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Research into electric machine windings with reduced magnetomotive force (MMF) space harmonic content has a long history. However, attention has often been confined to lower order harmonics with larger magnitudes. To more clearly and easily visualize the MMF space harmonic spectrum, this paper will explain the phenomenon of harmonic “families” intrinsic to a majority of electric machine windings. With a concise proof, it will be shown that within each family, the harmonic components have magnitudes that are inversely proportional to their orders. As a consequence, harmonics of the same family have the same winding factor. The number of families and, hence, different winding factors is found to be only a fraction of the number of slots of a unit machine. The family phenomenon greatly simplifies the determination of an MMF harmonic spectrum, envisions the behavior of higher order components, and predicts how a design change can improve the winding harmonic profile. When the family phenomenon disappears and the special cases with enlarged periods are also discussed. Two examples, both eliminating the 5th- and 7th-order harmonics but with very different harmonic spectra, are analyzed and compared to illustrate the power of the family phenomenon to aid the design of windings with improved electromagnetic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the design of electric machine windings with reduced magnetomotive force (MMF) space harmonic content by adjusting the slot distribution and coil turns. Closed-form expressions for the winding factor and harmonic magnitudes established from a mathematical representation of winding functions are used to formulate the MMF space harmonic suppression problem. The framework is applicable to both distributed windings and fractional-slot concentrated windings (FSCWs) and can be solved with different techniques. No special requirements on the slot/pole combination and the number of layers are necessary. One example uses a linear algebraic technique to solve simultaneous equations and the result is a mixed-layer distributed winding. The process also reveals the criterion when multiple requirements on the winding factor and harmonic magnitudes can be satisfied concurrently. Contour plots are included to provide additional graphical insight. Another example designs a 24-slot 22-pole FSCW subset with numerical optimization. The resultant winding is a four-layer FSCW with two subsets and 3/4 of the harmonic orders are eliminated. The performance improvement of this winding is verified with finite-element simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper examines the relationship between rotor design, saliency-based signal injection sensorless control, and power conversion properties for four industrially relevant interior permanent-magnet machine configurations: a 36-slot 6-pole stator with v bar rotor, a 36-slot 6-pole stator with flat bar rotor, a 9-slot 6-pole stator with v bar rotor, and a 9-slot 6-pole stator with flat bar rotor. The influence of rotor geometric design variables over the range of current densities at the maximum torque per ampere angle was found using a design of experiments' methodology and standardized regression coefficients. Tradeoffs between sensorless control and power conversion properties are found using a Monte Carlo methodology. Power conversion and sensorless control properties were analyzed using hybrid static and time-stepping finite-element simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zero-to-low-speed flux/rotor-position self-sensing techniques rely on the interaction of saliencies (asymmetries) with an injected signal or special switching pattern in the inverter to produce a response which contains information about the location of the saliency. In this paper, three types of deterministic spatial rotor position saliencies are introduced into an induction machine (IM). The saliencies were created by modulating the following: 1) the rotor bridge opening width; 2) the rotor bridge opening height; and 3) the rotor bridge opening fill. The influence of saliency geometric design variables on the self-sensing and power conversion properties is determined using a design of experiments and response surface methodology. An example IM design, which maximizes the self-sensing properties while preserving power conversion abilities, is presented. Modulation of the rotor bridge fill appears to be the least desirable saliency type. Both rotor bridge opening width and height modulations can be used successfully, but the rotor bridge opening width modulation requires extra simulations to characterize the self-sensing properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]