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BLDC motors; surface-mounted PM; interior PM; induced emf; air-gap flux density; inductance; fault tolerance; torque ripple; torque–speed characteristics; FEM analysis; fabrication; comparative study.

This paper presents a novel and exhaustive investigation involving in-depth analysis, performance evaluation and comparative study of two 0.75 hp, 4-pole, 1500 rpm laboratory prototypes of Brushless DC (BLDC) motors of identical nominal ratings with surface and interior permanent magnet rotor structures havingthe same stator and winding (integral slot distributed winding). Both the motors were designed and developed in the lab. The major electrical variables (such as rated power, speed, voltage, current, number of poles, etc.) and the stator (such as core material, stator lamination, stack length, winding pattern and wire gauge) of the fabricated prototypes have also been kept identical to pin-point the direct influence of the two different rotor configurations (viz., surface vs interior permanent magnet) on the parameters, performance and operation ofthese BLDC motors. Additionally, to ensure unbiased basis for appropriate comparison, the overall volumes of magnets/pole in both the motors have also been kept similar. A detailed comparison of different quantities likeair-gap flux density distribution, THD in induced voltage, torque ripple, losses and efficiency, torque–speed characteristics with field-weakening capability, steady state parameters at different operating conditions, etc. has been conducted for the said motors and the salient points duly highlighted. The vulnerability of the permanent magnets to demagnetisation based on armature reaction, particularly during a sudden fault, has also been investigated in both the cases. The theoretically determined parameters and analytically evaluated performancefigures have been verified through standard FEM packages, and later validated experimentally on the fabricated prototypes. Very good mutual agreement has been observed between predicted and experimental values.

PINAKI MUKHERJEE¹ SOURABH PAITANDI¹ MAINAK SENGUPTA¹

1. Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur 711103, India

Published

January 2020

Manuscript received

25 October 2019

Manuscript revised

Accepted

18 November 2019

Final version published online

24 January 2020