Electrical Machines and Drives Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, 7602, South Africa
Sibande, S.E., Electrical Machines and Drives Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, 7602, South Africa; Kamper, M.J., Electrical Machines and Drives Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, 7602, South Africa; Wang, R., Electrical Machines and Drives Laboratory, Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Matieland, 7602, South Africa
This paper describes the optimum design of a permanent-magnet-assisted reluctance rotor of a 110 kW reluctance synchronous traction machine. Previous studies show that the performance of the pure reluctance synchronous machine drive deteriorates fast in the flux-weakening speed region. To address this problem, thin bonded permanent-magnet sheet material is used inside the flux barriers of the reluctance rotor to improve the performance of the drive, especially in the flux-weakening speed region. A design optimization algorithm is implemented to minimize the volume and hence the cost of the permanent-magnet material, subject to voltage and torque constraints. The calculated and measured results show clearly that the performance of the reluctance synchronous traction machine with a minimum amount of permanent-magnet material in the rotor compares favorably with the performance of the conventional induction machine drive at both rated and maximum speeds. Copyright © 2004 IEEE.
Design optimization; Finite Element; Flux barrier; Flux weakening; Induction machine drive; Maximum speed; Measured results; Optimisation; Optimisations; Optimum designs; Performance evaluation; Reluctance synchronous machine; Sheet material; Torque constraints; Traction machines; Magnetic devices; Optimization; Permanent magnets; Synchronous motors; Traction (friction); Machine design