Joint Czech – Polish Conference on Project GACR 102/03/0813

BRNO 2004
„Low Voltage Electrical Machines“

COMPARISON OF STARTING PROPERTIES OF SQUIRREL-CAGE

AND SYNCHRONOUS RELUCTANCE MOTORS
BASING ON FIELD - CIRCUIT CALCULATIONS

Jerzy Kudła, Roman Miksiewicz

Department of Electrical Machines & Devices
Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice, Poland
e-mails: j_kudla@kmiue.elektr.polsl.gliwice.pl, r_miks@kmiue.elektr.polsl.gliwice.pl

Abstract: The paper presents the field circuit computation results of the squirrel cage motor and
the reluctance motor manufactured on the basis of the squirrel cage motor sheets. The computations
have been carried out for the motor reverse at the increased moment of inertia. Hence, the average
characteristics of the electromagnetic torque allowing estimation of the motor starting properties
have been obtained. For the squirrel cage motor the computation results of the field-circuit model
have been compared with those for the circuit model in which higher space harmonics have been
included.

1. Introduction
The easiest way of manufacturing a synchronous reluctance motor is the use of construction of a
squirrel-cage motor. The motor stator remains the same while the magnetic circuit of the rotor is
changed. The change consists in cutting out some teeth and replacing them with a wide aluminium
bar (Fig.1).
In order to compare the starting properties of the both motors basing on simulation results, one can
use the circuit and field-circuit models of the both machines. The purpose of the paper is to
determine and compare the starting properties of squirrel-cage and reluctance motors when using
the 2D field circuit model for transients. Additionally, for the squirrel-cage motor there are
compared the results of field circuit calculations with
d
those of circuit calculations when taking into account
higher space harmonics.
q There are presented the computed waveforms of
electromagnetic quantities during the starting of motors
of the shaft height of 160 mm. The reluctance motor has
been constructed using the squirrel-cage motor of
11 kW power and 380 V rated voltage. The slot skew in
the rotor has not be taken into consideration in
Fig.1. Cross section of synchronous
computations.
reluctance motor
2. Computations of squirrel-cage motor
2.1. Field circuit computations
For field circuit calculations there has been used the program Maxwell-2D by Ansoft Corporation
with “Transient” module enabling computations of transients when taking into account the motion
of the rotor in relation to the stator. Basing on the computations of the motor reverse at the
increased moment of inertia it is possible to obtain many operation parameters of the motor [4] such
as: the starting torque and current, the value of the maximal torque, the values of synchronous
torques and speeds at which they occur. Moreover, for the fixed moments of time one can obtain
distributions of the magnetic flux density and current density, which is useful for a designer.
The mesh of the finite elements for computing
transient states is usually chosen by means of the
trial method. Fig.2 presents the finite element mesh
for the computational model consisting of 19381
triangular elements of second order.
Figs 3 and 4 show the results of computations of
the phase A stator current, electromagnetic torque
and rotor speed during the motor reverse from the
speed equal to -500 rpm and supplied with the
rated voltage.
Fig.4 shows the electromagnetic torque versus the
speed. Using the methodology presented in [4] the
characteristic of the averaged electromagnetic
torque has been determined. It can be treated as the
motor static characteristic.
In quasi-steady states there occur parasitic
Fig.2. Finite element mesh for squirrel cage asynchronous and synchronous torques in the
motor computational model electromagnetic waveform. They are mainly due to
higher harmonics of the space distribution of the
specific electric loading of the stator and rotor distributed windings as well as the slotting of the
stator and rotor surfaces. These torques result in deformation of the averaged torque-speed
characteristic and they are the reason for occurring the alternating components in the torque
waveform.

time [s] time [s]

time [s] time [s]

Fig.3. Phase current (a), flux linkage (b), electromagnetic torque (c), rotational speed (d), during
squirrel-cage motor reverse
 rpm rpm
Fig.4. Electromagnetic torque (a) and averaged electromagnetic torque (b) as a function of rotor
speed

2.2. Circuit computations

It is more convenient to perform the analysis of the influence of higher harmonics on the
electromagnetic torque waveform when using the machine circuit model. The linear magnetic
circuit, slotless rotor and stator and the constant values of the equivalent scheme parameters
(determined for the standstill rotor) have been assumed in the computational circuit model of the
squirrel cage motor. The model takes into account higher space harmonics of the ampere-turns
produced by the stator and rotor winding currents, while it neglects permeance harmonics. In
computations there have been taken into account the space harmonics within the range (from pth to
43pth) and there has been assumed the unskewed rotor. The model presented in [5] has been used.
This model enables determination of the speed at which the synchronous torques occur and of the
pairs of the harmonics producing these torques. It also allows separating the asynchronous and
torques produced by the higher space harmonics.
Fig. 5 shows the waveforms of the phase A stator current, total electromagnetic torque,
electromagnetic torque generated by 5pth harmonic and rotor speed during the motor reverse,
whereas Fig.6 presents the torque-speed characteristics.500

250 400

300
Te [Nm]

0 0.5 1 1.5 200

250 100

500 0 0.5 1 1.5

100
czas
time [s]
time [s]
czas [s]

1 1500

0.5 1000
n [obr/min]
Te10 [Nm]

4 .10
4
0 0.5 1 1.5 500
0.5

1 0 0.5 1 1.5

1.5 500

time
t [s] [s] time [s]
czas [s]

Fig.5. Phase current (a), electromagnetic torque (b), electromagnetic torque generated by 5pth
harmonic, d) rotational speed, during squirrel-cage motor reverse
 In the considered motor with the number of the stator slots Qs=36, the rotor slots Qr=26 and the pairs
of poles p=2, the synchronous torques arise at the speeds: n1=214 rpm (pairs of harmonics (2,26) and
(10,38)), n2= -107 rpm (pairs of harmonics (2,58) and (10-46)) and n3=0 (pairs of harmonics (2,86)
and (10,74)).
The waveforms of the synchronous torques as a function of time are presented in Fig. 8. The
synchronous torque shown in Fig. 8 has been determined at the known speed of this torque
occurrence when assuming the appropriately large moment of inertia. The obtained characteristics
corresponds
400 to the synchronous torque-angle characteristics.
250
350
300 200

Te [Nm]
250
Te [Nm]

150
200
100
150
50
100
50
0 500 1000 1500
0 500 1000 1500 n [obr/min]
rpm
rpm
n [obr/min]

Fig.6. Electromagnetic torque (a) and averaged electromagnetic torque (b) vs rotor speed

25
Tes [Nm]

0 500 1000 1500

0 500 1000 1500

15
25
rpm
n [obr/min]
rpm
n [obr/min]

Fig.7. Alternating components of synchronous torques of different synchronous speed:

a) n1=214 rpm, b) n3=0, for squirrel-cage motor
10

5
Tes [Nm]

Tes [Nm]

0.4 0.6 0.8 1

0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

5
25
time[s][s] 10
czas
t [s][s]
time
Fig.8. Synchronous torques for squirrel-cage motor at: a) n1=214 rpm, b) n3=0
Comparing the computation results for the circuit model which takes into account higher space
harmonics with those for the field-circuit model one can note small differences between the values
of torques and the currents during the reverse. It is possible to determine the parasitic synchronous
torques basing on the both computational models. The results obtained on the basis of circuit model
are less accurate due to the greater number of simplifications assumed in this model. It can be
expected that the larger values of the torque alternating components during the reverse obtained
from the field computations result from taking into consideration the permeance components.

3. Field circuit calculations of reluctance motor

The squirrel-cage motor with the changes in the rotor (see Fig.1) has been used for field circuit
calculations. It is possible to obtain a lot of information on the operation properties of such a type of
motor performing calculations for the motor reverse, as in the case of a squirrel-cage motor. For the
motor considered there have been made the field calculations for the same supply conditions and
the assumed moment of inertia.
The exemplary results of calculations are presented in Figs 9-12. Fig.9 shows finite element mesh
and the distributions of the vector potential isolines for the initial instant of the reverse (t=0.1s) and
the final instants of reverse (t=0.85).
The waveforms of the phase current, flux linkage, electromagnetic torque and speed are presented
in Fig.10.

Fig.9. Finite element mesh (a) and instantaneous distribution of magnetic field in reluctance motor
for: b) t=0.1 s, c) t=0.75 s, d) t=0.8 s
 time [s] time [s]

time [s] time [s]

Rys.10. Phase current (a), flux linkage (b), electromagnetic torque (c), rotational speed, during
reluctance motor reverse

It is possible to notice pulling of the motor into synchronism on the torque waveform. However, it
is difficult to determine the breakdown torque for asynchronous motor operation. The filtering of
the torque alternating components produced by higher harmonics can be helpful. That way one can
determine the breakdown torque, which is shown in Fig.11. Waveforms of phase current,
electromagnetic torque, average electromagnetic torque at 1492.5 rpm are shown in Fig.12. Basing
on these calculation we can obtain electromagnetic torque-load angle characteristic (Fig.12d) for
synchronous operation.

rpm rpm
Fig.11. Electromagnetic torque (a) and averaged electromagnetic torque (b) vs rotational speed of
reluctance motor
 time [s] time [s]

time [s]

Fig.12. Phase current (a), electromagnetic torque (b) and averaged electromagnetic torque (c) vs
time, averaged electromagnetic torque (d) vs load angle
4. Conclusions
The field circuit calculations have shown that one can obtain a lot of information on the motor
operation properties basing on the calculations for the reverse of the motor with the increased
moment of inertia. The reluctance motor manufactured when using the squirrel cage motor sheets
has the starting and the breakdown torque during asynchronous operation close to those of the
squirrel-cage motor but its pull-out torque for synchronous operation is considerably smaller. It
results from relatively small asymmetry of the rotor electromagnetic circuit, hence the small ratio of
the synchronous inductance in d axis to that in the q axis. The known properties of the both motors
have been proved by calculations. The calculations by means of the program Maxwell 2D enable
performing versatile simulation investigations of electric machines both in static and dynamic
states. So this program is useful for design and optimisation of constructions of electric machines.
The essential disadvantage of field calculations is the fact that working out the computational model
and performing calculations is time consuming.

- 67 -
References
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors wish to thank Ansoft Corp. for permission to use gratuitously the programs
Maxwell 2D and RMxprt for their investigations. The authors also wish to express their
appreciation for the considerable help given them by Mr. Achim Rinortner,
the representative of Ansoft Corp.