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Power-electronic-converter-induced motor bearing currents are a widespread problem in the field of electrical drives. Parasitic capacitances between the electrical machine's parts provide a path for leakage currents, which finally harm metallic ball bearings. Remembering that end-windings have a significant contribution in building up stray capacitances, a countermeasure affecting both the lamination stack and end-winding areas is needed. This article focuses on a countermeasure against the noncirculating bearing currents in the cluster of solutions at the motor side. The electrostatic shielding approach, which is a known principle to reduce capacitive couplings, is applied in electrical machines every now and then. In this article, the principle of slot-embedded grounded electrodes is extended to cover also the end-windings. Thus, the electrodes provide a better shaft-to-ground voltage mitigating effect compared to the case where electrodes are applied only in the lamination stack area. The feasibility and effectiveness of such a countermeasure are investigated. Different options in terms of scaling of both the machine size and diameter of the electrodes were analyzed and corresponding conclusions were pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the torque production and losses of concentrated winding permanent magnet motors. These synchronous motors having either semi-closed slots or open slots with two different rotor structures are studied. The rotors have either embedded magnets or surface magnets. Embedded magnet rotors are in some cases easier to manufacture than surface magnet rotors, and therefore, it was in the authors' interest to study and compare these two basic constructions. In open slot concentrated winding motors, it is possible to use prefabricated coils, which leads to low-cost and fast stator winding manufacturing. Hence, this stator type is the most interesting one to be studied. Different slot and pole combinations are considered based on the finite element analysis (Flux2D by Cedrat is employed in the computations). Index Terms--Concentrated winding, embedded magnets, open slots, permanent magnet motor, rotor surface magnets, semi-closed slots.

A lumped-parameter-based thermal analysis applicable to radial-flux electrical machines with a high power density is presented. The modeling strategies using T-equivalent lumped-parameter blocks as well as conventionally defined thermal resistances are discussed. Special attention is paid to the modeling of the convective heat transfer in the air gap of radial-flux electrical machines at different rotational speeds. A brief overview of the evaluation of different loss components is given. The performance of the developed thermal model was verified by comparing the calculated temperature values with the measurements in three different applications. Index Terms--Electrical machines, loss modeling, thermal analysis, thermal resistance network.

An algorithm for compensating island network voltage unsymmetricity with a direct torque control modulation-based scalar-controlled power conditioning system is introduced and experimentally verified. The proposed method consists of two separate stages where at first the unsymmetricity is detected and then a compensating negative-sequence system is calculated. Experimental results show that the proposed method fully compensates the voltage unsymmetricity resulting from unbalanced load. Both the magnitude and the phase angle unsymmetricity are compensated. Index Terms--DC-AC power conversion, power converters, unbalanced load.

In modeling axial field machines, three-dimensional (3-D) finite-element method (FEM) models are required in accurate computations. However, 3-D FEM analysis is generally too lime consuming in industrial use. In order to evaluate the performance of the axial flux machine rapidly, an analytical design program that uses quasi-3-D computation is developed. In this paper the main features of the developed program are illustrated. Results given by the program are verified with two-dimensional and 3-D finite element computations and measurements. According In the results, it is possible to evaluate the performance of the surface-mounted axial flux PM machine with reasonable accuracy via an analytical model using quasi-3-D computation. Index Terms--Analytical modeling, axial flux permanent. magnet (PM) synchronous machine. PM machines.

The basic direct torque control (DTC) principle is to rotate the flux linkage forward, if the torque must be increased, and reverse, if the forque must be decreased. The torque is, however, increased only up to a maximum torque of the machine, which corresponds to a load angle of about 90[degrees] in a synchronous machine. This paper presents a method to overcome the possible loss of synchronism when using DTC. This requires either that the rotor angle is measured or estimated. Both of these cases are considered. Simulation and laboratory results are presented to show the effectiveness of the presented method. Index Terms--Estimation, rotating machine stability, synchronous motor drives.

An improved integration method is presented for the estimation of the stator flux linkage for speed- and position-sensorless direct-torque-controlled ac machine drives. The method is based on monitoring the scalar product of the estimated stator flux linkage and the measured stator current. The ac part of the scalar product is extracted using filtering and the correction for the estimated stator flux linkage is formed from that part. Adequate performance is obtained by using simple low-pass filtering. By using adaptive filtering in the extraction, the performance of the drive is excellent. Both simulation and laboratory test results are presented, which show that the presented method works well both in steady state and in transients. Index Terms--AC motor drives, estimation, integrators.

Most permanent magnet (PM) loss studies consider only eddy current loss and neglect hysteresis. In this article, the hysteresis behavior of two NdFeB PM grades with different magnetic properties is assessed when applied in a PMSM. Data from vibrating sample magnetometer measurements and hysteresis modeling are used as a base. In addition to the main magnetic phase, the samples contained magnetic phases with reduced coercivity. Such phases may contribute to hysteresis losses in a PM material. A new model is introduced to simulate the hysteresis of rare-earth magnets of any geometric shape in the second and first quadrants of the intrinsic BH-plane. The magnetic field strength distribution in the PM material of an electrical motor is analyzed by two-dimensional finite-element method. The results are used as the input data for an analytical hysteresis model. The results indicate that the hysteresis loss resulting from the structural imperfections and geometry of the magnet may introduce a considerable loss in NdFeB PMs applied in rotating electrical machines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern converter-supplied ac motors are exposed to bearing currents. Despite extensive research and development, the industry still does not have a final solution with acceptable cost and high efficiency. This article focuses on capacitive bearing currents. After a brief explanation of the phenomenon, an unconventional approach for effective mitigation of the capacitive bearing currents is proposed. The approach suggests using grounded electrodes in the slot openings to reduce the stator-winding-to-rotor-core capacitance and thereby the bearing currents. Different electrode diameters are considered and evaluated by a finite element method (FEM) analysis. The results are verified by laboratory tests. The bearing voltage ratios of the original and modified induction motor are compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A direct-on-line synchronous reluctance motor (DOLSynRM) with a rotor topology defined by the natural flux line curve approach is studied as an alternative to an induction motor (IM) using a 1.5 kW, 50 Hz synchronous reluctance motor as an example. If an IM stator is used, a direct squirrel cage rotor replacement by a synchronous reluctance rotor equipped with a damper winding might not guarantee a sufficient starting performance. To ensure the strong enough starting capability, the natural flux line curve approach was modified in the motor design. The proposed approach was applied in the optimization of the DOLSynRM using a genetic algorithm. The optimization results show a clear tendency in the rotor design when trying to achieve a reliable starting capability and to maximize the steady-state performance of the DOLSynRM. Both the stator design and the rotor diameter of the optimized DOLSynRM are different from those of a corresponding squirrel cage IM. A DOLSynRM prototype was built and tested. It showed about a 5.4%-unit higher efficiency than the original prototype IM and acceptable starting performance under the rated load condition. The starting capabilities of the motors under study are considered with different loads. The locked rotor apparent power and current stay below permissible limits in both the IM and the DOLSynRM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-speed solid-rotor induction machines (HSIMs) are popular within high-speed (HS) applications because of their high rotor structural integrity and their fairly well-established manufacturing process guaranteeing high quality series products. Designing a new HS electric machine requires a multidisciplinary team to accomplish the machine performance desired. In case of a HS machine design, the components and applied materials often reach their physical limits at the rated operating condition. Therefore, the design process is highly iterative and, thus, a systematic approach has a high potential to reduce the time of the design phase significantly. In this article, a systematic design process is proposed for a modular, multimegawatt (MMW) HSIM with three radial active magnetic bearings. The process includes a traditional multidisciplinary design flow with extra critical aspects of MMW HS machines: manufacturability, bearing system, housing, and operating unit. In addition, the manufactured machine is reported. The proposed systematic design process is described, including several multidisciplinary critical design aspects of HS machinery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A self-holding three-position electric tubular actuator (SHTPETA) is described in the article. The proposed linear actuator can be applied in a clutch system, where it is necessary to change certain mover positions over time. Other potential applications of such actuators can be shift of gears, coupling (decoupling) of various moving (rotating) mechanisms, or electromagnetic valves. The self-holding force of the proposed SHTPETA is achieved by the reluctance force between the armature and mover cores, where a magnetic flux is excited by a permanent magnet located in the armature and an excitation current is not needed, whereas the moving force is determined by the dc voltage (current) applied to two coils located in the stationary part of the SHTPETA. The article proposes a relatively fast and simple approach for the SHTPETA design process based on the required forces and moved distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes an analytic coupled magneto-thermal analysis of an axial-flux (AF) permanent-magnet-assisted (PMA) eddy-current brake (ECB) at high-temperature working conditions. In the topology investigated, permanent magnets (PMs) are placed into stator slot openings to increase the braking torque production capability. This modification enables to control the magnet flux by altering the dc excitation current. However, the utilization of PMs will make the construction vulnerable at high operating temperatures simply because the magnet properties and the brake capability are strongly dependent on temperature. Such problems require complex coupled multiphysics finite-element analyses to obtain the actual brake performance. The proposed approach offers a simple and effective solution that consists of magnetic and thermal models, which are coupled to each other in the time domain. The nonlinear electrical, magnetic, and thermal properties are influenced by the temperature variation in time. An AF-PMA-ECB prototype is manufactured to validate the proposed coupled models and the experimental studies confirm that the proposed approach provides very practical results to determine the working conditions of the AF-PMA-ECB at high-temperature operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different mechanisms by which bearing currents flow inside the electrical machine are well studied. In contrast, investigation and development of different techniques to mitigate these currents remain a field for improvement, and the final common solution to the problem has not been provided yet. In pursuit of addressing the problem, this article deals with noncirculating (or capacitive) bearing currents. The circuit mechanism of capacitive currents is explained in brief, and an approach for their mitigation is introduced. This article studies the influence of the stator winding and the slot geometry and presents different geometries to modify the motor to reduce the capacitive bearing currents. The effectiveness of the proposed mitigation technique is shown by finite-element-based modeling and verified by laboratory tests with different induction motor designs, where the winding and magnetic circuit geometries are varied. The technique can be used, in particular, for the mitigation of noncirculating currents, but it also offers potential for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

5-kW high-efficiency induction motor is analyzed using two-dimensional (2-D) open-source platform and the results are compared with commercial software and measurements. The importance of equivalent circuit parameters in 2-D analyses is highlighted. The noncommercial and commercial software give similar results. The motor is further analyzed in the 2.5-D domain and the results are compared with measured results. The losses obtained with 2-D, 2.5-D, and using the IEC segregation procedure of losses procedure are compared. The performance of an induction machine depends significantly on different parameters such as air gap and stator tooth tip height. Their impact on losses is studied with open-source finite-element analysis. The benefit of this open-source platform in the electrical motor analysis is the ability to use parallel-computing effectively and reduce the time required to solve the electromagnetic problem. Other benefits are the transparency of all features of the software and license-free usage. It is concluded that in 2-D analyses, the open-source software can be used on industrial-scale problems as it showed acceptable results for losses, and lower computational time when using appropriate mortar and conforming boundary conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New global energy efficiency classification standard IEC 61800-9-2 for frequency converters and motor systems has been recently launched. It classifies the energy efficiency of the converters and motor-drive systems and introduces three different methods to determine voltage-source converter (VSC) losses for the classification. In here, experimental tests are carried out using the input–output method and the calorimetric method to determine the losses and efficiency of a 160-kW commercial VSC. The measurement results with these two independent methods are compared and the uncertainty of the methods is analyzed. The converter electric input and output power distributions are analyzed in the frequency domain and are used further to estimate the electric power measurement uncertainty. The measurement uncertainty related to losses obtained with the input–output method is compared with the loss difference between the two methods. This is the first research work to accurately evaluate the experimental methods for the determination of the power losses and examine the validity of the energy efficiency classes of the frequency converters according to new IEC61800-9-2. An urgent need to update the loss boundaries of the IE-classes has been found and the measurement uncertainty effect on the IE-classification is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high demand for electrification of the transport sector has resulted in a need to provide compact and reliable electric power trains where the electric machine is a key element. The cooling system has a strong impact on the specific torque and power capability of the machine. The selection of the cooling solution should not be based on the steady-state cooling performance only but also on the transient characteristics owing to the typical operational load nature of the propulsion system, where the load is not continuous (as it usually is in industrial applications), but it frequently varies in time depending on the vehicle type and the driving style. This article investigates in detail the cooling capabilities of a direct winding liquid cooling solution and compares it with a traditional frame liquid cooling arrangement in the transient condition. As a result of the comparison, it was found that the location of heat removal close to the heat source makes the temperature transient time faster, which allows to apply overload operating points more frequently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a new nonlinear multidisciplinary design approach (NMDA) for axial-flux (AF) eddy current brakes (ECBs). The proposed NMDA is developed by nonlinear magnetic–thermal–structural coupled modeling. The nonlinear behaviors of the AF-ECB covering the BH curve, resistivity, heat capacity, thermal conductivity, and the temperature are jointly analyzed in time domain to investigate the actual brake properties and to determine brake operating range. In this paper, the nonlinear magnetic modeling based on two-dimensional (2-D) reluctance network is studied by a modified Newton–Raphson method. Furthermore, the nonlinear thermal modeling is carried out by lumped-parameters considering the change of heat capacity, thermal conductivity, and the temperature and updating the data in the evaluation process. Finally, the nonlinear structural modeling is performed to obtain the deflection and the mechanical safety factor of the brake. The nonlinear modeling methods in the proposed NMDA are validated by independent 3-D electromagnetic, thermal, and structural finite element analyses (FEAs), and the proposed NMDA is tested with two different AF-ECB prototypes. The experimental results confirm that the proposed NMDA has high accuracy, and compared to 3-D-FEA approaches, it provides a fast solution to predict the AF-ECB performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a methodology for the analytical computation of the slot leakage inductance of tooth-coil winding permanent magnet synchronous machines. Generalized equations for the slot leakage inductance of the whole phase are derived, suitable for several slot-pole combinations, and meant to be used during the machine design stage. For simplicity, self- and mutual-inductance components are formulated using the classical method with detailed permeance determination for both horizontal and vertical distribution of coil sides in the slots, considering a straight-line path for the flux leakage. Several slot-pole combinations were simulated by means of the finite element (FE) method in order to validate the analytical equations in both approaches, FE and analytical, showing adequate concordance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high-speed squirrel-cage induction machine requires a totally different design compared to the traditional squirrel-cage industrial motor because of the mechanical limitations caused by the high speed. This results in a more complicated rotor construction and expensive material selection, and sets higher standards for the manufacturing precision. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the design aspects, material selection, and manufacturing of a squirrel-cage rotor for high-speed applications. In this paper, the rotor dimensioning approach based on equations and data analysis is presented. Rotor material selection and construction topology influence on the electrical machine design are discussed. The results are illustrated with the design of a 6-kW, 120 000-r/min induction machine for a turbo circulator. The influence of rotor parameters on the electromagnetic performance of the designed machine is demonstrated. Mechanical stresses for different topologies are studied with finite-element method analysis. Several manufacturing methods for producing a high-precision rotor are described and compared. The presented rotor design approach, which enables high electromagnetic performance and robust construction, is verified by the testing of a prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct liquid cooling (DLC) of electrical machine windings is a clearly effectual cooling method for high-torque and high-power-density applications needed, especially, in heavy vehicles. Usually, in electric vehicles, the stator copper winding losses are the most dominating losses during the accelerating or decelerating (recuperation) modes, and therefore, traditional windings may heat up significantly during high-torque periods. Removing the heat directly from the winding in which most of the heat is generated allows the most straightforward and effective way of cooling. This paper investigates the feasibility of the DLC in a radial-flux permanent-magnet traction motor. This case provides experimental information of the behavior of the DLC of the windings. The prototype motor equipped with DLC windings is installed in an electric bus so that typical bus load cycles can be tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being much more rugged than a rotor made of traditional steel sheets, a solid rotor is frequently used in high-power high-speed induction machines (IMs). Furthermore, by a solid-rotor machine, a higher rotating speed can be achieved. However, the solid rotor also has certain disadvantages, the relatively high solid-rotor eddy-current losses being the most serious one. Basically, solid-rotor eddy-current losses are mainly induced by time–spatial air-gap flux density high-order harmonics. The suppression of the high-order harmonics is the key means to mitigate the rotor eddy-current losses. In this paper, a novel computational model is proposed for evaluating the rotor harmonic eddy-current losses of a 2 MW, 12 000 r/min IM. The model was built on a special machine referred to as a virtual permanent magnet harmonic machine (VPMHM). The model was constructed by applying the finite-element method (FEM), and it is based on the time–spatial harmonics produced by a rotating magnet with sinusoidal magnetization. The VPMHM model links the air-gap flux density harmonics directly to the specific rotor eddy-current losses. Furthermore, according to the proposed model, three options, namely, the use of air-gap permeance modifying notches on the stator teeth, semimagnetic wedges, and their combination, were investigated in detail for mitigating the rotor eddy-current losses in the motor nominal operating point. The results and conclusions in this paper are based on the FEM analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, hysteresis loss in magnetic poles of electrical machines with ferrite permanent magnets is studied. A vibrating sample magnetometer is used to observe the hysteresis behavior of three distinct commercial ferrite magnet grades. The measurement results indicate the presence of additional magnetic phases with reduced coercivity in the samples under study. These phases can act as an additional source of loss in ferrite magnets. A new modeling concept is introduced to simulate the hysteresis behavior of the ferrite magnet grades in the second and first quadrants of the intrinsic BH plane. Finite-element-calculated magnetic field distribution is used as an input for the analytical model to determine the hysteresis loss in the magnets of two distinct permanent magnet machine designs. The results indicate that some hysteresis loss in the ferrite permanent magnet magnetic poles of electrical machines may occur, but it plays a minor role in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-power high-speed induction machines (IMs) are gaining ground in various industrial applications, especially in replacing traditional motors and gearboxes driving compressors or high-pressure pumps, etc. However, the high-speed technology presents extra challenges for the mechanical structure of the machine including bearing systems. Therefore, it is often reasonable to use active magnetic bearings (AMBs) instead of traditional bearings as they provide much smaller friction and allow a not perfectly centered orbit of the rotor without affecting the lifetime of the bearings. Using AMBs in a machine, the nonuniformity of the rotor leads to an inevitable rotor eccentricity; the level of which depends on the control tolerance and dynamic characteristics of the AMB and the maximum force generated by the AMB. This rotor eccentricity results in an unbalanced magnetic pull (UMP) of the rotor, which has to be compensated by the AMB. This paper analyzes the UMPs of a 2 MW, 12 000 r/min IM in the static eccentricity, dynamic eccentricity, and mixed eccentricity conditions. The AMB system was designed and optimized with the consideration of gravity and UMP effects. Furthermore, the required current compensation for the forces in the horizontal and vertical directions was studied during the operation and verified by the finite-element method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional industrial electrical machines are designed avoiding strong iron saturation in the magnetic circuit. Flux-switching permanent magnet synchronous machines (FSPMSMs), however, differ significantly by their construction and magnetic circuit from the traditional PMSMs. In PMSMs, local saturation in the stator at no load can be avoided by a proper stator tooth and yoke design, but in FSPMSMs, the flux accumulates in the teeth toward the air gap, and the armature steel often becomes heavily saturated in the region close to the air gap. Therefore, it is difficult to avoid local saturation in an FSPMSM, and proper design tools are required to take this saturation into account when the machine is designed. This paper demonstrates the importance of accurate knowledge of steel properties in regions with heavy magnetic saturation. It is shown that especially the design process of an FSPMSM should be supported by an accurate $B - H$ curve of the steel up to 2.2 T and beyond (or at the point where the steel is completely saturated), because it has a significant influence on the overall performance of the machine. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Hysteresis losses in ferrite permanent magnets (PMs) of a rotor-surface-magnet (RSM) PM synchronous machine (PMSM) were studied by means of vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) measurements, updated static history dependent hysteresis model (HDHM) and finite element analysis (FEA). Open magnetic circuit VSM measurement results were applied to determine the magnet intrinsic properties. The HDHM developed originally for electrical steel hysteresis modeling is adopted for ferrite PM material. FEA-based results for magnetic field strength in PMs of a tooth coil winding RSM PMSM under ideal sinusoidal and frequency converter supplies were used as input data for the HDHM and the hysteresis losses were calculated in the machine's magnets. Differently from NdFeB and SmCo PMs ferrite PMs do not seem to demonstrate significant hysteresis behavior. It was found that the hysteresis loss could be neglected in ferrite PMs in most PMSM designs if the magnet is fully polarized. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

High-speed (HS) electrical machines provide high system efficiency, compact design, and low material consumption. Active magnetic bearings (AMBs) bring additional benefits to the HS system, such as elimination of the friction losses, reduced wear and maintenance, and a built-in monitoring system. HS drivetrains are usually designed for specific applications and require a high level of integration. This paper describes a design method of the HS electrical machine supported by AMBs, considering their mutual influence on the system performance. The optimization procedure, which takes into account both the electrical machine and bearing designs, is developed. The optimization is based on a multiobjective genetic algorithm. The selected optimization parameters include the AMB and machine dimensions. The optimization objectives cover the electrical machine performance and the rotordynamics. The results of the proposed optimization algorithm are implemented in the constructed 350-kW, 15 000-r/min induction machine with a solid rotor supported by AMBs. The prototype tests verify the design and optimization results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an analysis of three different electrical machine topologies for a turbo circulator application. The electrical machines are designed to operate with 6 kW output power at 120 000 r/min. This paper demonstrates the design aspects of one solid rotor squirrel cage induction motor and two permanent magnet synchronous machines. The machines are compared using electromagnetic, thermal, and mechanical analyses. The benefits and disadvantages of each topology under study are discussed. For other high-speed applications presented, a comparative approach helps in selecting the suitable electrical machine topology by analyzing the performance criteria discussed. The prototype construction of one of the topologies is analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficient cooling is needed, for example, in traction motors which face regularly high torque peaks and generate high stator Joule losses. This paper studies the feasibility of the direct liquid cooling in the thermal management of a low-power low-voltage permanent-magnet machine. A tooth-coil axial-flux permanent-magnet double-stator-single-rotor test machine was first equipped with indirect liquid cooling using water cooling jackets and then with direct winding cooling. The winding material used is a hybrid conductor comprising a stainless steel coolant conduit tightly wrapped with stranded Litz wire. The performance of the motor is examined at various power levels using oil or water as the cooling fluid. The results confirm that the proposed direct cooling method is practical also in small machines, and furthermore, it offers significant improvements in the machine thermal management, especially, in cases where stator Joule losses dominate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Permanent-magnet synchronous machines (PMSM) are gaining a foothold in a growing number of applications. However, the high cost of these machines compared with the prices of induction motors, whose production process is mature and material costs are low, limits the use of PMSMs with rare-earth permanent magnets in many potential cases. A viable design solution for a PMSM cost reduction is to use low-cost ferrite magnets instead of rare-earth ones. Nevertheless, it is challenging to apply ferrite magnets to a high-power rotor surface magnet PMSM because of their weaker magnetic properties compared with the rare-earth magnets and the risk of irreversible demagnetization. This paper aims to investigate the boundaries and limiting factors for achieving the maximum tangential stress and linear current density at a certain air gap diameter by using rotor surface ferrite magnets. The computed results are validated by a prototype, which was designed within the described boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Electric motors consume a major proportion of the world's electric energy. In recent years, new regulations on the efficiency of electric motors have been introduced around the world. Reductions in the energy consumption of motors can be achieved not only by steering the industry to use more efficient motors but also by encouraging the application of frequency converters to supply motors. Related to this progress, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is preparing standards for converter-fed motor efficiency measurements. Existing efficiency measurement standards cover only direct-online (DOL) motors, and there is a strong demand for standardized classification measurements for converterfed motor efficiency. The current IEC methods for determining losses and efficiency of converter-fed induction motors (IMs) have been introduced as a technical specification while the standardization is still in process. Therefore, it is important to promote critical discussion about the issue in general. In this article, the IEC loss segregation methodology for converter-fed motors is described, executed in practice, and analyzed. Some features of the IEC main method, such as the strictly defined converter voltage waveform and the single motor's rated determination point, have been criticized in previous articles, and these issues are addressed in detail. Laboratory measurements are a technical specification while the standardization is still in process. Therefore, it is important to promote critical discussion about the issue in general. In this article, the IEC loss segregation methodology for converter-fed motors is described, executed in practice, and analyzed. Some features of the IEC main method, such as the strictly defined converter voltage waveform and the single motor's rated determination point, have been criticized in previous articles, and these issues are addressed in detail. Laboratory measurements are made with two frequency converters; the first converter is set to provide the IEC-defined voltage modulation, and the second converter represents a practical case, a commercial frequency converter for comparison. According to the results presented in this article, the IEC loss segregation for converter-fed motors is usable for motor loss comparison purposes, but the method itself is complex to apply. Further more, the method cannot be used to predict the losses of a variable speed drive (VSD) system in an end-user application. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSM), depending on the machine application, different types of permanent magnets (PM) can be used. The most common PMs are ferrite magnets, neodymium iron boron magnets (NdFeB), and samarium cobalt magnets (SmCo). The selection of a suitable magnet for a particular machine design depends on the magnet properties: remanence, conductivity, mechanical rigidity, losses, and demagnetization characteristics. Usually, the possibility of hysteresis losses in PM materials is neglected. In this paper, however, it is demonstrated that possible hysteresis losses have to be evaluated in the machine design. It is shown by measurements and simulations that in some machine designs, hysteresis losses in NdFeB, SmCo, and ferrite magnets can be a source of significant additional ac losses that may lead to too high PM operating temperatures and a reduction in the machine efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper evaluates the feasibility of a direct liquid cooling approach in the thermal management of an axial flux permanent-magnet machine. To demonstrate the cooling method, a test motor was fitted with helical tooth coil windings formed from a hybrid conductor comprising a stainless steel coolant conduit tightly wrapped with a stranded Litz wire. The motor is a 100-kW permanent-magnet, axial-flux, double-stator, single-rotor machine. The proof of concept integrated the motor with a closed liquid coolant loop, appropriate instrumentation, and a data acquisition system. The general performance of the motor was examined at various power levels using polyalphaolefin oil as the cooling fluid. The results show the proposed cooling method to be feasible, and furthermore, to provide significant improvements to the machine thermal management. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A proper real-time system identification method is of great importance in order to acquire an analytical model that sufficiently represents the characteristics of the monitored system. While the use of different time-domain online identification techniques has been widely recognized as a powerful approach to system diagnostics, the frequency-domain identification techniques have primarily been considered for offline commissioning purposes. This paper addresses issues in the online frequency-domain identification of a mechanical system with varying dynamics; particular attention is paid to detect the changes in the system dynamics. A closed-loop online identification method is presented that is based on a sliding discrete Fourier transform at a selected set of frequencies. The method is experimentally validated by a closed-loop controlled servomechanism with a limited stroke and time-varying parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents an energy efficiency analysis of a 37-kW standard squirrel-cage induction motor under sinusoidal and nonsinusoidal supply. The motor losses are analyzed using the conventional IEC loss segregation method and also numerically modeled using finite-element simulations. The measured and simulated loss components are compared with three different modulation methods. The overall simulated losses are in good agreement with the measured ones, but there exist differences in the loss components. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A novel rotor structure for a tooth-coil-winding (concentrated winding) open-slot axial-flux permanent-magnet (PM) machine that reduces the eddy currents and increases the main flux linkage is proposed in this paper. A composite-body-based rotor assembly and a steel-laminated layer inserted on top of the magnets are used to reduce eddy-current losses in the PMs. A prototype of an axial flux generator for a heavy-duty vehicle following this structure is optimized, analyzed and measured. The tooth coil windings produce high-amplitude harmonics in the air gap and the large slot openings reduce the rotor flux. Consequently, a rotor structure that decreases the amount of harmonics travelling through the magnets is required. Steel laminations covering the magnets have positive effects on both phenomena. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional finite-element analysis is used to verify and optimize the geometry of the laminations. Computations are verified by experimental measurements of a 100 kW test machine prototype. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Fast methods to estimate iron losses of the permanent magnet traction motor during the drive cycle of the electrical vehicle are compared. The methods use the iron loss information calculated by a finite-element analysis as a function of rotational speed both at no load and with a short-circuited stator to take into account the variable frequency and field weakening of the traction motor. The effect of iron losses on the optimal current components, providing the maximum efficiency, is studied. Several methods yield a good accuracy even based on the no-load iron loss only, but the accuracy can be improved especially in deep field weakening by including the short-circuit iron loss information in the analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An electrical and mechanical design process for a traction motor in a hybrid bus application is studied. Usually, the design process of an electric machine calls for close cooperation between various engineering disciplines. Compromises may be required to satisfy the boundary conditions of electrical, thermal, and mechanical performances. From the mechanical point of view, the stress values and the safety factors should be at a reasonable level and the construction lifetime predicted by a fatigue analysis. In a vehicle application, the motor has to be capable of generating high torque when accelerating, and in normal operation, the losses of the machine should be low to be able to cool the machine. Minimization of the no-load iron losses becomes a very important electrical design requirement if the traction motor and the generator are mechanically connected with an internal combustion engine when it is operating as the only source of torque. The manufacturing costs of the motor are also taken into account in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Synchronous reluctance motors (SynRMs) are gaining in popularity in industrial drives due to their permanent magnet-free, competitive performance, and robust features. This paper studies the power losses in a 90-kW converter-fed SynRM drive by a calorimetric method in comparison of the traditional input–output method. After the converter and the motor were measured simultaneously in separate chambers, the converter was installed inside the large-size chamber next to the motor and the total drive system losses were obtained using one chamber. The uncertainty of both measurement methods is analyzed and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laminated busbar systems are commonly used in power electronic converters because of their low stray inductance. While the electromagnetic analysis of a busbar system is widely presented in the literature, there is a lack of accurate thermal modeling. In this paper, the thermal analysis of the busbar system is presented. An analytical lumped parameter thermal model (LPTM) of the busbar system is developed. The LPTM is applied to the fast estimation of the mean temperature and temperature-dependent power losses of the busbars by the proposed algorithm. Joule losses produced by nonsinusoidal currents flowing through the busbars in the converter are estimated. The skin and proximity effects, which have a strong influence on the ac resistance of the busbars, are considered in the loss estimation. Thus, a comprehensive electrothermal model of the busbar system is developed, which is of practical use in the converter design. It allows optimizing the stray inductance, material consumption, and cost of the busbar system as long as the specified temperature limits are not exceeded. The finite-element method thermal modeling validates the developed LPTM. Laboratory measurements in two operating points of the converter have been performed, and they show good correlation with the simulation results. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

High-speed permanent-magnet synchronous machines (HS PMSMs) are a popular topology among modern electrical machines. Suitable applications for such machines are low-power vacuum pumps, compressors, and chillers. This paper describes a systematic design methodology for an HS PMSM using two case studies. The design process for such high-speed (HS) machines is multidisciplinary and highly iterative due to the complex interaction of the many design variables involved. Consequently, no single optimum solution exists, and multiple possible solutions can meet the customer requirements. Practical solutions should be within acceptable thermal limits, should be energy-efficient, and should be rigid enough to withstand the forces exerted during operation. The proposed design flow is divided into steps that are presented in this paper in the form of a flowchart with emphasis on mechanical aspects. Each step represents a task for a thermal, mechanical, or electrical engineer. The features of each step and the prerequisites for moving to the next step are discussed. The described methodology was implemented in the design of two HS PMSMs. The output performance results of the design flow are compared with measured results of the prototypes. The design process described in this paper provides a straightforward procedure for the multidisciplinary design of HS permanent magnet electrical machines. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]