Switched Reluctance Generator with Higher Number of Rotor Poles than Stator Poles

Due to its salient pole construction, concentrated stator windings and single source of excitation, switched reluctance machine (SRM) is an inherently robust machine with a wide constant power speed range. SRM has duality in the characteristics and control in motoring and generating modes, but due to the absence of magnetic source on the rotor, switched reluctance generator (SRG) has a unique operation as compared to other electric machines. This paper investigates the generating performance of the new family of SRMs with higher number of rotor poles. The proposed SRM configuration allows improved torque and operational characteristics than the conventional SRM. The simulation and experimental results on a 3 phase 6/10 SRM verify that the higher number of rotor poles and, hence, higher number strokes doesn't bring any control complexity in generating mode using the conventional control techniques and converter. Moreover, it has been experimentally verified that 6/10 SRG is capable of maintaining its operation even when there is fault in one or two of its phase windings.