Simple Magnetic Circuit Model of Switched Reluctance Motor Considering Magnetic Saturation

Abstract

A switched reluctance motor (SRM) has such desirable features as simple construction, high reliability, and low cost. The SRM has not, however, been put into wide application because of large torque ripple and acoustic noise. In addition, quantitative analysis and optimum design of the SRM have not been fully charified. In a previous paper, we proposed a simple magnetic circuit model of an SRM based on its configuration. We calculated such dynamic characteristics of the SRM as excitation voltage, winding current, and flux in each part of the motor. In this model, however, reluctance of the stator and rotor cores are approximated by a linear function. In order to improve the calculation accuracy, we have to consider nonlinear characteristics of the core material. Furthermore, local saturation occurring at stator and rotor pole-tips and leakage fluxes from the stator pole must be considered. In this paper, we examine a nonlinear magnetic circuit model of the SRM considering the local saturation at the pole-tips and the leakage fluxes.