Comparison between 5 and 6 Phases Claw Pole Alternator for Automotive Application

In this paper a comparison between a 5 and 6 phases alternator is achieved. The target is to show how the 5-phase structure may influence the alternator performance comparing with a classical 6-phase configuration. Current and voltage harmonics of both 5 and 6 phases alternator provided with a bridge rectifier are analyzed. The impact of the phase current third harmonic on the output power in 5-phase configurations is examined. Phases RMS currents generated in the studied structures are compared considering the same output current. The different studies realized in this paper are based on both finite elements (FE) simulation results and a five-phase prototype measurements.