Qualitative analysis of force distribution in a 3-phase Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machine

Recent research has seen an emergence of permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSM) as strong contenders for applications requiring low torque pulsations and larger torque per (RMS) amp for the same volume of the machine. They are also highly in demand for applications requiring high fault tolerance. Owing to the advent of modern power electronics and advanced control schemes, little effort has been put into investigating the actual process of energy conversion in these machines. This paper presents a qualitative analysis of force generation in a 3-phase permanent magnet synchronous machine. Using finite element analysis, the generation of electromagnetic force in different layers of the machine has been studied. Understanding energy conversion in such an electromagnetic transducer is particularly useful for design engineers since it can be used to optimize the performance by slight variations in geometry. Applications include reduction of vibration & acoustic noise, maximizing the useful component of force and optimizing output for a given constraint in volume. Simulation results with discussion and some preliminary experimental measurements have been presented.