Optimization of Polyphase Segmented-Rotor Reluctance Motor Design: A Nonlinear Programming Approach

The advantage of the reluctance motor over that of the excited synchronous motor ia that the former does not require a separate d.c. supply for excitation of field winding. Reluctance machines are cheap, robust, and reliable. Using static frequency converters, these motors can be used in control systems and allied fields, for positioning or speed control or a combination of both. But the conventional reluctaunce motor,having ordinary sq,uirrel cage winding with saliency, has the drawback of low pover factor and output. The power factor and output are closely related to the ratio xd/xq of the motor. To obtain large power factors aid output it is necessary to make xd as large as possible and xqas smll as possible. When the ratio cf pole xarc to pole pitch of the rotor is of the order of 0.2, large value of xd/xq can be obtained but then the motor has tle drawback of having heavy magnetising current and a very low pull-in torque.