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Recently, permanent magnet assisted (PMa)-synchronous reluctance motors (SynRM) have been considered as a possible alternative motor drive for high performance applications. In order to have an efficient motor drive, performing of three steps in design of the overall drive is not avoidable. These steps are design optimization of the motor, identification of the motor parameter and implementation of an advanced control system to ensure optimum operation. Therefore, this dissertation first deals with the design optimization of the Permanent Magnet Assisted Synchronous Reluctance Motor (PMa-SynRM). Various key points in the rotor design of a low cost PMa-SynRM are introduced and their effects are studied. Finite element approach has been utilized to show the effects of these parameters on the developed average electromagnetic torque and the total d-q inductances. As it can be inferred from the name of the motor, there are some permanent magnets mounted in the rotor core. One of the features considered in the design of this motor is the magnetization of the permanent magnets mounted in the rotor core using the stator windings to reduce the manufacturing cost. At the next step, identification of the motor parameters is discussed. Variation of motor parameters due to temperature and airgap flux has been reported in the literatures. Use of off-line models for estimating the motor parameters is known as a computationally intensive method, especially when the models include the effect of cross saturation. Therefore in practical applications, on-line parameter estimation is favored to achieve a high performance control system. In this dissertation, a simple practical method for parameter estimation of the PMa-SynRM is introduced. Last part of the dissertation presents one advanced control strategy which utilized the introduced parameter estimator. A practical Maximum Torque Per Ampere (MTPA) control scheme along with a simple parameter estimator for PMa-SynRM is introduced. This method is capable of maintaining the MTPA condition and stays robust against the variations of motor parameters. Effectiveness of the motor design procedure and the control strategy is validated by presenting simulation and experimental results of a 1.5 kW prototype PMa-SynRM, designed and manufactured through the introduced design method.

Permanent magnet (PM) machines offer several advantages in traction applications such as high efficiencyand high torque per volume ratio. The iron losses in these machines are estimated mostly with empiricallaws taken from other types of machines or with finite element simulations (FEM). In the first part of thisthesis the objective is to define an accurate analytical model for the stator yoke, teeth and rotor of a PMmotor which should work well enough for all operating point (different loads and frequency).This analytical model is found using an iterative process. After building a loss matrix and flux matrix basedon FEM simulations, it is possible to curve fit each of the lines or the rows of the matrix in order to achievethe best fitting for every operating point. This is a very new approach; it was shown that it gives thepossibility, even with a very limited number of FEM simulations, to achieve an accurate estimation of thelosses.The second part of this report focuses on optimizing this analytical method, comparing it with otherpossibilities, analyzing limits and advantages. Special attention is also given to the effects of the losses onthe temperatures in different parts of the machine. In the last part of the thesis, the analytical model isused to test a new control strategy. Its goal is to reduce the total losses of the motor and optimize the ratiobetween torque and total losses for a given driving cycle.

Purpose of this dissertation is to explore control techniques of PMSM motors and the design of a complex solution of sensorless control across a wide range of speed and torque. The proposed solution supports industrial implementation of different types of end equipment which use a PMSM motor. The work covers a thorough analysis of position and speed estimation. The Control structure is based on field oriented control technique, processes estimated quantities, and optimizes motor conditions to achieve maximum efficiency, start-up torque, and speed. The work discusses how the solution complies with the latest IEC standards. Compliance with these standards requires adapting the sensorless control technique and field oriented control structure. The elimination of a rotor position sensor and a temperature sensor measuring winding temperature requires development of techniques in software for blocked rotor detection and overload detection. The proposed solutions, which have been granted US patents, are explained in this work and utilize the unique features of an NXP microcontroller optimized for motor control applications. The achieved results are demonstrated on real industrial applications.

Cette thèse est consacré à l’évaluation et l’amélioration de la performance de la machine synchrone à réluctance variable pour des applications à vitesse variable en général et pour les applications automobiles en particulier. Les deux axes de développement sont la conception de la machine et l’injection des harmoniques de courants de phase. Le rotor est un élément important dans la conception de la machine, et un intérêt particulier est dédié à la conception et l’évaluation du rotor pour améliorer la performance de la machine. Une méthode analytique est proposée dans la thèse pour concevoir le rotor. Plusieurs éléments tels que les ponts qui maintiennent le rotor mécaniquement résistant, ainsi que le rapport d’isolation d’axe q (rapport air-acier) sont étudiés. Une étude de conception assistée par ordinateur basé sur un problème d’optimisation paramétrique est présentée aussi. Les trois familles des algorithmes d’optimisation sont évaluées pour la procédure d’optimisation: un algorithme à base de gradient (algorithme de Newton Quasi), un algorithme non-évolutionnaire sur la base de non-gradient (Nelder Mead Simplex) et un algorithme évolutif sur la base non-gradient (algorithme génétique). Les designs de machines basées sur la procédure analytique et la procédure d’optimisation sont testés sur un banc d’essai. Le deuxième axe d’études de la thèse est l’injection d’harmoniques dans les courants de phase de la machine à réluctance variable synchrone. L’interaction des harmoniques de courant avec les harmoniques spatiales des inductances est étudiée et formalisée pour une machine à m-phases. Ensuite, le concept d’injection d’harmoniques est évalué dans le cas particulier d’une machine à deux phases. Cette étude montre l’avantage de l’injection d’harmoniques dans la réduction de l’ondulation de couple de la machine. Un design d’une machine est finalement développé pour une application automobile sur la base de l’optimisation paramétrique du stator et du rotor. Cette conception est évaluée pour les spécifications imposées électromagnétiques par une application de traction à puissance moyenne / This thesis is dedicated to the evaluation and the improvement of the synchronous reluctance machine’s performance for variable speed drive applications in general and for automotive applications in particular. The two axes of development are machine design and phase current harmonics injection. The rotor is an important element in the machine design and particular emphasis is placed to the design and evaluation of the rotor for enhancing the machine performance. An analytical procedure is proposed for the rotor design. The rotor elements like the ribs and the bridges that maintain the rotor mechanically strong as well as the q-axis insulation ratio (air-to-steel ratio) are studied. A computer-aided design study based on a parametric optimization problem is presented as well. The main three families of the optimization algorithms are evaluated for the optimization procedure: a gradient-based algorithm (Quasi Newton Algorithm), a non-gradient based non-evolutionary algorithm (Nelder Mead Simplex) and a non-gradient based evolutionary algorithm (Genetic Algorithm). The machine designs based on the analytical procedure and the optimization procedure are both manufactured and tested on a bench. The second axis of study of the thesis is the injection of harmonics in the phase currents of the synchronous reluctance machine. The interaction of current harmonics with the spatial inductance harmonics is studied and formalized for an m-phase machine. Then, the harmonics injection concept is evaluated in the particular case of a 2-phase machine. This study shows the benefi t of harmonics injection in the reduction of the machine torque ripple. A synchronous reluctance machine design is fi nally developed for an automotive application based on parametric optimization of the stator and rotor. This design is evaluated for the electromagnetic specifi cations imposed by a mid-power electric vehicle traction application