Utilization of reluctance torque for improvement of the starting and average torques of a brushless wound field synchronous machine

Abstract

In this paper, the reluctance torque is utilized for improving the starting and average torques of a conventional brushless wound field synchronous machine (BL-WFSM). The conventional BL-WFSMs have an inherent issue of zero-starting torque. The existing BL topologies use expensive rare-earth permanent magnets (RE-PMs) to improve the starting torque; however, the marker price of RE-PMs fluctuates. Therefore, this paper proposes the use of the reluctance torque for improving the starting and average torques of BL-WFSMs. The winding topology and machine layout are adopted, from recently published work. The suggested approach increases the reluctance effect in BL-WFSM by optimizing the rotor shape. The reluctance effect is optimized, to improve the starting and average torques. The Kriging method and a genetic algorithm are used for the rotor optimization. A two-dimensional finite element analysis confirms the improved starting and average torques based on the increase in the reluctance torque.