3D flux configuration cost effective switched reluctance motor with small torque ripple content; design and prototyping

Abstract

Switch reluctance motors (SRMs) have many advantages, such as easy construction, high reliability, low cost, and higher energy efficiency compared to the inductance motors. However, SRMs have a major drawback—severe torque ripple (TR), which causes a great deal of noise and movement. Hence, these motors are rarely used in industrial applications. Torque ripple reduction in reluctance motors has been studied since their invention in the 1950s, but the effectiveness of any such reduction methods remain controversial. Significant reductions in TR remain necessary to make the SRM more applicable for industrial use. The main objective of this study is to propose a new configuration of the SRM which greatly reduces TR and has low manufacturing costs. Although this new structure greatly reduces the TR, like most previous research, some aspects such as drive control and design optimisation methods could be used to more obviously reduce TR. The proposed motor has a simple configuration which is more efficient. Finite element method is used to verify the design, and a prototype has been fabricated and tested to experimentally verify its performance.