Electromagnetic Design of Synchronous

Reluctances Motors for Electric

Traction Vehicle

Bui Minh Dinh(&), Do Trong Tan, and Dang Quoc Vuong

Hanoi University of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam

dinh.buiminh@hust.edu.vn

Abstract. The paper presents comparative performances of different rotor

structure synchronous reluctance motors used for electric traction in automotive
application. The electrical machine under study in this paper is a synchronous
reluctance machine (SynRM) with 8 poles and 48 slots. The study design has
implemented two V and U shape flux barriers with 4 layers. Pure Synchronous
Reluctance motors potentially operate at high speed due to a cost-effective rotor
compared to PM and induction motors. In this paper, thermal simulation and
mechanical stress was also investigated to evaluated flux bar or sizing of the
radial ribs. The approach leads to an original positioning of the radial ribs able to
preserve the performances of the motor at high operating speed enhancing the
mechanical integrity of the rotor. Some significant contributions of this study are
new 4U layer barrier rotor and mechanical stress of ribs and bridges at maxi-
mum speed.

Keywords: Synchronous Reluctance Motor (SynRM) Traction motors

Electric vehicle Torque ripple Permanent Magnetic Assistant Synchronous
Motor- PMASynM

1 Introduction

Electric machines have become the primary candidate for mobility [1, 2], improving
motor solutions mainly based on high performance permanent magnets (PM) manu-
factured with rare-earth materials [3–6]. The synchronous reluctance machine (SynRM)
has similar structure to an induction machine and permanent magnetic assistant syn-
chronous reluctance machine PMA-SynRM. There is a growing attention in alternative
solutions to reduce permanent magnet for electric machines [7]. Many electromagnetic
designers also aim to enhance the specific power of the motor-drives often by
increasing their maximum operating speed. Many rotor bars or slot layer topologies can
be designed to increase the saliency ratio. From the point of view of the lamination
orientation, the common two topologies employed are shown in Fig. 1 (a) and (b), axial
laminated rotor V and U shape laminated rotor.
For electric vehicle application, the most important parameters of this machine is
increasing electromagnetic torque in high speed, which is dependent on the inductance
difference between d- and q- axis and saliency ratio, respectively. Those parameters can

© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021

K.-U. Sattler et al. (Eds.): ICERA 2020, LNNS 178, pp. 373–378, 2021.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-64719-3_42
374 B. M. Dinh et al.

Fig. 1. Rotor V (a) and U (b) shape laminated rotor.

be improved by the geometrical parameters of the rotor and stator of SynRM. One more
problem of the ribs and bridges areas of the rotor would fail because of the high
centrifugal forces. In order to increase the maximum speed of the SynRM, some small
rotor slots can change ribs and bridges or fill the barriers with nonmagnetic materials
with high Young’s Module value [8]. This paper will use software SPEED and finite
elements method in order to study the influence of different parameters of the rotor on
the machine performances. In order to obtain the best performances (torque ripple,
efficiency), rotor slot in U and V shapes have been investigated to obtain those
performances.

2 Electromagnetic Performance Evaluation

The analytical support used to obtain the main parameters of SynRM is dedicated
software SPEED developed by CDAdapco’s. Here, using a graphical interface, the user
can decide any pole shapes of the machine (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2. Electromagnetic design program of SynRM 3 layers

 Electromagnetic Design of Synchronous Reluctances Motors 375

For all electrical machines used in automotive applications, the combination

between the number of poles and slots is the most important method to getting low
torque ripple value. As outlined in the literature the electrical machines used in elec-
trical propulsion in combination with gearbox, are working in the large range of speed
(usually between 0 and 20.000 rpm) [5, 6]. In order to obtain the best performances, it
is necessary to reduce the iron loss by using a low number of poles to obtain the low
value of frequency with direct influences in iron loss. For the SynRM the number of
poles recommended in literature is 4, iron losses above this value are very high at
considered nominal speed.
The design procedure was started according with the performance requirements
presented in Fig. 3, and the geometrical constraints: stack length (L = 200 mm), stator
outer diameter (Dout= 350 mm).

Fig. 3. SynRM performance requirements

In order to improve the electrical machine performances, several rotor barrier

topologies in combination with 8 poles will be analyzed with purpose to reduce the
torque ripple. However, the machine was designed initially to develop higher torque
and to obtain the shape of electromagnetic torque. The structure obtained in SPEED
will be introduced in electromagnetic analysis performed in FEM. The analysis was
performed considering several number of barrier layers of U and V rotor shape with
number of poles (p = 8) (Fig. 4).
Having designed the machine, the following step is to validate torque, efficiency at
base speed of 4500 rpm by SPEED software in Fig. 5.
For the simulation performed SPEED, the type of steel lamination is M270-35A.
The efficiency of the machine over the entire current and speed range of 12.000 rpm is
presented. Efficiency values lower than 90% are obtained for high currents and low
speed because of the high current density required, producing the desired torque, at
high speeds. The efficiency is higher than 95% because of the low iron losses.
376 B. M. Dinh et al.

Fig. 4. Torque ripple of 4 V (a) and 4U (b) barrier layers of SynRM

Fig. 5. Torque, power and efficiency vs base speed 4500 rpm and maximum speed 12000 rpm.
 Electromagnetic Design of Synchronous Reluctances Motors 377

3 Temperature and Mechanical Stress Verification

Thermal simulations conducted for the analysis of the temperature of the rotor, stator
and winding were conducted based on copper and iron losses. The Fig. 6 shows the
temperature distribution for a motor RMS current of 300 A.

Fig. 6. Temperature distribution of SynRM

The thermal simulations have been performed using the commercial software
package Motor-CAD that is a code devoted to electrical motor thermal analysis. The
implemented model is based on an analytical lumped circuit. Maximum temperatures
of rotor, winding or shaft is 104 °C lower than 160 °C.
The mechanical equivalent stress map at max speed (12000 rpm) is reported in
Fig. 7, the maximum values is 127 MPa.

Fig. 7. Mechanical stress and displacement of rotor

Figure 7 shows the deformation of the rotor at the air-gap at maximum speed
operation. In each case, the deformation is less than 10% of the air-gap to avoid any
risk contact between rotor and stator considering also possible fluctuation of machine
due to vibration modes, tolerances and the bearings selection.
378 B. M. Dinh et al.

4 Conclusion
The paper presents the analytical a numerical results SynRM 48 Slot/8poles concerning
torque ripple, temperature and mechanical stress and displacement in electric vehicle
application. The influence of rotor designs of 4U and 4 V barrier shape in has been
investigated in this paper. The configuration with 48 slots and 4U layers flux-barrier
has the lowest torque ripple. Also this configuration has been numerically evaluated,
and the obtained performances has presented in this paper. In continuous power the
efficiency is 96% and in peak power condition is 89% at rated speed.

Acknowledgment. This paper has received supports from the Viettel High Technology-VHT,
Viettel Group for simulating and calculating Software and PCs.

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