Five-phase permanent magnet machines, advantages and applications

This paper discusses the benefits of five-phase technology for generator and motor applications that require lighter, smaller and more efficient and reliable systems. The aim is to demonstrate the key advantages and benefits of five-phase systems over their equivalent three-phase systems. Simulations of five-phase and three-phase generator systems that use diode rectifier circuits are presented and validated by test. The paper also discusses the design of a low-speed and a high-speed five-phase permanent magnet (pm) dc generators that were designed to harness the key competitive advantages of the five-phase technology in the growing market sectors of renewables energy and aerospace applications.