On the suitability of switched reluctance drives for starter/generator application

This paper addresses various aspects of the switched reluctance (SR) machine based starter/alternator (S/A) system for a more electric car. Inherent simplicity of the machine geometry and control, offering high efficiency and a very long constant power speed ratio along with a rugged structure and safe operation are among the most salient attributes of SRM drive. In addition, due to the absence of magnetic sources on the rotor, a robust performance in the presence of high temperatures is expected. We also introduce a novel method in active damping of the engine torque pulsation by controlling the braking torque of the SRG. This will reduce the engine shaft pulsation thereby enhancing the durability of the system while presenting a quiet engine/generator combination. Furthermore, to enhance the compactness of the system components a novel method for control of the phase current is presented.