2018 21st International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems (ICEMS) October 7-10, 2018┃Jeju, Korea
Investigation of Phase Angle Displacements in Six-
phase PMSM with Concentrated Windings for
Reduced MMF Harmonics
Shruthi Mukundan
Himavarsha Dhulipati
Department of Electrical and Computer
Department of Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Engineering
University of Windsor
University of Windsor
Windsor, Canada
Windsor, Canada
mukunda@uwindsor.ca
dhulipah@uwindsor.ca
Narayan C.Kar
Jimi Tjong
Department of Electrical and Computer
Department of Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Engineering
University of Windsor
University of Windsor
Windsor, Canada
Windsor, Canada
nkar@uwindsor.ca
Tjong@uwindsor.ca
Abstract— Multiphase concentrated wound (CW) permanent
magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs) have high content of
space harmonics in the magneto-motive force (MMF) waveforms.
These harmonics result in distorted voltage waveforms and cause
additional losses thereby deteriorating the machine’s
performance. However, the magnitude of space harmonics in
multi-phase machines is lesser when compared to three-phase CW
PMSM. In order to eliminate and/or reduce space harmonics even
further in the MMF waveforms, this paper investigates non-
conventional phase angle displacements for a six-phase 36-slot/34-
pole CW PMSM. The six-phase CW PMSM considered has two
independent three-phase windings. Conventional six-phase CW
PMSM have phase angle displacements of 60º (symmetrical
configuration) or 30º (asymmetrical configuration) between the
two-phase sets. Based on star of slots method, a number of possible
phase shifts between the two sets of three phase windings are
investigated for reduced MMF harmonics, improved
demagnetization and other performance characteristics for the 36-
slot/34-pole PMSM and are compared along with conventional
phase displacement angles of 60 º and 30 º.
Keywords— Concentrated windings, Dual three-phase,
Magneto-motive force harmonics, Permanent magnet
synchronous machine, Phase angle displacement.
I. INTRODUCTION
Concentrated wound (CW) permanent magnet synchronous
machines (PMSMs) are widely used due to their high-power
density, high slot fill factors and low manufacturing cost.
However, they have non-sinusoidal distribution of
magnetomotive force (MMF) which leads to high space
harmonics [1]. These space harmonics result in high torque
ripple, rotor iron losses, magnet eddy-current losses and low
power factor. The space harmonic content varies significantly
with the number of phases. Multiphase windings are found to
minimize significant non-sinusoidal MMF harmonic contents in
CW PMSM [2]. For instance, a 6-phase CW PMSM has lesser
magnitude of space harmonics in the MMF waveform when
compared to a three-phase CW PMSM [1]. However, these
Copyright ⓒ KIEE Electrical Machinery and Energy Conversion Systems
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Wenlong Li
Department of Electrical and Computer
Engineering
University of Windsor
Windsor, Canada
wlli@uwindsor.ca
space harmonics are not completely eliminated in a six-phase
CW PMSM as well. Among multi-phase PMSMs, dual three-
phase machines which consists of two sets of three phase
windings are being extensively used as they have enhanced fault-
tolerant capability and not utilizing one set of three phase
windings will still result in output torque [3].
Conventionally, in dual three-phase windings, the two sets of
three phase windings are displaced by an angle which can be
varied to obtain different 6-phase configurations. From literature
studies, only two winding configurations are used for six-phase
PMSMs which is obtained from a phase angle displacement of
either 60º or 30º [4]-[7]. The 60º configuration is termed as
symmetrical six-phase windings and the 30º configuration is
termed as asymmetrical six-phase windings [5]. These two
configurations result in different machine performance
characteristics. For instance, 30º phase displacement between
the phase sets has lower torque ripple compared to 60º
configuration [6]. Deviating from the conventional phase angle
displacements, [8] explores dual three-phase winding
configuration with 20º angle displacement for 18-slot/8-pole
PMSM. It is observed that the 20º angle displacement has less
harmonic distortion compared to the conventional angle
displacements. In [9], 15º angle displacement is derived for a 24-
slot/10-pole CW PMSM and analyzed for open-circuit and short-
circuit characteristics. This non-conventional phase angle of 15º
was found to have superior performance in short-circuit
conditions. Therefore, it can be observed that non-conventional
phase angle displacements have certain benefits for dual three-
phase windings and further detailed investigations for different
slot/pole combinations of CW PMSMs is required.
Thus, in this paper, alternative phase angle displacements for
dual three phase 36-slot/34-pole CW PMSM is investigated for
reduced MMF harmonics and improved performance
characteristics. Initially, the feasible phase angle displacements
are discussed for the 36-slot/34-pole CW PMSM. In Section II,
the MMF harmonics are analyzed for the non-conventional
winding configurations based on star of slot diagrams and are
compared with conventional configurations of 30º and 60º. In
section III, steady state performance analysis such as rotor iron
308
 (a) (b) (c)

(d) (e) (f)

Fig. 1. Stator star of slots connections for possible winding configurations of a dual three phase 36-slot/ 34-pole CW PMSM. (a) 10º configuration. (b) 20º configuration.
(c) 30º configuration. (d) 40º configuration. (e) 50º configuration. (f) 60º configuration.

iron loss, magnet eddy current losses, induced voltages and 10º, 20º, 40º, and 50º are shown in Figs. 1(a), 1(b), 1(d) and
torque are compared for all the phase angle displacements 1(e) respectively. In this section, MMF profiles for all the
along with analysis of demagnetization characteristics and phase angle displacements will be analyzed along with their
magnetic forces induced in the PMSM. harmonic contents.

II. NON-CONVENTIONAL PHASE ANGLE DISPLACEMENTS FOR A. Analysis of MMF for Non-conventional Phase Angle
36-SLOT/34-POLE CW PMSM Displacements in 36-slot/34-pole CW PMSM
A 36-slot/34-pole CW PMSM is considered for analysis in The MMF characteristics for a six-phase PMSM can be
this paper. The winding arrangement, based on star of slots expressed as in (2).
method, for conventional phase angle displacements of 30º
and 60º are shown in Figs. 1(c) and 1(f) respectively. Many ΘA = Θmk cos ( θ1 ) cos ( k θ2 ) ½
°
types of connections are possible between the dual three
phases other than 30º and 60º. The minimum and maximum ( )
ΘB = Θmk cos θ1 − 2π cos k θ2 − 2π
3 ( 3 ) °
°
phase angle displacements (Į) for any number of phases (Nm)
and slots (Ns) in the machine can be found from (1). ΘC = Θmk cos θ1 + (2 π
3 )
cos k θ2 + (
2π
3 ) °
°
¾ (2)
α min = 360 ½ ΘD = Θmk cos ( θ1 − pα ) cos k ( θ2 − pα ) °
Ns ° °
α max = 360
¾ (1) (
ΘE = Θmk cos θ1 − pα − 2π
3 ) (
cos k θ2 − pα − 2π
3 ° )
N m °¿ °
In case of 36-slot/34-pole CW PMSM, a minimum of 10º
( )
ΘF = Θmk cos θ1 − pα + 2π cos k θ2 − pα + 2π °
3 ( 3 ¿ )
and maximum of 60º between phase sets can be obtained. where, ș1 is dependent on angular frequency, ș2 is the space
Considering a balanced six-phase system, six winding harmonic angle, p is the number of pole pairs and k is the order
connections are possible for a 36-slot/34-pole CW PMSM. of space harmonics. Space harmonics are of the order 12k ±1.
Apart from conventionally used 30º and 60º, 10º, 20º, 40º and Most of the sub- and higher order harmonics are minimized by
50º phase angle displacements can also be obtained. Using incorporating six-phase over three-phase configuration, but
stator star of slots method [10], the winding distributions for this does not cancel the slot harmonics. The total MMF

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 Upon investigation of the harmonics spectrum in Fig. 3, it
is observed that the PMSM under consideration has sub-
harmonic components which cause harmonic leakage
inductance and induce high rotor losses [12]. The 60º
configuration has an average of 68% of sub-harmonic
components higher than that of the 30º configuration which
has the least sub-harmonic content. On the other hand, 20º has
similar harmonic spectrum and fundamental torque producing
component of MMF as that of 30º configuration. The 10º, 40º
and 50º configurations have similar sub-harmonic contents
with low magnitudes but have significantly low fundamental
torque producing component than the 30º configuration.
Fig. 2. MMF waveforms for all the possible winding configurations of dual
three-phase 36-slot/34-pole CW PMSM obtained using (2). III. STEADY STATE PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF NON-
CONVENTIONAL PHASE ANGLE DISPLACEMENTS FOR 36-
1.2 SLOT/34-POLE CW PMSM
10 deg 20 deg 30 deg In this section, steady state performance characteristics of
1
40 deg 50 deg 60 deg all the winding configurations are analyzed. The
MMF Harmonics [pu]

0.8 electromagnetic models of the non-conventional and

conventional winding configurations are developed and
0.6 analyzed using finite element analysis (FEA). All the models
are developed for a low speed high torque application of 70
0.4 Nm and 500 rpm. For easier understanding, most of the
performance characteristics are represented in per unit.
0.2

0 A. Open-circuit Characteristics of 36-slot/34-pole CW

2 7 12 17 PMSM for Various Wnding Configurations
Harmonic Order The phase induced voltage for all the winding
configurations were analyzed at no-load and rated speed of
Fig. 3. MMF harmonics for all the possible winding configurations of dual
three-phase 36-slot/34-pole CW PMSM. 80
10 deg 20 deg
produced by all the phases is assumed to be zero at any instant 30 deg 40 deg
Phase Induced Voltage [V]

of time. Using (1), MMF profiles for 10º - 60º phase angle 50 deg 60 deg
displacements are obtained as shown in Fig. 2. 30

B. MMF Harmonics for Non-conventional Phase Angle

Displacements in 36-slot/34-pole CW PMSM 0 2 Time [ms] 4 6 8
-20
In order to analyze MMF harmonics for the phase angle
displacements, fast fourier transformation (FFT) was
performed on the MMF waveforms illustrated in Fig. 2. The -70
MMF harmonics are represented for cycles per 2ʌ mechanical
(a)
radians and the resultant space harmonic spectrum of the
proposed winding configurations are presented in Fig. 3. 0.2
Phase Voltage Harmonics [pu]

From the MMF harmonic spectrums, it is observed that 17th 10 deg 20 deg
30 deg 40 deg
order harmonics is the synchronous frequency component in 0.15
50 deg 60 deg
the 36/34 CW PMSM under consideration contributing to the
electromagnetic torque production [11]. Upon comparing all 0.1
the winding configurations, 60º has least value of
fundamental torque producing component of MMF which is 0.05
63.1% lesser than 30º, which has the highest value. The slot
harmonics present in the machine with S slots and p pole pairs 0
are of order h = vS ± p ,where v is an integer. The distribution 5 7 9
Harmonic Order
factors of slot harmonics are same as fundamental component (b)
if they satisfy the aforementioned equation. However, in the
Fig. 4. Comparison of phase induced voltages and harmonic spectra for all the
machine considered, slot harmonics orders are high and hence winding configurations in dual-three phase 36-slot/34-pole CWPMSM. (a)
does not contribute towards the rotor losses [12]. Phase induced voltages. (b) Phase voltage harmonics.

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500 rpm and are illustrated in Fig. 4(a). The peak values of the 1.2
waveforms are almost same. In order to understand the

Rotor Iron Loss [pu]

1
harmonic spectrum of the induced voltages, FFT was
performed on all the waveforms. The induced voltage 0.8
harmonics are shown in Fig. 4(b). The fundamental and third
0.6
harmonic components of induced voltages were observed to
be same in all the waveforms. Therefore, they were ignored 0.4
and the other harmonic components such as 5th, 7th and 9th are
represented in per unit with respect to the third harmonic 0.2
component. Since FFT was performed on phase waveforms, 0
triplen harmonics are present. The 5th order harmonics are 10 deg 20 deg 30 deg 40 deg 50 deg 60 deg
12% lesser in 10º and 20º configurations when compared to
30º and 40º configurations and 16% lesser compared to 50º (a)
and 60º configurations. The 7th order harmonics are 14% lesser
in 10º and 20º configurations when compared to other phase 1.2

Magnet Eddy Current Loss [pu]

angle displacements. 1

B. Full Load Performance of 36-slot/34-pole CW PMSM 0.8

for Various Wnding Configurations 0.6
The electromagnetic models of all the winding
configurations were analyzed for a full load torque of 70 Nm 0.4
at the rated speed of 500 rpm. The electromagnetic torque 0.2
waveforms of all the winding configurations are shown in Fig.
5(a). The average torque is maximum in 30º configuration, 0
whereas it is the least in 50º and 60º. Torque ripple for all the 10 deg 20 deg 30 deg 40 deg 50 deg 60 deg
models are shown in Fig. 5(b). 30º configuration has least
torque ripple of 0.13 pu and 10º configuration has maximum (b)
of 1 pu. 20º, 40º, 50º and 60º configurations have higher torque Fig. 6. Comparison of loss characteristics for all the winding configurations in
ripple when compared to 30º configuration. dual-three phase 36-slot/34-pole CW PMSM. (a) Rotor iron loss. (b) Magnet
eddy current loss.
1.05
10 deg 20 deg 30 deg
40 deg 50 deg 60 deg C. Loss Characteristics of 36-slot/34-pole CW PMSM for
1
Various Wnding Configurations
Torque [pu]

0.95 The space harmonics of orders lesser than the fundamental

component order in MMF waveforms induce rotor iron losses
0.9
and magnet eddy current losses in the machine. The
aforementioned loss characteristics were obtained for all the
0.85
winding configurations for sinusoidal current excitations with
0.8 no time harmonics. Rotor iron loss and magnet eddy current
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 loss under no-load and pure sinusoidal current excitations
Time [ms] occur due to sub- and higher order space harmonics in the
(a) machine and are illustrated in Fig. 6(a) and 6(b) respectively.
1.2 Rotor iron loss was observed to be highest in 60º configuration
whereas, it was the least in the 30º configuration. Similarly,
1
Torque Ripple [pu]

magnet eddy current loss was found to be least of 0.81 pu in

0.8 30º configuration and highest of 1 pu in the 60º configuration
0.6 due to high sub-harmonic and higher order space harmonics in
this configuration as seen in Fig. 3.
0.4
0.2 IV. DEMAGNETIZATION CHARACTERISTICS OF NON-
0 CONVENTIONAL PHASE ANGLE DISPLACEMENTS FOR 36-
10 deg 20 deg 30 deg 40 deg 50 deg 60 deg SLOT/34-POLE CW PMSM

(b) In order to examine the permanent magnet (PM)

demagnetization characteristics under short circuit conditions,
Fig. 5. Comparison of electromagnetic torque and torque ripple for all the a peak value of d-axis and q-axis currents are selected for all
winding configurations in dual-three phase 36-slot/34-pole CW PMSM. (a)
Electromagnetic torque. (b) Torque ripple. the winding configurations using (3) [9].

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 −λ PM + Lq 2 d 1 I q 2 10 deg 20 deg 30 deg
I d1 (t ) = 6
40 deg 50 deg 60 deg
Lq1q1

dq self Inductances [mH]

5.5
Lq 2 q1 I q 2 (3)
I q1 ( t ) = − 5
Lq1q1 4.5 q1q1
where, ȜPM is the PM flux linkage, Lq1q1, is the q-axis self- 4
inductance in the dq plane and Lq2q1 and Lq2d1 are mutual 3.5
inductances between d-axis and q-axis. Inductances obtained
in abc plane from FEA were converted to dq plane using 3
0 40 80 120 160 200 240 280 320 360
extended dq model [13]. The self and mutual dq inductances
Rotor Position [Mech. deg]
obtained are shown in Figs. 7(a) and 7(b) respectively. The
(a)
PM flux linkage is obtained using (4), where, Eph.k and ϕ kE are 10 deg 20 deg 30 deg
the magnitude and the phase angle of peak induced no-load 40 deg 50 deg 60 deg
0.3
voltage harmonics respectively as shown in Fig. 4 and Ȧ is the

dq Mutual Inductances [mH]

angular velocity.
0.1
∞ E ph , k sin ª¬( k ωt ) + φkE º¼
λ PM , ph = ¦
k =1,3,5.. kω
(4) -0.1
q2q1

From (3), it is observed that the amount of demagnetization

current required is proportional to mutual inductances and -0.3
q2d1
inversely proportional to self-inductance. 30º configuration
has lowest self-inductance and largest mutual inductance, -0.5
therefore requires large demagnetization currents. Whereas, 0 40 80
120 160 200 240 280 320 360
Rotor Position [Mech. deg]
10º configuration has largest self-inductance and lowest
(b)
mutual inductance thereby having lowest demagnetization Fig. 7. Self- and mutual inductances for all the configurations in dq plane
currents. Using the peak values of d-axis and q-axis currents for computing demagnetization currents. (a) dq self-inductances (q1q1). (b)
obtained from (3), the electromagnetic models were analyzed dq mutual inductance (q2q1 and q1d1).

(a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f)

(g) (h) (i) (j) (k) (l)

Fig. 8. Demagnetization flux density and demagnetization force density analysis for all the winding configurations in dual-three phase 36-slot/34-pole CW PMSM.
(a) Flux density for 10º. (b) Flux density for 20º. (c) Flux density for 30 º. (d) Flux density for 40º. (e) Flux density for 50º. (f) Flux density for 60º. (g) Force density
for 10º. (h) Force density for 20º. (i) Force density for 30º. (j) Force density for 40º. (k) Force density for 50º. (l) Force density for 60º.

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 for flux densities and magnetic forces for all the winding [5] A. Matyas,G.Aroquiadassou, C. Martis,A.Mpanda-Mabwe, and K. Biro,
“Design of six-phase synchronous and induction machines for EPS,” in
configurations. The demagnetization flux distribution is
Proc. 19th Int. Conf. Electr. Mach., 2010, pp. 1–6.
shown in Figs. 8(a) – 8(f). NdFeB magnets with remnant flux [6] M. Barcaro, N. Bianchi, and F. Magnussen, “Six-phase supply
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[7] P. Zheng, F. Wu, Y. Lei, Y. Sui, and B. Yu, “Investigation of a novel
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24-slot/14-pole six-phase fault-tolerant modular permanent-magnet in
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8(c). 10º configuration has the best demagnetization 5002, Sep. 2013.
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V. CONCLUSION modelling and maximum torque per peak current control through
optimized harmonic current injection," IEEE Transactions on Industrial
This paper investigates non-conventional phase angle Electronics, 2018. doi: 10.1109/TIE.2018.2854550.
displacements between phase sets for dual three-phase 36-
slot/34-pole CW PMSM. Apart from conventional 30º and
60º configurations, 10º, 20º, 40º and 50º configurations were
analyzed for MMF harmonics using stator star of slots
method. 30º configuration was found to have least MMF
harmonics. Steady state performances were analyzed for all
the configurations. The no-load induced voltage harmonics
were least in 10º and 20º configurations. In terms of torque
ripple, 10º configuration was observed to have largest torque
ripple and 30º configuration had the least. Rotor iron loss and
magnet eddy current loss due to space harmonics were
analyzed, in which 30º configuration delivered superior
performance when compared to the other winding
configurations. However, in terms of demagnetization, during
short-circuit conditions, 30º has least demagnetization
withstanding capability whereas 10º configuration has the
best demagnetization withstanding capability. Thus,
depending upon the application requirements and the slot-
pole combination implemented for a dual-three phase CW
PMSM, various non-conventional phase angle displacements
can be implemented which yield superior performance
characteristics.
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