Simulation software tools for designing switched reluctance motor in electric bicycles

Generally, brushless dc (BLDC) motor is widely used in electric bicycles. There are several advantages of this motor such as high efficiency, high dynamic response and low noise operation. However, an obvious disadvantage of BLDC motor is permanent magnets needed for the motor. At present, the cost of permanent magnets is sharply increasing due to their high demand. This circumstance might distract many people from the motor with permanent magnets to focus mainly on the motor without permanent magnets. Switched reluctance motor (SRM) is an interesting option to eliminate such problem. It does not require any permanent magnet and it has also a simple and robust construction. This paper presents a design process of SRM for an electric bicycle application using simulation software tools. The optimizing process of SRM model is simulated in PC-SRD program. The flux-linkage and torque as a function of rotor position and current can be obtained from the finite element method (FE method). Moreover, the dynamic simulation model of SRM model is generated in MATLAB/Simulink program. In this work, the outer rotor SRM for an electric bicycle is considered. Torque-speed and current density-speed characteristics of the designed SRM for electric bicycles are illustrated.