Optimal Excitation of Linear Variable Reluctance Motors with Coupled and Uncoupled Flux Paths

This paper is concerned with the optimal excitation of two types of linear variable reluctance motors. The coupled flux path configuration has a non-diagonal inductance matrix, whereas the uncoupled flux path configuration has a diagonal inductance matrix. Constrained optimization methods are used to (i) determine the upper limits on force production and the current waveforms needed to operate at these limits, and (ii) to produce current waveforms that minimize average power dissipation while producing a desired average force. Constraints on instantaneous current, voltage and flux density are employed, and the optimizations are performed over a range of speeds