Iron Losses Prediction with PWM Supply Using Low and High Frequency Measurements: Analysis and Results Comparison

In the paper two different methods for the iron loss prediction are analyzed. The first method is based on the classical separation of the loss contributions (hysteresis, eddy current and excess losses). The model requires the loss contribution separation using iron losses measurements with sinusoidal supply. In the following this method will be pointed out as "low frequency method". The second method, in the following named "high frequency method", is based on the assumption that, under PWM supply, the higher order flux density harmonics do not influence the magnetic work conditions. These magnetic conditions depend only on the amplitude of the fundamental harmonic of the flux density. In the paper both the proposed methodologies and the related measurements are described in detail and the obtained results are compared with the experimental ones. The experimental results show that both the methods allow to get excellent results. The high frequency method is better the lower one but required a more complex test bench. Depending on the accuracy required by the user, the more handy method can be chosen having the guarantee that the estimation errors will be lower than 5%