Design and development of Synchronous Reluctance Motor

(SyRM) along with its motor controller for EV application

Synopsis of the Project Report submitted to

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
for the Award of the Degree

Bachelor of Technology (Hons.)

in
Electrical Engineering and
Master of Technology
in
Electrical Engineering
with specialization in
Machine Drive and Power Electronics
by

Gaurav Govardhan Bisen

18EE33001

Under the supervision of

Dr. Dipankar Debnath

Department of Electrical Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
October 2021

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Abstract

With the increase of climate change threat around the world, the shift to renewable energy, Electric
vehicles and reduction in energy usage with help of higher efficiency systems are now more critical
than ever. 46% of electrical energy is consumed by motors and with implementation of
VSD(variable speed drive), 40% energy consumption can be reduced in each system. Due to the
rising prices of petrol and diesel and emissions from ICE based vehicle, an EV is the best
alternative. Electric motor being the source of traction power in EVs, the need of better motor
technology increases. SyRM due to no copper loss in rotor are considerably more efficient than an
induction motor and because of absence of rare earth permanent magnet it the rotor cost of the
motor remains low and risk of magnet failure as well as unstable rare earth magnet market which
have production only in one country in whole world(china,2011 magnet crisis) makes it more
attractive for the motor manufacturers and users as well.

In this thesis work the main target will be on SyRM along with a motor controller for EV traction
application. The key requirements of electric motors for traction applications are high torque
density, low acoustic noise, high efficiency, low torque ripple, and high reliability. The operating
principle of SyRM is based on the operating principle of salient pole synchronous motor with
unexcited field winding. The torque is produced because of the tendency of the rotor to align the
minimum reluctance position. The noise and torque pulsation problems, so difficult to overcome
with variable (switched) reluctance motors, can be elegantly overcome in a synchronous reluctance
machine by simply winding the stator in the conventional manner so as to produce a sinusoidal
uniformly rotating air gap MMF. And with help of modern power electronics and controls SyRM
are self-starting which was not possible before.

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1. Introduction

Here the main objective is to design and develop a SyRM(without any magnet) and a ferrite magnet
assisted SyRM (for higher power factor, better efficiency, and lighter weight) for E-rickshaw
application of 2kW continuous power, 3000rpm base speed, and 6Nm of maximum continuous
torque and 3kW maximum power, 9Nm maximum torque, comparing them with market available
similar rating motor and formulating a decisive conclusion of advantages of this technology.

Basic steps for motor modelling is sizing, winding configuration, material selection this accounts
for Electro magnetics designing then comes Thermal and Mechanical designing, after which lab
testing is done on model this procedure is used while using ANSYS MotorCAD.

2. Sizing

First step while developing a motor is defining its dimensions. We need to start with some general
dimension ratios observed in existing models. These ratios help us to deliver maximum power
output or make a lightest model with least ripples and lower material cost. Most crucial of them is
TRV ratio i.e. torque rotor volume ratio.

D D D
=σ × Area× =σ π D L = π D L σ =2 V r σ
2
T em =F
2 2 2 2

F
σ= , TRV =rated torque÷rotor volume
Area
TRV for good models* of SyRM is usually around 17 kNm/m³ and our rated torque is 6Nm. So, our
estimated volume of rotor comes 352.9 cc. Now the next ratio which helps us develop the model is
L/D ratio i.e. diameter to length ratio of rotor which is 1.1 in most non magnet motor. Which gives
us D as 74mm and L as 81mm. Then comes the split ratio which is Rotor diameter to Stator
diameter ratio which comes around 0.65 for SyRM which gives us Stator diameter as 114mm. For a
3 phase 4 pole machine and simple calculations we keep Slot number multiple os12(3*4) again due
to motor size 24 slot number would give us reasonable slot tooth width and winding space. For
exact slot with dimensions we will first estimate the magnetic field that will be passing through
stator tooth and stator back iron, flux density is required to keep under 1.8T in peak conditions. So,
we get tooth width around 4.5mm and back iron 8mm at least, here we kept parallel slot type for
simplicity. Slot tip depth and slot opening were set with trial and error for required flux density and
torque ripple, and tip angle 22° for max copper packing. Now for rotor barrier shaping we keep 3
barriers considering rotor size and from FEA of magnetic field of just stator we try to mimic its
curve shape to get minimum torque ripple. From which we get this dimension inputs.

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 Variables Values (in mm)
Stator Lamination Outer Diameter 114
Slot Number 24
Tooth width 4.5
Slot depth 12
Stator Lamination Inner Diameter 74
Air Gap 0.4
Shaft Diameter 18
Motor Length 133
Rotor Lamination Length 81
EWdg Extension Front 26
EWdg Extension Back 26
Shaft Extension Front 60
Shaft Extension Back 30
Winding extension are determined by space required by copper wire for winding over slot.

fig 1: Radial Geometry (with thermal cooling)

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3. Winding

For 3 phase and 4 pole machine throw of 6 slots is required for 24 slot number. For required mmf
and keeping machine operable at 3000rpm for peak conditions of 9 Nm we determine no. of turns
required which comes out to be 8, winding layer is kept 2 for utilizing all the slot tooth for magnetic
field. Now we want to keep maximum copper fill factor, now manufactures can practically get this
maximum upto 0.55, hence we need not to go further this value.

fig 2: Winding diagram

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4. Material

Variable Material
Housing Aluminum (Alloy 195 Cast)
Stator Lamination M250-35A
Rotor Lamination M250-35A
Armature Winding Copper (Pure)
Shaft Cast Iron
Total Weight 7.08 kg

5. Thermal

TEFC i.e. total enclosure fan cooling is used in axial direction. For maximum surface area fins are
kept. Heat produced is losses at that particular instance. We need to keep temperature below 70° in
winding. So, from CFD calculation we get reference air flow velocity at rated power 124 m/s.

Fig 3: Thermal gradient

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6. Mechanical

Stress analysis is carried out on the model and safety factor is required to keep to than 3 but we get
9 well above required. For get required mechanical stress if not obtained edges are smoothened. In
our model for manufacturing purpose minimum smoothness is still introduced so cracks does not
comes while CNC is carried out on lamination.

7. PMA SyRM

On the same model ferrite magnet is introduced in centre most barriers centre post of and all other
parameters except length motor lamination length is reduced to 65mm from 81mm. Since, they have
higher TRV due to magnet since it introduce magnetic torque as well. And magnetic motor can
tolerate lower L/D ratio.

Fig 4: PMA SyRM Geometry(including thermal modelling)

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Fig 5: PMA SyRM Winding

Fig 6: PMA SyRM Thermal

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8. Results
8.1 SyRM
o Drive
Variables Values Units
DC Bus Voltage 48 Volts
Line-Line Supply Voltage (rms) 33.94 Volts
Phase Supply Voltage (rms) 19.6 Volts
Line-Line Terminal Voltage (peak) 39.73 Volts
Line-Line Terminal Voltage (rms) 26.9 Volts
Phase Terminal Voltage (rms) 15.53 Volts
Harmonic Distortion Line-Line Terminal Voltage 8.364 %
Harmonic Distortion Phase Terminal Voltage 8.72 %
Max Line-Line / Phase Voltage Ratio 1.732
-----
DC Supply Current (mean) 42.99 Amps
Line Current (peak) 93.34 Amps
Line Current (rms) 66 Amps
Phase Current (peak) 93.34 Amps
Phase Current (rms) 66 Amps
-----
Phase Advance 57 EDeg
Drive Offset Angle (Open Circuit) 30 EDeg
Drive Offset Angle (On load) 30 EDeg
Phase Advance to give maximum torque 57 EDeg
-----
Phasor Offset Angle 15 EDeg
Phasor Angle (Ph1) 360 EDeg
Phasor Angle (Ph2) 120 EDeg
Phasor Angle (Ph3) 240 EDeg
Max Angle Between Phasors 120 EDeg

o Electromagnetic
Variables Values Units
Torque Ripple (MsVw) 0.28947 Nm
Torque Ripple (MsVw) [%] 4.803 %
Speed limit for constant torque 3821.7 rpm
(For Phase Advance of 57 EDeg)
Speed limit for zero current 11092 rpm
-----

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 Electromagnetic Power 1893.4 Watts
Input Power 2063.6 Watts
Output Power 1870 Watts
Total Losses (on load) 193.55 Watts
System Efficiency 90.621 %
-----
Shaft Torque 5.9525 Nm
-----
Power Factor [Waveform] (lagging) 0.67076
-----
Total Inertia 0.0010561 kg.m²
Torque per rotor volume 17.681 kNm/m³
Rotor peripheral velocity (on load) 11.498 m/s

o Flux density
Variables Values Units
Airgap flux density (mean) 0.4564 Tesla
Airgap Flux Density (peak) 1.08 Tesla
Stator Tooth Flux Density (peak) 1.611 Tesla
Stator Tooth Tip Flux Density (peak) 1.645 Tesla
Stator Back Iron Flux Density (peak) 1.684 Tesla
Rotor Back Iron Flux Density (peak) 0.8915 Tesla

o Losses
Variables Values Units
Armature DC Copper Loss (on load) 169.7 Watts
AC Copper Loss (Hybrid)(Total) 0.4385 Watts
Stator iron Loss [total] (on load) 20.54 Watts

Rotor iron Loss [total] (on load) 2.869 Watts

Windage Loss (user input) 0 Watts
Friction Loss (user input) 0 Watts
Shaft Loss [total] (on load) 0 Watts
-----
Total Losses (on load) 193.6 Watts

o Equivalent circuit parameters

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 Variables Values Units
D Axis Inductance 0.1278 mH
Q Axis Inductance 0.6317 mH
Line-Line Inductance (DQ) 0.7524 mH
Phase Resistance 0.01299 Ohms
Line-Line Resistance 0.02597 Ohms

 Plots
o Efficiency

o Speed-Torque

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o Current

o Terminal Voltage

o Flux Density

12
o Airgap Flux density

o Flux Linkage on Load

13
 o Torque

8.2 PMA SyRM

• Drive
DC Bus Voltage 48 Volts
Line-Line Supply Voltage (rms) 33.94 Volts
Phase Supply Voltage (rms) 19.6 Volts
Line-Line Terminal Voltage (peak) 31.52 Volts
Line-Line Terminal Voltage (rms) 22.07 Volts
Phase Terminal Voltage (rms) 12.75 Volts
Harmonic Distortion Line-Line Terminal Voltage 7.096 %
Harmonic Distortion Phase Terminal Voltage 8.02 %
Back EMF Line-Line Voltage (peak) 3.887 Volts
Back EMF Line-Line Voltage (peak) (fundamental) 3.921 Volts
Back EMF Phase Voltage (peak) 2.279 Volts
Back EMF Line-Line Voltage (rms) 2.775 Volts
Back EMF Phase Voltage (rms) 1.604 Volts
Harmonic Distortion Back EMF Line-Line Voltage 4.029 %
Harmonic Distortion Back EMF Phase Voltage 5.352 %
Max Line-Line / Phase Voltage Ratio 1.732
DC Supply Current (mean) 44.11 Amps
Line Current (peak) 98.99 Amps
Line Current (rms) 70 Amps
Phase Current (peak) 98.99 Amps
Phase Current (rms) 70 Amps
Phase Advance 56 EDeg
Drive Offset Angle (Open Circuit) 30 EDeg
Drive Offset Angle (On load) 30 EDeg
Phase Advance to give maximum torque 42.74 EDeg

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Phasor Offset Angle 15 EDeg
Phasor Angle (Ph1) 360 EDeg
Phasor Angle (Ph2) 120 EDeg
Phasor Angle (Ph3) 240 EDeg
Max Angle Between Phasors 120 EDeg
D Axis Inductance 0.09162 mH
Q Axis Inductance 0.4884 mH
Line-Line Inductance (DQ) 0.5808 mH
Armature End Winding Inductance_(Rosa and Grover) 0.00426 mH
D Axis Current (rms) -58.03 Amps
Q Axis Current (rms) 39.14 Amps
Torque Constant (Kt) 0.06242 Nm/A
Motor Constant (Km) 0.4664 Nm/(Watts^0.5)
Electrical Loading 2.891E+04 Amps/m
Stall Current 2010 Amps
Stall Torque 125.4 Nm
Fundamental Frequency 100 Hz
Current Shaft Speed RPM 3000 rpm

• E-Magnetics

Maximum torque possible (DQ)_(For Phase Advance of

42.74 EDeg) 6.8083 Nm
Average torque (virtual work) 6.1815 Nm
Average torque (loop torque) 6.1197 Nm
Torque Ripple (MsVw) 0.47901 Nm
Torque Ripple (MsVw) [%] 7.7516 %
Speed limit for constant torque_(For Phase Advance of 56
EDeg) 4704.5 rpm
No load speed 37042 rpm
Speed limit for zero current 29306 rpm
Electromagnetic Power 1941.3 Watts
Input Power 2117.3 Watts
Output Power 1922 Watts
Total Losses (on load) 195.34 Watts
System Efficiency 90.774 %
Shaft Torque 6.1178 Nm
Power Factor [Waveform] (lagging) 0.78979
Power Factor Angle [Waveform] 37.834 EDeg
Power Factor [Phasor] (lagging) 0.76604
Power Factor Angle [Phasor] 40 EDeg
Load Angle [Phasor] 95.705 EDeg
Phase Terminal Voltage (rms) [Phasor] 12.769 Volts
Rotor Inertia 0.00093 kg.m²

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Shaft Inertia 1.3265E-05 kg.m²
Total Inertia 0.00095 kg.m²
Torque per rotor volume 22.59 kNm/m³
Rotor peripheral velocity (on load) 11.498 m/s
Flux Linkage D (Q axis current) 4.55449 mVs
Flux Linkage Q (Q axis current) 28.0314 mVs
Flux linkage D (On load) -2.96451 mVs
Flux linkage Q (On load) 27.0377 mVs
Torque Constant (Kt) 0.06242 Nm/A
Motor Constant (Km) 0.46637 Nm/(Watts^0.5)
Back EMF Constant (Ke) 0.01237 Vs/Rad
Back EMF Constant (Ke) (fundamental) 0.01248 Vs/Rad
Stall Current 2009.51 Amps
Stall Torque 125.438 Nm
Cogging Period 15 MDeg
Cogging Frequency 1200 Hz
Fundamental Frequency 100 Hz
Mechanical Frequency 50 Hz

• Flux Densities

Airgap flux density (mean) 0.456 Tesla

Airgap Flux Density (peak) 1.105 Tesla
Stator Tooth Flux Density (peak) 1.607 Tesla
Stator Tooth Tip Flux Density (peak) 1.684 Tesla
Stator Back Iron Flux Density (peak) 1.69 Tesla
Rotor Back Iron Flux Density (peak) 1.075 Tesla

• Losses

Armature DC Copper Loss (on load) 175.6 Watts

AC Copper Loss (Hybrid)(Total) 0.4037 Watts
Magnet Loss (on load) 1.329E-09 Watts
Stator iron Loss [total] (on load) 16.91 Watts
Rotor iron Loss [total] (on load) 2.458 Watts
Windage Loss (user input) 0 Watts
Friction Loss (user input) 0 Watts
Shaft Loss [total] (on load) 0 Watts
Total Losses (on load) 195.3 Watts

• Equivalent Circuit Parameters

Phase Resistance 0.01194 Ohms
D Axis Inductance 0.09162 mH
Q Axis Inductance 0.4884 mH

 Plots
o Efficiency

16
o

o Speed-Torque

o
o Current

o Back EMF

17
o

o Terminal Voltage

o Torque

18
o Airgap Flux density

o Flux Linkage

o Flux Density

19
 o
9. Conclusion and Further Goals
So far, Simulation models of both SyRM and ferrite assisted SyRM are developed in
MotorCAD(2D FEA model) with efficiency of 90% and 91% respectively and weight of 7.08kg and
6.2kg respectively. Furthermore, a comparison will be made with a BLDC/PMSM motor on various
parameters and these models will be manufactured with industrial partners and those motors will be
tested extensively in the lab and on an E-Rickshaw for more accurate results.
10. References
1. The Rediscovery of Synchronous Reluctance and Ferrite Permanent Magnet Motors by
Nicola Bianchi (2016)
2. Ion Boldea, Lucian Tutelea, "Reluctance Electric Machines: Design and Control," CRC
Press; 1st edition, 2018.
3. Design of Brushless Permanent Magnet Machines by Hendershot.
4. Switched Reluctance Motors and their Control by TJE Miller.

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