Radial force density and vibration characteristics of

modular permanent magnet brushless AC machine

J. Wang, Z.P. Xia, S.A. Long and D. Howe

Abstract: The radial force density harmonics and vibrational characteristics of a three-phase
modular permanent magnet brushless AC machine is investigated. It is shown that, owing to the
presence of a large number of low- and high-order stator space harmonic magnetomotive forces,
modular machines are more likely to exhibit higher low-frequency vibrations than conventional
permanent magnet brushless machines. Experimental results support the analysis and its ndings.

1 Introduction over conventional PM brushless machines. Its stator

Because of their high efciency and power density and their
excellent dynamic performance, permanent magnet (PM)
brushless machines are being used in an ever-increasing
range of applications. However, a conventional three-
phase PM brushless DC machine for which the
ratio of the number of slots to the number of poles is
3 : 2 and in which each tooth carries a concentrated coil,
as in the 33-slot, 22-pole machine shown in Fig 1a, has
a maximum coil span of 1201 electrical, which results
in a low winding factor for the fundamental EMF (namely
0.866) and signicant 5th and 7th EMF harmonics
(since their winding factors are
0.866 and 0.866,
respectively). Consequently, although it has short end-
windings, such a machine has a relatively low specic
torque capability and can exhibit a large cogging torque
and excessive torque ripple, which may be problematic
in many applications. A conventional three-phase brushless
AC machine, in which the ratio of the number of slots
to the number of poles is 3 : 1, or higher, and which has an
overlapping winding with a phase-spread of 601 electrical
can be either full-pitched, as in the 66-slot, 22-pole machine
shown in Fig 1b, or short-pitched. A short-pitched
distribution winding is often used to reduce EMF
harmonics and torque ripple, while also providing a greater
degree of freedom in selecting the ratio of slot number to
pole number, primarily to minimise cogging torque.
However, such winding arrangements result in longer end-
windings, which compromises the torque density and
efciency, while the cogging torque may still be signicant,
without, for example, employing skew.
Recently, a relatively new topology of three-phase PM
brushless machine, often referred to as modular [13], has
emerged, which offers a number of signicant advantages
r The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2006
IEE Proceedings online no. 20050507
doi:10.1049/ip-epa:20050507
Paper rst received 10th January and in nal revised form 3rd May 2006
J. Wang, Z.P. Xia and D. Howe are with the Department of Electronic and
Electrical Engineering, University of Shefeld, Mappin Street, Shefeld
S1 3JD, UK
S.A. Long is with Strategic Research Centre, Rolls-Royce plc, SinA-28,
PO Box 31, Derby DE24 8BJ, UK
E-mail: j.b.wang@shefeld.ac.uk
winding differs from that of conventional PM brushless
machines in that the concentrated coils that belong to each
phase are wound on adjacent teeth, as illustrated in the
24-slot, 22-pole machine shown in Fig. 1c. This is not only a
distinct manufacturing advantage [4], but is also conducive
to a high copper packing factor and, hence, a high
efciency, and to reducing the likelihood of an interphase
fault. It also results in a smaller number of slots for a
given number of poles, namely 24 slots for a 22-pole
machine, as compared to 33 slots for a conventional
brushless machine having concentrated coils (Fig. 1a) and a
minimum of 66 slots for a machine having an overlapping
winding (Fig. 1b). Further, the modular winding arrange-
ment gives rise to a high winding factor for the
fundamental, namely 0.950 for the 24-slot, 22-pole machine,
while the 5th and 7th EMF harmonics are signicantly
reduced, since their harmonic winding factors are 0.163
and
0.096, respectively. A modular stator winding also
yields a fractional number of slots per pole, with the
smallest common multiple between the slot number and
the pole number being relatively large. Consequently, the
cogging torque can be extremely small without the use
of skew [5]. Hence, a modular three-phase PM brushless
AC machine has a higher torque capability and a lower
torque ripple than three-phase PM brushless machines
equipped with conventional windings. In three-phase
modular machines, however, the stator magnetomotive
force (MMF) distribution contains a large number of
space harmonics [3]. The electromagnetic torque
results from the interaction of a high-order stator MMF
harmonic with the eld produced by the permanent
magnets. Lower and higher order stator MMF harmonics,
which rotate at different speeds from the rotor, will,
therefore, cause undesirable effects, such as localised core
saturation, eddy current loss in the permanent magnets [6]
and acoustic noise and vibration, which are the main
disadvantages.
This paper analyses the radial force density harmonics,
which result at the stator bore of the modular PM brushless
machine, and investigates the resulting vibration character-
istics. It is not concerned with the modes of vibration or
whether these are excited, which would require extensive
modal analysis and testing. It is shown, however, that owing
to the presence of a large number of low- and high-order
space harmonics, it is more likely that low-frequency

IEE Proc.-Electr. Power Appl., Vol. 153, No. 6, November 2006 793
 Phase A
Phase C
Phase B
Phase B
Phase C
Phase A
Phase A

a b

Fig. 1 Three-phase PM brushless machines having different stator winding configurations

a 33-slot/22-pole, three-phase machine with non-overlapping winding
b 66-slot/22-pole, three-phase machine with overlapping winding
c 24-slot/22-pole three-phase machine with modular winding

vibrations will be excited. Experimental results serve to

conrm this observation.

2 Open-circuit and armature reaction fields

Stator
2.1 Open circuit Core
Feasible slot number, Ns, and pole number, 2p, combina-
Permanent
tions for three-phase modular PM machines have been Rotor
Magnets
Core
reported in [3] for machines having pole numbers ranging
from 2 to 4 40. For many pole numbers, there are multiple Rm
Air-gap
feasible slot numbers, machines having an even number of
Rs
pole-pairs having more feasible slot/pole number combina-
tions than those having an odd number of pole-pairs. For (r,r)
example, for a 22-pole machine, three feasible combinations
r d-axis
exist, namely, Ns =2p 21=22; 24=22 and 33/22. However,
without loss of generality, a 24-slot, 22-pole modular Rr

machine is considered in this study. It was developed to

provide an electrical torque boost on a vehicle equipped
with a downsized IC engine. Hence, it had to be accom-
modated in an annular space envelope to facilitate
integration with the engine, which, in turn, favoured a
relatively high pole number. For a surface-mounted magnet
modular machine having the geometry shown in Fig. 1c, the
open-circuit airgap magnetic eld distribution can be
derived analytically using the idealised model shown in
Fig. 2 [3]. The mechanical angular position yr is referred to
794
Fig. 2 Analytical model for surface-mounted magnet PM brush-
less machine
the axis of a north pole, namely, the d-axis. Analytical
expressions for the radial and circumferential ux density
components in the airgap, as functions of r and yr, as
IEE Proc.-Electr. Power Appl., Vol. 153, No. 6, November 2006
derived in [7], are: higher torque capability and potentially a much lower
X
1 torque ripple than a conventional brushless DC machine.
Br r; yr KB nfBr r cosnpyr
n1;3;5;... 2.2 Armature reaction
1
X1 The armature reaction eld in a surface-mounted magnet
By r; yr KB nfBy r sinnpyr modular PM machine can also be derived analytically,
n1;3;5;... based on the assumption that the stator and rotor cores are
where KB (n), fBr (r), and fBy (r) are given in [3], and p is the innitely permeable [8]. The air-gap MMF distribution, due
number of pole-pairs. The open-circuit ux-linkage, cc, of a to the combined effect of all three phase windings when
phase coil having Tc turns may be obtained by integrating excited with balanced three-phase, sinusoidally time-varying
Br at the stator bore, r Rs, over the slot-pitch angle currents that are in phase with the respective back EMFs, is
bs 2p/Ns, i.e.: given by:
Z yr0 or tbs =2
J ys Ja Jb Jc
c c Tc Br Rs ; yr Rs Lstk dy 8
> 1
3Im < X
yr0 or t
bs =2
X1
1 Jn cosnys
por t
2Rs Lstk TC Krn Kpn cosnpor t npyr0 2 > :n6k
1
n1;3;...
np k1;2;...
9
2 X1 >
=
where Krn KB nfBr Rs , or is the mechanical speed of
Jn cosnys por t 9
n6k1
>
;
the rotor, yr0 is the initial angle between the d-axis and the k0;1;2;...
coil axis, Lstk is the axial length of the stator core and Kpn is
the pitch factor of the nth harmonic, given by: where Im is the peak phase current, Jn is given in [7] and ys is
Kp n sinnpbs =2 3 the angle at the stator bore referred to the phase A winding
axis.
The induced EMF in a phase coil is, therefore, given by: Figure 3 shows the airgap space harmonic MMF
dc distribution, normalised to the coil ampere-turns, (TcIm),
ec
c which is produced by the three-phase winding of the 24-slot,
dt
X
1 22-pole modular machine. The MMF contains forward
2Tc Rs Lstk or Krn Kpn sinnpor t npyr0 4 rotating harmonics for n 5, 11, 19, y, backward rotating
n1;3;... harmonics for n 1, 7, 13, y, and zero even and triplen
harmonics. It is also evident that the 11th, 13th, 35th,
In a modular machine, the EMFs in two adjacent coils are 37th, y, harmonics are dominant. It should also be noted
displaced by an electrical angle given by: that the wavelength of the lowest eld harmonic is 2pRs,
yd absbp
bs p=bp 5 although its magnitude is relatively small. For the 22-pole
modular machine, however, only the 11th space harmonic
where bp p/p is the pole-pitch angle. The EMF in a phase MMF interacts with the eld of the permanent magnets to
winding having Nsp coils connected in series can, therefore, produce continuous torque. The other MMF harmonics, in
be obtained as: particular the 13th, 35th, 37th, y, etc., which have
X
1
relatively large magnitudes, may cause undesirable effects,
ep 2Tc Nsp Rs Lstk or Kr n Kpn Kdn such as localised core saturation, noise and vibration and
n1;3;...

 eddy current loss in the magnets, which are the main
yd disadvantages of modular machines. However, the eddy
 sin npor t nNsp
1 yr0 6
2 current loss is unlikely to be signicantly higher than that
which results in a conventional permanent magnet brushless
where Kdn is the distribution factor of the nth harmonic, DC machine, and can be effectively reduced by segmenting
given by: of the magnets [6].
Kdn fsinnNsp yd =2g=fNsp sinnyd =2g 7
45
It can be shown that, if the initial rotor position (d-axis) at
t 0 coincides with the axis of the phase A winding, (6) 40
may be simplied to:
X
1 35
ep 2Tc Nsp Rs Lstk or Krn Kpn Kdn sinnpor t 8
30
n1;3;...
Normalised mmf

Clearly, for a given number of pole-pairs, different slot/pole 25

number combinations lead to different winding factors for 20

both the fundamental and high-order EMF harmonics, as
well as for the armature reaction MMF distribution. 15
However, it should be noted that, since the winding
10
factors, (KdnKpn), for the 1st ( fundamental), 5th and 7th
harmonics of the 24-slot, 22-pole modular brushless AC 5
machine are 0.95, 0.16 and 0.1, respectively, as compared
with 0.866,
0.866 and 0.866 for the 33-slot/22-pole 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100
brushless DC machine shown in Fig. 1a, for machines of
Harmonic order
the same size and having the same electric and magnetic
loadings, the modular brushless AC machine has B9% Fig. 3 Normalised space harmonic mmf distribution

IEE Proc.-Electr. Power Appl., Vol. 153, No. 6, November 2006 795
 The resulting armature reaction ux density components 3 Airgap radial force density distribution and
in the permanent magnet and airgap regions are given by: vibration characteristics
8
> 1 The radial force density distribution, Frd (ys, t), on the inner
3m Im < X bore of the stator core, which results from the airgap
Bar r; ys ; t o Jn Far r sinnys
por t
2 > :n6k
1 magnetic eld under no-load (or open-circuit) and on-load
k1;2;...
9 conditions, is the main cause of electromagnetically induced
> noise and vibration, and can be evaluated analytically by
X1 =
Maxwells stress tensor method. Thus,

Jn Far r sinnys por t
n6k1
>
; 1
k0;1;2;... Frd ys ; t B2 ys ; t
B2y ys ; t 13
8 2m0 r
> 1
3mo Im < X Without loss of generality, the harmonic content and
Bay r; ys ; t Jn Fay r cosnys
por t frequencies in the radial force density can be examined by
2 > :n6k
1
k1;2;...
considering the contribution due to the radial ux density
9 component alone. Therefore,
X1 >
= 1

Jn Fay r cosnys por t 10 Frdr ys ; t B2 ys ; t
>
; 2m0 r
n6k1 (
k0;1;2;...
1 X
Brmn cosnpys
or t
where Far(r) and Fay(r) are given in [3]. The airgap ux 2m0 n1;3;5;...
density distribution due to the combined effect of the )2
permanent magnet and armature reaction elds, when X
the effect of magnetic core saturation is negligible, can be  Bran sinnys  por t 14
n1;5;7;11;13;...
obtained as:
where Brmn and Bran are the magnitudes of the nth radial
Blr r; ys ; t Br r; yr Bar r; ys ; t ux density harmonics in the permanent magnet and
11
Bly r; ys ; t By r; yr Bay r; ys ; t armature reaction elds, respectively, and are given by:
Brmn KB nfBr Rs Rm =2
Since the angular position, yr, referred to the d-axis of the
3m Im 15
permanent magnet rotor is related to the stator angular Bran o Jn Far Rs Rm =2
position, ys, referred to the axis of the phase A winding by 2
yr ys
or t, (11) can be further expressed as: where Rs and Rm are the stator bore radius and the rotor
radius, respectively. Thus, the radial force density waveform
Blr r; ys ; t Br r; ys
or t Bar r; ys ; t consists of components due to, for example, the ith and nth
12
Bly r; ys ; t By r; ys
or t Bay r; ys ; t harmonics in the permanent magnet eld and the armature
reaction eld, and also due to their interactions. Table 1
It will be noted that, although the foregoing analyses have summarises all the resultant time-varying radial force
been derived for a three-phase modular machine, they could components, in terms of their magnitude, frequency and
readily be modied and applied to conventional three-phase spatial order.
brushless machines having different winding dispositions As will be seen from Table 1, the radial force density
and slot/pole, number combinations. It should also be harmonics which result from the permanent magnet eld
noted that their airgap space harmonic MMF distributions have harmonic orders that are integer multiples of 2p and
will be signicantly different from that which results in a frequencies that are integer multiples of 2por, as is the case
modular machine. Hence, their vibrational responses under for conventional brushless AC/DC machines. It should also
the excitation of the radial force harmonics will also be very be noted that, although the force density components,
different. which result from the armature reaction eld in a modular

Table 1: Magnitude, frequency and spatial order of time-varying components of radial force density

Order of spatial force density harmonics Angular frequency Magnitude normalised to 1/(4m0)

Due to i th and n th harmonics of permanent magnet field i, n 1, 3, 5, y

i th 2ip 2ipor B 2rmi
nth 2np 2npor B 2rmn
Interaction (i 7n)p (i 7n)por 2B rmi B rmn
(i a n)
Due to i th and n th harmonics of armature reaction field i, n 1, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, y
i th 2i 2por B 2rai
nth 2n 2por B 2ran
Interaction (i 7n) 2por 2B rai B ran
(i a n)
Due to interaction between i th harmonic of permanent magnet field and n th harmonic of armature reaction field, i 1, 3, 5, y,
n 1, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, y
Interaction (ip 7n) (i 81)por 2B rai B ran

796 IEE Proc.-Electr. Power Appl., Vol. 153, No. 6, November 2006
 1.5 0.9

0.8
1
0.7
Radial flux density ( T )

Radial flux density (T)

0.5 0.6

0.5
0
0.4

-0.5
0.3

0.2
-1

0.1
-1.5
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360 0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Angular position (mechanical degree)
a Harmonic order
a
0.5 0.9
0.4
0.8
Circumferential flux density (T)

0.3
0.7
0.2

Radial flux density ( T )

0.1 0.6

0 0.5
-0.1
0.4
-0.2
0.3
-0.3

-0.4 0.2

-0.5 0.1
0 60 120 180 240 300 360
Angular position (mechanical degree)
0
b 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Harmonic order
Fig. 4 Radial and circumferential flux density distributions at b
r (Rm+Rs)/2 and ort 0 on full load
a Radial component Fig. 5 Space harmonics in radial airgap flux density distribution at
b Circumferential component r (Rm+Rs)/2 and ort 0, under no-load and full-load conditions
a No load
b Full load

machine contain even space harmonics, these harmonics Figure 6 shows the resulting radial force density
have the same frequency, given by 2por. In addition, distributions as functions of ys at r (Rm+Rs)/2 and
although the force density components that are due to the ort 0 under both no-load and full-load conditions, and
interaction between the permanent magnet eld and the Fig. 7 shows the corresponding space harmonics, excluding
armature reaction eld also contain even space harmonics, the DC component. The full-load radial force harmonic
their frequencies are different, being integer multiples distribution in Fig. 7b is normalised to the amplitude of the
of 2por. 22nd-order force harmonic in Fig. 7a. It is evident that the
Figure 4 shows the distribution of the radial and no-load radial force density only contains space harmonics
circumferential components of the airgap ux density as of orders 22, 44, y. However, the full-load radial force
functions of ys at r (Rm+Rs)/2 and ort 0, predicted by density contains all even space harmonics of order 2, 4, 6, 8,
the analyses described in Section 2 for the 24-slot, 22-pole 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, y, as a result of the interaction
modular machine at rated load. As can be seen, the between the odd space harmonics in the permanent magnet
circumferential ux density component is relatively small eld and the armature reaction eld distributions. The
and may, therefore, be neglected for the evaluation of the strongest radial force harmonic of 22nd-order is a
radial force. Figure 5 compares the space harmonics in the consequence of the 11th working harmonic in the airgap
radial ux density distributions under both no-load and magnetic eld. The next strongest force harmonic is of
full-load conditions. The armature reaction eld contains 24th-order. It is particularly important to note that the
harmonics of order 1, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, y, the 11th and radial force density distribution of the modular machine
13th harmonics being the strongest, and the harmonics in also contains a very strong 2nd-order space harmonic,
the radial ux density distribution due to the permanent which results from the interaction of the 11th working
magnets alone are of order 11, 33, y. Thus, on full load the harmonic eld with the 13th harmonic in the armature
radial ux density distribution contains harmonics of order, reaction eld. This strong four-pole force density harmonic
1, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, 33, 35, 37, y, as is evident from is clearly visible in the full-load radial force density
Fig. 5b. The 11th working space harmonic is clearly the distribution shown in Fig. 6b.
strongest, followed by the 13th harmonic of the armature The mechanical transfer accelerance of the machine,
reaction eld. which relates its radial acceleration to the vibrational force

IEE Proc.-Electr. Power Appl., Vol. 153, No. 6, November 2006 797
 x105 x104
2 10

1.8 9

1.6 8

Radial force density (N/m2)

Radial force density (N/m2)

1.4 7

1.2 6

1 5

0.8 4

0.6 3

0.4 2

0.2 1

0 0
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Angular position (mechanical degree) Harmonic order
a a
x105 1.5
6

Normalised radial force density

5
Radial force density (N/m2)

4 1

2 0.5

0 0
0 30 60 90 120 150 180 210 240 270 300 330 360 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Angular position (mechanical degree) Harmonic order
b b

Fig. 6 Radial force density distribution as functions of ys at Fig. 7 Space harmonics in radial force density distribution at
r (Rm+Rs)/2 and ort 0, under no-load and full-load conditions r (Rm+Rs)/2 and ort 0, under no-load and full-load conditions
a No load a No load
b Full load b Full load

and which is inuenced by the structure of the stator and its this mode is given by:
mechanical mounting, is the sum of the responses of all the pf02
vibration modes and is given by: or 17
" # p
X ai o=ooi 2
H o 16 Usually, the resonant frequency of a low vibration
2
i1;2;... 1 j2zi o=ooi
o=o0i
mode is relatively low. Hence, the rotor speed that results
p in the excitation of this vibration is also low, and may
where j
1, o is the mechanical angular frequency, fall within the operating speed range of the machine.
and ai, zi and o0i are the gain, damping ratio and To illustrate this potential problem with three-phase
natural frequency of the ith vibration mode. In the modular PM machines as compared with conventional
machine under investigation, the force density distribution three-phase PM brushless DC and AC machines, their
only contains even space harmonics. If the frequency airgap radial force density distribution can be similarly
of a given radial force harmonic of order i is close to or analysed, and it can be shown that the radial force
equal to the natural frequency of the ith vibration density components due to the armature reaction eld
mode, then resonance will occur. Therefore, since the in conventional PM brushless DC and AC machines
modular machine contains all even-order space harmonics consist of space harmonics of orders kp and 2kp
in the radial force density, whose angular frequencies (k 1, 2, 3, y), respectively. Thus, the lowest vibration
are integer multiples of 2por, it may be more susceptible mode orders that can be excited in brushless DC and
to resonant vibrations within its operating speed range. AC machines due to the combined effect of the
For example, a mode 2 vibration of the machine can be permanent magnet and armature reaction elds are
excited by the 2nd-order force space harmonic with equal to the pole-pair number and the pole number p
angular frequency 2por. If the resonant frequency of the and 2p, respectively. If the resonant frequencies of the
mode 2 vibration is f02, the rotor speed that excites mode p and 2p vibrations are f0p and f02p, respectively,
798 IEE Proc.-Electr. Power Appl., Vol. 153, No. 6, November 2006
the rotor speed that excites the vibration modes is
given by:
 three-phase modular PM machine has been validated by
pf0p =p
or
pf02p =p
For the same machine frame size and similar stator
structures, the natural frequencies f0p and f02p are usually
much greater than f02 when p 4 2. Consequently, the rotor
speed that may induce the resonant vibration in a modular
machine will be much lower than that for inducing
resonances in brushless DC or AC machines.
Figure 8 shows the time harmonic spectrum of the radial
force density at a xed angular position ys 0 and a rotor
speed of 2000 rpm, under both no-load and full-load
operating conditions. The full load harmonic spectrum is
normalised to the value of the fundamental 733.33 Hz
frequency (por/p) radial force component on no load. As
can be seen, the frequencies of the harmonics are integer
multiples of the fundamental radial force frequency
733.33 Hz. It should also be noted that although the
amplitudes of the high-order time harmonics are relatively
low, they may still induce signicant vibrations.
for brushless DC machines
18
for brushless AC machines
under consideration. The vibrations induced by the radial
4 Experimental validation
The foregoing analysis of the radial force characteristics of a
vibration measurements on the prototype 22-pole, 24-slot
machine, which is shown in Fig. 9 mounted on a
dynamometer test rig. The machine is connected to a
four-quadrant DC power supply via a three-phase diode
bridge rectier and was operated as a generator. Figure 10
shows a typical phase current waveform. An accelerometer
was mounted on the machine housing to measure vibrations
under various operating conditions. Figure 11a shows the
vibration spectrum that was measured on no load at a rotor
speed of 2000 rpm, which is around the middle of the
operating speed range for the particular modular machine
force, which is due to the permanent magnet eld alone,
correspond to frequencies that are integer multiples of 2por/
2p 2000  11/30 733.33 Hz, and the vibration frequency

x104
10

9
f= 733.33Hz
8
Radial force density (N/m2)

6 2f
5

3
3f
2

1
4f
0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000
Frequency (Hz)
a
1.4

1.2
Normalised radial force density (N/m2)

f= 733.33 Fig. 9 Prototype 22-pole, 24-slot modular PM machine mounted

on dynamometer test rig
1

0.8
300
2f
0.6
200
0.4
Phase current (A)

100
3f
0.2
4f 0

0 -100
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000
Frequency (Hz)
-200
b
-300
Fig. 8 Time harmonic distribution of radial force density at -400 -340 -280 -220 -160 -100 -40 20 80 140 200 260 320 380
r (Rm+Rs)/2 and ys 0, under no-load and full-load conditions Rotor position (elec.deg)
a No load
b Full load Fig. 10 Typical phase current waveform

IEE Proc.-Electr. Power Appl., Vol. 153, No. 6, November 2006 799
 2
1.8
1.6

Acceleration (m/s2)
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000 18000 20000 22000 24000
Frequency (Hz)
a
2
1.8
1.6
Acceleration (m/s2)

1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000 18000 20000 22000 24000
Frequency (Hz)
b
2
1.8
1.6
Acceleration(m/s2)

1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000 18000 20000 22000 24000
Frequency (Hz)
c

Fig. 11 Measured vibration spectrum under no load and load conditions at 2000 rpm
a No load
b Irms 100 A
c Irms 200 A

of 13 200 Hz is probably at or close to a resonant mode. It is
evident that the frequencies in the measured vibration
spectrum agree with the predictions. Similar open-circuit
vibration spectra will result for conventional 22-pole
brushless AC/DC machines having a similar structure to
the modular machine.
Figures 11b and c show measured vibration spectra for
the 22-pole, 24-slot modular machine under two different
load conditions, at the same rotor speed of 2000 rpm. Since
the frequency of the radial force harmonics due to the
armature reaction eld, when high-order time harmonics in
the phase current are neglected, is 2por/2p 733.33 Hz, the
magnitude of the vibration (acceleration) at 733.33 Hz is
increased under the two load conditions, and the increase
is approximately proportional to the load current, as is
evident from Fig. 11 and is to be expected from (15).
Further, the frequencies of the radial force harmonics that
result from the interaction between the permanent magnet
and armature reaction elds are also integer multiples of
733.33 Hz. These harmonics have different orders from
those that result on no load, and will, therefore, excite a
800
different vibration response. As a consequence, the
magnitude of the vibrations at frequencies that are integer
multiples of 733.33 Hz is increased under the two load
conditions. In particular, the vibration amplitude at
1466 Hz, which corresponds to 4por/2p, increases signi-
cantly when load is applied. This vibration can only be
excited by force harmonic components of order (3p7n) or
(5p7n), n 1, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, y, which result from
the interaction between the 3rd and 5th harmonics of the
permanent magnet eld and the armature reaction eld.
Similarly, the vibrations at frequencies of 13 933 Hz and
14 666 Hz are also increased signicantly under the two load
conditions, the space harmonic orders that can excite these
vibrations being different from those under no load, and,
again, can only result from the interaction between the
permanent magnet and armature reaction elds.
5 Conclusions
The airgap radial force density distribution in three-phase
modular permanent magnet brushless machines, as a
IEE Proc.-Electr. Power Appl., Vol. 153, No. 6, November 2006
function of angular position and time, has been analysed
analytically. It has been shown that the armature reaction
eld in modular machines produces a rich set of space
harmonics in the airgap ux density distribution. Conse-
quently, the radial force density distribution that results
when a modular machine is loaded contains all space
harmonics of even order, their frequencies being integer
multiples of por/p. Thus this makes it more likely that a
three-phase modular machine will have a higher vibration
level over its operating speed range than conventional three-
phase brushless AC/DC machines. Experimental measure-
ments have validated the ndings of the analysis.
6 References
1 Atallah, K., and Howe, D.: Modular permanent magnet brushless
machines for aerospace and automotive applications. Proc. 20th Int.
Workshop on Rare-earth Magnets and their Applications, 2000,
pp. 10391048
IEE Proc.-Electr. Power Appl., Vol. 153, No. 6, November 2006
2 Atallah, K., Wang, J., and Howe, D.: Torque ripple minimization in
modular permanent magnet brushless machines, IEEE Trans. Ind.
Appl., 2003, 39, (6), pp. 16891695
3 Wang, J., Xia, Z.P., and Howe, D.: Three-phase modular permanent
magnet machines for down-sized ICE vehicles, IEEE Trans. Veh.
Technol., 2005, 54, (3), pp. 809816
4 Oikawa, T., Tajima, T., Matsumoto, K., Akita, H., Kawaguchi, H.,
and Kometani, H.: Development of high efciency brushless DC
motor with new manufacturing method of stator for compressors.
16th Int. Compressor Engineering Conf., Purdue, USA, 2002, Vol.
CD12-4
5 Zhu, Z.Q., and Howe, D.: Inuence of design parameters on cogging
torque in permanent magnet machines, IEEE Trans. Energy Convers.,
2000, 15, pp. 407412
6 Toda, H., Xia, Z.P., Wang, J., and Howe, D.: Rotor eddy-current loss
in permanent magnet brushless machines, IEEE Trans. Magn., 2004,
40, (4), pp. 21042106
7 Zhu, Z.Q., Howe, D., Bolte, E., and Ackermann, B.: Instantaneous
magnetic eld distribution in brushless permanent magnet dc
motorsFPart I: Open-circuit eld, IEEE Trans. Magn., 1993, 29,
(1), pp. 136142
8 Zhu, Z.Q., and Howe, D.: Instantaneous magnetic eld distribution in
brushless permanent magnet dc motorsFPart II: Armature-reaction
eld, IEEE Trans. Magn., 1993, 29, (1), pp. 124136
801