A new variable reluctance motor utilizing an auxiliary commutation winding

A new concept for solving the current commutation and energy circulation problems in conventional variable reluctance motors (VRMs) is presented. The concept enables the energy stored in the magnetic field to be retained and utilized within the motor instead of being returned to the source. A new VRM and two companion converters are proposed and described in this paper. The operating principles of the motor and the converters are presented. Simulation results based on a linear model are presented to verify the operating principles. A prototype motor is built and tested to demonstrate the degree of improvement that can be realized with the new motor. The experimental results show that by eliminating these two problems, this new motor has important performance advantages over conventional VRMs