fault tolerance with minimum additional cost. Faulty coils can be disconnected with the proposed converter and the SRG can continue generating operation after coil faults with reduced output power. Output power per coil current under faults is studied. Open- and short-circuit coils are studied through linear analysis, finite-element analysis and static torque measurement. Generated currents under faults with the proposed converter are measured. The capability of the system to disconnect faulty coils dynamically is also shown.

Line-start permanent magnet motor-single-phase steady-state performance analysis

The paper describes an efficient calculating procedure for the steady-state operation of a single-phase line-start capacitor-run permanent-magnet motor. This class of motor is beginning to be applied in hermetic refrigerator compressors as a high-efficiency alternative to either a plain induction motor or a full inverter-fed drive. The calculation relies on a combination of reference-frame transformations including symmetrical components to cope with imbalance, and dq axes to cope with saliency. Computed results are compared with test data. The agreement is generally good, especially in describing the general properties of the motor. But it is shown that certain important effects are beyond the limit of simple circuit analysis and require a more complex numerical analysis method.

Rapid computer-aided design method for fast-acting solenoid actuators

The paper describes a general method for the preliminary design of fast-acting solenoid actuators. Moving armature, drive circuit and nonlinearities are modeled as well as eddy currents for solid iron devices. The electromagnetic model is obtained by computing two magnetisation characteristics corresponding to the extreme positions of the armature and a novel interpolation function for the intermediate positions. This function, characterising the magnetic configuration of the actuator, is computed analytically and leads also to an analytical formulation of the magnetic force. In order to achieve extremely fast computation, eddy currents are modeled through a new type of electric equivalent network, derived directly from Maxwells equations and taking into account the actual BH nonlinearities, moving armature and device geometry. The method is demonstrated on a pot-core solenoid actuator and compares favourably with finite element results and measurements.

Calculating the interior permanent-magnet motor

This paper describes the calculation of torque in a brushless permanent-magnet line-start AC motor by means of the flux-MMF diagram in combination with the finite-element method. Results are compared with measured flux-MMF diagrams, with shaft torque measurements, and with torque calculated using the classical phasor diagram.