Design consideration and implementation of switched reluctance motor drive

Design methodology and consideration for 6/4 switched reluctance motor (SRM) drive are presented. The initial geometries of the machine are estimated using a series of empirical rules. Due to the complex geometry of the doubly salient structure and the highly nonlinear nature of the motor, a detailed analysis of the electromagnetic performance of SRM is essential to fine-tune the preliminary design. Static electromagnetic modeling alone without considering the electrical transient operation of the motor is insufficient to predict the performance of the motor. Hence, a simulation model of SRM, which takes into account the nonlinear magnetization data obtained from finite element (FE) analysis, is built to study the dynamic behavior of the motor. The final design of the SRM, and its associated power converter and controller, have been prototyped. Various tests have been carried out and the measured results show that the prototype works as expected.