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Purpose: This study provides a detailed investigation on the prediction and diagnosis of unsteady electromagnetic vibroacoustic performance of IPMSMs for electric vehicles under typical unsteady operating conditions with consideration of rotor step skewing and current harmonics. Methods: Firstly, the control model considering the influence of PWM carrier modulation and rotor step skewing is established. Based on this, the currents of the IPMSM under unsteady operating conditions (driving condition and feedback braking condition) are obtained. Accordingly, the currents calculated through the control model are used as the excitation source of electromagnetic finite element. Then, the electromagnetic vibroacoustic performance under unsteady operating conditions is calculated through electromagnetic force subsection mapping and acoustic transfer vector (ATV) method. Moreover, the conditions where resonance vibroacoustic occurs are diagnosed. Finally, the results of prediction and diagnosis are fully verified by experiments of multiple physical fields. Results and Conclusions: The amplitude errors between prediction results and test results are less than 3.2 % . The influence of current harmonics on electromagnetic vibroacoustic can be predicted. The frequency range and speed range of predicted peak vibroacoustic are consistent with the experimental results. The rotor step skewing can be used to weaken the vibroacoustic amplitude of IPMSMs under typical unsteady conditions in the full speed range. This study provides guidance for prediction and diagnosis for electromagnetic vibroacoustic performance of IPMSMs under typical unsteady operating conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensorless drives of interior permanent magnet synchronous motors (IPMSMs) find a broad range of applications due to their inherent benefits. In practical electrified propulsions, the IPMSM drives are usually working in highly utilized conditions where the performance and stability could deteriorate. Without considerable compensation, this vulnerability causes the existing phase-locked loops (PLLs), estimators, or observers to lose the synchronization with the rotor position. To achieve better performance and reduce the estimation error, in a PLL-type framework for sensorless control, a position error observer (PEO) utilizing the current errors as correction terms plays the role of the phase detector. A reduced-order extended state observer (ESO) is presented to form the loop filter with a switched nonsmooth feedback structure. The outstanding property of the PEO and nonsmooth ESO is verified through experiments. The results demonstrate its strong adaptability for model uncertainties and disturbances along with the quick convergence speed and minimal oscillation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a modular approachto the power sharing control of permanent magnet synchronous bearingless machine. The selected machine topology features a winding layout with phases distributed into nonoverlapping three phase groups, a solution whose twofold aim is to increase the fault tolerance and to allow for the radial force generation. The three phase subwindings are supplied by standard three-phase inverter, leading to a modular system architecture. A throughout explanation of the methodology used to develop the control algorithm is presented considering the torque and force control in combination with the power sharing management of the machine. Special emphasis is placed on validating the modeling hypotheses based on a finite element characterization of the machine electro-mechanical behavior. The proposed control strategy is also extended to cater the possibility of one or more inverters failure, thus validating the intrinsic advantage of the redundancy obtained by the modularity of the system. An extensive experimental test campaign is finally carried out on a prototyped multi three-phase permanent magnet synchronous drive. The obtained results validate the bearingless power sharing operation in healthy and faulty scenarios, both at steady state and under extreme transient condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an interior permanent magnet synchronous motor (IPMSM) with segmented skewed poles, the armature reaction magnetic field (AR-MF) changes nonlinearly due to the saturation of the rotor magnetic barrier. Meanwhile, this varies under different excitation currents. As a result, it is difficult to be calculated by means of analytical methods. In this paper, the calculation model of AR-MF of IPMSM is first established by vector superposition method, without considering the saturation effect of rotor and the slotting effect of stator. In the second step, the virtual magnetic field of the rotor is introduced to quantitatively calculate the influence of local inhomogeneous saturation on the AR-MF. The latter is derived by combining both the subdomain method and equivalent magnetic circuit method. The complex relative permeance is also introduced to establish the AR-MF accounting for the stator slotting effect. To validate the AR-MF calculation method proposed, an 8-pole 48-slot IPMSM with segmented skewed poles is considered as a case study, showing a comparison by both with finite element (FE) results and the electromagnetic torque measured on a test bench. The model proposed in this paper shows high accuracy and fast computation with respect to FE analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the electro-mechanical devices transforming energy from electrical to mechanical, the squirrel cage induction motor can be surely considered a workhorse of the industry due to its robustness, low cost, and good performance when directly fed by the ac grid. Being the most influencing motor topology in terms of energy consumption, optimizing the efficiency of squirrel cage induction motors could lead to a great impact toward the reduction of the human environmental footprint. The induction motor design aided by finite element analysis presents significant challenges because an accurate performance prediction requires a considerable computational burden. This article makes use of an innovative fast and accurate performance evaluation method embedded into an automatic design procedure to optimize different rotor slot geometries. After introducing the performance estimation approach, its advantages and limits are discussed comparing its prediction with the experimental tests carried out on an off-the-shelf induction motor. Different rotor cage structures with increasing geometrical complexity are then optimized in terms of starting and rated performance adopting the same design optimization process, the same stator geometry and constituent materials. The analysis of the optimal solutions shows how it is possible to improve the rated efficiency without compromising other performance indexes. The presented results can be used as general design guidelines of squirrel cage induction motors for industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decade, the trend toward higher efficiency and higher torque density electrical machines (EMs) without permanent magnets (PMs) for the industrial sector has rapidly increased. This work discusses the latest research and industrial advancements in synchronous reluctance machines (SynRMs), being the emergent motor topology gaining wide acceptance by many industries. This article presents an extensive literature review covering the background and evolvement of SynRM, including the most recent developments. Nowadays, SynRM has found its niche in the EM market, and the reasons for that are highlighted in this work together with its advantages and disadvantages. The key journal publications in SynRM topics are discussed presenting the biggest challenges and the latest advancements with particular regards to the design methodology. This article aims to provide a thorough overview to the research community and industry about SynRM. There is a clear potential for SynRM to take over a significant portion of the EM market in the near future to meet efficiency standards in industrial applications without the use of rare-Earth PM technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is focused on the design, optimisation and control of a permanent magnet assisted synchronous reluctance machine (PMaSynRel) for low cost high efficiency household appliances, in particular a motor for washing machine. The design and optimisation of the motor aims at maximising the torque produced and power factor, while minimise torque oscillations and the losses, thus improving the efficiency. A campaign of tests has been carried out on the prototype of the optimised machine, comparing finite element results and experimental measurements as a validation of the proposed design. In addition, torque ripple measurements are confirming that the solution proposed is meeting the optimisation design targets. The outcomes of this project are demonstrating that PMaSynRel drives are a suitable candidate for white goods sector, and that the proposed design is able to boost the performance and efficiency class with respect to the state-of-the-art solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensorless control technologies based on rotor saliency may not operate well due to the effect of magnetic saturation. In this work, a rotor backend (RB) is attached to an existing rotor structure of a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) to enhance anisotropic features. The geometry of the RB is further optimized to achieve greater current amplitude induced by the RB saliency modulation. The phase sequence direction of the modulation is not electrically synchronized with the rotor reference frame. A fractional slot/pole combination is selected and analyzed to strengthen the saliency modulation signal. Hence, the sensorless techniques will be immune to saturation effect in highly exploited machines. Both low and high-speed performance of the proposed method is verified through the experimental tests. It is demonstrated that the position estimation using saliency modulation of the RB is unaffected by machine saturation due to its electrical asynchronous property. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the local inhomogeneous magnetic saturation of the core of the interior permanent magnet synchronous motor (IPMSM), the magnetic field changes nonlinearly, which makes the analytical calculation of the magnetic field difficult. Therefore, the calculation of the magnetic field mostly relies on the finite element method (FEM). However, the high computation cost of FEM restricts the efficiency of the design and analysis of IPMSM. In this article, an analytical model (AM) of slotless open-circuit air-gap magnetic field (OC-AG-MF) of IPMSM with V-shaped segmented skewed poles is derived by combining the subdomain method (SDM) and the magnetic equivalent circuit (MEC) method, and then, the AM of slotted OC-AG-MF of IPMSM with V-shaped segmented skewed poles is obtained by introducing the complex relative permeance. To show the effectiveness of the novel AM, the OC-AG-MF and cogging torque of an IPMSM with V-shaped segmented skewed poles for electric vehicles are calculated by the AM and FEM, respectively. The spatial order, amplitude–frequency characteristics, and the 3-D spatial distribution of the OC-AG-MF are analyzed. Finally, the accuracy of the AM is experimentally verified by direct measurement of OC-AG-MF and no-load back electromotive force (EMF) of the motor. The AM proposed in this article is shown to accurately calculate the radial and tangential components of OC-AG-MF of IPMSM with V-shaped segmented skewed poles considering rotor magnetic bridge saturation effect and stator slotting effect. Meanwhile, the efficiency of the design and analysis of the motor is expected to be improved due to the reduced computational effort compared to the prevalent FEM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a current limitation technique for a multiphase bearingless machine featuring a combined winding system. This winding structure allows the machine to produce both suspension force and motoring torque. The main challenges with the combined winding configuration consist of decoupling the suspension force and torque generation and designing a proper current limitation algorithm. The former topic has been already tackled and presented in previous publications, while the latter will be addressed in this article. In particular, the proposed suspension force control technique will allow to prioritize either suspension force or torque generation. In this article, the priority is given to the rotor levitation, hence the suspension force rather than the torque is essential. Finally, simulation results and experiment validation on a $\text{1.5}\,\text{kW}/3000\,\text{r/min}$ prototype machine are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with the power-sharing control of bearingless multisector and multithree-phase permanent magnet machines. The proposed control strategy allows to distribute the power flows among the three-phase inverters supplying the machine during bearingless operation of the drive. The control technique is based on the extension of the vector space decomposition modeling approach. The components producing the electromagnetic torque, i.e., the q-axis currents, are controlled independently from the d-axis ones, also with the aim of managing the power flows among the three-phase systems. Conversely, the d-axis currents are exploited for the generation of the radial forces needed to levitate the rotor, while considering the compensation of the forces caused by the q-axis currents in case of unbalanced power sharing strategy. The validity of the proposed method is confirmed by simulations and experimental tests on a prototyped bearingless multisector permanent magnet synchronous machine. The proposed approach is a contribution to the development of advanced control systems employing multiphase drives in the field of bearingless and multiport applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel design concept for Synchronous Reluctance (SynRel) machines aimed at reducing the torque ripple. Two general sizing approaches based on the homothetic scaling principle are defined and compared. An in depth analysis on the torque ripple, for a wide range of scaled geometries, evaluated by finite element, has been carried out at different operating conditions. A further analysis is performed on 4 scaled geometries that have been optimized starting from 4 random rotor geometries. It is shown that the main rotor geometrical variables converge to similar values for all scaled machines. The accuracy of the proposed model is then validated by comparing the FE simulated torque ripple waveforms with the experimental data carried out, for a range of operating conditions, on a machine prototype. The outcome of this work is a fast and accurate scaling technique for the preliminary design of SynRel machines with reduced torque ripple. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the detection of the detailed static air-gap eccentricity position (SAGE) at both the ends of nonsalient pole synchronous generators (SG). Differently from the previous studies, the detection method proposed does not necessitate the installation of invasive sensors inside the generator and instead, it is based on two groups of symmetrically distributed search coils placed at both endsides outside the generator. The root-mean-square (rms) value comparison in electromotive forces of the search coils is then employed to assess the exact SAGE position of each end-side. Numerical 3-D finite element calculation together with an experimental campaign on a two-pole 3000 r/min CS-5 prototype SG validates the effectiveness of the proposed method. It is shown that the maximum assessment error by using the four external search coils at each end is 15.1%, while by setting more coils, the error can be significantly reduced. Since this proposed method has no need to install invasive search coils inside the generator, it is more convenient for field testing and helps improve the cost performance of the online SAGE condition monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rotor slot geometry of a squirrel cage induction motor plays the most important role in defining the torque-speed characteristic when the power supply is directly provided by the main grid. In this article it is shown how the rotor slot geometry can be optimised to satisfy different electromechanical requirements, depending on specific applications. This work, the second of two companion papers, briefly recalls the novel systematic approach, proposed in Part I, to perform the optimization of squirrel cage induction motors. Here, the optimization results achieved satisfying a wide spectrum of requirements are analysed in depth. Furthermore, the trade-off among the several performance indexes, and their correlation with the geometrical parameters is discussed. The possible advantages, and disadvantages of adopting a copper cage is also quantified for all possible performance requirements. The influence of the motor thermal behaviour, and harmonic losses on the overall performance are also discussed allowing to validate the proposed design optimization procedure, and its results. The outcomes of this work are opening to new design approaches that enable to optimise the performance of one of the most popular electrical machines adopted in industry, the squirrel cage induction motor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Squirrel cage induction motor is the most widely adopted electrical machine in applications directly fed by the main grid. The analysis, design, and optimization of this machine topology has been addressed by a considerable amount of literature over the last century. Although its wide adoption, the induction motor design, especially when carried out in an automatic fashion, still presents significant challenges because the accurate prediction of the performance requires time-consuming finite element analysis. This work proposes a systematic approach to perform the design optimization of a squirrel cage induction motor focusing on the rotor slot geometry, being this the major player in defining the torque-speed characteristic. Structured as a two-parts companion papers, this first part presents an innovative performance evaluation methodology which allows a very fast estimation of the torque, and efficiency behaviour preserving the results’ accuracy. The proposed performance estimation technique is assessed against experimental tests carried out on an off-the-shelf induction motor. The selection of the performance indexes to be optimized is justified in detail along with the description of a generalized rotor parametrization which allows a comprehensive exploration of the research space. The presented optimization procedure is then applied to a case study, and the preliminary results are commented, highlighting benefits, and drawbacks of the proposed methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-speed permanent magnet machine (HSPMM) design is considered with particular attention paid to machine electromagnetic, thermal, and mechanical analyses. In this article, a 140-kW, 15 000 r/min HSPMM is designed with its power losses evaluated at first. Afterward, the machine temperature distribution is obtained based on computational fluid dynamics modeling. HSPMM is prototyped with experimental tests conducted to verify the calculation results. Mechanical strength analysis is performed for the HSPMM rotor structure with pole filler by finite-element method for the rotor at three operational conditions, while the influences from sleeve parameters on rotor strength are comprehensively studied for the HSPMM rotor at the most challenging condition. In this article, stator auxiliary slotting is extensively researched to reduce the rotor eddy current loss with little effects on machine output torque. The air gap flux density for HSPMM with auxiliary slotting is analytically predicted, while the working mechanism is illustrated in-depth. The effects from auxiliary slot dimensions, numbers and positions, on machine performances are further proposed and investigated. The experimental tests also validate the reduction of HSPMM rotor eddy current loss by the application of auxiliary slotting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a rotor position tracking control (RPTC) strategy is proposed to effectively reduce the speed fluctuation for a direct-drive permanent magnet synchronous motor servo system operating at a low speed with different torque disturbances. In this article, considering the derivative relationship between the rotor position and speed, a speed command is converted to a real-time rotor position trajectory, and then a position-current two-loop control with the RPTC controller is proposed based on the internal model method to smoothly track the rotor position. In addition, the parameter design of the RPTC controller from the perspectives of robust stability and antidisturbance capability is investigated as well. The comparative simulation and experimental results demonstrate that, at a low speed, the proposed RPTC strategy has a good speed performance for both periodic and nonperiodic torque disturbances. Moreover, it enjoys a simple implementation for not requiring the precise speed feedback and specific torque disturbance information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a concept for homothetic scaling of Synchronous Reluctance (SynRel) machines with the aim to generate a design for a wide range of power ratings. A generalized modeling approach, based on the saliency ratio, is presented in detail to analytically evaluate the magnetic behavior of the scaled SynRel machines. The analytical model has been applied to a wide range of machines and validated through finite element analysis. General scaling functions are derived to size and evaluate the performance of the scaled machines using the data resulting from the analytical model. The accuracy of the proposed functions is validated, for a range of operating conditions, comparing the results with the experimental measurement carried out on two 4-poles SynRel prototypes. These have been designed using the homothetic method proposed, which has been proven to be a quick and accurate preliminary sizing tool for SynRel motors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, finite element analysis represents the most accurate tool to analyse electrical machines. However, the time domain resolution of electromagnetic problem, in some cases, requires long simulation time due to the induced nature of the currents. The computational burden increases when the machine features a skewed layout on the stator or rotor structures, since this requires 2D multi-slices approximated analysis or even a full 3D model. In this paper, a general analytical method to model electromagnetic devices is applied to a squirrel cage induction motor featuring a skewed rotor structure. The modelling approach is wisely implemented and adapted to pursue a fair balance between accuracy of the analysis and computational burden, taking advantage of all the symmetries existing in the rotor cage of the machine, aiming to minimize the model complexity. A comparative analysis in term of the inductances between analytical and finite element is proposed. The results provided by the model developed are compared with respect to the corresponding values provided by both finite element and experimental test performed on the reference machine. Such comparisons show that the proposed model is actually able to achieve a pretty good balance between accuracy and computational efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interior permanent magnet synchronous machines (IPMSMs) with V‐shaped permanent magnet (PM) rotors are widely used as traction motors in electric vehicles because of their high torque density and high efficiency. However, the V‐shape IPMSMs have the disadvantages of inevitable torque ripple due to the non‐sinusoidal air‐gap flux density distribution and the utilisation of the reluctance torque. In this study, with the aim of improving the torque ripple characteristics, a modified V‐shaped IPMSM rotor configuration with bridges extended inwards towards the pole centre is proposed to generate a more sinusoidal air‐gap flux density waveform. The proposed topology, referred to as 'Type C' within this study, is compared with baseline rotor configuration references, namely 'Type A' which is a conventional V‐shaped PM rotor, as well as 'Type B' which is a related configuration with a mechanically non‐uniform air gap. The analysis results show that the rotor 'Type C' exhibits significant advantages in terms of reducing cogging torque, torque ripple and radial force, without incurring additional air‐gap friction losses. Finally, a prototype of the IPMSM with the proposed rotor configuration is manufactured and tested, verifying the predicted benefits experimentally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes an analytical model of modular spoke-type permanent magnet (MSTPM) machines based on air-gap field modulation (AFM) theory. Firstly, a fundamental AFM model of open-circuit MSTPM machines is introduced. The open-circuit air-gap field of MSTPM machines is determined by three fundamental elements including the primitive magnetizing magnetomotive force (MMF) produced by permanent magnet (PM), and two modulators which consist of stator and rotor permeance. The analytical MMF excited by PM (PM-MMF) can be calculated by using magnetic circuit method, while the stator and rotor permeance models are developed based on relative permeance (RP) method. Thereafter, a general model is proposed to calculate the open-circuit back electromotive force (EMF) of MSTPM machines. Further, the winding inductance model is established on the basis of equivalent magnetic circuit method and RP model. Finally, the machine performance is predicted by the analytical model, and verified by both finite element analysis (FEA) and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a dual-pulse mode control of a high-speed doubly salient electromagnetic machine (DSEM) for efficiency improvement over a wide speed range is investigated and implemented. The dual-pulse mode control method and operation principle are introduced. The influence of excitation angles and field current on the operation performance is analyzed by finite-element method based on the back electromotive force (EMF) and inductance characteristics. The loss distribution for various speed and load torque requirement is attained, and the control parameters are optimized. The excitation angle can reduce the back EMF at high speed through transformer EMF and flux-weakening armature reaction. A prototype of 12/8-pole DSEM drive system is developed and dual-pulse mode control in high-speed operation under low dc-link voltage is implemented. Both the simulated and measured results show that the torque capacity of the DSEM is improved and the loss is reduced over a wide speed range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the qualitative theoretical derivation, together with finite element analysis and experimental studies are presented to investigate the unbalanced magnetic pull (UMP) as well as the rotor vibration characteristics. Differently from previous studies, this study focuses on the UMP/vibration not only under the normal and the conventional radial rotor eccentricity conditions but also for three‐dimensional (3D) hybrid static air‐gap eccentricity (SAGE) cases which are composed of both the radial SAGE and the axial SAGE. The detailed UMP expressions before and after each SAGE, are first deduced based on the analysis of the magnetic flux density variation. Then, the 3D finite element calculation and the experimental study are carried out on the CS‐5 prototype generator which has two poles and a rated speed of 3000 rpm in order to validate the proposed theoretical analysis. It is shown that the DC component and the even harmonics of the radial UMP/vibration, especially the second harmonic, increase under the SAGE conditions. Specifically, the increment of the radial SAGE increases both the radial and the axial UMPs/vibrations, while the growth of the axial SAGE increases the axial UMP/vibration but meanwhile reduces the radial UMP/vibration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rotor structure of synchronous reluctance machines (SynRel) is conventionally retained mechanically by iron ribs. In this paper, a novel structure for high-speed synchronous reluctance rotor is presented. The novelty of this paper is the proof of a concept of SynRel machine without iron ribs. Structurally, the rotor iron lamination segments are embedded in an adhesive resin material with high temperature resistance and mechanical strength. Three four-pole SynRel machines have been designed with the target of improving motor torque, and compared for different ribs configuration. It has been shown that the proposed motor performs enhanced torque, power factor, and efficiency with respect to conventional SynRel with iron ribs. An extensive sensitivity analysis of the ribless rotor geometry is carried out, followed by both mechanical analysis and experimental over speed test to guarantee its robustness above the operating speed range. The manufacturing procedure of this novel rotor is introduced. Finally, the experimental results on both SynRel prototypes are presented, showing the increase in torque, power factor, and efficiency of the proposed solution. This paper is a first step toward the definition of a viable and novel solution of SynRel machines with improved performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an integrated control strategy for a starter/generator (S/G) system based on five-phase dual-stator winding induction machine (FPDWIM). The FPDWIM has a cage-type rotor and two sets of stator windings. One is a five-phase control winding (CW), and the other is a five-phase power winding (PW). In the starting mode, the FPDWIM works as a motor. The CW provides both active power and reactive power to drive the engine. In the generating mode, the CW mainly handles reactive power while the PW outputs active power. To achieve the integration of the starting and generating controls, indirect CW-flux-oriented control (ICWFOC) to operate in both starting and generating modes is proposed in this paper. In starting mode, the CW current and flux are controlled to output a constant starting torque; while in the generating mode, both CW and PW dc bus voltages are regulated. In this way, the principles and structures of the control strategies in both modes are compatible, resulting in a simpler implementation and improved performance. With the proposed control strategy, the system can complete the starting–generating operation with a smoother transition process. Simulation and experimental results are compared to validate the proposed control strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a novel post fault control algorithm based on the space vector method is presented and applied to a bearingless multisector permanent magnet synchronous machine with a triple three-phase winding. First, the expressions of the current space vectors, as a function of the electromagnetic suspension force and motoring torque, are introduced. Then, the open-circuit fault is described and a new post-fault algorithm is introduced. The introduced post-fault algorithm, based on the minimization of the stator copper losses, is compared at simulation level with an existing one, where the above-mentioned loss minimization was not considered. The simulation results show a remarkable improvement in the performance when the novel post-fault algorithm is employed. Finally, the developed control algorithm is experimentally validated on a prototype of a bearingless multisector permanent magnet synchronous machine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensorless machine drives in vehicle traction frequently experience rapidly-changing load disturbance and demand fast speed dynamics. Without gain-scheduling or compensation, conventional quadrature phase-locked-loop (Q-PLL) is unable to accurately estimate the rotor position and speed for these systems. In this paper, a third-order nonlinear extended state observer (TNESO) is proposed for position and speed estimation for sensorless interior permanent magnet synchronous motor drives. TNESO has the power of nonlinear feedback and takes the advantages of fast convergence and disturbance rejection. An optimized parameter configuration method is deployed to extend the disturbance observation bandwidth of the TNESO. Both steady state and transient performance of TNESO are verified through the experimental tests. In comparison with the performance of conventional Q-PLL scheme, the proposed observer is proved to be capable of delivering higher precision of position and speed estimation against rapidly varying disturbance in wide operating range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the comparative analysis of modular spoke-type permanent magnet machines with two magnetization modes, which are referred to as M-I and M-II types. The analytical models of the proposed machines are built based on the simple magneto-motive-force-permeance method. With the help of finite element analysis and the analytical models, magnetic fields in machines with different magnetization modes are compared. Then, taking as a base an existing commercial in-wheel machine used in an electric motorcycle, two proposed machines with different magnetization modes are designed as in-wheel traction machines and compared with respect to electromagnetic torque, flux-weakening performance, over-load capability, etc. The machines are prototyped and experimentally tested to verify the prediction that the M-II machines exhibit a higher torque output whereas the M-I machines have a wider speed range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnet arrangement is important for the design of electromagnetic actuators. One novel spherical actuator with a two-dimensional (2-D) longitudinal camber Halbach array and an iron stator is proposed in this paper to improve the tilting output performance. The employment of the 2-D longitudinal camber Halbach array complicates the magnetic field distribution in actuator space and raises the challenge of analytical modeling. One superposition modeling method is thus proposed to formulate the magnetic field distribution mathematically. The magnet array is divided into radial and tangential directions, the mathematical models are obtained individually, and the superposition principle is utilized to achieve an analytical model of the actuator magnetic field eventually. This generic method helps improve the modeling precision and could be utilized for magnetic field analysis of an electromagnetic actuator with various magnet patterns. One research prototype and one experimental apparatus have been developed. It is verified that the proposed analytical model fits with experimental results and numerical computation well, which will contribute to subsequent study of motion control algorithms. This paper also shows that the proposed structure can increase the radial component of flux density and torque output compared with the conventional magnet pattern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brushless doubly fed generator (BDFG), a class of adjustable-speed machine with a special structure, shows great prospect in wind power generation. Since different rotor structures lead to great differences in the BDFG performance, the research of BDFG rotor structure has been a hotspot. However, only a few of the research studies have paid attention to the rotor and stator slot combination of the BDFG, especially for the BDFG with a novel hybrid rotor. Improper slot combination will lead to efficiency decrease, additional loss increase, and undesirable torque in an electrical machine. In order to study the principle of slot combination of the BDFG with the hybrid rotor, the combination approach of theoretical analysis and experiments is presented in this paper. Furthermore, a coupling factor which reflects the coupling ability of the BDFG with different slot combinations is proposed. Moreover, the best slot combination of the proposed BDFG is determined, and several parameters such as useful harmonic contents, total harmonic voltage distortion (THDu), core loss, and copper loss are considered as major criteria for judgment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long and enduring history of utilization of the wound-field synchronous generator in a large number of applications makes it one of the most known and consolidated electrical machine technologies. Thus, its design, modeling, and analysis processes have been widely exploited and implemented through various and different methods, including the equivalent circuit approach. When a damper cage is embedded within the rotor of the synchronous generator, its theoretical analysis becomes quite complicated. Thus, today numerical tools are being used. In this paper, an alternative way of modeling symmetric damper cages of salient-pole synchronous generators is presented. The proposed approach is embedded in the circuital model of the generator. A hybrid analytical–numerical model is implemented, permitting to accurately predict the voltage waveforms of the generator with excellent accuracy, however, at a lower cost of computational resources than the pure numerical method. A case study of an off-the-shelf 400 kVA machine is considered to develop and validate the proposed technique. The results are compared with the corresponding finite-element and experimental evaluations for validation purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a novel winding layout for the electric machines with fractional-slot concentrated windings (FSCW) using a stator shifting concept, with which all the non-working harmonics can be completely cancelled or significantly reduced and the non-overlapping winding can be kept. First, the basic winding layout with a 24-slot 14-pole machine to reduce the significant 1st sub-harmonic will be presented for machines with single-layer (SL) windings. From this, a novel double layer (DL) winding layout using the stator-shifting concept will be introduced. By adopting two SL winding sets with a 105° mechanical angle shift with respect to each other, it is not necessary to use overlapping windings. With this configuration, the 1st sub-harmonic will be completely cancelled and the parasitic 5th harmonic will be significantly reduced. Hence, the rotor losses, specifically magnet loss will be significantly reduced. Finally, two PM machines with different DL winding layout, namely, conventional 12-slot 14-pole and 24-slot 14-pole machine, will be designed and compared to validate the advantages of this winding topology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an integrated method of three-phase ac excitation and high-frequency voltage signal injection (HFVSI) for sensorless controlled starting of brushless synchronous machines (BSM) used as starter/generator in variable frequency ac power systems of civil aircraft. Fixed 400 Hz of the three-phase ac power is adopted both for the ac excitation and HFVSI in the initial starting process to eliminate the bulky rotor position sensor for BSM. The resulting 6th sequence harmonic voltage determined by the rotating rectifier is utilized as the HFVSI into the field-winding of main generator without any extra high-frequency signal injection. The rotor position is estimated by the high-frequency response signals extracted from the armature windings of main generator. Due to the nonlinear rotating rectifier linked in the HFSI chain, a novel frequency-insensitive asynchronous demodulation strategy is proposed in this paper for rotor position estimation. Furthermore, the initial rotor position detection is calibrated by polarity decision of the induced currents of the armature windings within the establishment procedure of field current of the main generator at standstill. The effectiveness of the ac excitation and feasibility of rotor position estimation for sensorless starting control of BSM are validated by the simulation and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By developing a simple permeance-magnetomotive force (MMF) model of switched-flux permanent magnet (SFPM) machines, the air-gap flux density produced by both PMs and armature current can be derived, in which harmonics with the same order and rotational speed are called an effective harmonic pair (EHP). By investigating the influences of armature current angle $\delta $ on both the phase and amplitude of each EHP, it is found that the amplitudes of both PM and armature reaction flux-density harmonics maintain fixed, whereas the space phase shift between them changes accordingly with armature current angle. Specifically, the PM and armature reaction flux-density harmonics are orthogonal in space if zero ${d}$ -axis current is fed. Therefore, the maximal torque is realized for each EHP. As the total torque of SFPM machines is the superposition of the contributions by each EHP, the zero ${d}$ -axis current control method turns out to be the optimum for maximal torque per ampere, thus verifying analytically that the ${d}$ - and ${q}$ -axes inductances are equal according to the general torque equation for the investigated machine topology. In addition, the torque adjustment mechanism of each EHP in SFPM machines has also been analytically demonstrated to be resemble that of the surface-mounted PM synchronous machine (PMSM). Finally, the finite-element analysis (FEA) has been performed to validate the previous analytical predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes and investigates an innovative methodology that can have a significant impact on the market potential of wound field, small–medium size synchronous generators (SGs). The technique proposed here is aimed at removing the need for the traditional stator skewing that is so commonly used in SGs to achieve acceptable values of voltage total harmonic distortion. To do this, a nonstandard damper cage configuration is proposed that comprises modulation of the damper bars’ positioning. An off-the-shelf, 400-kVA generator is used as a benchmark machine. Its rotor is optimized and modified according to the proposed technique. The results of the final machine are then compared to the benchmark machine highlighting the excellent advantages that can be achieved through this technique. A full-scale prototype of the modified generator is then built to experimentally validate the concept. Finally, a detailed analysis on all the performance aspects of the prototype is carried out, to guarantee that the proposed technique has no negative impact whatsoever on the generator's performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compulsators are popular choices for various high-power electromagnetic launch applications, especially for the electromagnetic railgun. A two-axis-compensated compulsator with lower internal impedance and higher power density was proposed in the authors’ previous paper. The field windings and compensating windings are allocated electrical orthogonally, providing the opportunity to design the direct-axis and quadrature-axis compensations independently. Due to the excitation function of the field windings, as well as field windings and compensating windings at the same rotor periphery, the ratio between $d$ -axis and $q$ -axis compensation is determined not only by the waveform of the air-gap flux density but also by the occupied space of windings, electromagnetic force during discharge and temperature rise and cooling condition. All these aspects mentioned above were analyzed in this paper. Furthermore, the output performance for single pulse discharge of a 2-m railgun with 100-g armature and multiple pulses discharge of a 5-m railgun with 300-g armature was simulated and compared. The results indicated that the two-axis compensation could obtain benefits by introducing more sinusoidal discharge currents for single pulse mission comparing to traditional compensation structure, whereas no obvious advantages for a flat-topped current waveform for multiple pulses mission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-speed permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) can provide high power density and high efficiency, which is often highly desirable in high performance applications. A multi-physics optimization program based on the multi-objective genetic algorithm was developed in this paper, to achieve a tradeoff solution between the electromagnetic, mechanical, and thermal aspects. First, the parametric electromagnetic model was modeled based on the finite-element method, and then a thermal network model and an analytical mechanical model to determine the thickness of the magnet and the sleeve were developed and merged within a design cycle of the machine, in an effort to attain the target performances of 20 kW/kg at 20 000 r/min for a 2 MW PMSM. Optimization results indicated that a final design with eight poles and 48 slots could obtain a comprehensive performance between power density and efficiency, and the performance satisfied all the requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with a comparative study between reluctance (REL), permanent magnet assisted reluctance (PMAREL), and surface mounted permanent magnet (PM) synchronous machines with rotor eccentricity. Static, dynamic, and combined eccentricity cases are considered. For the sake of generality, this comparison is carried out at different levels of air-gap flux density, as different current angles, different PM materials, and different number of magnetic poles. Additionally, different stator windings arrangements, i.e, distributed and fractional slot concentrated windings are taken into account. Besides, different rotor geometries of REL and PMAREL machines are included. As a case of study, 36-slot machine is analyzed, considering three flux barriers per pole; however, the study can be applied to any machine geometry. Due to the structural criticality of the rotor iron ribs of the REL machines, the impact of the eccentricity on the mechanical stress acting on those ribs and the deformation of the rotor is studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface-mounted permanent magnet (SPM) machines are preferred for high-speed aerospace applications over induction and switched reluctance machines, since they combine the advantages of high torque density and efficiency. Also, in aerospace applications, where low rotor weight and inertia are essential requirements, a permeable hollow shaft is proposed to replace the need for rotor back-iron and reduce the overall rotor weight. For rotor mechanical integrity, a retaining sleeve is commonly used, leading to thicker magnetic airgap. Furthermore, when permeable rotor endcaps are applied, an increase of the magnetic end leakage occurs, i.e. end-effect. In this study, the influence of the rotor endcaps on the mechanical and electromagnetic performance of a high-speed SPM machine is investigated through 3D-finite element analyses. Also, different endcap thickness and different rotor shaft materials are investigated and compared in this work. Finally, a prototype of the SPM machine under study has been manufactured and tested. The comparison between simulation and experimental results is presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synchronous reluctance machine has high flux density fluctuations in the iron due to the high harmonics results from the rotor anisotropy. Thus, an accurate computation of the iron losses is of paramount importance, especially during the design stage. In this paper, a nonlinear analytical model considering the magnetic iron saturation and the slotting effect is proposed. The model estimates accurately the iron losses at a wide range of operating speed. In addition, the accuracy of the nonlinear model when the machine is highly saturated, i.e., when it works along the maximum torque per ampere (MTPA) trajectory, is presented and verified. The model presented is general and can be applied to other configurations. A 36-slot four-pole machine, with three flux-barriers per pole is considered as a case study. Finite element analysis is used to validate the results achieved by means of the nonlinear analytical model. Furthermore, an experimental setup is built to validate the simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates high-speed surface PM machine design for portable turbo-generator applications. The rotor radius is fixed to achieve certain optimal characteristics of the magnet retention mechanism. The objective of this paper is to design and select the stator. The stator designs are populated by different slot/pole combinations, winding arrangements, and over a range of possible stack lengths. However, the design is constrained by physical diameter, stack length, and electrical volt–ampere constraints. A large number of preliminary machine designs do not satisfy the specified turbo-generator torque/speed requirements under the given volt–ampere constraints and therefore it is ineffective to perform finite element analysis on all preliminary design variations. In order to establish the feasibility of a machine design to fulfill the specified turbo-generator torque/speed requirements, the concept of inductance-limits is presented and then linked with stator design parameters. By application of this analysis strategy, a confined optimal set of stator designs are obtained and are subjected to detailed finite element simulations. A final machine design is selected and fabricated. Experimental results are presented for the validation of the final machine design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the design process of a 10 kW 19 000 r/min high power density surface mounted permanent magnet synchronous machine for a directly coupled pump application. In order to meet the required specifications, a compact machine with cooling channels inside the slots and flooded airgap has been designed through finite element (FE) optimization. For high power density, high-speed machines, an accurate evaluation of the power losses, and the electromechanical performance is always extremely challenging. In this case, the completely flooded application adds to the general complexity. Therefore, this paper deals with a detailed losses analysis (copper, core, eddy current, and mechanical losses) considering several operating conditions. The experimental measurements of ac copper losses, as well as the material properties (BH curve and specific core losses) including the manufacturing process effect on the stator core, are presented. Accurate 3-D FE models and computational fluid dynamics analysis have been used to determine the eddy current losses in the rotor and windage losses, respectively. Based on these detailed analysis, the no-load and full-load performance are evaluated. The experimental results on the manufactured prototype are finally presented to validate the machine design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The power density of electrical machines for transport applications has become a critical aspect and target of optimization. This paper looks at the development of an intelligent, rapid, flexible, and multidomain tool to aid for system-level optimization of electrical machines within next-generation high power density applications. The electromagnetic, thermal, and mechanical aspects are wholly integrated, thus enabling the optimization including the nonactive mass. The implementation and overall architecture of the tool are described, and using a case study drawn from the aerospace industry, the tool is used to compare the power density of various surface permanent magnet topologies including single airgap and dual airgap machines, highlighting the particular suitability of the dual rotor topology in achieving the best power to mass ratio. Finally, the accuracy of the tool is highlighted by practical realization and experimental validation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, the use of conical induction machines is proposed for an in-wheel traction application. Such machines offer a rotational movement combined with a translational motion of the rotor. The horizontal movement is essential when active engagement and disengagement of the motor from the wheel without any extra mechanical component is required. This paper first investigates the basic concepts of how the conical machine functions and then proposes a mission strategy for a relevant traction application. A detailed description of the full scheme is given. In order to achieve the required performance, an innovative control method for both degrees of freedom of the machine (i.e., torque production and axial movement) is proposed and validated against a small-scale demonstrator of the whole system. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The traditional generating set is usually comprised of a classical, wound-field, salient-pole, or cylindrical rotor synchronous generator, excited by a separate smaller machine, via a rotating, uncontrolled diode rectifier. The effects of the commutation processes of the diode bridge are often overlooked and neglected. However, due to the uncontrolled nature of this process, the rectified voltage available at the main generator's rotor terminals can be significantly lower than the expected value. This is especially true for low-to-medium power rated systems. In this paper, a detailed investigation of these aspects is done and an accurate voltage drop prediction model is then proposed. The model is validated with finite-element analysis and with experimental results for a particular low–medium rated generating system in the 400 kVA power range. The validated tool is then integrated into an innovative design tool, which first performs an analytical presizing procedure and then utilizes a genetic algorithm approach to identify an optimal excitation system design, aimed at minimizing the voltage drop ensuing from the diode commutations, with minimum impact on the overall efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synchronous reluctance machines, including the permanent-magnet-assisted variants, are competitive motor topologies if the application requires high efficiency and a cost-effective solution with a high flux-weakening capability. However, increasing operating speeds incur challenging design and development decisions, mainly in order to find design solutions that ensure the machine's structural integrity without compromising the overall performance. In this paper, a comprehensive design procedure for high-speed synchronous reluctance machines is presented. In order to validate the procedure, a 5-kW 80 000-r/min machine is considered. The proposed strategy consists of a two-step procedure in which the electromagnetic and structural designs have been properly decoupled, dividing the design space in two subsets. Each subset mainly affects the electromagnetic or the structural performances. Several structural design optimizations have been then performed with the aim of finding the optimal tradeoff between the rotor geometrical complexity (that defines the required computational resources) and the electromagnetic performance. The reported experimental tests of the prototyped machine validate the proposed design strategy, which can be used as general guidelines on the structural design of synchronous reluctance machines. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

High-speed permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs) have attracted much attention due to their high power density, high efficiency, and compact size for direct-drive applications. However, the consequent power loss density is high, and hence heat dissipation is a major technical challenge. This is particularly the case for high-speed operation. In this paper, a MW level high-speed PMSM is designed and its electromagnetic and mechanical power losses comprehensively investigated using finite element analysis. The transient machine demagnetization performance is studied, and a composite rotor structure is proposed to improve machine antidemagnetization capability. The temperature distribution of the proposed high-speed PMSM is also analyzed using a fluid-thermal coupling method with calculated power loss. Experiments conducted on a prototype of the high-speed PMSM demonstrate the effectiveness of the numerical models developed and validate the results obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents design optimization of a short-term duty electrical machine for extreme environments of high temperature and high altitudes. For such extreme environmental conditions of above 80 °C and altitudes of 30 km, thermal loading limits are a critical consideration in machines, especially if high power density and high efficiency are to be achieved. The influence of different material on the performance of such machines is investigated. Also, the effect of different slot and pole combinations are studied for machines used for such extreme operating conditions but with short duty. In the research, a nondominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGAII) considering an analytical electromagnetic model, structural and thermal model together with finite element methods are used to optimize the design of the machine for such environments achieving high efficiencies and high power density with relatively minimal computational time. The adopted thermal model is then validated through experiments and then implemented within the genetic algorithm. It is shown that, generally, the designs are thermally limited where the pole numbers are limited by volt-amps drawn from the converter. The design consisting of a high slot number allows for improving the current loading and thus, significant weight reduction can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the use of conical induction machines. Such machines are extremely valuable when apart from the rotational torque output; an axial translation of the rotor is also required. The inherent attraction between the stator and rotor of any machine combined with the geometry of a conical machine will provide the required axial movement. However, when applied to aerospace applications, where reliability is very important, then full monitoring of the axial position is required. In this paper, an innovative approach aimed at monitoring and controlling the axial translation of a conical induction machine is proposed and investigated. In order to increase the system reliability and also decrease component count as demanded by the application, the methodology is a sensor-less technique based on an innovative variant of the high-frequency injection approach. In this paper, the technique has been fully investigated and experimentally validated on a purposely built instrumented test-rig. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]