The calculation of iron losses in inverter-fed induction motors based on time-stepping FEM

This paper presents a method for calculating iron losses in three-phase induction motors under the inverter supply through the field-circuit coupled time-stepping finite element method (FEM). Iron losses are calculated by using the three-term iron losses separated model and modifying the loss coefficients obtained by the iron losses curves which are provided by the manufacturer under the sinusoidal supply. Simulation results by the presented method are verified by the measured results with an error lower than 5 %, confirming the validity of the proposed method. Finally, iron losses distribution of the inverter-fed three-phase induction prototype motor is shown.