Analysis of switched reluctance drives by the finite element time-stepping method

In the analysis of the performance of a switched reluctance drive, a common approach is to predict the flux linkages with a phase as a function of angle and current, neglecting coupling between phases. It appears that all this information could be derived by the use of a finite element time-stepping procedure extended from the procedures already successfully used on synchronous generators, induction motors and inverter-fed synchronous motors. The authors outline the method and discuss modelling of the motor and power converter. They also show the results of applying the method to a trial large switched reluctance drive