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Closer attention has been given to the acoustic noise performance of electric motors as electrified powertrains penetrate into the transportation system. Particularly, switched reluctance machines (SRMs) introduce a new challenge to the acoustic noise aspects given that the radial force harmonics can excite the natural frequencies of the main circumferential modes. A practical understanding of the radial force density decomposition is crucial in identifying the primary source of acoustic noise at different operating points, and it is one of the contributions of this thesis. An analytical expression is introduced to identify the temporal harmonic orders that excite different spatial mode shapes. The mode excitation is investigated along with the sound pressure level (SPL) produced by the primary vibrating mode shapes. Acoustic noise characteristics for each mode and the corresponding natural frequency at different speeds have been analyzed by using a waterfall plot. The acoustic noise generation by conventionally controlled SRMs prevents its use on applications where acoustic comfort is required. Acoustic noise is radiated by the stator frame when a vibration mode is excited by the respective spatial order at a forcing frequency that is close to the stator's modal natural frequency. The excitation surface wave is the radial force density waveform as a function of time and spatial position. From the harmonic content analysis, a phase radial force shaping method is for switched reluctance machines is proposed. A generic function for the radial force shape is identified, whose parameters are calculated by an optimization algorithm to minimize the torque ripple for a given average torque. From the phase radial force, a current reference is obtained. The proposed methodology is experimentally validated, with a four-phase 8/6 SRM, by acoustic noise measurements at different speeds and load torque conditions. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Electric propulsion motors have emerged as a promising solution to address greenhouse gas emissions from Internal Combustion Engines (ICEs). While electric propulsion motors offer numerous advantages over Internal Combustion Engines (ICEs), they also pose certain challenges. Electric motors are prone to high-frequency tonal noise, which can be annoying to customers and become a quality concern in noise-sensitive automotive applications. The ongoing effort to increase the speed of electric propulsion motors for enhanced power density can have an adverse impact on rotors. This is due to the fact that the stress induced in the rotor is quadratically proportional to its speed. This concern becomes particularly significant for motors that rely on air barriers and thin bridges to enhance their electromagnetic performance. The thesis makes a contribution to address these challenges. First, the acoustic noise mitigation methods at the transmission stage are investigated. Then, acoustical materials are experimentally validated for their capacity to mitigate acoustic noise at the transmission stage. Then, experimental modal analysis is conducted to find out the modal characteristics of a stator-housing assembly. The mode shapes and modal frequency are compared with finite element results to evaluate the fidelity of the finite element model. Then, an equivalent damage approach is used to employ accelerated fatigue analysis for a rotor using constant amplitude load cycles. Finally, a thermomechanical fatigue analysis workflow is developed for a rotor to overcome the limitations of the constant amplitude load cycle approach, with an additional computational cost. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Voltage source inverter (VSI) fed induction motors are increasingly used in industrial and transportation applications as variable speed drives. However, VSIs generate non-sinusoidal voltages and hence result in harmonic distortion in motor current, motor heating, torque pulsations and increased acoustic noise. Most of these undesirable effects can be reduced by increasing the switching frequency of the inverter. This is not necessarily true for acoustic noise. Acoustic noise does not decrease monotonically with increase in switching frequency since the noise emitted depends on the proximity of harmonic frequencies to the motor resonant frequencies. Also there are practical limitations on the inverter switching frequency on account of device rating and losses. The switching frequency of many inverters often falls in the range 2 kHz - 6 kHz where the human ear is highly sensitive. Hence, the acoustic noise emission from the motor drive is of utmost important. Further, the acoustic noise emitted by the motor drive is known to depend on the waveform quality of the voltage applied. Hence, the acoustic performance varies with the pulse width modulation (PWM) technique used to modulate the inverter, even at the same modulation index. Therefore a comprehensive study on the acoustic noise aspects of induction motor drive is required. The acoustic noise study of the motor drive poses multifaceted challenges. A simple motor model is sufficient for calculation of total harmonic distortion (THD). A more detailed model is required for torque pulsation studies. But the motor acoustic noise is affected by many other factors such as stator winding distribution, space harmonics, geometry of stator and rotor slots, motor irregularities, structural issues controlling the resonant frequency and environmental factors. Hence an accurate model for acoustic noise would have to be very detailed and would span different domains such as electromagnetic fields, structural engineering, vibration and acoustics. Motor designers employ such detailed models along with details of the materials used and geometry to predict the acoustic noise that would be emitted by a motor and also to design a low-noise motor. However such detailed motor model for acoustic noise purposes and the necessary material and constructional details of the motor are usually not available to the user. Also, certain factors influencing the acoustic noise change due to wear and tear during the operational life of the motor. Hence this thesis takes up an experimental approach to study the acoustic noise performance of an inverter-fed induction motor at any stage of its operating life. A 10 kVA insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) based inverter is built to feed the induction motor; a 6 kW and 2.3 kW induction motors are used as experimental motors. A low-cost acoustic noise measurement system is also developed as per relevant standards for measurement and spectral analysis of the acoustic noise emitted. For each PWM scheme, the current and acoustic noise measurements are carried out extensively at different carrier frequencies over a range of fundamental frequencies. The main cause of acoustic noise of electromagnetic origin is the stator core vibration, which is caused by the interaction of air-gap fluxes produced by fundamental current and harmonic currents. In this thesis, an experimental procedure is suggested for the acoustic noise characterization of an induction motor inclusive of determination of resonant frequencies. Further, based on current and acoustic noise measurements, a vibration model is proposed for the stator structure. This model is used to predict the acoustic noise pertaining to time harmonic currents with reasonable accuracy. Literature on motor acoustic noise mainly focuses on sinusoidal PWM (SPWM), conventional space vector PWM (CSVPWM) and random PWM (RPWM). In this thesis, acoustic noise pertaining to two bus-clamping PWM (BCPWM) schemes and an advanced bus-clamping PWM (ABCPWM) scheme is investigated. BCPWM schemes are mainly used to reduce the switching loss of the inverter by clamping any of the three phases to DC rail for 120◦ duration of the fundamental cycle. Experimental results show that these BCPWM schemes reduce the amplitude of the tonal component of noise at the carrier frequency, compared to CSVPWM. Experimental results with ABCPWM show that the overall acoustic noise produced by the motor drive is reduced at low and medium speeds if the switching frequency is above 3 kHz. Certain spread in the frequency spectrum of noise is also seen with both BCPWM and ABCPWM. To spread the acoustic noise spectrum further, many variable-frequency PWM schemes have been suggested by researchers. But these schemes, by and large, increase the current total harmonic distortion (THD) compared to CSVPWM. Thus, a novel variable-frequency PWM (VFPWM) method is proposed, which offers reduced current THD in addition to uniformly spread noise spectrum. Experimental results also show spread in the acoustic noise spectrum and reduction in the dominant noise components with the proposed VFPWM. Also, the current THD is reduced at high speeds of the motor drive with the proposed method.

Cette thèse porte sur la simulation et la réduction du bruit acoustique d’origine magnétique des alternateurs à griffes ainsi que sur la compréhension des phénomènes mis en jeu dans la génération du bruit. La structure, les différents composants et les particularités du bruit acoustique de l’alternateur à griffes sont détaillés dans la première partie. La problématique ainsi que l’approche générale de cette thèse sont ensuite exposées. Cette approche se base sur la simulation du bruit acoustique d’origine magnétique. Un état de l’art des études sur le bruit acoustique d’origine magnétique des machines électriques est présenté dans la seconde partie. Les modèles électromagnétiques, mécaniques et acoustiques utilisés pour l’étude de ces machines ainsi que les principales solutions de réduction du bruit sont exposés. Les nouvelles approches de modélisation électromagnétique et vibro-acoustique de la machine à griffes sont développées dans la troisième partie. Deux modèles électromagnétiques sont étudiés : un modèle numérique qui repose sur l’utilisation de la méthode des éléments finis et un modèle hybride qui allie le modèle numérique à un modèle analytique. Ce dernier s’appuie sur la décomposition de l’induction magnétique dans l’entrefer en un produit d’une fonction de perméance avec une fonction de force magnétomotrice. Chaque fonction prend en compte les variations axiales dues à la géométrie des griffes. Ce modèle nécessite toutefois l’utilisation d’un modèle numérique afin de prendre en compte la saturation et les forces tangentielles. Un modèle mécanique purement numérique est ensuite construit. Il permet de prendre en compte la géométrie exacte des pièces ainsi que les contacts entre les pièces. Ce modèle mécanique est développé grâce à la corrélation avec des mesures et porte principalement sur trois parties de l’alternateur : le paquet de tôles du stator, le bobinage du stator et l’assemblage stator-paliers. Enfin, les simulations acoustiques avec les modèles numériques sont comparées aux mesures et permettent de retrouver les principaux pics de bruit des alternateurs. Dans la quatrième partie, des études de sensibilités sont menées afin de déterminer les paramètres les plus influents sur le bruit acoustique d’origine magnétique des machines à griffes. Ces études montrent l’influence importante de la géométrie du rotor, du bobinage stator et de la température sur le bruit. Les modifications de la structure ainsi que les imperfections étudiées (i.e. défauts de forme et excentricité) ont une influence moindre. Les caractéristiques des forces magnétiques ainsi que les influences des forces radiales et tangentielles sont ensuite exposées. Finalement, des exemples d’optimisation du rotor sont traités avec les deux modèles électromagnétiques (numérique et hybride). Un prototype est réalisé pour valider expérimentalement les résultats des simulations et un gain de 10 dB est obtenu sur la puissance acoustique. / This thesis aims at simulating and reducing the acoustic noise due to magnetic forces of claw-pole automotive alternators. It also aims at improving the understanding of the noise generation mechanisms. In the first part, the assembly of the claw-pole alternator and its different parts are described. The particularities of the acoustic noise of the alternator are also given. Then, the problem as well as the global approach, based on the vibro-acoustic simulation, are explained. The second part is a review of the studies on the acoustic noise from a magnetic origin of electrical machines. The models used to study these machines as well as the main noise reduction solutions are detailed. In the third part, new electromagnetic and vibro-acoustic models are developed. Two electromagnetic models are considered : a finite element model and a hybrid model which couples the finite element model with an analytical model. This analytical model computes the airgap magnetic flux density as the product of a permeance and a magnetomotive force functions. Each function takes the variations of the claw-pole geometry along the axial direction into account. Saturation and tangential forces are taken into account thanks to the finite element model. Then, a finite element mechanical model is developed. Three unknown parameters of the model are determined thanks to the correlation between the model and experimental data, namely : the equivalent materials of the stator stack and the windings and the contact conditions between the stator and the brackets. Finally, acoustic simulations are compared with measurements. A good correlation is achieved between simulated and measured noise peaks. In the fourth part, sensitivity studies are carried out in order to determine the most influential parameters on the acoustic noise of claw-pole alternators. These studies show the significant influence of the claw-pole geometry, the stator windings and the temperature on the acoustic noise. Structural modifications and studied faults have a smaller influence. Characteristics of the magnetic forces as well as the influences of radial and tangential forces are then detailed. In the end, optimizations with the finite element and the hybrid models are presented. A prototype is built and acoustic measurements show a 10 dB decrease of the sound power level.

A tidal current turbine is a device functioning in a manner similar to wind turbine for harnessing energy from tidal currents, a group of which is called a farm. The existing approaches used to predict power from tidal current turbine farms oversimplify the hydrodynamic interactions between turbines, which significantly affects the results. The major focus of this dissertation is to study the relationship between turbine distribution (the relative position of the turbines) and the hydrodynamic interactions between turbines, and its impact on the power from a farm. A new formulation of the discrete vortex method (DVM-UBC) is proposed to describe the behavior of turbines and unsteady flow mathematically, and a numerical model is developed to predict the performance, the unsteady wake and acoustic emission of a stand-alone turbine using DVM-UBC. Good agreement is obtained between the results obtained with DVM-UBC and published numerical and experimental results. Then, another numerical model is developed to predict the performance, wake and acoustic emission of a two-turbine system using DVM-UBC. The results show that the power of a two-turbine system with optimal relative position is about 25% more than two times that of a stand-alone turbine under the same conditions. The torque such a system may fluctuate 50% less than that of a stand-alone turbine. The acoustic emission of such a system may be 35% less than that of a stand-alone turbine. As an extension, a numerical procedure is developed to estimate the efficiency of an N-turbine system by using a linear theory together with the two-turbine system model. By integrating above hydrodynamic models for predicting power and a newly-developed Operation and Maintenance (O&M) model for predicting the cost, a system model is framed to estimate the energy cost using a scenario-based cost-effectiveness analysis. This model can estimate the energy cost more accurately than the previous models because it breaks down turbine’s components and O&M strategies in much greater detail when studying the hydrodynamics and reliability of the turbine. This dissertation provides a design tool for farm planners, and shed light on other disciplines such as environmental sciences and oceanography.

A tidal current turbine is a device functioning in a manner similar to wind turbine for harnessing energy from tidal currents, a group of which is called a farm. The existing approaches used to predict power from tidal current turbine farms oversimplify the hydrodynamic interactions between turbines, which significantly affects the results. The major focus of this dissertation is to study the relationship between turbine distribution (the relative position of the turbines) and the hydrodynamic interactions between turbines, and its impact on the power from a farm. A new formulation of the discrete vortex method (DVM-UBC) is proposed to describe the behavior of turbines and unsteady flow mathematically, and a numerical model is developed to predict the performance, the unsteady wake and acoustic emission of a stand-alone turbine using DVM-UBC. Good agreement is obtained between the results obtained with DVM-UBC and published numerical and experimental results. Then, another numerical model is developed to predict the performance, wake and acoustic emission of a two-turbine system using DVM-UBC. The results show that the power of a two-turbine system with optimal relative position is about 25% more than two times that of a stand-alone turbine under the same conditions. The torque such a system may fluctuate 50% less than that of a stand-alone turbine. The acoustic emission of such a system may be 35% less than that of a stand-alone turbine. As an extension, a numerical procedure is developed to estimate the efficiency of an N-turbine system by using a linear theory together with the two-turbine system model. By integrating above hydrodynamic models for predicting power and a newly-developed Operation and Maintenance (O&M) model for predicting the cost, a system model is framed to estimate the energy cost using a scenario-based cost-effectiveness analysis. This model can estimate the energy cost more accurately than the previous models because it breaks down turbine’s components and O&M strategies in much greater detail when studying the hydrodynamics and reliability of the turbine. This dissertation provides a design tool for farm planners, and shed light on other disciplines such as environmental sciences and oceanography.

Acoustic noise pollution is an environmental aggressor in everyday life. Aero- dynamically generated noise annoys and was linked with health issues. It may be caused by high-speed turbulent free flows (e.g. aircraft jet exhausts), by airflow interacting with solid surfaces (e.g. fan noise, wind turbine noise), or it may arise within a confined flow environment (e.g. air ventilation systems, refrigeration systems). Hence, reducing the acoustic noise levels would result in a better life quality, where a systematic approach to decrease the acoustic noise radiation is required to guarantee optimal results. Computational predic- tion methods able to provide all the required flow quantities with the desired temporal and spatial resolutions are perfectly suited in such application areas, when supplementing restricted experimental investigations. This thesis focuses on the use of numerical methodologies in compressible flow applications to understand aerodynamically noise generation mechanisms and to assess technologies used to suppress it. Robust and fast steady-state Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) based formulations are employed for the optimal design process, while the high fidelity Large Eddy Simulation (LES) approach is utilized to reveal the detailed flow physics and to investigate the acoustic noise production mechanisms. The employment of fast methods on a wide range of cases represents a brute-force strategy used to scrutinize the optimization parameter space and to provide general behavioral trends. This in combination with accurate simulations performed for particular condi- tions of interest becomes a very powerful approach. Advance post-processing techniques (i.e. Proper Orthogonal Decomposition and Dynamic Mode Decomposition) have been employed to analyze the intricate, highly turbulent flows. The impact of using fluidic injection inside a convergent-divergent nozzle for acoustic noise suppression is analyzed, first using steady-state RANS simulations. More than 250 cases are investigated for the optimal injection location and angle, amount of injected flow and operating conditions. Based on a-priori established criteria, a few optimal candidate solutions are detected from which one geometrical configuration is selected for being thoroughly investigated by using detailed LES calculations. This allows analyzing the unsteady shock pattern movement and the flow structures resulting with fluidic injec- tion. When investigating external fluidic injection configurations, some lead to a high amplitude shock associated noise, so-called screech tones. Such unsteady phenomena can be captured and explained only by using unsteady simulations. Another complex flow scenario demonstrated using LES is that of a high ve- locity jet ejected into a confined convergent-divergent ejector (i.e. a jet pump). The standing wave pattern developed in the confined channel and captured by LES, significantly alters the acoustic noise production. Steady-state methods failed to predict such events. The unsteady highly resolved simulations proved to be essential for analyzing flow and acoustics phenomena in complex problems. This becomes a very powerful approach when is used together with steady-state, low time-consuming formulations and when complemented with experimental measurements. / <p>QC 20141202</p>

A tidal current turbine is a device functioning in a manner similar to wind turbine for harnessing energy from tidal currents, a group of which is called a farm. The existing approaches used to predict power from tidal current turbine farms oversimplify the hydrodynamic interactions between turbines, which significantly affects the results. The major focus of this dissertation is to study the relationship between turbine distribution (the relative position of the turbines) and the hydrodynamic interactions between turbines, and its impact on the power from a farm. A new formulation of the discrete vortex method (DVM-UBC) is proposed to describe the behavior of turbines and unsteady flow mathematically, and a numerical model is developed to predict the performance, the unsteady wake and acoustic emission of a stand-alone turbine using DVM-UBC. Good agreement is obtained between the results obtained with DVM-UBC and published numerical and experimental results. Then, another numerical model is developed to predict the performance, wake and acoustic emission of a two-turbine system using DVM-UBC. The results show that the power of a two-turbine system with optimal relative position is about 25% more than two times that of a stand-alone turbine under the same conditions. The torque such a system may fluctuate 50% less than that of a stand-alone turbine. The acoustic emission of such a system may be 35% less than that of a stand-alone turbine. As an extension, a numerical procedure is developed to estimate the efficiency of an N-turbine system by using a linear theory together with the two-turbine system model. By integrating above hydrodynamic models for predicting power and a newly-developed Operation and Maintenance (O&M) model for predicting the cost, a system model is framed to estimate the energy cost using a scenario-based cost-effectiveness analysis. This model can estimate the energy cost more accurately than the previous models because it breaks down turbine’s components and O&M strategies in much greater detail when studying the hydrodynamics and reliability of the turbine. This dissertation provides a design tool for farm planners, and shed light on other disciplines such as environmental sciences and oceanography. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Mechanical Engineering, Department of / Graduate