Novel Switched Reluctance Machine synthesis algorithm based on voltage PAM control strategy for machine design optimization

The design of Switched Reluctance Machines (SRMs) for variable speed drive applications is inevitably affected by main characteristics of electronic converter and control unit. Among these, the control strategy that dictates converter topology and gate commanding approach has the greatest impact on the machine performance. Therefore, the optimum design of the SRM will differ if the selected control strategy changes. Such a dependency complicates the design problem, and increases the search-space dimensions. The voltage Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PAM) control strategy that leads to higher efficiency and lower torque ripple than other control strategies is considered here. To systematically tackle the multidimensional design problem, the paper presents a novel SRM synthesis algorithm based on voltage PAM control strategy, and shows how to use it in SRM design optimization. Moreover, as drives in most of applications operate normally at a number of operating points, it will be addressed how to optimize the SRM design in terms of overall drive performance at all the operating points.