Transient thermal analysis of induction motors

Induction machine transient thermal analysis has been a subject of interest for machine designers in their effort to improve machine reliability and in rotor design optimisation. The study of transient thermal behavior is useful to identify causes of failure in induction machines. This paper presents a two dimensional transient analysis of induction machines using the available heat transfer coefficients in literature. A generalised finite element code developed with Galerkin's weighted residual technique is used for analysis. The model is applied to one squirrel cage TEFC machine of 3.7 kW and another surface cooled machine of 5.7 kW. The predicted temperatures compare well with test results. The advantages and limitations of this model are discussed.