RELUCTANCE MOTOR - PRINCIPLE

OF OPERATION
Reluctance motor
• A reluctance motor is a type of electric motor that induces non-permanent
magnetic poles on the ferromagnetic rotor.
• The rotor does not have any windings. It generates torque through magnetic
reluctance.
• There are various types of reluctance motors
❖Synchronous reluctance
❖Variable reluctance
❖Switched reluctance
❖Variable reluctance stepping
• Reluctance motors can deliver very high power density at low cost, making them
ideal for many applications.
• Disadvantages include high torque ripple (the difference between maximum and
minimum torque during one revolution) when operated at low speed, and noise due
to torque ripple.
 Construction
Stator
• The stator of the reluctance motor is similar to that stator of the single phase
induction motor.
• It consists of starting and running winding in the stator slots.
• This type of motor also called as split phase reluctance motor.
Rotor
• The rotor of the reluctance motor is of salient or projecting poles.
• Let us consider that the rotor of the squirrel cage induction motor consists of 24
copper bars.
• If the rotor bar 5, 6, 11, 12,17,18,23 and 24 are cut, it is similar to 4 salient poles.
Principle of operation
• The stator has three phase symmetrical winding, which creates sinusoidal
rotating magnetic field in the air gap.
• The reluctance torque is developed because the induced magnetic field in the
rotor, has a tendency to cause the rotor to align with the stator field at a
minimum reluctance position.
Working
• When a single phase supply is given to the stator winding,
a rotating magnetic field is produced in the stator winding.
• When a salient poles rotor cut this magnetic field, rotor aligns in
the minimum reluctance path due to reluctance torque.
• The reluctance depends upon air gap between stator and rotor.
• Figure A shows 4 pole salient pole rotor in which direction of four
high Permeance and four low Permeance is shown.
• High Permeance means higher magnetic conductivity and higher
inductance. Similarly low Permeance means lower magnetic
conductivity and lower inductance.
• The reluctance is inverse of Permeance. Low reluctance means higher inductance and
vice versa.
L α N2 / S
Where , L = Inductance
S = Reluctance of magnetic path
• Low air gap means low reluctance and vice versa
S = L / μ0μra
Where,
L = Length of air gap
μ0 = Absolute permeability = 4π × 10 – 7 Henry /meter
μr = Relative permeability
a = Area
• There is low reluctance path between stator and salient poles due
to small air gap whereas high reluctance path between stator and
inter polar axis due to large air gap.
• The reluctance motor starts as an induction motor.
• When the rotor rotates at its maximum speed, it aligns with the
stator synchronous magnetic field due to reluctance torque.
• The angle between stator poles and rotor poles of opposite polarity
is called as torque angle.
• As the torque angle increases, the reluctance torque also increases.
• The maximum reluctance torque attains at torque angle of 450.
• The load taken by the reluctance motor is only fraction of the load
taken by the three phase inductance motor.
Advantages
• Low maintenance
• DC supply not necessary
• Simple construction
• Constant speed characteristic
Disadvantages

• Low efficiency
• Low power factor
• Only fraction of load taken as compared to three phase induction motor
Applications
• Automatic regulator
• Signaling devices
• Recording instruments
• Tele printer
• Timer circuits
• Gramophone
Synchronous Reluctance
Motor(SyRM)
CONSTRUCTION
Stator:
• Armature or stator core is made of ferromagnetic material and
laminated
Why?
• To reduce the hysteresis and eddy current losses
• Stator core is attached to the stator frame
• Slots for housing the armature winding are provided along the
inner periphery of stator core
• Semi-closed slots are used
• Stator carries three-phase winding and arranged for required
number of poles
• Distributed windings are used
Rotor:
• Rotor is constructed in such a way that the armature inductance varies
sinusoidally
• Inductance should be maximum along direct axis & minimum along
quadrature axis
• Difference between direct axis & quadrature axis inductance should be as
large as possible
❑ Why?
• To generate the maximum torque
❖Different type of Rotor Construction:
• Segmental rotor
• Radially laminated rotor
• Axially laminated rotor
Axially Laminated Rotor:
• Flux barriers are introduced in the quadrature flux path
• Flux barriers are made of thin sheets of non-magnetic material
• Brass or aluminum is used as flux barriers
• Direct axis inductance is not affected much by flux barriers as their
thickness is very small

Radially Laminated Rotor:

• Compared to axially laminated rotor they are cheaper & easier
• Since circular laminations can be used
• Motor has self starting capability
WORKING PRINCIPLE
• Balanced 3-phase sinusoidal supply voltage is given in the stator
• Produces a rotating magnetic field in the air gap which rotates at synchronous
speed
• Rotor accelerates towards synchronous speed with the help of damper winding or
cage winding provided
• Rotating magnetic field exerts reluctance torque on the rotor to align its projecting
poles or d-axis to have a minimum reluctance torque
• Synchronous reluctance starts as an induction motor and at running condition
reluctance torque pulls the rotor in synchronism with stator field
• Rotor accelerates towards synchronous speed
• At a “critical” speed, the low-reluctance paths
provided by the salient poles will cause them to
“snap” into synchronism with the rotating flux.
• When the rotor synchronizes, slip is equal to zero
• Rotor pulled around by “reluctance torque”
• Figure at right shows the rotor synchronized at
no load .
• A “step” increase in load slows the rotor down,
and the rotor poles “lag” the stator poles.
• The angle of lag, δ, is called the “torque angle”.
• The maximum torque angle, δmax = 45°.
 OPERATION AT MAXIMUM LOAD

• Maximum load is when δ = 45°.

• If load increases so that δ>45°,
• the flux path is “over stretched”
and the rotor falls out of synchronism.
• Motor runs at slip speed
SWITCHED RELUCTANCE
MOTOR
INTRODUCTION
• Switched reluctance motor (SRM) is similar to a variable reluctance stepper
motor in closed loop operation.
• SRM drive is better alternative to conventional DC series motor and variable
speed induction motor drives.
• The performance of SRM drives depends on control system used.
• At preset many industries are using SRM with its full potential.
CONSTRUCTION
• The stator of the SRM is built by stacking suitably punched silicon laminations to
the appropriate length.
• It has salient poles and carries concentric windings.
• The rotor contains no winding or permanent magnet.
• It is built up of steel laminations.
• It is due to this mechanical simplicity that the cost of SRM is promisingly low.
• By selecting the number of phases,
the number of stator poles and the
number of rotor teeth, many
configurations of SRM can be
obtained
WORKING PRINCIPLE
• Consider an SRM with 8 stator poles and 6 rotor teeth.
• It has 4 phases, A-A', B-B', C-C', D-D'.
• These phases can be excited by DC supply through switches S1, S2, S3 and S4.
• Let A-A' be energised for a significant time so that the rotor rests in the
equilibrium position.
• Phase A-A' is de-energised by turning switch S1 OFF and excite B-B' by turning
switch S2 ON.
• The rotor moves by 150 in CCW direction and attains stable position.
• By operatig the switches in sequence S1, S2, S3, S4, S1....., we can make the rotor
to rotate in the CCW with a step angle of 150.
Conditions for the succesful operation of SRM are:

• No.of rotor teeth and stator poles must be even and not equal.
• Stator phase is energised when the inductance of that phase is low or increasing
• Sensor for rotor position is required. The rotor position sensing is essential for
switching operations at correct instants.
• The flux density is changing in magnitude and direction in the magnetic circuit
when rotor moves. this results in iron loss. To reduce iron loss, laminated rotor
and stator structures should be used.
ADVANTAGES OF SRM
• High efficiency
• Good performance in terms of torque to inertia ratio
• Maximum operating speed and simple construction
• Available in various sizes, power and speed ranges.
POWER CONVERTERS
REQUIREMENTS
a) Each phase of SRM should be excited independently.
b) An excited pole should be demagnetised before the entry of SRM into
generating zone.
c) Free wheeling should be achieved during the chopping period.
d) The demagnetisation energy should be fedback to the source for using it in the
subsequent conducting zone.
e) The circuit should be cost-effective.
TWO SWITCHING DEVICES PER PHASE

Power converter circuit for three phase SRM

• Phase windings are excited by turning ON the static switches
• These devices get turned OFF by deenergising the phase.
• The stored energy is fedback to the supply through the free wheeling diodes.
• The period of conduction is controlled by a suitable control circuit.
(n+1)SWITCHING DEVICES AND (n+1)DIODES
• For energising phase A, T and T1 are turned ON.
• When these devices are turned OFF, the stored energy will fedback to the supply
through diodes D and D1
• T and T1 are used for switching phase B.
• T and T3 are turned ON for exciting phase C.
ADVANTAGES
• Cost is reduced as less number of switching devices are used.
• Free wheeling is possible.
DISADVANTAGES
• Higher torque ripple.
• Higher switching stress for T as it is conducting current while other phases are
energised.
CONVERTER CIRCUIT FOR SRM WITH BIFILAR
WINDING
• Each phase of SRM has two identical and magnetically coupled coils.
• When T1 is turned ON,current flows through winding A.
• When it is turned OFF,the stored energy goes back to the supply through A’ and
D1.
DEMERITS
• Double number of connections
• Poor utilisation of copper and voltage spikes due to
Imperfect coupling.
SPLIT-LINK CIRCUIT
• The main power supply is divided into two halves.
• During conduction ,energy is supplied to the phase by one half of the power
supply.
• During commutation period , the stored energy is fed back to the other half of the
supply.
• For example ,when T is turned ON,phase A is energised by the upper half of the
supply.
• When T1 is turned OFF,the stored energy is fed back through D2 to the lower half.
 C-DUMP CIRCUIT

This circuit uses (n+1) additional devices to feed the stored energy from the dump Capacitor C
back to the supply through step down chopper circuit.