Performance of Mutually Coupled Switched Reluctance Machines in Generating Mode with Sinusoidal Current Excitation

This paper analyzes the operation of mutually coupled switched reluctance machines (MCSRMs) at generating mode with sinusoidal current excitation. The sinusoidal current excitation for MCSRMs enables the use of the standard voltage source inverter and the conventional modulation methods such as the space vector modulation. When the MCSRM operates at generating mode, there are infinite number of operating points that can output the same average torque. The differences between those operating points are the corresponding torque ripple, efficiency, and power factor. Thus, the influence of these three factors on the operation of the MCSRM are investigated. Since MCSRMs has no field excitation source, the phase windings of the machine are magnetized from an external source. The amount of the reactive power consumed depends on the direct-and quadrature- axis currents. This means for the same average torque applied on machine shaft, the amount of reactive power can be minimized. A 2kW 12/8 MCSRM is used in the study. The analysis is conducted using FEA and MATLAB.