POWERENG 2009 Lisbon, Portugal, March 18-20, 2009

On the Modeling of Poly-Phase Electric Machines

through Vector-Space Decomposition: Theoretical
Considerations
Alberto Tessarolo, IEEE Member
Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering Department, University of Trieste, Italy
atessarolo@units.it

Abstract-The possibility of equipping the stator winding of an II. VARIETY OF MULTI-PHASE STATOR ARRANGEMENTS
electric machine with more than three phases is an increasingly
important strategy in today’s drive design for its beneficial As far as poly-phase stator windings are concerned, various
implications in terms of power rating, reliability enhancement design solutions are possible depending on how the machine
and design degrees-of-freedom. Vector-Space Decomposition phases are physically arranged over the stator circumference.
(VSD) is an important technique recently introduced for poly- Maybe the most typical poly-phase scheme is the one in which
phase machine modeling and analysis. A consolidated VSD
technique exists covering symmetrical poly-phase machines, n stator phases are symmetrically arranged with a 360/n phase
where the n stator phases are displaced by 360/n electrical degrees progression. Examples of these configurations are given in Fig.
apart; conversely, other poly-phase configurations cannot be 1: adopting the nomenclature introduced in [10], [11], Fig. 1a
reduced to such a scheme and require some more dedicated refers to a properly called n-phase scheme, while Fig. 2b
treatment. Particularly, this paper shows how the VSD method illustrates a semi-2n-phase winding (where phase belts
can be effectively extended to poly-phase windings where a half
phase progression (equal to 180/n electrical degrees) is used, as displaced by 180 electrical degrees are series-connected and
typically occurs in split-phase machines. assigned to the same phase).
It is important to notice that the latter kind of winding
I. INTRODUCTION arrangement is not always feasible. For example, we can
consider the case of a double-layer semi-eight-phase winding
In the electromagnetic conception of modern electric
(Fig. 2), composed of n=4 phases, each comprising both goes
machines, the possibility to select the number of phases
and returns in each winding layer (Fig. 2b). It is intuitive that
without restricting the choice to the traditional three-phase
such a winding cannot be arranged in such a way that the phase
scheme provides the designer with an additional degree of
progression equals 360/n electrical degrees (Fig. 1b). A
freedom. This might be used for various purposes, such as [1]:
feasible arrangement, instead, is that shown in Fig. 2, where
increasing the motor power rating without changing the power
the phase progression is of 180/n electrical degrees (“half
electronic device size in the supplying inverter; matching
phase progression”).
higher reliability requirements since drive operation continuity
may be guaranteed also in presence of a faulty inverter phase;
increasing motor performance, power density and efficiency
[2], [3]; using innovative multi-motor drive configurations [4].
As discussed in Section II, a variety of possibility exists
when it comes to select the physical phase distribution within
the stator winding. Regardless of the particular arrangement
selected, the Vector Space Decomposition (VSD) is an
effective technique currently used to model electric machines
equipped with poly-phase windings [5], [6]. Nevertheless, we Fig. 1. Examples of symmetrical n-phase winding schemes (n=5) with full
can observe that in the case when a symmetrical poly-phase phase progression, equal to 360/n electrical degrees.
configuration is chosen, with a phase progression of 360/n
electrical degrees, the implementation of the VSD relies on
consolidated and well defined methods, based on Fortescue
transform [7], recently enhanced by adding a rotational Park’s
transform [8] and including some space harmonic effects [8],
[9]. Conversely, this paper shows that when it comes to model
other kinds of poly-phase windings, like split-phase ones [1],
this theory is not always applicable and other alternative Fig. 2. Example of n-phase winding schemes (n=4) with half phase
strategies, hereinafter discussed in detail, need to be adopted so progression, equal to 180/n electrical degrees (a). Example of physical phase
as to achieve the VSD successfully. arrangements in a double-layer shortened-pitch winding implementation (b).

978-1-4244-2291-3/09/$25.00 ©2009 IEEE 519

Authorized licensed use limited to: INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY DELHI. Downloaded on December 09,2021 at 04:29:01 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
 POWERENG 2009 Lisbon, Portugal, March 18-20, 2009

The same situation as in the mentioned example occurs hypotheses of Section III, exhibits a symmetrical “circulant”
when considering a split-phase winding [12] composed of N matrix [8], with the following n×n structure:
three phase sets with N equal to an even number. For example, L2 " L2
§ L0 L1 L1 ·
setting N=2 (Fig. 3a), we have the well known case of a dual ¨ ¸
three-phase winding, also denoted as semi-12-phase [10] or ¨ L1 L0 L1 " L3 L2 ¸
¨L L1 L0 " L4 L3 ¸
quasi-6-phase [3]. Regardless of how the n=6 stator phases are
L( f ) =¨ 2 ¸. (1)
rearranged or redefined, there is no possibility to reduce such ¨ # # # % # # ¸
winding scheme to a symmetrical 6-phase one with a 360/n ¨ ¸
¨ L2 L3 L4 " L0 L1 ¸
phase progression. Instead, it is possible (and also convenient ¨L
for some purposes) to map such a winding into a 6-phase one © 1 L2 L3 " L1 L0 ¸¹
having the structure shown in Fig. 3b, i.e. characterized by a where subscript f means that a “full” phase progression angle is
180/n phase progression. For instance, such an approach has used in the stator poly-phase winding.
been usefully adopted in [2] to study multi-phase machine The generic element Lk of (1) represents the mutual
losses and torque ripple making abstraction of the specific inductance between two stator phases physically displaced by
phase arrangement adopted in the stator winding design. kπ/n electrical radians, degenerating into the phase self
inductance, L0, when k=0.
III. SOME MODELING ASSUMPTIONS It is a well known fact that any n×n circulant matrix
For the purposes of this paper, some assumptions will be (regardless of whether it is symmetrical or not) can be
made in modeling the poly-phase electric machine. These diagonalized as per (2) by means of the complex Fortescue
assumptions are explicitly listed below for the sake of clarity. transformation F [7], [8] defined by (3), with “i” denoting the
imaginary unit.
1) Magnetic saturation effects are neglected.
2) Stator inductances are assumed independent of rotor § λ1 0 " 0·
¨ ¸
−1 ¨ 0 λ2 " 0¸
position.
F L( f ) F = ¨ (2)
% # ¸
3) Air-gap space harmonics are not taken into account.
# #
¨ ¸
Hypothesis 1 is reasonable when the machine operation ¨0 0 " λn ¸¹
©
under study is not subjected to significant flux changes.
Assumption 2 is usually made regardless of the kind of [F] j,k = 1 / n exp[i (2π / n ) j (k − 1)] ∀j, k = 1..n (3)
machine under investigation [8]. Conversely, assumption 3 is
The transformation matrix (2) suffers from the disadvantages
well matched only in case of round-rotor machines [13],
of being complex and non-orthonormal, i.e. F F t ≠ I n , where
otherwise it may constitute a significant restriction. The latter
superscript t denotes the transposition operator and In the n×n
hypothesis, though, will be removed in a forthcoming paper
identity matrix.
where the effect of all space harmonics, due to possible rotor
A real matrix Fr is proposed in [1] as a real-valued
magnetic anisotropy and non-sinusoidal winding distribution,
orthonormal alternative to (3), in the form reported below,
will be described in detail from the VSD viewpoint.
where the last row, C(n/2)/ 2 , is to be omitted for odd values
of n.
IV. VSD FOR SYMMETRICAL N-PHASE WINDINGS WITH 360°/N
PHASE PROGRESSION § C(1) ·
¨ ¸
¨ S(1) ¸
When dealing with a symmetrical n-phase winding with a ¨ ¸
C(2)
“full” phase progression angle of 360/n electrical degrees as in ¨ ¸
the examples illustrated in Fig. 1, we can refer to well-known ¨ S(2) ¸
¨ ¸
results already established in the literature [7], [8]. Fr = ¨ # ¸ (4)
In this case the stator inductance matrix L, under the ¨ ¸
C(ν )
¨ ¸
¨ S(ν ) ¸
¨ C(0) / 2 ¸
¨¨ ¸¸
© C(n / 2) / 2 ¹
Vectors C(j), S(j) are n-sized row-vectors defined as per (6)-
(7) and the constant ν results from truncating (n−1)/2, i.e.:
ν = trunc[(n − 1) / 2] (5)
Fig. 3. A dual three-phase winding (a) and its correspondent six-phase scheme [C( j )]k = 2 / n cos[(2π / n ) j (k − 1)] ∀j = 0..n / 2, ∀k = 1..n (6)
with half phase progression (30 electrical degrees).
[S( j )]k = 2 / n sin[(2π / n) j (k − 1)] ∀j = 0..n / 2, ∀k = 1..n (7)

520

Authorized licensed use limited to: INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY DELHI. Downloaded on December 09,2021 at 04:29:01 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
 POWERENG 2009 Lisbon, Portugal, March 18-20, 2009

For both even and odd n, the real matrix Fr is easily proved § L0 L1 L2 − L2 − L1 ·
to be orthonormal and capable of transforming the stator ¨ ¸
¨ L1 L0 L1 L2 − L2 ¸
inductance matrix (1) into the diagonal structure (8), where the ¨
last row is to be omitted in case of odd n. L ( h) = L2 L1 L0 L1 L2 ¸ (10)
¨ ¸
¨ − L2 L2 L1 L0 L1 ¸
§ d1 0 0 0 " 0 0 0 0 · ¨ ¸
¨ ¸ © − L1 − L2 L2 L1 L0 ¹
¨ 0 d1 0 0 " 0 0 0 0 ¸
§ L0 0 − L2 − L1 ·
¨0 0 d 0 ¸
L1 L2
0 " 0 0 0 ¨ ¸
¨ 2 ¸ ¨ L1 L0 L1 L2 0 − L2 ¸
¨0 0 0 d2 " 0 0 0 0 ¸ ¨ L
¨ ¸ L1 L0 L1 L2 0 ¸
Fr L ( f ) Fr t = ¨ # # # # % # # # # ¸ (8) L ( h) = ¨ 2 ¸ (11)
¨ 0 L2 L1 L0 L1 L2 ¸
¨0 0 0 0 " dν 0 0 0 ¸ ¨ ¸
¨ ¸ ¨ − L2 0 L2 L1 L0 L1 ¸
¨0 0 0 0 " 0 dν 0 0 ¸
¨−L −L 0 L2 L1 L0 ¸¹
¨0 0 0 0 " 0 0 d0 0 ¸ © 1 2
¨¨ ¸
©0 0 0 0 " 0 0 0 d n / 2 ¸¹ The form of L(h) can be easily explained by inspection of
Fig. 2a or Fig. 3b. For example, under the hypotheses of
Obviously, the eigenvalues that appear in (8) are the same as Section III, it is clear that, for n=6 (Fig. 3b), the mutual
in (2), simply arranged in another order. Their physical inductance between phases 1 and 2 (i.e. L1) is equal in
significance is well known [8], as each diagonal elements dj is amplitude and opposite in sign with respect to the mutual
the “harmonic inductance” (or the imaginary part of the inductance between phases 1 and 6 (i.e. L5), so that L1=−L5; the
“harmonic impedance”) of the stator poly-phase system with same pertains to the phase pairs 1-3 and 1-5, implying L2=−L4.
respect to the j-th order harmonic [10]. In this way the first row of (11) is justified. With similar
reasoning, the rest of the matrix can be easily found out.
As a general rule, matrix (9) is symmetrical but not circulant.
V. VSD FOR N-PHASE WINDINGS WITH 180°/N PHASE
PROGRESSION As a consequence, it cannot be reduced to a diagonal form
using Fortescue’s transform as done in the previous Section for
Examples of n-phase winding schemes where a half phase symmetrical n-phase systems having full phase progression.
progression, equal to 180/n electrical degrees, is adopted are This fact can be easily checked numerically [13] or, simply, by
provided in Fig. 2 and 3. In practical applications, this is the choosing a whatever set of inductances Lk in (9), building the
typical case of split-phase windings [12], which can be treated Fortescue matrix F as per (4), with 2π/n replaced by π/n, and
in a unified manner just resorting to a phase arrangement like
numerically verifying that FL h F −1 is not diagonal.
that of Fig. 3b, as already suggested in [2].
The key point on which this paper intends to draw the A real-valued and orthonormal transformation matrix is
attention is that the poly-phase windings under consideration hereinafter proposed to perform the VSD of an n-phase system
cannot be modeled, in terms of VSD, with the same approach with a 180/n phase progression. Its expression is given by (12),
as explained in the previous Section for full phase-progression where the last row is to be omitted in case of odd n.
systems. § C(1) ·
In fact, under the hypotheses of Section III, the stator ¨ ¸
inductance matrix L(h) (subscript h denoting “half” phase ¨ S(1) ¸
¨ C(3) ¸
progression) has the structure shown below, where Lk is the ¨ ¸
mutual inductance between two stator phases displaced by kπ/n ¨ S(3) ¸
electrical radians. ¨ ¸
Gr = ¨ # ¸. (12)
§ L L L2 " − L2 − L1 · ¨ C(2ν − 1) ¸
§ L0 L1 " Ln−2 Ln−1 · ¨ 0 1 ¸ ¨ ¸
¨ ¸ ¨ L L L1 " − L3 − L2 ¸ ¨ S(2ν − 1) ¸
¨ L1 L0 " Ln−3 Ln − 2 ¸ ¨ 1 0
L L L0 " − L4 − L3 ¸ ¨ C(2ν + 1) / 2 ¸
L ( h) =¨ # # " # # ¸=¨ 2 1 ¸ (9) ¨¨ ¸¸
¨ ¸ ¨ # #
# % # # ¸
¨ Ln−2 Ln−3 " L0 L1 ¸ ¨ © S (2ν + 1) / 2 ¹
¸
¨ ¸ − L2 − L3
− L4 " L0 L1 ¸
© Ln−1 Ln−2 " L1 L0 ¹ ¨¨ In (12), ν is again defined by (5) and the row-vectors C, S
− L3 " L1 L0 ¸¹
© − L1 − L2 are given by (13)-(14), with m ranging from 0 to ν and k
ranging form 1 to n.
For the sake of clarity, (9) is next expanded in the particular
cases of n=5 and n=6, when it takes the forms (10) and (11) [C(2m + 1)]k = 2 / n cos[(π / n)(2m + 1)(k − 1)] (13)
respectively [9], [13]. For numerical examples and validations,
the companion paper [13] should be referred to.
[S(2m + 1)]k = 2 / n sin[(π / n)(2m + 1)(k − 1)] (14)

521

Authorized licensed use limited to: INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY DELHI. Downloaded on December 09,2021 at 04:29:01 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
 POWERENG 2009 Lisbon, Portugal, March 18-20, 2009

It can be easily seen that Gr has a very similar structure to APPENDIX

Fr, defined by (4), the main difference being the fact that only In this Appendix a formal proof is provided for (15)-(16),
odd values of j are chosen for row-vectors C(j), S(j) in (12). assuming that the transformation matrix Gr is built as per (12)-
The application of Gr to the stator inductance matrix (9) (14). For this purpose, it convenient to define the mutual
always leads to a diagonal form as required for VSD purposes.
inductance μ between two stator phases whose magnetic axes
This is shown in (15) where, as usual, the last row is to be
are located respectively at φ1 and φ2 with respect to a common
omitted in case of odd n.
reference frame. In virtue of the hypotheses listed in Section
§ d1 0 0 0 " 0 0 0 0 · III, we can certainly state that μ depends only on the relative
¨ ¸
¨0 d1 0 0 " 0 0 0 0 ¸ displacement Δφ =φ2− φ1. Moreover, the reciprocity theorem
¨0 0 d3 0 " 0 0 0 0 ¸ for linear systems [14] assures that
¨ ¸
¨0 0 0 d3 " 0 0 0 0 ¸ μ ( φ ) = μ (− φ ) (17)
t ¨ ¸ Finally, provided that the winding structure has a half phase
G r L (h) G r = ¨ # # # # % # # # # ¸ (15)
progression, with a winding scheme like those depicted in Fig.
¨0 0 0 0 " d 2ν −1 0 0 0 ¸
¨ ¸ 2a and Fig 3b, if straightforward to prove that
¨0 0 0 0 " 0 d 2ν −1 0 0 ¸ μ ( φ ) = −μ ( φ + π ) , (18)
¨0 0 0 0 " 0 0 d 2ν +1 0 ¸
¨¨ ¸ since increasing the displacement angle Δφ between the two
©0 0 0 0 " 0 0 0 d 2ν +1 ¸¹ phases by 180 electrical degrees is the same as reversing the
As recalled in the previous Section, each diagonal elements current direction in one of them.
dj represents the harmonic inductance of the n-phase system Properties (17) and (18) assure that μ(Δφ) can be expanded
with respect to the j-th order harmonic. It is interesting to in Fourier series with only odd cosine terms, i.e. in the form:
notice that only odd order harmonic inductance appear in (15)
as a consequence of how the decoupling matrix Gr has been
μ ( φ ) = ¦ Mk cos(k ⋅ φ ) . (19)
k =1,3,5,7,...
built: some physical interpretation of this fact can be found in
Using (19) the mutual inductance Lj between two stator
[10], [13].
phases displaced by jπ/n electrical radians apart becomes:
The diagonal values dj can be determined through a simple
formula from the elements of the inductance matrix (9), i.e.: L j = μ ( jπ / n) = ¦ Mk cos(k jπ / n ) (20)
n k =1,3,5,7,...
d 2 m+1 = ¦ Lr−1 cos[(π / n)(2m + 1)(r − 1)] ∀m = 0..ν (16) In order to prove (15)-(16), it is sufficient to demonstrate
r =1 that: (a) each column of the matrix Grt (i.e. C(H)t and S(H)t
where we recall that Lk is the mutual inductance between two defined by (13)-(14) with H=1,3,5,…,2ν+1), is and eigenvector
stator phases displaced by kπ/n electrical radians. of L(h); (b) its associated eigenvalue is dH.
The validity of (15)-(16) can be easily checked on a case-by- Given a generic C(H), we have thus to demonstrate that:
case basis arbitrarily fixing the inductances Lk and building
matrix Gr according to (12). In a companion paper [13] (15)- L ( h) C( H ) t = d H C( H ) t . (21)
(16) will be also illustrated and validated numerically with
reference to some sample machine designs. Taking the i-th component of the vector equality (21) yields:
A general analytical proof of (15)-(16) is finally reported in n
the Appendix.
¦ Li− j 2 / n cos[H (π / n )( j − 1)] = d H 2 / n cos[H (π / n )(i − 1)]
j =1
VI. CONCLUSIONS
(22)
In this paper, poly-phase machine modeling through the Substituting (20) into (16) we can write dH as per (23) and
Vector-Space Decomposition (VSD) technique has been parameter Li−j as per (24).
investigated. It has been pointed out how the well-known VSD
method based on Fortescue transform, usually applied to n
symmetrical n-phase machines with a phase progression of dH = ¦ L j−1 cos[(π / n)H ( j − 1)]
360/n electrical degrees, needs to be properly modified in order j =1
for it to work when a half phase progression (of 180/n (23)
n
electrical degrees) is adopted, as in the case of split-phase
machines. A transformation that serves this purpose has been
= ¦ ¦ M k cos[k (π / n)( j − 1)]cos[H (π / n)( j − 1)]
j =1 k =1,3,5,...
explicitly presented and its validity demonstrated analytically.
In a companion paper, the theory herein presented is applied to
some numeric case studies and validated through finite-
Li − j = ¦ M k cos[k (π / n)(i − j )] (24)
k =1,3,5,...
element analysis.

522

Authorized licensed use limited to: INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY DELHI. Downloaded on December 09,2021 at 04:29:01 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
 POWERENG 2009 Lisbon, Portugal, March 18-20, 2009

Finally, substituting (23) and (24) into (22) we obtain: [9] L.A. Pereira, C.C. Scharlau, L.F.A. Pereira, J.F. Haffner, “General model
of a five-phase induction machine allowing for harmonics in the air-gap”,
1,3,... n IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, Dec. 2006, vol. 21, pp. 891-

¦ ¦cos[k (π / n)(i − j )]cos[H (π / n)( j −1)]

Mk
[10]
899.
E.A. Klingshirn, “High phase order induction motors−Part I−Description
k j =1 and theoretical considerations”, IEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus
1,3,... n and Systems, Jan. 1983, vol. PAS-102, pp. 47-53.
= ¦ ¦cos[k (π / n)( j −1)]cos[H (π / n)( j −1)]cos[H (π / n)(i −1)]
Mk [11] E.A. Klingshirn, “High phase order induction motors−Part
I−Experimental results”, IEEE Transactions on Power Apparatus and
k j =1 Systems, Jan. 1983, vol. PAS-102, pp. 54-59.
(25) [12] R.H. Nelson, P.C. Krause, “Induction machine analysis for arbitrary
displacement between multiple winding sets”, IEEE Transactions on
At this point, by easy algebraic manipulation and based on Power Apparatus and Systems, May./June 1974 vol. PAS-94, pp. 841-
the fact that both H and k are odd integers, one can prove that: 848.
[13] A. Tessarolo, “On the modeling of poly-phase electric machines trhough
n vector-space decomposition: numeric application cases”, submitted paper
¦cos[k (π / n)(i − j )]cos[H (π / n)( j −1)] [14]
for POWERENG 2009.
Y. Li, Z.Q. Zhu, D. Howe, C.M. Bingham, “Modeling of cross-coupling
j =1
magnetic saturation in signal-injection-based sensorless control of
n permanent magnet brushless motor”, IEEE Transactions on Magnetics,
= ¦cos[k (π / n)( j −1)]cos[H (π / n)( j −1)]cos[H (π / n)(i −1)] June 2007, vol. 43, pp. 2552-2554.
j =1

­(n / 2) cos[(π / n )k (i −1)] if k = H

=®
¯0 otherwise

(26)
which finally shows that equality (21) holds for any odd
integer H.
With identical procedure, one can demonstrate that S(H) is
an eigenvector of L(h) for any odd H and the associated
eigenvalue is dH. The demonstration is omitted for the sake of
brevity. As a consequence, we have proved that the matrix Gr,
defined according to (12), is the sought transformation suitable
for diagonalizing L(h) as per (15) for any number of phases n
and regardless of the particular values taken by the elements of
L(h).

REFERENCES
[1] E. Levi, R. Bojoi, F. Profumo, H. A. Tolyat, S. Williamson, “Multiphase
induction motor drives – a technology status review”, Electric Power
Applications, IET, vol. 1, Jul. 2007, pp. 489-516.
[2] S. Williamson, S. Smith, “Pulsating torque and losses in multiphase
induction machines”, IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, vol.
39, July/Aug. 2003, pp. 986-993.
[3] D.G. Dorrell, C.Y. Leong, R.A., R.A. McMahon, “Analysis of
performance assessment of six-pulse inverter-fed three-phase and six-
phase induction machines”, IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications,
Nov./Dic. 2006, vol. 6, pp. 1487-1495.
[4] E. Levi, M. Jones, S.N. Vukosavic, H.A. Toliyat, “A novel concept of a
multi-phase, multimotor vector controlled drive system supplied from a
single voltage source inverter”, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics,
March 2004, vol. 19, pp. 320-334.
[5] S. Gataric, “A Polyphase Cartesian Vector Approach to Control of
Polyphase AC Machines”, IEEE IAS Annual Meeting, 2000.
[6] Y. Zhao, T.A. Lipo, “Space vector PWM control of dual three-phase
induction machine using vector space decomposition”, IEEE
Transactions on Industry Application, Sept.-Oct. 1995, vol. 31, pp. 1100-
1109.
[7] D.C. White, H.H. Woodson, Electromechanical Energy Conversion, John
Wiley and Sons, New York, 1959.
[8] J. Figuroa, J. Cros, P. Viarouge, “Generalized Transformations for
Polyphase Phase-Modulated Motors”, IEEE Transactions On Energy
Conversion, vol. 21, June 2006, pp. 332-341.

523

Authorized licensed use limited to: INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY DELHI. Downloaded on December 09,2021 at 04:29:01 UTC from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.