UNIT III

SYNCHRONOUS RELUCTANCE
MOTOR

T he Synchronous Reluctance Motor is completely free of magnets and their operational

problems. It is inexpensive to make and can operate at extensively high speed and at
higher temperature than the PM motors. However, its power factor and efficiency are
not as high as those of a PM motors and the converter KVA requirement is higher.
The Synchronous Reluctance Motor offers many of the advantages of the Switched
Reluctance Motor. But the Synchronous Reluctance Motor has two added advantages
i) it can operate from essentially standard PWM AC inverter and has lower torque ripple.
ii) It can also be built with a standard induction motor stator and winding.

1.1 CONSTRUCTION OF SYNCHRONOUS RELUCTANCE MOTOR

 Its construction is very similar to induction motor The two important parts of the motor
are stator and rotor as in Induction motor. It is shown in the figure 1.1
 The stator construction is similar to induction motor (ie) it has outer frame which covers
the whole machine. Beneath the frame stator core which are laminated and made up of
silicon steel material are fixed to reduce Hysteresis & Eddy current loss in the motor.
 The stator core has stator slots which are used for housing the stator winding, usually three
phase winding is provided.
 Here the rotor does not have any magnets (or) field winding for excitation.
 The rotor has very simple construction such that salient pole rotor core which are
laminated (or) solid steel material.
 The machine is low cost, rugged and have high efficiency and are capable of operating at
very high speeds.
3.2 Synchronous Reluctance Motor

Ldm
 The traditional Synchronous Reluctance Motor has low saliency (ie) a low ratio,
Lqm
which gives poor torque density, low power factor and poor efficiency.
 The Synchronous Reluctance Motor is similar to the sinusoidal PM machine, except that
the field flux  f  0 and Ldm  Lqm .

1.1.1 Working Principle

 The motor works on the basic principle of minimum reluctance position.
 When the stator winding is excited by the AC supply, it produces the rotating magnetic
field in the airgap which cuts the rotor and induces magnetic field in the rotor.
 The rotor tries to align itself with the minimum reluctance position by developing
reluctance torque between the stator and rotor.
 Ideally there is no core (or) copper loss in the rotor, but the inverter fed harmonics will
cause some copper loss in the damper winding if present.
 The simplest operation of a Synchronous Reluctance Motor is a line start motor where the
machine starts like an induction motor with the help of a cage winding, but pulls into
synchronism at synchronous speed.

Stator frame

Stator core

Stator winding
Rotor Core

Rotor Shaft

Salient Pole rotor

Stator slots

Fig1.1
 Special Electrical Machines 3.3

Useful properties of Synchronous Reluctance Motor:

i. Combined reluctance and magnet alignment torque.
ii. Field weakening capability
iii. High Inductance
iv. High Speed capability
v. High temperature capability
vi. Under excited operation for most load condition.

Applications
i. Pumps and Conveyors
ii. Synthetic fiber spinning mills
iii. Wrapping and folding machines
iv. Motor pumps

Types of Synchronous Reluctance Motor:

i. Line start Synchronous Reluctance Motor (cage type)
ii. Cageless PM / Synchronous Reluctance hybrid motor
iii. Brushless Synchronous Reluctance Motor

Depending upon the rotor construction the Synchronous Reluctance Motor is two types.
i. Radial airgap motor
ii. Axial airgap motor

1.2 RADIAL AIRGAP MOTOR

 In this type of motor, the stator construction remains the same but the rotor has projecting
pole laminations of steel core. It is shown in the figure 1.2
 Therefore the length of the magnetic core in a radial motor is less than the total active
magnetic length due to the presence of end turns at each end of the motor.
3.4 Synchronous Reluctance Motor

 The magnetic working radius set the torque for the motor and is directly related to the
torque production of a motor. The larger the radius is, the more torque the motor produces.
 The working radius of the magnet in a radial motor is usually considered the outside
dimension of the magnet.
 Since this is a cylindrical structure this is easily defined and is commonly used.
 The working radius is smaller than the axial motor. So torque production in radial motor is
smaller than the axial motor.
 The total magnetic surface area in radial motor design is set by the magnet diameter and
the magnet length. The magnet surface area is increasing linearly with magnet length
surface area is more than the axial motor.
 In radial motor, the effective airgap area is less than the maximum airgap area since there
are gaps between the field poles to reduce the flux leakage and allow for insertion of
windings.
 The core area for a radial motor is limited by the smallest radius of the core, the winding
thickness and the gap necessary to allow for winding the motor windings.
 An advantage to the radial motor design is that more core area can be incorporated into the
motor. Generally radial motors have a limited value of copper fill since the windings need
to be done through the slots between the pole shoes.

Stator outer frame

Stator core

Stator slots

Stator winding
Rotor Core

Rotor Shaft

Rotor Pole

Fig 1.2
 Special Electrical Machines 3.5

1.3 AXIAL AIRGAP MOTOR

 In this type of motor, the length of the laminated core of rotor is Lc which is essentially the
same as the length of the winding.
 For axial motor, the magnet working radius is harder to define since the radius varies over
the area of the air gap.
 Typically the magnet working radius can be larger since the magnet outside diameter is
limited only by the motor shell thickness and a clearance gap for rotation and in some case
the winding thickness.
 The axial motor has 1.4 times torque improvement compared to the radial motor. For the
axial motor, the magnet surface area is set by the inner and outer radii of the magnet and
then doubled since this surface has one magnet at each end of the motor.
 The air gap area for a traditional axial motor is just the area of a slice of the field poles that
is perpendicular to the axis of rotation.
 The effective air gap area is less than maximum area since some areas are left between the
field poles to reduce flux leakage between the field poles and some area to the windings.
 The core area for a traditional axial motor is just the area of a perpendicular slice of the
field poles. The axial motor has a constant core area and it has maximum torque for any
given diameter independent of length.
 The increase in length of an axial motor changes the power dissipation of the motor but
does not change the maximum torque. Axial motor has high copper fill ratio because of
the simple coil design.
 If the length were not constrained, the axial motor could be lengthened so that additional
copper could be added.
 The axial motors do not increase torque by extending motor length. Extending the motor
length in an axial motor increase the length of the winding but does not change the torque
value produced.
 The constructional view is shown in the figure 1.3
3.6 Synchronous Reluctance Motor

Stator Outer Frame

Stator Core

Stator Slots

Rotor Core
Rotor Shaft
Rotor Poles

Stator Winding

Fig 1.3

1.4 SYNCHRONOUS RELUCTANCE

In this type of motor where magnets are absent (or) removed under the no load
condition (or) open circuit condition and when there is not torque, all the flux is the q-axis
flux and there is no d-axis flux. Usually the case is that X d  X q which is opposite to the
ordinary synchronous machines.
In many respects, the Synchronous Reluctance Motor is similar to the sinusoidal PM
machines, except that the field flux  f  0 and Ldm  Lqm . The d e  q e equivalent circuits of
the machines are simple and they are shown in the figure 1.4.

iqs
Rs
_
+

we  ds

 qs Lqs = Lls + Lqm

Vqs

Fig 1.4
 Special Electrical Machines 3.7

ids
Rs
_
+

we  qs

 ds Lds = Lls + Lqm

Vds

Fig1.4

The machine may or may not have a cage (or) damper winding. Ideally there is no core (or)
copper loss in the rotor, but the inverter fed harmonics will cause some copper loss in the
damper winding if present. The simplest operation of the Synchronous Reluctance Motor is as
lie start motor where the machine starts like an induction motor with the help of a cage
winding, but pulls into synchronism at synchronous speed. One traditionally popular
application of a Synchronous Reluctance Motor is the multi motor drive by open loop
volts/Hz speed control.

1.5 PHASOR DIAGRAM OF SYNCHRONOUS RELUCTANCE

MOTOR

The phasor diagram of the motor is drawn to obtain the performance parameters of the
motor. The phasor diagram is shown in the figure 1.5 with their standard symbols where
 ds  Lds ids ,  qs  Lqs iqs and Vs  we  s
3.8 Synchronous Reluctance Motor

qe

Vs


Is  2Is
 iqs

s  2s
qs
 

de
e ids ds

ds

Fig 1.5

The flux  ds tends to saturate at ids. In fact there is some cross saturation effect of Lds due to
iqs current. The stator resistance drop has been neglected for simplicity. Note that  f phasor
and corresponding Vf phasor are absent. Since the stator supplies magnetizing current like an
induction motor, the stator power factor angle  is large. So the power factor is low in the
synchronous reluctance motor.

The torque developed by the motor is called as synchronous reluctance torque which is given
by

P  Lds  Lqs 

Te  3    2s   sin 2
2  2 L L 
ds qs 


ˆs
Where  s 
2

 3   P  ˆ 2  Lds  Lqs 
 Te       s   sin 2
 2   2   2 Lds Lqs 
 Special Electrical Machines 3.9

Where
ˆ s  space vector flux magnitude

P  umber of poles
  torque angle

 qs  ds
Put sin 2 = 2 sin cos and where sin   and cos  

ˆs 
ˆs

 3   P   Lds  Lqs 
 Te         ds  qs
 2   2   Lds Lqs 

 3P
 Te       Lds  Lqs  ids iqs
 2 2 

From the above equation we say that the torque can be controlled by ids , iqs(or) both
components. The above equation can also be rewritten as

 3P
Te       ds iqs   qs ids 
 2 2 

1.6 SYNCHRONOUS RELUCTANCE MOTOR CHARACTERISTICS

The characteristics of the motor depends upon the torque angle  and speed of the
motor with respect to the torque developed. The torque equation is given as

 3  P   Lds  L qs 
Te      s2   sin 2
    ds qs 
2 2 2L L

Generally Lqs > Lds and the torque has a maximum value at  = 450 (or) radians in the
4
3.10 Synchronous Reluctance Motor

motoring region. The torque follows the sinusoidal distribution in the motoring and generating
region and it is shown in the figure 1.6.

Te

Te(max)

900 450 450 900 

-Te(max)

Motoring Generating

-Te

Fig 1.6

The next important characteristics are the speed torque characteristics of the motor. Usually
the synchronous motor is the constant speed motor and it runs only at synchronous speed. The
speed control of the motor can be achieved by combined volts/Hz control. The speed torque
characteristics of the motor are shown in the figure 1.7.

Te

Temax

0
Ns
Speed 

Fig 1.7

The characteristics takes the natural shape (ie) as the speed is increased from initial value, the
torque also increase and reaches its maximum value and then the motor tries to pull into
synchronism and runs at synchronous speed with normal reluctance torque. The variable load
 Special Electrical Machines 3.11

on the motor does not affect the speed of the motor but it controls the developed torque in the
motor for the fixed frequency operation. The motor goes out of synchronism when it is
subjected to overload condition and the motor stops. The speed torque characteristics is also
affected by the sudden loading and unloading of motor which leads to oscillatory motion of
the rotor which may sometime lead to asynchronous operation.

1.7 VERNIER MOTOR

A vernier motor is an unexcited inductor synchronous motor in which a small

displacement of the rotor produces a large displacement of the axes of permeance. It runs at a
slow speed as if it were geared down the speed of the rotating field set up by the stator. To
design a vernier motor is equivalent to designing a polyphase reluctance motor with an odd
shaped rotor. So that the air gap permeance distribution is a displaced triangular wave. The
motor is so named because it operates on the principle of a vernier. The peculiar feature of this
kind of motor is that a small displacement of the rotor produces a large displacement of the
axes of maximum and minimum permeance. When a rotating magnetic field is introduced in
the air gap of the machine, the rotor will rotate slowly and at a definite fraction of the speed of
the rotating field. This rotating field can be produced either by feeding poly phase current to
the stator winding or by exciting the stator coil groups in sequence. As the rotor speed steps
down from the speed of the rotating field, the motor torque steps up. Therefore, the motor
works as an electric gearing. This kind of motor is attractive in applications which require low
speed and high torque and where mechanical gearing is undesirable.

1.7.1 Construction
 The construction of vernier motor is similar to poly phase induction motor as shown in the
figure 1.8
 The two important parts are stator and rotor. The stator has laminated stator core made up
of silicon steel to reduce eddy currents and hysteresis loss in the stator.
 At the inner periphery of the stator core, stator slots are provided and the slots are used for
housing the stator winding.
 The stator winding is distributed in the slots just like the ordinary poly phase induction
motor. When the stator winding is excited by the poly phase supply, the rotating magnetic
field is produced in the air gap.
 The rotor has laminated core made up of iron material without any winding.
 The outer periphery of the rotor has rotor slots Number of stator slots will be more than
the number of rotor slots.
 Because of this construction the air gap permeance varies between the stator and rotor
slots in the horizontal and vertical direction.
3.12 Synchronous Reluctance Motor

1.7.2 Principle of operation

 The stator of a vernier motor has slots and a distributed winding just like the stator of an
ordinary polyphase induction motor.
 The rotor is slotted iron core without winding. To understand the principle of operation of
a vernier motor refer the below figure.

Vertical axis

Stator Outer Frame

Stator Core

Stator Slots
Rotor Slots
Horizontal axis

Rotor Shaft

Rotor Core

Fig 1.8
 The figure 1.8 shows a two pole machine with 12 stator slots and 10 rotor slots. Small
numbers of slots are purposely chosen as an example to facilitate the explanation.
 At the position shown in figure, the stator and the rotor teeth are facing each other in the
vertical axis. The stator teeth are facing rotor slots in the horizontal axis.
 At this position, the maximum permeance is along the vertical axis and the minimum
permeance is along the horizontal axis.
 When the rotor is rotated one half of its slots pitch, the rotor slots will face stator teeth in
the vertical axis. The stator and rotor teeth will face each other in the horizontal axis.
 The axis of maximum permeance is now horizontal and the axis of minimum permeance is
now vertical.
 Thus the rotor movement of one half rotor slot pitch results in a 90 degree displacement of
the permeance.
 Special Electrical Machines 3.13

 Suppose that a magnetic field is rotating in the machine. Whenever the rotating field
rotates 90 degree, the rotor will rotate one half of its slot pitch.

 When the rotating field completes one revolution, the rotor will rotate through an angle
corresponding to two rotor slot pitches. For the example given, the rotor speed is one fifth
of the speed of the rotating field.

1.8 Airgap Permeance Distribution in Vernier motor

The first step in the design is to study the permeance distribution along the air gap.
Assume that fluxes fringing from the edges of the teeth will be neglected and the fluxes in the
air gap flows in the radial direction. The permeance of air space between the stator and rotor
at any location is inversely proportional to the radial length of air space at that location. Since
the stator and rotor slot depths are much larger in comparison with the air gap length, the
permeance of air space can be considered as zero, except where stator tooth surface is facing
rotor tooth surface. The permenace distribution along the circumference of air gap for the
given figure is shown below. Figure 1.9

permeance

0 
2
 3
2 2

Angular Position 

Figure 1.9 Airgap permeance distribution of motor

permeance

0 
2
 3
2 2

Angular Position 

Figure 1.10. Equivalent permeance distribution

3.14 Synchronous Reluctance Motor

In figure 1.9, the widths of rectangular blocks are the widths of overlap between the stator and
rotor teeths. These widths of overlap vary linearly from a maximum to a minimum and back to
a maximum as shown. The area of overlap is maximum for the top and bottom stator teeth
where the rotor teeth are directly opposite. The area of overlap is reduced a constant amount
for each successive stator tooth until a minimum (zero) is reached. After that the area of
overlap is increased successively back to the maximum and cycle repeats.
A permeance distribution curve shown in figure1.9 is not convenient to use because it cannot
be represented by a simple mathematical function. The equivalent permeance distribution
curve of the figure 1.10 is therefore drawn. The figure1.10 represents the periodic linear
variation of permeance per unit area from a maximum to minimum and back to a maximum.
When the rotor rotates, this permeance wave rotates at a much faster speed. The axes at which
maximum and minimum permeance occur are the direct and quadrature axes respectively of
the vernier motor. The technique of replacing a permeance curve of figure1.9 by an equivalent
permeance curve of figure 1.10 is an accepted practice in electrical machine design.

1.9 DESIGN OF VERNIER MOTOR

In a poly phase reluctance motor, the rotor has the same number of poles as the stator
mmf wave. Similarly, in a vernier motor, the air gap permeance wave should have the same
number of poles as the stator mmf wave. Therefore, the number of stator and rotor slots
should have the following relation.

N1  N 2  P

Where N1  number of stator slots

N2  number of rotor slots
P  number of poles of the rotating magnetic field

As we have seen before, when the rotor rotates through an angle corresponding to one rotor
slot pitch, the permeance wave rotates through an angle corresponding to one pole pitch. The
pole pitch of the permeance wave is the same as the pole pitch of the stator mmf wave,
because they have the same number of poles.
Also in a reluctance machine, the speed of the permeance wave is the same as the speed of
rotating mmf.
 Special Electrical Machines 3.15

Therefore,
Rotor speed Rotor slot pitch P
 
Rotating field speed mmf pole pitch N 2
(or)

120 f
Rotor Speed  rpm
N2

And the electric gear ratio is given as

N2
Electric Gear Ratio =
  N 2  N1 

It can be seen from rotor speed equation that the rotor speed is independent of the number of
poles of the machine, when the speed of the rotating field is reduced by increasing the
number of poles of the machine. It cannot be expected that the speed of the rotor be reduced
proportionally because when P is increased the difference between N2 and N1 should also be
increased and the electric gear ratio is reduced in the inversed proportion. Thus, the rotor
speed is not affected by the number of poles but depends on the number of rotor slots.
The main step in design is to calculate the direct and quadrature axes reactance Xd and Xq.

Xd = Xl + Xad
Xq = Xl + Xaq
Where
Xl  stator leakage reactance
Xad = Xaq  direct and quadrature axis reactance of armature reaction.
The Xad is the ratio of the fundamental component of reactive armature voltage produced by
the mutual flux due to the fundamental direct axis component of armature current to this
component under steady state conditions and at rated frequency. Similarly Xaq is the ratio of
the fundamental component of relative armature voltage produced by the mutual flux due to
the fundamental quadrature axis component of armature current to this component of current
under steady state condition and at rated frequency.