Modern multiphase electric machines take advantage of additional degrees of freedom for various purposes, including harmonic current injection to increase torque per ampere. This new approach introduces a non-sinusoidal air gap flux density distribution causing additional technical problems and so the conventional assumptions need to be revised. The paper presents a methodology for synthesis of air gap magnetic field generated by a symmetrically distributed multiphase windings including the rotor field reaction due to the machine’s load. The proposed method is suitable either for single-layer or double layer windings and can be adopted either for full-pitched or chorded winding including slots effects. The article analyses the air gap flux density harmonic content and formulates conclusions important to multiphase induction motors. It also discusses effects of time harmonic currents and illustrates the principle of changing number of pole-pairs typical for harmonic currents being injected to increase torque.
The usage of multiphase electrical drives expands the operation possibilities of electrical machines and opens new directions of research on inverter-fed electrical machines. With an increasing number of phases, the standard approach of the electromagnetic design of machines has to be generalized to m-phase systems, which is not usually respected in the literature focused on electric machine design, and it is rarely published. This paper summarizes the specific problems linked with the design of machines with different numbers of phases, focusing on the winding design and the calculation of equivalent circuit parameters. In addition to the direct effect of different numbers of phases, the impact of injecting higher order time harmonic components on the electromagnetic design of electric machines is analyzed. The obtained analytical results are verified by the measurement of a nine-phase experimental induction motor.
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