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Finite element modeling and dynamic


simulation of nonlinear VRM using MATLAB
CONFERENCE PAPER JANUARY 2013
DOI: 10.1109/ICMSAO.2013.6552653

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Hind Djeghloud

Ecole Nationale Polytechnique de Constant

University of Constantine 1

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Finite Element Modeling and Dynamic


Simulation of Nonlinear VRM using MATLAB
Tariq Benamimour, Amar Bentounsi, Hind Djeghloud, and Ilhem Bouchareb
LGEC, Faculty of Technology Science, University of Constantine 1,
Constantine, Algeria.
E-mail: tarekbenamimourelt@yahoo.fr

AbstractDue to its many advantages, the switched


reluctance machine (SRM) finds several applications such as in
the high-speed motor operation or in the power generation.
However, unlike many other electric machines, the SRM has the
particularity of working in highly saturated regime, which leads
to a nonlinear mathematical model. Therefore, this nonlinear
behavior requires an iterative process for designing a given
structure of machine. In continuation of the previous work
carried out by our research team, LGEC, in Electrotechnics
Dept.at the University of Constantine1 (ED-UC1), Algeria, we
will present in this paper a hybrid methodology based on an
analytical preliminary design of a doubly salient 6/4 SRM
followed by a finite elements analysis (FEA) using FEMM and
MATLAB/Simulink software.

Most SRMs operate with the principle of maximal flux or


minimal reluctance that can be explained through the
diagram of Fig. 2 showing the two extreme positions of the
rotor related to the stator, called aligned and unaligned
positions. When any pair of rotor poles is fully aligned with
the stator poles of the given phase (Fig.2.a), the phase
inductance will be at the maximum (Lmax). In the unaligned
position (Fig. 2.b), the phase inductance is at the minimum
(Lmin). When it is displaced to either side, there will appear a
torque that tends to displace it towards the next aligned
position as shown in Fig.3.

Keywords Design; FEA; MATLAB/Simulink; nonlinear;


simulation; SRM.

I.

INTRODUCTION

Due to a robust and simple structure, interesting performance


and a low cost, the switched reluctance machine (SRM) has
found numerous applications in areas usually reserved to
conventional asynchronous and synchronous machines.
Our research team, LGEC, of the Electrotechnics Dept.at
the University of Constantine 1 (ED-UC1) being very
interested by the study of this type of machine, who chose to
develop analytical and simulation tools for a better
understanding of phenomena. In this context, we carried out
this work in the following steps. Section II describes the
analytical pre-sizing of a doubly salient 6/4 SRM prototype
(Fig. 1) according to specifications. Section III presents the
numerical analysis by finite elements (FEA) of the
electromagnetic characteristics using FEMM software that
allowed us to calculate the parameters of the nonlinear
mathematical model and to determine the look-up tables used
in MATLAB program. Section IV analyzes the dynamic
performance of the nonlinear equivalent model using
MATLAB/Simulink software.
II.
A.

ANALYTICAL PRE-SIZING OF 6/4 SRM PROTOTYPE

Fig. 1. Diagram of the studied 6/4 SRM.

a. Aligned position
b. Unaligned position
Fig. 2. Extreme positions for a basic SRM.

The per-phase voltage equation is:


.

(1)

Knowing that the flux is a function of a relative angular


position and current i, equation (1) become:
.
.
.
The expression of instantaneous torque is:

Basic Theory of SRM

Where W is the magnetic energy while Wc is the co-energy.

978-1-4673-5814-9/13/$31.00 2013 IEEE

(2)
(3)

Torque and speed (data of specifications)

The expression of average torque is:


.

(4)

Where q is the number of phases, Nr is the number of rotor


poles, Wa is the magnetic energy in the aligned position and
Wu is the magnetic energy in the unaligned position.

Material properties
&different coefficients

Volume (width +length)

Calculating Loop
Stator
Geometric parameters of the prototype
Fig. 4. Plan of the different steps of pre-design.

Current (i)

III.

FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

Because of the structural complexity of SRMs and highly


saturated nature of the flux density, it is very difficult to
accurately model the different characteristics analytically.
Thus, a 2-D non-linear finite elements model in FEMM is
used [4].After an iterative design cycle using the numerical
program which follows this plan on its operations (Fig. 5) and
executing the analyzing loop under FEMM[5],the following
results can be carried out.

Rotor
Torque

Fig. 3. Creation of the electromagnetic torque.

B.
Geometric Parameters of the Prototype
The studied motor has salient poles both on the rotor
(Nr=4poles) and the stator (Ns=6 poles). The field winding is
on the stator while the rotor is made of steel lamination
without conductors or permanent magnets.
The SRM geometric parameters are calculated using
Matlab*.m file based on the approach developed in [1,2].
These parameters are used to model the considered prototype
with finite elements in order to extract its magnetic
characteristics. These characteristics are used for constructing
several look-up tables that will be inserted inside a
MATLAB/Simulink model.
The preliminary design process is based on mechanical
specifications data to determine various geometrical
parameters (length, diameters, and width of the teeth ) such
as in Table I. This will introduce us to simulate the prototype
using FEMM software. The main steps of pre-design are
summarized in the flowchart of Fig. 4.
TABLE I.
Parameter
Number of stator poles
Number of rotor poles
Number of turns
Clearance
Rotor bore diameter
Outer diameter
Air-gap length
Shaft diameter

Start (data)
Geometry and physical properties
Add materials
Boundaries conditions
Mesh operation
Results
Fig. 5. Flowchart of finite elements simulation by FEMM.

The used material has non-linear B(H) characteristic as shown


in this curve plotted under the FEA software(Fig. 6).

GEOMETRIC PARAMETERS
Value
6
4
359
8 mm
0.1142 m
0.2284 m
0.25 mm
0.04 m

We need this step for the nonlinear model which is based on


the magnetization curves that can be provided as experimental
data or calculated using finite elements method or computed
analytically starting from normally available parameters [3].

Fig.6. B(H)curve of the considered ferromagnetic material.

These curves are plotted using recuperated data from the


precedent operation.
In order to get a better precision, a comparison was done
using a second method known as half-numerical method and
where a negligible difference was gotten between the two
methods, as proved in this next curve (Fig. 13).
flux linkages vs excitation

Flux linkages [W b]

0.8

Fig.7.Finite elements meshing.

0.6

0.4

0.2

As shown in these figures, the FEA should be started with


meshing operation, which happens before any iteration of
analysis, from the aligned position to the unaligned position.
Using LUA script to command FEMM remotely (for
incrementing rotor position and save desired data). [5]
flux linkages vs excitation
1.4
0deg
5deg
10deg
15deg
20deg
25deg
30deg
35deg
40deg
45deg

1.2

1
F lux lin k a g e s [ W b]

5
Excitation [A]

10

0.8

0.6

0.2

5
Excitation [A]

Linear Model

It is the simplest one, because of the absence of the look-up


tables as shown in Fig. 14. Each of the three phases is
constructed starting from the blocks of Fig. 15. Each phase
contains many blocks where each one is associated with a
special MATLAB function like: switch; inductance; torque;
modulo pi/2.
Different control strategies can be used such as [5]:
Voltage control
PI control
Hysteresis control

10

For linear as well as nonlinear modeling, simulations have


been carried out using hysteresis control allowing better
performances under closed loop control.

Fig.10. Flux linkage vs. current at different rotor positions.


Torque vs position
30
10A
8A
6A
4A
2A

25

A.

0.4

DYNAMIC SIMULATION USING MATLAB/SIMULINK

The SRM can be modeled in Simulink as a combination of


electrical and mechanical systems, following two cases of
modeling: (i) linear model and (ii) non-linear model.

Fig. 9. Magnetic flux density.

Half-numerical results
Numerical results

IV.

Fig.13. Comparison between half-numerical and numerical results.

Fig.8.Flux linkage plot.

T orq ue [N *m ]

20

15

10

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

position [deg]

Fig.11.Torque vs. rotor position at different currents.


inductance vs position
0.4
2A
4A
6A
8A
10A

0.35

0.3

inductance[H]

0.25

0.2

0.15

0.1

Fig.14. Three-phase SRM model using Simulink model.

0.05

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

position []

Fig.12. Inductance profile for different excitations at several rotor positions.

For simplifying the simulation process, all parameters of


each phase of the SRM are symmetrical. As shown in Fig.15

column corresponds to the rotor position, phase current, flux,


torque produced in the phase, the inductance values, and the
mutual fluxes. Using these data, the look-up tables were
achieved for 46 rotor positions from 0 to +45 , and six (6)
different current values from 0 to 10A[4].
These two 3D-curves are plotted by MATLAB/Look-up table
block using our data obtained from last simulation under
FEMM.
Table and breakpoints data for block: non_linear/phase1/flux

0.7854
0.6981
40

35

0.6109

30

30
courant(A)

Fig.15. Expansion of one phase of the SRM inSimulink.


Total Currrent[A]
9

25

0.5236
0.4363

20

10

20

0.3491
0.2618
0.1745
0.0873
0

0
0.8

15

10
0.7
0.6

0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2

0.1

C u rren t [ A ]

0.3

0.2

0.1

0.4

0.9

0.8

position()

0.7

0.6

0.5

flux(Wb)

Fig.20. Flux characteristics vs. position and current.

4
3

Table and breakpoints data for block: non_linear/phase1/torque4

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04
time[s]

0.05

0.06

0.07

couple(N.m)

0.5236

30

0.08

0.3491

0.2618

10

Fig.16. The obtained three phase currents.

25

0.4363

20

20

0.0873

0.6109

0.6981

0.7854

10

0.1745

15

9
8

10

7
6

0.4

5
4

5
3

0.35

2
1
0

0.3

0.7

0.8

in du c tan c e(H )

courant(A)

0.25

0.5

0.6

0.4

0.1

0.2

0.3

position()

Fig.21. Current characteristics vs. position and torque.

0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04
temps(s)

0.05

0.06

0.07

0.08

Fig.17. Inductance profile for the first phase.


3.5

T orqu e [N *m ]

2.5

1.5

0.5

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04
time[s]

0.05

0.06

0.07

0.08

Fig.18. Torque in one phase.

Fig. 22. Three-phases SRM non-linear model in Simulink.

3.5

total torque(N.m )

2.5

1.5

0.5

0.02

0.04

0.06
time(s)

0.08

0.1

0.12

Fig.19.Total torque produced by the SRM.

Fig.23. One phase of the SRM non-linear model.


3

The obtained results are confirmed by [7].

2
Couple(N.m)

B.
Non-Linear Model
In a previous investigation, our 6/4 SRM was modeled by a
finite elements analysis (FEM) providing us with its different
magnetic data for the realization of the look-up tables [8].
These data were delivered in a matrix form, where each

2.5

1.5

0.5

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25
temps(s)

0.3

Fig.24.Total torque produced by the SRM.

0.35

0.4

0.45

0.5

[7]
3

2.5

couple(N.m)

[8]

1.5

0.5

-0.5

0.025

0.05

0.075
temps(s)

0.1

0.125

0.15

Fig.25.Torque produced by one phase of the SRM.


12

10

c ourant (A )

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25
temps(s)

0.3

0.35

0.4

0.45

0.5

Fig.26.Three-phase currents obtained by the non-linear model.

The switched reluctance machine motion is produced


because of the variable reluctance in the air gap between the
rotor and the stator. If a rotor pole is aligned with another one
of the stator, there will be no torque because field lines are
orthogonal to the surfaces and the inductance is maximal since
reluctance is at the minimum (the SRM principle). If one
displaces the rotor of its position, there will be torque. Since
the number of rotor and stator teeth is augment the torque
ripple will minimize. [7].
V.

CONCLUSION

This work aims to design and simulate a prototype of a


doubly salient 6/4 SRM according to a hybrid analyticalnumerical approach using MATLAB/Simulink and FEMM
softwares. It gave good results in dynamic non-linear motor
operation. It is planned to pursue this work in generation mode
associated with a variable speed wind production system.
This paper has described and discussed in details how from
FEMM to MATLAB/Simulink one can achieve the simulation
environment for a switched reluctance motor. The linear
model is presented in a basic simulation but the non-linear one
is more accurate and more realistic.
Several simulations have been achieved in order to study
the dynamic behavior of the SRM.
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[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]

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