IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. IA-20, NO.
5, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1984
Six-Phase Voltage Source Inverter Driven Induction
Motor
MOHAMED A. ABBAS, MEMBER, IEEE, ROLAND CHRISTEN,
Abstract-A six-phase six-step voltage-fed induction motor is pre-
sented. The inverter is a transistorized six-step voltage source inverter,
while the motor is a modified standard three-phase squirrel-cage motor.
The stator is rewound with two three-phase winding sets displaced from
each other by 30 electrical degrees. A model for the system is developed to
simulate the drive and predict its performance. The simulation results for
steady-state conditions and experimental measurements show very good
correlation. It is shown that this winding configuration results in the
elimination of all air-gap flux time harmonics of the order (6v ± 1, v =
13,5,* Consequently, all rotor copper losses produced by these
harmonics as well as all torque harmonics of the order (6v, v = 1,3,5, )
are eliminated. A comparison between-the measured instantaneous torque
of both three-phase and six-phase six-step voltage-fed induction machines
shows the advantage of the six-phase system over the three-phase system
in eliminating the sixth harmonic dominant torque ripple.
I. INTRODUCTION
DURING THE PAST decade, interest in multiphase
systems with more than three phases has increased for
various reasons. For power system applications, the high
phase order (HPO) transmission system has been investigated
as a means of increasing the capacity of overhead electric
power transmission rights of way [1], [2]. For motor drive
applications, multiphase system could potentially meet the
demand for high-power electric drive systems which are both
rugged and energy-efficient. Key advantages of multiphase
induction motor drive systems over conventional three-phase
systems are summarized as follows.
1) Reduction of the required inverter phase current permits
the use of a single power device for each inverter switch
instead of a group of devices connected in parallel. Problems
of static and dynamic current sharing among parallel devices,
such as bipolar transistors, are therby eliminated in large drive
systems.
2) The sixth harmonic pulsating torque associated wih
conventional three-phase six-step voltage-fed induction motor
drives is eliminated by the appropriate choice of a multiphase
motor winding configuration.
Paper IPCSD 83-63, approved by the Industrial Drive's Committee of the
IEEE Industry Applications Society for presentation at the 1983 Industry
Applications Society Annual Meeting, Mexico City, Mexico, October 3-7. A
version of this paper was first published in the Conference Record IEEE-LAS-
1983 Annual Meeting. Manuscript released for present publication December
17, 1983.
M. A. Abbas and R. Christen are with Gould Inc., Gould Research Center,
40 Gould Center, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008.
T. M. Jahns is with the General Electric Company, Research and
Development Center, Building 37-325, P.O. Box 43, Schenectady, NY
12301.
0093-9994/84/0900-1 2511$1 .00 © 1984 IEEE
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1251
AND THOMAS M. JAHNS
3) Rotor harmonic losses are reduced from the level
produced in three-phase six-step systems.
4) The total system reliability is improved by providing for
continued system operation with degraded performance fol-
lowing loss of excitation to one of the machine stator phases.
Previous multiphase investigations have been conducted to
explore the merits of multiphase motor drive systems and to
develop mathematical models for analyzing the performance
of these systems. For the case of voltage excitation, Ward and
Harer [3] investigated the performance of a five-phase ten-step
voltage-fed induction motor drive system. The dominant
torque ripple in this system was the tenth harmonic with
amplitude of one-third of the sixth harmonic produced in
similar three-phase system. However, the line current was rich
in third and higher order harmonics which resulted in higher
motor losses. Analog computer simulation of a six-step
voltage-fed six-phase motor with two three-phase stator
winding sets in [4] predicted that 30 electrical degrees
displacement between the two sets eliminates the sixth
harmonic pulsating torque component. Simulation results for
this case predicted torque ripple amplitudes of only 20 percent
of the comparable three-phase system values along with
substantial reductions of the rotor current harmonic compo-
nents.
The steady-state torque-speed characteristics with (n) and
(n - 1)-phase sinusoidal excitation for three-, six-, and nine-
phase motors were presented by Klingshirn [5], [6]. The
effects of the coil pitch on the harmonic content of the stator
current were pointed out. A six-phase induction generator has
been reported [7].
For the current excitation case, Jaschke [8] analyzed the
effect of the number of stator phases on the torque pulsation in
current source inverter (CSI) induction motor drive systems.
Lipo [9] developed a d-q model for the six-phase induction
machine including the effects of slot leakage coupling. The
resulting model was simulated on an analog computer to
investigate the influence of this coupling on the performance
of a CSI-fed machine. Andersen and Bieniek [10], [11]
described the performance of a six-phase CSI-fed induction
motor and its advantages over three-phase machines fed by
either single or double current source inverters. An extensive
investigation of the steady-state and transient characteristics of
n-phase induction motor drive systems with (n - 1)-phase
excitation for both voltage and current source invetters was
presented in [12].
This paper presents the steady-state characteristics of a six-
 1252 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. IA-20, NO. 5, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1984

Fig. 1. Six-phase VSI induction motor drive system.

A B

E C

Fig. 2. Six-phase stator winding configuration. D

phase squirrel-cage induction motor excited by a voltage
source inverter. The transistorized inverter delivers six-step
voltage excitation to the motor, which is a modified industrial
three-phase machine rewound with a six-phase stator winding.
The stator windings consist of two three-phase winding sets
displaced by 30 electrical degrees. A model is presented for
the six-phase induction machine based on the generalized two-
phase real component tranformation. This model has been
used to simulate the drive performance during steady-state
operation and provide results to compare with experimental
measurements. Measured instantaneous torque waveforms for
both six-phase and three-phase systems are presented and
compared.
II. SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
The system investigated in this work consists of a six-phase
squirrel-cage induction motor excited by a full-bridge voltage
source inverter as shown in Fig. 1. A phase-controlled
rectifier provides a variable dc voltage for the dc link inverter
input.
At the heart of this system is an industrial-grade 20-hp
distribution during balanced excitation would be the same as
for a single three-phase winding; in;this case, motor perform-
ance would be indistinguishable for the three- and six-phase
configurations.
In the laboratory system, the six-phase inverter consists of
12 power transistor switches arranged in two three-phase full-
bridge modules. During balanced six-phase excitation, these
inverter switches are controlled to deliver standard six-step
voltage waveforms to each of the three-phase sets of stator
windings. The two three-phase sets of excitation waveforms
are separated in time phase by 30 electrical degrees, consistent
with the space separation of the stator winding sets for
balanced excitation. Motor terminal volts/hertz is held nearly
constant by deriving the excitation frequency from measure-
ments of the dc link voltage. Power transistor base drive
circuits and all other low power control circuits are of
conventional design and require no additional discussion to be
devoted to these parts of the experimental system.
SYSTEM MODEL
III.

squirrel-cage induction motor modified for this program. The
stator of this machine has been rewound in such a way that the
windings can be connected in either a three-phase or six-phase
configuration. As illustrated in Fig. 2, -the six-phase configura-
tion consists of two three-phase;sets separated by 30 electrical
degrees. Note that the neutrals of these two sets are not
connected. By setting the separation angle at 30 degrees, all of
the air-gap flux components of orders (6v + 1, v =
1,3,5,***) contributed by the six stator phases cancel each
other during balanced excitation. As a result, the air-gap flux
.is inherently free of several potentially troublesome time
harmonic components, such as the fifth and seventh harmon-
ics, regardless of the harmonic contents of the stator phase
excitation waveforms. Note also that if the separation angle
had been set at 60 electrical degrees, the air-gap flux
In order to gain a fuller understanding of system behavior,
an analytical model of the multiphase motor-inverter system
has been developed for system simulation on a digital
computer. Considering the limited amount of technical litera-
ture describing the detailed operation of such systems,
availability of this type of model is invaluable for investigating
the effects of individual motor and excitation parameters on
system performance. The following assumptions and approxi-
mations have been adopted in the process of developing this
model.
1) The machine air gap is uniform.
2) Motor stator and rotor windings are sinusoidally distrib-
uted.
3) Magnetic saturation of the machine iron is neglected.

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 ABBAS et al.: SIX-PHASE VOLTAGE SOURCE INVERTER DRIVEN INDUCTION MOTOR I1253
4) Eddy current, friction, and windage losses are ne- a A
glected. 1B
5) Inverter switching devices are ideal (zero impedance
when on, infinite impedance when off). i F
6) The dc link power supply is an ideal voltage source.
The first four assumptions are often adopted in this type of D
induction machine analysis in order to neglect air-gap space 9
harmonics and magnetic nonlinearities which complicate the Fig. 3. Winding axes for 12-phase and six-phase windings.
use of linear analysis techniques. The last two assumptions
eliminate the effects of power supply and inverter impedance as follows:
from the analysis, resulting in ideal voltage excitation wave- Va = -Vg .a = g
forms at the motor stator terminals. Taken together, these
assumptions simplify the analysis and are consistent with the Ub = - Vh lb = h

objectives of the present investigation.

At the center of this system model is a set of decoupled
motor equivalent circuits resulting from application of the
generalized two-phase real component transformation as
developed by White and Woodson [13]. As the name suggests,
this transformation represents a generalization of the familiar
three-to-two-phase d-q transformation to multiphase motor
configurations with any number of stator phases. Equations
defining this transformation are summarized in Appendix I;
additional information concerning its development can be
found in [12], [13]. This transformation is attractive for this
application since the resulting motor equivalent circuits
require only real variables rather than the complex variables
required by the instantaneous symmetrical component trans-
formation [13]. In addition, these equivalent circuits for the
six-phase motor hold much in common with familiar d-q
model circuits, as will be apparent shortly.
The generalized two-phase real component transformation
is appropriate only for symmetrical n-phase machines in which
each stator phase is separated from each adjacent stator phase
by 3601n electrical degrees. As a result, this transformation
cannot be applied directly to the six-phase motor configuration
illustrated in Fig. 2 since the six stator phases are not separated
by equal 60 (360/6) electrical degree angles. Instead, the
generalized two-phase transformation appropriate for a sym-
metrical 12-phase machine is applied since the six magnetic
axes established in the 12-phase motor are identical to those of
the six-phase configuration in Fig. 2. This relationship is
illustrated in Fig. 3, with lower case letters identifying phase
variables of the 12-phase machine, and upper-case for the six-
phase configuration.
The next step in applying this tranformation is to make use
of the special relationships among the phase variables of the
symmetrical 12-phase motor during balanced excitation, listed
.Vf = 1'I =-ui
(The variables are defined in the Nomenclature at the end of
the paper.)
With these relationships, the 12-phase configuration can be
reduced to a form equivalent to the six-phase configuration of
Fig.. 2 by connecting each of the six pairs of stator phases
sharing the same magnetic axes in antiparallel, and relabeling
the combined phase variables as follows:
UA= Va Vg iA = ia-ig = 2ia
VB= Vb= -Vh iB = ib - ih = 2ib
VF=Vj -Vd IF= Ij -Id= 21j.
Initial application of the generalized two-phase transforma-
tion to the symmetrical 12-phase machine result in 12
independent transformed stator (and rotor) differential equa-
tions in a form summarized in Appendix II. Connecting the
stator winding pairs in antiparallel, as described earlier, has
the effect of cutting the number of differential equations in
half. This number can be reduced still further by noting that
the neutrals of the two three-phase sets comprising the six-
phase configuration of Fig. 2 are separated. This 'is
iB + iD + iF= 0.
iA + iC + iE = 0
This neutral configuration has the effect of eliminating two
more of the transformed stator equations. These constraints,
together with the standard current and voltage constraints
imposed by a squirrel-cage rotor, have the net effect of
reducing the total number of transformed machine differential
equations to six. These six equations, four for the remaining
stator components and two for the rotor components, are given
in matrix form as follows:

-Vs; RRs+LsP 0 0 0 MP 0

VS3 0 R+LsP 0 0 MP
is-v
VS-v 0 0 Rs+Ls5P 0 0 0

VS6 0 0 0 Rs+LLsP 0 0

0 MP wrM 0 0 Rr+LrP crLr ia

'

-corLr
-

crM MP 0 O Rr+LrP

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 1 254 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. IA-20, NO. 5, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1984
The electromechanical balance equation in terms of the
transformed machine variables becomes
JPW r= Te-TL
where
Te = qM(i,sjicr -i.,isr)
M= (6\l/k/2)Lsr.
The transformed motor electrical differential equations
listed can be usefully depicted by the equivalent circuits shown
in Fig. 4. The first two circuits represent the torque-producing
circuits in which the rotor and stator are magnetically coupled.
These two circuits have exactly the same form as the
equivalent circuits resulting from a standard d-q transforma-
tion of a three-phase induction motor in the stationary frame
[13]. The remaining two equivalent circuits of Fig. 4 represent
transformed stator variables which do not interact with the
rotor. As a result, these circuits consist only of stator
resistance and stator leakage inductance, similar to the zero-
sequence circuits associated with standard three-phase trans-
formations.
If the stator phase excitation voltages of the six-phase motor
are expressed in Fourier component form and then trans-
formed by the generalized two-phase component transforma-
tion as described earlier, some very interesting facts emerge.
First, this algebraic manipulation indicates that the tranformed
voltage excitation variables Vs and Vos contain only time
harmonic components of the order (12v ± 1, v = 1,2, * * *) in
addition to the fundamental. As a result, the voltages and
currents in the upper two transformed equivalent circuits of
Fig. 4 are inherently free of all time harmonic components
which could contribute torque harmonics of the order (6v, v =
1,3,5,*
Further, this algebraic manipulation shows that the voltages
Ves and V6S exciting the remaining two equivalent circuits of
Fig. 4 consist solely of time harmonics of the orders (6v ± 1,
u = 1,3,5, ). Thus excitation voltage time harmonics such
as the fifth and seventh are prevented from contributing to the
air-gap flux and pulsating torque by the six-phase configura-
tion but do appear as excitation to the uncoupled 'y and 6
component equivalent circuits. As a result, these voltage
harmonics can contribute significantly to the stator current
since the impedance of the -y and 6 component circuits is low,
consisting entirely of stator resistance and leakage inductance.
In particular, peak stator phase currents flowing in the six--
phase motor are very sensitive to -y and 6 component current
amplitudes. Careful attention during the motor design and
excitation waveform selection' processes must be devoted to
insuring that the current amplitudes in the 'y and 6 components
circuits do not reach unacceptably high levels.
IV. SIMULATION AND EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS
The system model equations presented in the preceding gathered at a variety of steady-state operating points for
section were programmed on a digital computer for numerical subsequent analysis. A view of the experimental equipment
simulation. As described, the system is seventh-order with during this testing is provided in Fig. 5.
state variables contributed by the stator currents (ij,S, jis, yS,
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Rs Ls Lr
+
M1, ° WrMIs
5 rLr Ir
Rr
RS LS Lr
+
rMIsa
M -
RrrI i
Rs Ls
LS LS-M
vs-Y
=
Lr = Lr_ M
Rs La
Fig. 4. Generalized two-phase equivalent circuit for six-phase (30' displace-
ment) induction motor.
is), the rotor currents (ijr, ir)% and the rotor angular velocity
(co'). However, simulation results presented in this paper were
generated by holding the rotor speed constant (i.e., infinite
rotor inertia), reducing the system order to six. A fourth-order
Runge-Kutta numerical integration algorithm with error-
detection and adjustable time step was used in predicting
system response to nonsinusoidal excitation waveforms. Since
results presented in this work are for steady-state operating
conditions, care was taken to allow all transient modes to
disappear before steady-state waveforms were recorded.
Motor parameters for the 20-hp prototype six-phase ma-
chine studied in this simulation are listed in Appendix III.
These parameters have been obtained directly from machine
measurements supplemented by manufactuer-supplied design
data. Both no-load and locked-rotor tests were performed on
the prototype motor, providing data for determination of all
motor equivalent circuit parameters except Lz and Lb. These
last two important stator leakage inductances were measured
directly by exciting their corresponding stator component
voltages Vy and Va. All parameter measurements were per-
formed at 60 Hz with sinusoidal excitation. All machine
parameters and variables have been subsequently normalized
based on rated stator phase current and voltage.
Following these initial measurements, the prototype six-
phase induction motor was coupled to a laboratory dynamome-
ter through an intervening rotating torque transducer and
speed reduction gear. After attaching additional instrumenta-
tion, the inverter-excited motor was operated over a range of
speeds and loading conditions. Data including motor terminal
voltages, phase currents, shaft speed, and shaft torque were
Computer simulation of the prototype system proceeded in
 ABBAS et al.: SIX-PHASE VOLTAGE SOURCE INVERTER DRIVEN INDUCTION MOTOR 1255

20.00- -

0
i 0.00-

- 20.00 -
110.00 114.00 118.00
NORMALIZED TIME (rad)
(a)
setup for six-phase induction motor-drive system.

parallel with the dynamometer testing, providing predictions

of drive steady-state performance at operating points matching
those chosen in the empirical testing. Correlation between
empirical and calculated drive performance has been generally
quite good over a range of test conditions, confirming the
basic accuracy of the adopted machine model. Qualitative
agreement between measured and predicted system variable
waveshapes, such as the motor phase currents, has been
uniformly good. Quantitative agreement for key performance
variables, including peak stator currents and average torque,
has also been good in many cases. Nevertheless, discrepancies
in certain specific cases have exceeded 15 percent, likely due
to a combination of experimental measurement errors and
limitations imposed by the model assumptions. Several of (b)
these issues are addressed more completely in the following Fig. 6. Six-step voltage waveform. (a) Simulated. (b) Measured, 50 V/div,
paragraphs in the context of a comparison of specific measured 2 ms/div.
and predicted system performance results.
In order to provide some insight into performance of the calculations. These predicted torque waveforms show no trace
prototype system and analytical model, examples of measured of the sixth harmonic pulsating torque component which
and calculated machine data are provided first for typical test dominates in three-phase six-step inverter drive systems.
conditions at 60-Hz excitation frequency. For reference, Fig. 6 Instead, the major pulsating torque component visible in the
shows the six-step phase voltage excitation waveform devel- Fig. 9 torque waveforms is the twelth harmonic, produced
oped by the simulation and by the actual inverter. Predicted principally by the interaction of the eleventh and thriteenth
and measured stator phase current waveforms for light load components of the rotor current with the fundamental air-gap
and 70-percent rated machine torque are provided, respec- flux. The amplitude of the twelth harmonic pulsating torque
tively, in Fig. 7 and 8. Correlation between simulated and component is small, calculated to be only two percent of the
empirical current waveshapes is very good in both cases. average torque for the 0.7 pu load torque case.
Quantitative agreement for the peak stator current amplitudes Unfortunately, mechanical vibration generated by the speed
in the light-load case (Fig. 7) is very good, with the model reduction gear made it impossible to record the six-phase
predicting 21.8 A against a measured peak current of 21.0 A. motor torque waveforms at 60-Hz excitation frequency,
However, agreement in the loaded case (Fig. 8) is not as good, thereby precluding a direct comparison between simulated and
with the predicted peak current of 28.8 A falling below the measured torque waveforms. In order to circumvent this
measured value of 33.5 A by 14 percent. Although the exact vibration problem, a prony brake was used to allow low-noise
cause of this discrepancy is still under investigation, suspected measurements of the shaft instantaneous torque waveform
contributing factors include the neglect of magnetic saturation under low-speed conditions.
in the motor model. By reconnecting the motor stator windings, torque wave-
Calculated waveforms for the developed electromagnetic forms were recorded for both three-phase and six-phase
torque for the same operating conditions as in Figs. 7 and 8 are operation with inverter excitation. Fig. 10 provides examples
provided in Fig. 9. As noted earlier, constant rotor speed (i.e., of these three-phase and six-phase torque waveforms at two
infinite rotor inertia) has been assumed in making these different excitation frequencies, 4.8 Hz and 10 Hz. At both
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 1256 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. IA-20, NO. 5, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1984
40.00 -
'a
E Ul
-
Z 0.00 -
Lu
C).l
-40.00 _
110.00 114.00 118.00
NORMALIZED TIME (rad)
(a)
(b)
Fig. 7. Phase current waveform at light load. (a) Simulated. (b) Measured,
10 A/div, 2 ms/div.
frequencies the presence of sixth harmonic pulsating torque
component is clearly apparent only in the torque waveforms
recorded with three-phase excitation. The amplitude of the
torque ripple in Fig. 9 for the three-phase cases is roughly 11
percent of the average torque, while the detectable torque
ripple for the six-phase torque waveforms is only 3.5 percent.
Even though such quantitative comparisons must be treated
carefully, the qualitative advantage of the six-phase configura-
tion in reducing torque ripple amplitude is clearly evident in
the empirical results.
During the course of this empirical testing, motor phase
current waveforms in the three-phase and six-phase stator
winding configurations were observed and compared. Similar-
ities between the current waveshapes for three-phase and six-
phase excitation are quite apparent in the waveforms provided
in Fig. 11 for similar lightly loaded test conditions at 10-Hz
excitation frequency. It has been observed that the peak
normalized phase currents measured under similar test condi-
tions during three-phase and six-phase excitation are not
significantly different in the prototype system, although no
far-reaching conclusion on this point is attempted here.
Nevertheless, these comparisons suggest that it is possible to
limit peak stator phase current in the six-phase system to
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E
z
wr
cc,
110.00 114.00 118.00
NORMALIZED TIME (rad)
(a)
(b)
Fig. 8. Phase current waveform at 0.7 pu rated torque. (a) Simulated. (b)
Measured, 10 A/div, 2 ms/div.
tolerable levels, provided that the multiphase induction motor
is properly designed and excited.
V. CONCLUSION
This paper presents a summary of several key analytical and
experimental results gathered during a recent investigation of
multiphase (in excess of three) induction motors excited by
voltage source inverters. Specifically, a six-phase squirrel-
cage induction motor consisting of two three-phase stator
winding sets separated by 30 electrical degrees is studied in
this work. In the laboratory prototype system, the motor is
excited by a transistorized voltage-controlled inverter.
An analytical model for the multiphase motor system has
been presented based on the generalized two-phase real
component transformation of motor equations. It has been
shown that this transformation leads to. the generation of four
independent machine equivalent circuits, only two of which
involve coupling between the stator and rotor quantities and
hence, torque production. Similarities between these equiva-
lent circuits for the six-phase motor and the familiar d-q-o
circuits associated with a three-phase machine have been
pointed out.
These transformed machine equivalent circuits also indicate
 ABBAS et al.: SIX-PHASE VOLTAGE SOURCE INVERTER DRIVEN INDUCTION MOTOR 1257

40.00 -

E
uJ
3 20.00- = 20.00-
0
cc00
rs

I-

I
110.00 114.00 118.00 110.00 114.00 118.00
NORMALIZED TIME (rad) NORMALIZED TIME (rad)
(a) (b)
Fig. 9. Developed torque waveforms. (a) Light load. (b) 0.7 pu rated
torque.

4.8 Hz. 20 ms /div, 3 Nm/div

(a) (b)

10 Hz. 10 ms

(c) (d)
Fig. 10.Instantaneous shaft torque for both three-phase and six-phase six-
step voltage-fed induction motor. (a) 3 o, 250 r/min. (b) 6 X, 248 r/min.
(c) 3 o, 586 r/min. (d) 6 X, 589 r/min.

(a) (b)
Fig. 11. Phase current waveform at 10-Hz fundamental frequency. (a)
Three-phase. (b) Six-phase.

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 1258 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS, VOL. IA-20, NO. 5, SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 1984

that current harmonics in the six-phase motor of orders (6v + q Number of pole pairs.
1, V = 1,3,5, - do not contribute to the air-gap flux and J Moment of inertia.
thus do not participate in pulsating torque or rotor copper loss T Torque.
production. However, the amplitudes of these current harmon- P Differential operator.
ics are a matter of concern in the voltage source system, being n,k Number of stator, rotor phases.
limited only by the stator resistance and leakage inductances
between the stator phases. Additional investigation into Subscripts
techniques for controlling the amplitudes of these undesirable A,B,- Six-phase variable in alphabetical order.
- -

current components is presently underway. a,b, Twelve-phase variable in alphabetical order.

A digital computer has been used to integrate numerically x,~,, * * Generalized two-phase transformation component
the transformed motor differential equations, thereby produc- variables.
ing system performance predictions under a variety of test e Electromagnetic.
conditions. System parameters used in these simulations have L Load.
been derived directly from prototype equipment measure-
ments. Good agreement between predicted and measured Superscripts
system performance under a variety of test conditions has s,r Stator and rotor variable.
served to verify key features of the analytical model. In
particular, the model has demonstrated a capability for APPENDIX I
predicting important system variables such as peak stator GENERALIZED TWO-PHASE REAL COMPONENT
phase currents and average torque with reasonable accuracy. TRANSFORMATION
Qualitative waveshape agreement is consistently very good,
and suspected sources for residual quantitative discrepancies This power invariant transformation represents a general-
are under investigation. ization of the faimiliar two-phase stationary reference frame
A key goal of this research program has been to investigate tranformation to symmetrical multiphase systems with an
the desirability of multiphase induction motor configurations arbitrary number of phases n. The transformation equation for
of high power density electric motor drive systems. By a the n-phase system is
combination of analytical and empirical results, several of the XT=A-lX
anticipated advantages of the multiphase system have been
demonstrated during the course of this study. For example, the where
inherent capability of the six-phase configuration to eliminate
the sixth harmonic pulsating torque component, which is the XT=[XT0, Xn 9 *
..
XTl(n 01) 9

dominant pulsating torque component in a three-phase system, two phase component variables vector. The transformation
matrix is

1/4 ~1 1 1/12 ... 0 0

1/1 cos a cos 2c ...
1/U2 ...
sin 2a sin a
1/4 cos 2cr cos 4(x .. 1/U2 sin 4cr sin a

A -i This column
n exists
only if n
is even
i/1.2 cos (n-l)ct cos2(n-1)a . 1/12 *.
** sin 2(n - I)a sin (n - l)cr

has been empirically verified. Results from the six-phase .X=-- [Xa, Xb,9 , Xz],
prototype system also demonstrate that it is possible to design phase variables vector,
the system such that the peak normalized stator phase currents
are not significantly higher than in an equivalent three-phase 2r=
a- =
system with basic six-step voltage excitation waveforms. n
Taken together, these results encourage further development A -1 -At.
of the multiphase induction motor concept for specialized high
power drive applications. APPENDIX II
VI. NONENCLATURE PHASE VARIABLE MACHINE MODEL
Variables The phase variable mathematical model for n-phase stator
i.v Instantaneous current, voltage. and k-phase rotor induction machine in matrix form is
X Instantaneous angular velocity.
R,L Resistance, inductance.
M Mutual inductance. Lv J L PL' Rrr+ PLrr] [i]

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 ABBAS et al.: SIX-PHASE VOLTAGE SOURCE INVERTER DRIVEN INDUCTION MOTOR 1259
where [11] "Der Asynchronmotor mit drei und sechs Wicklungs-strangen
,

amStromeinpragenden Wechselrichter," Archiv Elektrotech., vol.

Vs, Is stator phase voltage and current vectors, 63, pp. 153-167, Mar. 1981.
vr, Ir rotor phase voltage and current vectors, [12] T. M. Jahns, "Improved reliability in solid-state drives for large
asynchronous ac machines by means of multiple-independent phase-
Rss =Rs In} stator n x n diagonal resistance matrix, drive units," Ph.D. thesis, Mass Inst. Technol., Cambridge, Apr.
-R"r = R Ik, rotor k x k diagonal resistance matrix,
r
1978.
Ls stator n x n inductance matrix, [13] D. White and H. Woodson, Electromechanical Energy Conver-
sion. New York: Wiley, 1959.
L"r rotor k x k inductance matrix,
Lsr = (Lrs)t, stator to rotor n x k mutual inductance
matrix.
APPENDIX III Mohamed A. Abbas (S'77-M'80) received the
B.S. degree from the Higher Industrial Institute of
MOTOR PARAMETERS Cairo, Egypt, in 1964, the M.S. degree from the
Polytechnic Institute of New York, Brooklyn, NY,
The tested prototype 20-hp two-pole 60-Hz standard squir- in 1976 and the Ph.D. degree from the University of
rel-cage induction motor rewound as a six-phase machine has Wisconsin-Madison in 1980, all in electrical engi-
the following parameters: neermg.
Since joining the power electronics group of the
stator winding resistance/phase 0.317 0 Gould Research Center in 1980 he has been
involved in the design, development, analysis and
stator leakage inductance/phase 2.947 mH simulation of multiphase (more than three-phases)
referred to stator rotor resistance/phase 0.2836 0 high power density induction motor drive systems.
referred to stator rotor leakage
inductance/phase 1.929 mH
mutual inductance between stator and Roland Christen recieved the B.S.S.E. degree
rotor/phase 99.97 mH from Rochester Institute of Technology, Troy, NY,
y-component leakage inductance phase 2.61 mH After graduation he joined Lear Siegler Power
o-component leakage inductance phase 2.61 mH. Equipment Division to participate in the design of
cycloconverter static power systems for aircraft and
REFERENCES ground power applications. In 1972 he began work
[1] J. R. Stewart and D. D. Wilson, "High phase order transmission-a for Borg Warner in the field of industrial motor
feasibility analysis, Part I-Steady state considerations," IEEE2 Trans. drives. In 1974 he joined the power electronics
group at Sundstrand Corporation to develop con-
Power App. Syst., vol. PAS-97, pp. 2300-2307, Nov./Dec. 1978.
12] W. C. Guyker et aL., " 138-kV six-phase transmission system feasibil- trols and power circuitry for advanced aircraft
ity," in Conf. Rec. 1978 American Power Conf., pp. 1293-1305. generating systems. Since 1980 he has been working at the Gould Research
[3] E. E. Ward and H. Harer, "Preliminary investigation of an inverter fed Center as Project Manager of the electric propulsion group. His duties include
5-phase induction motor," Proc. Inst. Elec. Eng., vol. 116 (B), pp. the development of high power transistor ac drives for torpedo applications.
980-984, June 1969.
[4] R. H. Nelson and P. C. Krause, "Induction machine analysis for
arbitrary displacement between multiple winding sets," IEEE Trans.
Power App. Syst., vol. PAS-93, pp. 841-848, May/June 1974. Thomas M. Jahns (S'72-M'78) received the S.B.
[5] E. A. Klingshirn, "High phase order induction motors, Part I- and S. M. degrees in 1974 and the Ph.D. degree in
Description and theoretical considerations," IEEE Trans. Power 1978 from the Massachusetts Institute of Technol-
App. Syst., vol. PAS-102, pp. 47-53, Jan. 1983. ogy, Cambridge, all in electrical engineering.
[6] , "High phase order induction motors, Part 11-Experimental He joined Alexander Kusko Inc., Needham
results," IEEE Trans. Power App. Syst., vol. PAS-102, pp. 54-59, Heights, MA, in 1978 as a consulting engineer
Jan. 1983. where he worked on power engineering projects in
[7] M. L. Kostyrev, "Equations anid parameters of a multi-winding several areas including mass transportation and
asynchronous valve-type generator with shorted rotor," Elec. Technol. industrial drives. From 1979 to 1983 he worked at
(USSR), pp. 19-23, 1980. Gould Laboratories, Gould, Inc., in Rolling Mead-
[8] R. Jaschke, "Aligemeine Theorie des umrichtergespeisten Kafiglaufer- ows, IL. At Gould he participated in a variety of
motors mit beliebiger Strangzahl der Standerwicklung unter Beruck- programs developing new ac drive systems for both land and marine
sichtigung der Oberfelder," Archiv far Elektrotech., vol. 62, pp. 91- propulsion applications, as well as leading laboratory investigations of high-
101, 1980. performance ac drives for industrial applications. In September 1983 he joined
[9] T. A. Lipo, "A d-q model for six-phase induction machines," in Proc. the General Electric Company at the Corporate Research and Development
Int. Conf. Electrical Machines, vol. 2, 1980, pp. 860-867. Center, Schenectady, NY, where he is pursuing research interests in variable-
[101 E. Andersen and K. Bieniek, "6-Phase induction motors for current- speed drive systems and power electronics.
source inverter drives," in Conf. Rec. 16th Annu. Meet. IEEE Ind. Dr. Jahns is an active member of the IEEE-IAS Industrial Drives
Appl. Soc., 1981, pp. 607-618. Committee and the recipient of two IEEE-IAS prize paper awards.

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