Modal Characterization of a 12/8 Switched Reluctance Motor Stator-Housing Assembly

There is an increasing research focus on computationally evaluating the acoustic noise and vibration of switched reluctance motors (SRMs) using finite element (FE) tools. The accuracy of the calculated acoustic behavior of an electric motor relies heavily on the fidelity of the FE model. The FE model of a stator-housing assembly poses a challenge due to the orthotropic behavior of electrical steel and the nonuniform geometry of the windings. This article introduces an experimental modal analysis approach to calculate the modal characteristics of a 12/8 SRM stator-housing assembly, investigating the effects of winding and housing on these characteristics. Additionally, the study involves analytical calculation and FE modeling, correlating the results with experimental values to enhance understanding and accuracy in predicting acoustic behavior. It also presents a polynomial function to calculate modal damping parameters and investigates the applicability of the analytical equations commonly used in the literature to the tested SRM.